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Read Now: Cowboys icons' 'raw' meeting after Green tragedy – 101 Latest News

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As news of their former coach Paul Green’s tragic death spread on Thursday morning, his former North Queensland Cowboys players met up for a “raw and emotional” gathering.

Green is an immortal in Townsville having helped deliver the club its first NRL premiership in 2015, and a number of the Cowboys’ 2015 team met up, according to their co-captain Matt Scott.

Scott admitted that he was still “shaken” as he paid tribute to the beloved coach, who died at just 49.

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“It’s pretty hard to comprehend that it’s actually happened and the fact that he’s gone and the manner in which he went is quite hard to come to terms with,” he told Nine’s NRL Sunday Footy Show.

“A bunch of us caught up Thursday night. Obviously it was still pretty raw and emotional, but we had a few beers, had a good chat and told some stories and remembered a lot of those good times.

“I’m sure in the weeks to come we’ll probably get together as a bigger group and do it again.”

Scott reminisced on his relationship with Green, who took over the Cowboys in 2014 and instantly transformed the side into a force to be reckoned with, in what was described as “a real sliding doors moment”.

One particular moment with his coach stuck out to the 37-year-old, who played 268 games in Cowboys colours between 2004 and 2019.

“We all had a great relationship with Greeny over a lot of years. There was a main group of us being myself, Johnno (Thurston), Coops (Gavin Cooper) and Greeny, we’d see each other every day and talk to each other a lot, but it was mainly footy,” he said.

“I think it was 2014 I actually ran into him on Hamilton Island and we were both having a break and didn’t know each other were there.

“He was headed out on the boat on the day, he loves his fishing, loves being on the water, and he invited Lauren and I on the boat for the day with his family, which is a testament to the type of bloke he was.

“We had a great day, just talked a lot about family and live in general and didn’t really discuss rugby league all that much. I’ll always remember that day for getting to know Greeny away from footy.”

Green’s genius as a coach was fully realised in 2017 when he took a Cowboys side decimated by injuries to the likes of Scott and Thurston all the way to the grand final.

Having spent a lot of time in the coaches’ box alongside Green while injured, Scott said he gained a greater appreciation for just how good Green was at his job.

“I always had a glimpse of it, especially taking on the co-captain role, but until you actually experience the amount of hours that go into watching vision, cutting up vision, planning for not just the game but the week’s training into it, it was a real eye-opener, it put me off wanting to be a coach, that’s for sure,” he said.

“Greeny being the way he was, he took it to a whole new level, certainly from what I’d seen from coaches over the years.

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“He left no stone unturned, he was always thinking, always planning, and he’d always try and have every circumstance covered.

“He really embraced the region, the lifestyle and the club and I think that’s why so many people in North Queensland and Townsville have fond memories of Greeny. As a club and player in particular, I can’t thank him enough for that.”

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Read Now: Skipper's rousing message that sparked Maroons star – 101 Latest News

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Queensland skipper Ali Brigginshaw has revealed the stirring message she gave Maroons debutant Keilee Joseph before her Player of the Match performance in the State of Origin opener.

Joseph was outstanding, running for 103 metres and laying 23 tackles as the Maroons claimed a vital 18-10 victory at CommBank Stadium in Sydney.

The 21-year-old lock played with the words “nanny” and “poppy” written on her taped wrists as she revealed her sick grandfather had been a major source of inspiration.

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However, Joseph’s grandparents weren’t her only source of inspiration on the night, with her skipper Brigginshaw opening up on her own words of advice to her young teammate.

“I spoke to her before the game and said, ‘You don’t want to be a one-game player, you want to [play for] 10 years’,” she told Nine.

“I wanted her to set her standards and set a legacy for that jersey and she did that tonight.”

Joseph revealed that she was “very, very nervous” in the lead-up to the match, calling her Player of the Match award “amazing”.

Queensland also revealed how the stirring comeback win from their male counterparts on Wednesday night laid the platform for their own victory.

“Definitely (drew inspiration from last night), the boys played an awesome game and we wanted to bring that out tonight as well,” Maroons star Julia Robinson, who scored a double, told Nine.

“We just had to be calm and set ourselves back up and just go out there and connect with each other.”

“I was just so proud of how the girls were together as a team. We watched the boys last night and they just showed up for each other, so if anything, watching them showed us the way,” added Brigginshaw.

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“We’ve got so many young kids, but I loved how we brought it together.”

The two sides will meet again in Townsville on June 22 for the series finale, with NSW needing a victory by nine points or more to retain the Origin shield.

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Read Now: Saudi Pro League: Puma enter ground-breaking sponsorship agreement with Al Hilal until 2027 – 101 Latest News

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Saudi Pro League: Puma enter ground-breaking sponsorship agreement with Al Hilal until 2027

#Saudi #Pro #League #Puma #enter #groundbreaking #sponsorship #agreement #Hilal

The partnership marks Puma’s continued expansion into football, meeting the region’s ever-growing passion for the game with one of the Arab World’s most celebrated and successful football clubs.

Commenting on the partnership, The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Hilal Club Mr. Fahad Bin Saad Bin Nafel said: “We’re delighted about this new partnership with Puma until 2027.

“The long-term nature of this agreement means both parties are committed to work together with a strong focus on bringing global exposure for the team as well as developing new campaigns and initiatives which place our communities in the spotlight.

“We are excited to start our journey together with PUMA being the first in the region with our very own bespoke kit designs and we believe that this partnership will set a new benchmark for Saudi football.”

Puma Middle East GM, Taner Seyis, added: “The partnership we signed with Al-Hilal provides new opportunities with one of the world’s most passionate football fanbases, in a market that is seeing unprecedented growth and dynamism across all industries. We are committed to working together with Al- Hilal, in the Kingdom and globally, to deliver impact both on and off the pitch.”

As part of the partnership, we will see both organizations working together to provide long-term initiatives for Saudi youth, connect with local communities, and create exclusive Puma product ranges to the delight of fans across the Kingdom and the globe.


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Read Now: Telles wins Europa League with Sevilla – 101 Latest News

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Telles wins Europa League with Sevilla

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There were plenty of other former Reds in action across the hotly-anticipated contest, too, with both Chris Smalling and Nemanja Matic starting for Roma.

Smalling has become something of a regular following his move to Rome back in 2020, with Matic having just completed his first full season in Italy after departing Manchester at the end of our 2021/22 campaign.

Despite taking the lead in the contest, it wasn’t to be for the Giallorossi, with wild scenes clear for all to see following another Sevilla success.

Congratulations on your triumph, Alex!


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