Friday double-header on delay but NRL is unfazed
THE NRL has defended Channel Nine's decision not to televise either of Friday double-header games live from Suncorp stadium.

Grix in doubt for Challenge Cup
Warrington centre Simon Grix is a doubt for next month's Challenge Cup final due to injury.

Glenn fills Folau's shoes, but team must lift, says Henjak
Officially, the big shoes left behind by injured Broncos superstar Israel Folau have been handed to Alex Glenn. But Broncos coach Ivan Henjak warned that the pressure was not just on the 20-year-old Kiwi to perform in Folau's absence.

Leeds sign teenager
Leeds Rhinos have signed Wakefield teenager Jay Pitts on a three-and-half-year deal.

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Matt Griffin helping spark side's revival
As the Mackay Cutters strive for their third consecutive win on Saturday, halfback Matt Griffin looms as a key component in the team's success after returning from an extended shoulder injury lay-off. Griffin helped steer the Cutters to their two recent victories and he will again line up alongside Todd Seymour in the halves for the round 17 Queensland Cup game against the Redcliffe Dolphins at the Mackay JRL grounds.

Gilmour joins Huddersfield
Huddersfield have signed former Great Britain second rower Lee Gilmour on a two-year deal from St Helens.

Price ready to go for Origin III
Queensland rugby league coach Mal Meninga says Maroons prop Steve Price will definitely play in tonight's third State of Origin

Tigers name debutant Dwyer
Wests Tigers will hand an NRL debut to 20-year-old second-rower Simon Dwyer against the North Queensland Cowboys at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday.

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NZ Warriors take a punt on Isaac John
Isaac John is a surprise selection at stand off for the Warriors for this weekend's NRL match against the Roosters in Sydney. It is either a last throw of the dice, or time to begin experimenting for the next rugby league season. 20-year-old John is the 7th player to have graduated to the Warriors from the National Youth Competition. Lance Hohaia slips back to the bench.

Mullen out for four weeks
Newcastle's NRL finals aspirations have been boosted with the news that influential halfback Jarrod Mullen's knee injury is not as serious as first feared.

Matai pleads guilty, gone for two
Manly centre Steve Matai has been handed a two-match ban by the NRL judiciary after taking early guilty pleas to two separate charges of dangerous conduct.

Fa'asavalu arm broken
St Helens have suffered another blow after Maurie Fa'asavalu suffered a broken arm.

New contract for Ward
Danny Ward has become the seventh Harlequins player to sign a new contract.

Save league from 'tanking': forget drafts
From time to time there will be a call from an NRL coach to introduce an AFL-style draft system into rugby league. But if the past few days of hysteria in Victoria is anything to go by, hopefully that will never happen.

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Bellamy demands more grit
After eight losses in the past eleven State of Origin games, Blues coach Craig Bellamy will send out his troops with the message: "Get angry and get dirty".

In Nod we trust: Bellamy
He's 32 years old and has been maligned and ridiculed, but NSW coach Craig Bellamy has pinpointed Blues halfback Brett Kimmorley as the man to crush Qld tonight.

Wigan smash 15,000 barrier for Leeds clash
Wigan have sold more than 15,000 tickets for next Friday's clash with Leeds at the JJB Stadium, a game they are dubbing "the Big One".

Spagnolo cleared by police
Police have cleared Parramatta chairman Roy Spagnolo of any wrongdoing over a verbal confrontation with former CEO Denis Fitzgerald at CUA Stadium.

Mitchell promises to be good
Roosters captain-in-waiting Mitchell Pearce has vowed to rein in his party-boy behaviour after conceding that he risked further tarnishing his image

Blues to hold post-mortem
Kurt Gidley has called for the players to be given input into the end of season review into NSW's approach to origin, as the Queenslanders vowed to complete a 3-0 series whitewash at Suncorp Stadium tonight to force the Blues on the back-foot for next year's campaign.

Maroons vow no mercy
Relentless Queensland State of Origin coach Mal Meninga has ordered his men to go for the Blues' jugular at Suncorp Stadium tonight

Injured Gidley set to start
Kurt Gidley will play tonight with the assistance of a painkilling injection.

Finch a possibility to return early from deflated lung
Melbourne Storm five-eighth Brett Finch could make a surprise return from injury against the team that showed him the door earlier this season after he was named for the round-19 clash against Parramatta.