Eli Katoa remains unlikely to play in 2026, but that did not prevent the world’s best edge forward from remaining in the Storm’s leadership group after the club confirmed Golden Boot winner Harry Grant will be captain again this season.

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It will be the third year in a row that Grant will captain the side, with superstar half Cameron Munster and Jarome Hughes taking his place as Melbourne look to bounce back from back-to-back Grand Final losses.

Katoa is not expected to play at all this year after sustaining a shocking series of head blows while playing for Tonga and spending two weeks in an Auckland hospital before being cleared to return to Melbourne.

Eli Katoa has returned to training but is not scheduled to play for the Storm this year.

The attacking weapon has been doing some light training with the Storm, but the truth is he still has a long road to recovery before he is given the green light to play.

That did not prevent the club from naming him in the leadership group along with other forwards Josh King and Tui Kamikamika.

“We have real confidence that this experienced group will continue to lead from the front and set the standard we expect from our players,” said Storm Director of Development and Leadership Todd Lowery.

“Each of them is deserving of reappointment, and it is a real luxury and strength for us to bring stability into the new season in the form of this leadership group.

“Harry is an outstanding choice as captain again this year and will be excellently supported and complemented by Cameron and Jarome.”

The Storm are also focusing on developing their next leaders, adding Stefano Utoikamanu, Alec MacDonald, Atibal Risati, Trent Loiero and Tyrann Wishart to their emerging group.

This news comes after the Sharks announced that Blake Braley and Cameron McInnes will be co-captains this season.

Braley will fill that role while McInnes continues his recovery from a serious knee injury, but the veteran lock is likely to return mid-season.

“It’s a very special group and we feel like we’re really on the verge of something happening. It’s a huge privilege to be able to be a part of leading the group,” McInnes said.

“The way Blake approaches things in his own way brings a lot of calm to the group. That ability to be yourself and influence a group is leadership.”

Australian Super Bowl Winner Gives Big NFL Call to Dogs Star

As the Canterbury Bulldogs continue to prepare for their first-round match against the Dragons, the Australian Super Bowl winners have backed one of their star players in their bid for a spot in the National League.

Weeks after winning the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, punter Michael Dixon believes Matt Barton has what it takes to compete overseas.

This came after the 5/8 was filmed hitting the roof with a towering bomb while at the Las Vegas Raiders’ training facility, breaking the NFL record for longest field goal.

“He can definitely do it,” Sydney-born Dixon said. AAP.

“It’s completely different to the rules and the league in Australia. The sweet spot (of the ball) is also completely different. I think he will eventually find his sweet spot kicking an NFL ball.”

Barton, who is under contract with the Bulldogs for at least the next two seasons, admitted he is open to the possibility of a code change in the future.

His manager also confirmed that NFL scouts have inquired about his services.

“Sometimes in the league, when you hit a bad ball, you’re like, ‘Now I want to make this tackle, I want to do something here (to make up for it),'” Dixon added.

“(In the NFL) you might only have three punts in a game, you might only have four punts in a game. And if one or two of those punts aren’t perfect, you can still hit the ball decently, but if it’s not perfect, it means 50 percent of the games weren’t up to par.”

“It’s very easy to have one good punt.” But it’s really, really hard to have a year where 65 out of 70 punts were really good punts. It’s a very difficult thing to do, so I give it the attention and effort it deserves. ”

Favorite city after Las Vegas revealed

Leading NRL brokers have revealed London is their favorite city to host the season opener, along with Las Vegas, following the success of the NRL’s expansion into the United States.

daily telegraph London is tipped to join Las Vegas as the next city to host the NRL’s opening game as early as 2027, it has been reported.

The NRL believes Britain offers a lucrative opportunity for the match, with Middle Eastern destination As Abu being considered as well.

Japan, Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi are also competing to host NRL games as part of a global effort to expand the game and reach new audiences.

However, the NRL could converge on British cities as early as 2027, with London clearly emerging as the next option.

Australian Rugby League Board Chairman Peter Brandis and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo have revealed plans to continue growing rugby through global expansion.

“Yeah, that’s right. Honestly, that’s the easiest of them all,” Vrandies said of London.

However, V’landys believes Asia and the Middle East will also be firmly in contention.

“Look, I’m not ruling out 2027. Abu Dhabi is very keen… Along with London, those might be the two things we’re looking at,” Vrandies said.

But London could be a goldmine of revenue thanks to rugby league streaming service Watch NRL, which is only accessible to supporters outside Australia and broadcasts every NRL match live.

The NRL is adamant that British fans will flock to the platform when NRL games become available, as only selected games are broadcast in the UK market through Sky, with a subscription fee of $160 a year.

“Increasing the sales of Watch NRL is the biggest thing for us because that’s what drives our revenue,” V’landys said.

“Since we went to Las Vegas, our subscription numbers have increased significantly.”

Warriors star calls out the future

New Zealand Warriors fullback Thein Tuaupiki has avoided signing a new contract extension with a rival.

The 26-year-old, who is on the release list at the end of this season, has agreed a two-year contract extension with the Warriors that will see him cross the Tasman Sea and stay until the end of 2028.

“Tane is often called upon in difficult times at NRL level and always responds with a quality effort,” coach Andrew Webster said.

“Last season was a perfect example of that. We had an injury early in the season and we asked Tain to play on the wing, which he had never played before. He didn’t balk and did a great job.”

“He is a great source of energy for our team and we are excited to know he will be with us for at least three more seasons.

He has a lot to offer. ”

He scored two tries in the 2025 State Championship win over Burley Bears, and his new contract will see him gradually move into a permanent starting full-back role.

Since making his debut in 2023, he has made 25 appearances in first grade and a further 36 for the club’s reserve team.

Former NRL duo backknights wooden spoon