There are a number of players going into the 2022 Rugby League World Cup with an axe to grind and a point to prove ahead of the game’s showpiece event.
From Api Koroisau’s Kangaroos snub to Josh Addo-Carr’s brutal Blues axing and Victor Radley’s defection to England, there are a number of stars out to prove their doubters and critics wrong.
Read on for the players with a point to prove at the World Cup.
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Only Teddy’s spot is certain! – Mal | 04:38
DALY CHERRY-EVANS
Point to prove: Fight for halfback role with Nathan Cleary
Analysis: There has been plenty of conjecture and debate leading into Australia’s World Cup defence surrounding the key halfback role and who should start between Daly Cherry-Evans and Nathan Cleary. Cherry-Evans is the incumbent with three tries in 15 Tests to his name, while Cleary is yet to debut for his country. However, Australia have not played a Test since 2019, so incumbency is a grey area and Cleary has in played three grand finals since and won two premierships to assert himself as the best club halfback of the last three seasons. However, Cherry-Evans has captained Queensland to victory in two of the last three Origin series and has had Cleary’s number in that arena for the most part. Origin is the closest thing to Test footy, so it is likely up to Cherry-Evans to lose the halfback role with one or two poor performances. However, Cleary is likely to get a shot at some point due to Meninga’s rotation policy and can catapult himself into calculations for the knockout games with a strong performance, which could prove too hard for Meninga to ignore if Cherry-Evans falters. Manly had a woeful end to the season, which culminated in Des Hasler’s sacking and the Sea Eagles skipper will be out to turn around his own poor form and prove he is the right man to lead the Kangaroos in the key position of halfback as Cleary nips at his heels.
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VICTOR RADLEY
Point to prove: Prove he made right call to defect to England
Analysis: The Roosters lock shocked the rugby league world when he passed up the opportunity to represent the Blues in Origin and the Kangaroos in the future by pledging his allegiance to England for the World Cup. Radley has been in and around the NSW set up the last few seasons, including being part of the squad for Origin II this year, but ultimately turned his back on the Blues to represent the country of his father’s birth at the World Cup. Radley passed up potentially $30,000 for every potential Blues jersey he might have earned in the future, but with Isaah Yeo and Cameron Murray ahead of him in the pecking order for the Blues and Kangaroos, he may have seen the writing on the wall and opted to play international rugby league for England instead. England are tipped to struggle at their home World Cup, but they have a decent forward pack and Radley could prove vital as they aim to prove the doubters and their critics wrong. If Radley shines on the world stage, his decision to turn his back on the Blues will be vindicated, but should England struggle he may live to regret not playing in the Origin arena and for Australia in the future.
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REAGAN CAMPBELL-GILLARD
Point to prove: Blues axing was the wrong call
Analysis: The Eels prop was considered desperately unlucky to be axed from the Blues side after their loss in the series opener to Queensland. There were rumours his omission was due to an old beef with former club teammates from Penrith after he admitted he stopped trying in his final year at the Panthers as his enthusiasm for the sport and the club waned. Brad Fittler ultimately overlooked Campbell-Gillard in favour of Knights bench player Jacob Saifiti in the decider, despite his strong club form, which perplexed many critics as the Blues lost the Origin series 2-1. Campbell-Gillard’s strong club form saw him lead the Eels to a first grand final appearance since 2009, before they lost to a red hot Panthers side. The defection of Junior Paulo and Josh Papalii no doubt helped, but Campbell-Gillard deserved his first Kangaroos selection five years after his last. Campbell-Gillard will again be out to prove Blues selectors wrong as he makes the step up to the international stage with the Kangaroos at the World Cup.
API KOROISAU
Point to prove: His Kangaroos snub in favour of Ben Hunt and Harry Grant
Analysis: The Panthers hooker was arguably the best hooker in the game in 2022 on his way to winning the Dally M Hooker of the Year gong and a second premiership in a row with the Panthers before joining the Tigers in 2023. Koroisau was reportedly keen to debut for Australia at the World Cup, but was ultimately overlooked in favour of Queensland Origin pair Ben Hunt and Harry Grant, while incumbent Damien Cook was also ahead of him after being named as an injury reserve. Koroisau may have been benched at club level, but that was a tactical ploy that helped the Panthers to back-to-back titles and he was still the best hooker in the game over the course of the NRL season. Hunt played halfback all year with the Dragons and was picked on the strength of his outstanding Origin campaign at hooker, while Grant was preferred for his form for the Storm and off the bench for Queensland. Koroisau ultimately had to settle for a spot in the Fiji side and will be out to prove Meninga made the wrong call anvy continuing his stunning form in 2022 at the World Cup.
JOSH ADDO-CARR
Point to prove: Brutal Blues snub was the wrong decision
Analysis: The Bulldogs recruit and Blues incumbent winger was brutally overlooked for the 2022 Origin series in favour of Brian To’o and Daniel Tupou. No doubt the Bulldogs’ poor early season form and Brad Fittler not wanting to play two wingers short in stature played a role in Addo-Carr’s non-selection for NSW. However, the 27-year-old has scored 10 tries in 12 games for NSW since his debut in 2018 and has never let his State down. The man they call the Foxx is also considered to be one of the best players in terms of team culture and he can win a game on his own with his blinding speed. Addo-Carr’s club form was solid in 2022, despite the Bulldogs’ struggles and he still managed 16 tries in 23 games, which is the sixth straight season he has managed at least 16 tries since his debut season in 2016. Addo-Carr has scored 118 tries in 150 NRL games and looks certain to add to his one try from two games for Australia to date at the World Cup. A big tournament will again prove the Blues may have been too hasty to overlook him for Origin.
HAMISO TABUAI-FIDOW
Point to prove: Show Cowboys what they’ll miss and the Dolphins what they are getting
Analysis: The flyer started the season as the Cowboys’ No.1 before injury saw Scott Drinkwater overtake him in the pecking order and he had to settle for a bench role for the remainder of the year. Drinkwater’s outstanding season saw him re-signed long-term and Tabuai-Fidow ultimately saw the writing on the wall and chose to cut his contract with the Cowboys short with one year remaining and sign a two-year deal with Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins. The 21-year-old has scored 21 tries in 50 NRL games since his debut in 2020 and has scored one try in one Origin for the Maroons to date. Tabuai-Fidow will debut for Samoa at the World Cup and can show both his former employer what they have let walk out the door and more importantly what his new employer will be getting with a strong showing in the UK. The young speedster has the potential to be one of the best fullbacks in the game in the coming seasons and given the Dolphins’ struggles to land a marquee signing, Tabuai-Fidow might just be the man to fill the void in their inaugural season.
JOHN BATEMAN
Point to prove: Prove he can still mix it with the best NRL players
Analysis: At his best for the Raiders on their way to the 2019 Grand Final, John Bateman was the Dally M Second-rower of the Year and one of the best players in the NRL. The 29-year-old left a massive hole at the Raiders when he returned to Wigan in the Super League for family reasons in 2021. Bateman scored eight tries in 34 games for Canberra and was the heart and soul of the team, doing everything from ball playing to metre eating and cover defence. Bateman was cruelly robbed of a grand final appearance this season due to suspension and will want to make amends at the World Cup. England are reeling after a number of key injuries and Bateman’s experience will be crucial to their chances, despite the team being written off by critics. Bateman has the chance to prove he is still one of the best players in the world if he can mix it with the best the NRL has to offer on the world stage and lead his team to an upset win on home soil.
TYRONE MAY
Point to prove: To show he still could have a future in the NRL
Analysis: Tyrone May’s last game in the NRL was a Grand Final win with the Panthers in 2021, but he ultimately was forced out of the club due to salary cap pressures and he joined Catalans in 2022. May has a checkered off-field history, which culminated in a tasteless social media post after the 2021 grand final. However, the 26-year-old performed strongly for Catalans scoring four tries in 25 games on route to the Super League Grand Final last season. May scored 10 tries in 56 games for the Panthers since his debut in 2017 and will be out to prove he is not a spent force at NRL level should an opportunity to return to Australia emerge in the future. A big tournament for his native Samoa could thrust May into the spotlight for a potential return to the NRL, possibly with the Dolphins who still have eight spots to fill on their inaugural roster for 2023.
