Rugby League News | Raidercast

Thu, 6th August, 2026, 21:02 AEST
Warriors and Panthers Face Last-Minute Changes
Warriors' Te Maire Martin is injured; Panthers' Jack Cogger misses match for child's birth in crucial top-four clash.
LeagueNews.co
The New Zealand Warriors and Penrith Panthers have been compelled to make significant late changes ahead of their crucial top-four matchup in Auckland this Friday night.
Te Maire Martin of the Warriors will not be participating due to a hamstring injury he unfortunately sustained during training earlier this week.
Meanwhile, Jack Cogger from Penrith is staying in Australia as he prepares for the birth of his child, leaving him unavailable for the match.
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Thu, 6th August, 2026, 10:54 AEST
'Too good to refuse': Bears roster continues to build with English star Morgan Smithies locked in long term
Morgan Smithies signs with the Perth Bears for three years, joining other English internationals in the inaugural squad.
The Australian
The Perth Bears have locked in experienced forward Morgan Smithies on a three-year deal with an option for two more seasons as he becomes the latest Englishman to sign with the new franchise.
The club has called it the "Blitz of Britain", with Smithies joining fellow English internationals Harry Newman, James McDonnell and Mikolaj Oledzki as part of its inaugural squad.
Smithies, 25, spent five seasons in the Super League before he moved to Canberra in 2024 where he's been a key cog in their middle forward rotation.
But he'll head west at the end of the year to beef up Perth's forward pack.
"The opportunity to make history and be a part of the Perth Bears was too good to refuse," Smithies said.
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Wed, 5th August, 2026, 12:19 AEST
Luke Bateman admits he cheated to compete with other men. It's gone down well with women
Luke Bateman overcame gambling addiction and suicidal thoughts, moving from NRL player to passionate author and social media personality.
The Sydney Morning Herald
When Luke Bateman was at rock bottom, he was the picture of masculinity: a professional NRL player with a beautiful girlfriend. But Bateman was also battling a gambling addiction that left him in deep debt and self-hatred that saw him cheat on his partner.
Things got so bad he considered suicide.
"I was in the most privileged position in society, living my dream, and I tried to take my own life," Bateman says. "How does that happen?"
Six years later, having left the NRL, undertaken rehab and moved to a farm in remote Queensland, Bateman is starting to find the answers. Today, the 31-year-old is best known for his social media presence on #BookTok, where he enthusiastically shares his passion for reading and writing.
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Warriors and Panthers Face Last-Minute Changes

'Too good to refuse': Bears roster continues to build with English star Morgan Smithies locked in long term

Luke Bateman admits he cheated to compete with other men. It's gone down well with women

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