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The home side played much of the game with only one healthy interchange player after Joe Tapine (ankle), Ryan James and Sebastian Kris (both head injury assessments) were ruled out.

And they still found some energy to try to steal the victory when Jordan Rapana was stretching out for the corner with only seconds left on the clock. Tuivasa-Sheck's reach was that little bit longer, knocking the ball from the winger's grasp.

The Warriors have had mixed results this NRL season with the team burdened by the huge sacrifice of relocating to Australia and the shock mid-season axing of coach Stephen Kearney in June, while four players returned home after the NRL failed to get exemptions for their families to join them in New South Wales.

But Faumuinā believes some disappointing results might reflect a mismatch in values.

"Looking at the last 25 years, there's enough evidence to say yes they don't [understand the culture]," he said.

The 32-year-old is back in Brisbane after wrapping up his debut season with the Kintetsu Liners in Japan’s second-tier Top Challenge League in January.

Cooper still has another eight months until he is due to return to Japan for playing duties, and is contemplating asking Kintestu for permission to explore a short-term NRL deal before the June 30 transfer deadline.

The ARL Commission made the announcement about wanting the premiership season to resume late next month following a meeting with its innovations committee today.

The decision was announced after Nine released a statement this morning taking aim at the NRL's financial management, which it claimed had left clubs and players facing uncertain futures.

"The details on the competition structure we haven't got yet because the landscape is changing around government boundaries," ARL commissioner Wayne Pearce said.

The series, which was to include a much-anticipated rematch between Tonga and New Zealand and other tests involving Samoa, PNG and the Cook Islands was originally scheduled for June.

However the Asia Pacific Rugby League Confederation said it was now looking at delivering fixtures in October and November.

Deputy Chair Greg Peters said the unprecedented measures had to be taken for the safety and well-being of players, staff and supporters.

The saying goes that behind every good man is an even better woman and Stuart believes Masepa Papalii is that someone.

The pair were sweethearts for several years before tying the knot in late 2018. Season 2019 not only saw Papalii shift from lock to front row, it gave the 27-year-old a third Mal Meninga Medal (for the Raiders' best player) in four years.

Papalii scored six tries, made 61 tackle busts, 31 off-loads, ran for 3830 metres at an average just shy of 150 in each of his 26 games.

Tonga coach Kristian Woolf intends to stay loyal to the players responsible for the rise of the Pacific nation in recent season but confirmed that Folau would be considered for this year's Tests against New Zealand, Fiji and possibly a Williams-inspired Samoa.

The majority of the squad committed to their heritage for the 2017 World Cup and again stuck solid during last year's stand-off with the Tongan National Rugby League.

Australia will meet Fiji, Italy and Scotland in Group B, while New Zealand were drawn against Ireland, Jamaica and Lebanon in Group C and Tonga play Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea and Wales in Group D.

In the women’s tournament, New Zealand were drawn in the same pool as Australia in a massive boost for the likes of England and PNG.

However, most interest in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace centred on which team Prince Harry picked as England's opponents in the opening match on 23 October, 2021. The match will be played at St James' Park in Newcastle.

No tries were scored in the first half with the sides locked 2-2 at half time, but the Kiwis took charge after the break as Jamayne Isaako and Corey Harawira-Naera crossed over.

Daryl Clark replied late on, but Great Britain would fall short and suffer a second loss at the start of the 2019 tour, having lost to a Tonga Invitational XIII last weekend.

Disappointment is the only word Warriors coach Stephen Kearney could conjure post-match after his side's remote finals aspirations dreams were all-but buried at Mount Smart stadium last night.

They'll remain 12th by the end of the weekend but can't fancy their hopes on current form, combined with a tough run home and ongoing injury problems for Kodi Nikorima and Karl Lawton.

Coach Stephen Kearney delivered his lacklustre players a rocket at the break and was still steaming at fulltime.