Matt Bungard

Sydney

Host at NRL Boom Rookies

Host of @BoomRookies and columnist for @ESPNAusNZ On Bluesky now: https://t.co/fpKZS5PJdf

Articles

State of Origin II: Incredible game confirms Origin's greatness

1 week ago | espn.in | Matt Bungard

How do you begin to compare State Of Origin to other sporting events? Or even concepts? How do you explain that a team is given no chance of victory, with inferior players and a coach up against the wall - and yet they win?
Homebush is a ghost town, bring the Bunnies home

4 weeks ago | espn.in | Matt Bungard

Whether it's going down Caxton Street on the way to Lang Park, walking down from the Orange Grove Hotel to Leichhardt Oval, or stopping off at one of the Wollongong pubs near WIN Stadium, most of the best game day experiences have some degree of charm to them. Editor's PicksNRL teams: Cobbo back on wing, Turbo injuredHaving experienced a dozen or so games at Stadium Australia every year since 2006, I can emphatically tell you that the Homebush precinct possesses none of that charm.
State of Origin teams: Ponga, Tedesco too good to leave out

1 month ago | espn.in | Matt Bungard |Joel Spreadborough

The time has come to relegate the NRL competition to the rear part of the cortex Rugby League occupies in your brain. The State of Origin opener is less than a fortnight away and the both states have no doubt chosen their sides - barring mishap in Round 11. Editor's PicksOrigin teams tracker: Kiraz in for Blues, Ponga out for Maroons!Origin teams tracker: Latrell in for Lomax, Holmes in for GagaiOrigin teams tracker: Walsh out, Ponga in?
State of Origin teams tracker: Kiraz in for Blues, Ponga out for Maroons!

1 month ago | espn.in | Matt Bungard |Joel Spreadborough

The State of Origin series is less than a month away now and a lot has changed in the form of key contenders. With two rounds of NRL to come before the first official teams are announced the pressure is mounting on players and selectors alike. Editor's PicksOrigin teams tracker: Latrell in for Lomax, Holmes in for GagaiOrigin teams tracker: Walsh out, Ponga in?
Roosters stun Broncos in 10-point win at Suncorp

2 months ago | espn.in | Matt Bungard |Joel Spreadborough

Sydney Roosters secured a deserved second win of the season with centre Billy Smith scoring a brilliant two tries in a 26-16 takedown of Brisbane. It was 25-year-old Smith's second game back after an 18-month injury layoff and he turned it on at Suncorp Stadium in front of 40,814 fans on Friday night. Editor's PicksOrigin teams tracker: Latrell in for Lomax, Holmes in for GagaiSkipper and fullback James Tedesco, hooker Connor Watson and prop Nat Butcher were all superb.
Holmes, Flanagan star as Dragons belt woeful Titans

2 months ago | espn.in | Matt Bungard |Joel Spreadborough

Valentine Holmes has helped orchestrate a St George Illawarra skirmish that paved the way for a 38-16 thrashing of woeful Gold Coast in Wollongong. Editor's PicksOrigin teams tracker: Latrell in for Lomax, Holmes in for GagaiNew recruit Holmes scored one try, tore away to help set up another and nailed three sideline conversions as the Dragons scored three times in six-and-a-half minutes to end Friday's contest by halftime.
State of Origin teams tracker: Latrell in for Lomax, Holmes in for Gagai

2 months ago | espn.in | Matt Bungard |Joel Spreadborough

Is it still way too early to launch into unbridled State of Origin speculation? It feels like we've barely finished Australia's home summer of cricket, and surely shouldn't be diving too deep into rugby league's showpiece. And yet Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans has been under more recent scrutiny than an Aussie Test cricket captain after a loss in Perth and the first five weeks of the NRL competition has definitely thrown a few late swinging yorkers down the pitch at Origin selectors.
NRL Snakes and Ladders: Tigers continue to climb

Mar 23, 2025 | espn.in | Darren Arthur |Matt Bungard |Joel Spreadborough

We have something new for the 2025 NRL season. With last season's final table acting as a starting order, each week we will move teams up, down or nowhere at all, depending on their performances on the weekend. Editor's PicksManly lose Paseka as Garrick stars in Raiders thrashingState of Origin teams tracker: Walsh out, Ponga in? For example, this weekend the Tigers jumped on another ladder thanks to their gutsy victory over the Dolphins, while the Roosters landed on a snake in Auckland.
Gutsy Titans too good for error-prone Knights in NRL

Mar 22, 2025 | espn.in | Matt Bungard |Joel Spreadborough

They're hardly attributes you normally associate with Gold Coast but the Titans have shown grit in defence and a ruthless streak in attack to claim a 26-6 NRL win over Newcastle. Des Hasler's side ran in four tries to one despite the Knights shading the territory battle to claim their first victory of the season on a humid evening in front of 14,602 fans at CBUS Super Stadium.
Koroisau stars in Tigers' comeback win over Dolphins

Mar 22, 2025 | espn.in | Matt Bungard |Joel Spreadborough

Wests Tigers have come from behind for a wonderful 30-18 away victory to sink the Dolphins with co-captain Api Koroisau standing up when the game was on the line. Koroisau scored the final try to wrap up the win after the 32-year-old proved too quick and cunning from dummy-half. The Tigers trailed 18-6 in the 63rd minute at Kayo Stadium on Saturday before five-eighth Lachlan Galvin and hooker Koroisau were involved in key plays.