NRL

Top-flight sport returns to the city on Saturday when Manly stage a "home" match at Christchurch Stadium a fortnight after the mass shootings at two mosques which claimed 50 lives.

New Zealand has been placed on a high threat alert since and police have reminded event organisers nationwide to be aware that a proliferation of memorial events has the potential to stretch law enforcement resources.

However, a large police presence remains in Christchurch and will be out in force at Friday's National Remembrance Service at Hagley Park.

Less than two weeks after the terror attacks in the city, the Sea Eagles will host the Warriors at AMI Stadium.

A heavy-hearted Warriors belted Canterbury in their season-opener in Auckland last week, but were fell back to earth when routed by Wests Tigers on Sunday.

"I thought it was a big week for the footy club last week as I said after that game, for a number of reasons," Kearney said after the loss to the Tigers.

"The lesson for this footy team is that the NRL, it's every week.

The debate about expansion and relocation has reignited, with the NRL to deliver a report into the viability of adding a 17th and 18th NRL franchise.

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg has said that Rugby League Central no longer has the money to prop up struggling franchises - placing relocation on the agenda.

Should any side hit the rocks financially, it is likely the NRL would seek to move them interstate, away from the crowded Sydney market.

Marshall's club the Wests Tigers, along with Manly and Cronulla are mentioned as clubs most likely to be moved.

With a challenging three-week stretch on the road coming on the back of an ill-disciplined 21-0 loss to the Raiders on Sunday night, Brennan will put his faith in two carpenters in a restoration project of a different kind.
Scans on Monday confirmed that Roberts will miss up to three weeks with an Achilles tendon strain while Taylor's 2019 campaign won't commence until round three at the earliest as he spends another week recovering from a quadriceps injury.

The $10 million man had a previous best game of 283 running metres, set in Round 15 of the 2017 season against Melbourne.

On a rainy Saturday night in front of a home crowd, he smashed his own record, steamrolling St George Illawarra for a total 301 metres according to Fox Sports Lab.

Taumalolo surpassed his own 283-metre record with 12 minutes still to play in the game. It took him 20 carries to do it, which took him to 287 metres for the night. He then had one more to crack the triple century.

Cowboys skipper Michael Morgan put it simply.

Johnson will play his first game for the Sharks against Newcastle on Friday night, after he was released by the Warriors in an ugly split at the end of last year.

His pick up couldn't have come at a better time for Cronulla, who lost their biggest attacking weapon in Holmes last November.

Holmes led the Sharks last season for tries, linebreaks, tackle busts and running metres, hitting his best just as Cronulla made a run to the preliminary final.

"I think what he brings to the side is a bit of X-factor which we lost with Val," Morris said of Johnson.

After Cecchin twice had his visa application to referee in Super League rejected by the UK Government as match officials aren’t classified as professional sportspeople, the Rugby Football League tailored a job as Two Referee Technical Executive specifically for the 45-year-old.

Cecchin had agreed to a two-year deal with an option for another 12 months, had his dog immunised and had begun selling furniture when advised this week the job no longer existed after clubs decided to indefinitely delay the adoption of the NRL’s two-referee model.

Inglis made the announcement via a video sent out to Rabbitohs club members.

"[It's] a decision I've made purely on my own, and something I've been thinking about in the last two-and-a-half months. At the end of 2020, I'll be hanging up the boots,

"I'll be giving away the game, but staying around this club hopefully for a long time after I retire," he said.

"For the next two years, I'll be giving everything I can to this great club. 2019 will be my last representative season, therefore next year, I'll be solely concentrating on the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Cowboys assistant coach Josh Hannay has also noted how McLean, now fully recovered from an ankle injury that led to him missing 14 games last year, is talking more at training and taking on more of a leadership role as he settles in to life in Townsville after five seasons at the Melbourne Storm.

McLean averaged 155 metres per game in the final six rounds of 2018 and was key in four Cowboys wins.

The halfback is off contract at the end of next season and the Warriors have told Johnson he is free to explore offers from other clubs.

Canberra chief executive Don Furner said the club has not made any approaches to Johnson.

News Corp Australia reported earlier this month that the Raiders had been making discreet moves to bring Johnson to Canberra for next season.

"What happens is the manager rings you up and says would you like Shaun Johnson and 'do you think he would be a good player at your club?' and you don't say no," Furner said.