NRL Round 16 Snapshot
Read on for a snapshot of round 16 of the NRL where St George Illawarra, Manly and South Sydney all boosted their finals hopes.
SNAPSHOT OF ROUND 16 OF THE NRLADVERTISEMENT
MAN OF THE ROUND:
Edrick Lee is by no means the NRL’s biggest star but the winger etched his name into Newcastle’s history with a five-try haul against the Gold Coast on Friday. The likes of Darren Albert, Adam MacDougall, Andrew Johns, Cooper Vuna, Akuila Uate and James McManus have all scored four for the Knights but Lee will depart to the Dolphins at the end of the year with a record of his own.
QUOTE OF THE ROUND:
“Just make your tackles. How many soft tries did they score by just running through us? That’s not good enough” – Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy lays down the law after the Storm lost 36-30 to Manly on Thursday.
MAGIC MOMENT:
The Warriors returned home to Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium after nearly three years on the road. A full house greeted them after ending their 1,038-day exile and they delivered against the Wests Tigers with a 22-2 victory.
STAT THAT MATTERS:
St George Illawarra have won all eight games when scoring the opening try this season and lost all seven when they have conceded first. Talatau Amone scored the game’s opening try in the 18th minute as the Dragons strengthened their bid for a top-eight spot in a 12-10 win over Canberra.
TALKING POINT:
One week Parramatta are hot and the next they are cold. No team has flattered to deceive as much as the Eels this season and Brad Arthur must be scratching his head wondering where his side are going wrong. They have knocked off Penrith and Melbourne this year, but have been defeated by the Wests Tigers and Canterbury and fell to a previously out-of-sorts South Sydney on Saturday. The Eels’ form line this year reads: WLWWWLWLWLWWLWL.
CASUALTY WARD:
Tevita Pangai Junior (Bulldogs) – ankle, Declan Casey (Bulldogs) – concussion, Te Maire Martin (Broncos) – ribs, Mark Nicholls (Rabbitohs) – concussion, Hame Sele (Rabbitohs) – ankle, Mat Feagai (Dragons) – thigh.
JUDICIARY WATCH:
Jarrod Wallace (Titans) – dangerous throw
UNDER PRESSURE:
Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook gambled on a young halves pairing and will be feeling nervous about his future. The Titans have won just one game in their last 12 outings and are bottom of the ladder with just three wins all season. Holbrook has credit in the bank for for finishing 9th and 8th in his first two seasons but that will only go so far if they can’t turn their fortunes around.
By: George Clarke, AAP
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
41 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
41 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
41 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
41 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
41 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
41 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
41 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments