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Johnathan Thurston is out, the Dragons are weirdly good, and some of the game’s biggest stars remain undecided over where they’ll end up next season. Jarret Filmer digests all the week’s talking points from the great game.
Is this the most entertaining NRL season in ages?
Concerns the NRL’s off-field sideshow would take centre stage and overshadow the on-field product were proven resoundingly wrong last week. First, the Panthers and Rabbitohs slugged out a one point arm wrestle on Friday night. Then the Raiders put on a freewheeling extravaganza of attacking football, blowing away an injury-ravaged Titans side with a Jordan Rapana masterclass. Super Saturday provided perhaps the most awkward sight of the weekend with former Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor joining the live panel to comment on his replacement Ivan Cleary completing an unlikely victory over competition heavyweight North Queensland at their Townsville fortress. The Kieran Foran comeback tour continued in another solid performance by the Warriors, a side better known for flashy inconsistency than
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Super Saturday provided perhaps the most awkward sight of the weekend with former Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor joining the live panel to comment on his replacement Ivan Cleary, who completed an unlikely victory over competition heavyweights North Queensland at their Townsville fortress. The Kieran Foran comeback tour continued in another solid performance by the Warriors, a side better known for flashy inconsistency than
The Kieran Foran comeback tour continued in another solid performance by the Warriors, a side better known for flashy inconsistency than dour competence. And Melbourne and Cronulla slugged out a soggy Grand Final rematch that saw the boys from the Shire record a scrappy victory.
The NRL might the king of off-the-field controversy but the game on the field isn’t too shabby either.
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When will the free agency carousel stop spinning?
A veritable constellation of stars – Cronk, Foran, Tedesco, Woods, Johnson, Widdop et al. – remain unsigned for next year. This leaves nearly half the teams in the league uncertain about their long-term future, trying to assemble a premiership contender for next season while still trying to win this season. It’s a nearly impossible task trying to serve two masters and it seems certain that once the carousel stops spinning some club is going to find its 2017 derailed by impending player movements for 2018.
Will the Warriors keep improving if both Foran and Johnson are leaving? Can the Tigers continue to surprise if the Big Four find themselves replaced by an even Bigger Four? Modern NRL players are professionals who should be able to keep their standards high regardless of their playing future, but once a player announces they are leaving it is difficult for fans not to question whether they putting in 100%.
Can the Cowboys win without JT?
The sight of North Queensland lynchpin and rugby league messiah Johnathan Thurston going down with an injury will have sent a shiver down the spine of every league fan from Charters Towers to Mt Isa. Thurston is the most influential player since Andrew Johns and the Cowboys have a shocking record when he is out of the lineup. The Cowboys have already racked up a hefty injury toll with Matt Scott out for the season and Jake Granville out for another month. If Thurston is on the sideline longer than anticipated then the Cowboys could find themselves in a deep hole. The side does boast a cadre of impressive young talents including Coen Hess, Gideon Gela-Mosby and Kalyn Ponga. In Thurston’s absence they will need this young X-factor to convert potential to performance if they are to stay afloat.
Are the Dragons for real?
The table-topping Dragons are definitely the surprise of 2017. More prognosticators would have tipped them for the wooden spoon than the minor premiership prior to the start of the season. Instead, they have got off to a flying start by coupling their previously stout defense with a surprisingly inventive attack. n 2017 the Dragons have scored the second most number of tries in the comp (behind only the prolific Raiders) while conceding the second least amount of points. Often teams sporting a surprising record at this point in the season is usually a result of a soft schedule and a fluky explosion of
So far the Dragons have scored the second most tries in the comp (behind only the prolific Raiders) while conceding the second lowest points. Often a team sporting such a surprisingly good record at this point in the season is the result of a soft schedule and a fluky explosion of offense, but the Dragons have already beaten both the Sharks and the Panthers with a repeatable formula based on stout defense.
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Widdop is on 🔥#NRLManlyDragons #NRL pic.twitter.com/sB40oOLGTD
— NRL (@NRL) April 8, 2017
Standoff Gareth Widdop could have become disheartened by a lack of a new contract, especially given the big contract handed out to Ben Hunt. But he has played out of his skin with a never-say-die attitude epitomized by his diving on a grubber to score a try when the result of the match was already beyond doubt.
Former Raider Paul Vaughan has been immense and is short odds to receive an Origin call-up while Jack De Belin seems to have pulled a reverse Samson act and only grown in stature once his ridiculous man bun was shorn. Centre Euan Aitken is probably one of the more underrated backs in the NRL, possessing a wicked step and the ability to make defenders miss.
Coach Paul McGregor was on the short list to be first coach fired but now he’s probably going to win Coach of the Year. Things change quickly in the NRL and for the Dragons that change is all positive.
Can the Knights turn improved performances into better results?
While the Dragons are the most improved team in the NRL the Knights are most certainly the unluckiest. While Newcastle were historically inept last season the only thing lacking for the boys from the Hunter this year is a bit of luck. The Knights were on the receiving end of a couple of refereeing howlers against the Dogs, and have recorded three other single-score losses this season (including a one-pointer to the Sharks). With a bit more luck they could be in thick of the playoff hunt right now.
Newcastle have made hard work of recovering from the Bennett-Tinkler era but they have done it the right way, putting their faith in talented juniors and trying to rebuild the club from the ground up rather than opting for a quick fix. Even if the Knights don’t make the eight this season their strategy should bear fruit in the years to come. Combined with canny acquisitions like North Queensland’s boom rookie Kalyn Ponga, the Knights prospects should improve considerably. This Friday they draw a stumbling Roosters side that has lost momentum after a fast start, giving the rejuvenated Knights ample opportunity to turn their positive play into competition points.
Game of the Week: Raiders vs Warriors
Super Saturday sees a showdown between two clubs who both have reputations as the ‘entertainers’ of the NRL. Interestingly, both clubs also come into the match with wins over both the Titans and the Eels. The Warriors have looked like a different team since Kieran Foran took the field, recording back to back wins for the first time since August last season. The Raiders, meanwhile, have shaken off a disappointing start to the season to record convincing wins in the past fortnight, fueled by an expansive attacking game keyed by the scintillating play of wing Jordan Rapana.
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The Warriors need to prove they can win on the road against good opposition, while the Raiders simply need to maintain their momentum. If Canberra provides a dry track these two offensive juggernauts could put up a cricket score. Look for the Raiders to take on a crucial Warriors error late in the second half.
Picks (Last Week 5-3, Season Record 29-19): Rabbitohs over Bulldogs / Knights over Roosters / Broncos over Titans / Storm over Sea Eagles / Raiders over Warriors / Dragons over Cowboys.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 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.
33 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.
2 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
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 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
33 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.
33 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. 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.
33 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.
33 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.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to comments