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Set of Six: Is it time for Queensland to Bring Back Billy?
Queensland seemingly angered the rugby league gods by leaving Billy Slater out of Origin 1 – do they have any other option than to bring him back for the must-win Origin 2?
Can any team outside the eight make a finals push?
It’s not quite high noon for those teams currently outside the eight but the spectre of their season clinging onto ‘mathematical probability’ looms pretty large. Already the fans of a host of teams including the Knights, Tigers, Bulldogs and Warriors will have their calculators at the ready, desperately banging away trying to figure out if there is still life in their seasons.
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The @Storm remain the ladder leaders following #NRL Round 13, with the @Cronulla_Sharks, @NRL_Dragons & @SydneyRoosters in the Top 4. pic.twitter.com/x6enoG1Jmd
— NRL (@NRL) June 5, 2017
In terms of teams currently in the eight only Parramatta seem vulnerable to be overtaken by those teams below them on the ladder – if the Eels can’t figure out how to integrate new acquisition Mitchell Moses into their line-up then they might find themselves on the outside of the finals picture. For the teams outside the eight only the Panthers and the Raiders look likely to challenge for a finals spot. If they are to make a run then they’ll need to make the most of the rest of the Origin period to put some pressure on the teams above them.
Who will put their hand up for Queensland selection?
Perhaps the team with the most on the line this round is Queensland. Coach Kevin Walters is under the pump after their first up loss and the Canetoads face the unenviable task of scoring a series-levelling victory on the road. The Queensland pack was desperately in need of some added fire and aggression but there aren’t any overwhelmingly obvious choices for reinforcements.
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Jarrod Wallace and Coen Hess have been popular suggestions, but it’s a big call to ask a couple of rookies to come in and have a big impact in a crucial match. Hess definitely looks like a future Origin star but its massive ask for someone with fewer than 25 NRL games to play a pivotal role in a must-win Origin match. A less splashy move might be to opt for Cowboys veterans Ethan Lowe and Gavin Cooper, a couple of players who at least have a Premiership title under their belts.
Will Queensland recall Origin legend Billy Slater?
The other big question facing Queensland this round is whether they recall Origin stalwart Billy Slater and what impact this might have on other spots in their backline. The decision to overlook Slater for Origin 1 was contentious when it happened and heavily criticised after Queensland’s loss – it was almost as if the decision to leave out the totemic Storm custodian had cruelled Queensland’s karma.
"Mum found this photo taken after my NRL debut in 2003. #nicenecklacebill"
? @RyanHoffman12 #NRL pic.twitter.com/qWCC79zDcJ
— NRL (@NRL) June 6, 2017
If Slater is included it seems likely that Justin O’Neill will drop out and Dane Gagai will slide into his centre position, a move that should shore up the defensive woes that plague Queensland’s three-quarter line in Game 1. The other option for Queensland is to continue to exclude Slater in favour of bringing in Kangaroo Valentine Holmes on the wing allowing Gagai to shift into centre – a move that might pay similar dividends to recalling Slater but would risk angering the Origin gods by ignoring Slater’s storied career.
Is Paul McGregor the rugby league Lazarus?
St George Illawarra Dragons coach Paul McGregor has pulled off one of the great Lazarus acts, signing a two-year contract extension only a few months after being short odds to be the first coach fired this season. Many had picked the Dragons to be off the pace for a finals spot but they find themselves firmly in the top four behind only both of last year’s grand finalists.
Paul McGregor has re-signed as coach of the @NRL_Dragons until the end of the 2019 #NRL season.https://t.co/PN7iJpJaAn#NRL pic.twitter.com/ftyuaGXuzx
— NRL (@NRL) June 8, 2017
The key issue that saw McGregor’s detractors call for his head was the Red V’s turgid offense. In a spectacular turnaround this year they have the most potent attack in the comp. In many ways McGregor’s success and subsequent contract extension is a testimony to the power of persisting with a coach even when the results aren’t coming – it’s often easier to throw the coach overboard than give someone the chance to fully implement their vision. In league, as in life, sometimes patience pays dividends.
Does James Maloney deserve a new contract?
Watching younger (and less accomplished) halves such as Ben Hunt, Mitchell Moses, Shaun Johnson and Luke Brooks sign outsized deals under the newly-inflated salary cap it’s understandable to see why Kangaroo and multiple premiership winner James Maloney wants a new deal. At age 30 it seems likely that Maloney won’t hit the open market in a position to take advantage of new market value for halves so his only way to receive his fair due is to agitate for an upgrade. This sort of thing tends to aggravate old heads who like to spout things like “you were happy enough when you signed it” which overlooks the fact that clubs rip up deals or offload players whenever it suits.
The career of a rugby league player is painfully short and they have to make the most of it while they can – Maloney came up the hard way, toiling at multiple clubs before getting his first consistent crack at first grade with the Warriors. He later won a comp with the Roosters only to be moved on to the Sharks in favour of other shinier free agency prizes only to help lead the Sharks to their maiden Premiership last season. While money certainly plays a part in his dissatisfaction surely there is part of Maloney that just wants to be wanted – despite his whole-hearted effort and on field success Maloney has never been a club’s first choice. Maybe the Sharks will see sense and show Maloney a little love.
Match of the Round: Panthers vs Raiders
While the grand final re-match might be the more tantalising match-up on paper, the showdown in Bathurst features two underachieving teams desperate to snag the two competition points in the run to the finals. Both teams had aspirations of making deep finals runs but currently sit outside the eight – if they are to live up to pre-season expectations then they will both need to start racking up some wins soon.
Plenty of ? as the Panthers trained at Carrington Park this morning ? School visits this afternoon! #pantherpride ? pic.twitter.com/6En5rtGIHH
— Penrith Panthers ??? (@PenrithPanthers) June 8, 2017
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The Raiders face a tough slate of upcoming games but might get lucky if their top four opponents are riddled with Origin defections. The Panthers might have turned their season around with their thumping win over the Bulldogs, with the positional shift of Matt Moylan into stand-off proving to be the sort of season-altering move that could push the Panthers into the top eight. Penrith will be keen to prove that last week’s strong showing wasn’t a fluke – look for Moylan to have another massive performance while the Raiders will try to dominate up front with their big forward pack.
Comments on RugbyPass
Will rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
2 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
2 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
3 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
28 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
2 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
3 Go to comments