Set of Six: Is it time for the NRL to expand into Western Australia?

With the Western Force’s days seemingly numbered, is the door open for a new NRL franchise to swoop in and pick up the oval ball fans who would be left without a team? This and more in this week’s Set of Six.

Has normal transmission resumed?

After a few rounds of topsy-turvy results and unpredictable upsets, Round 4 saw things return to relative normality. The Broncos and the Storm each eked out another win, Penrith obliterated the Knights and the Warriors racked up another listless defeat. The top eight has a familiar look now, with only the Dragons and Sea Eagles continuing to confound pre-season expectations with several solid performances. The only presumed contender currently lying outside the eight is the Canberra Raiders, who have endured a run of losses to fellow heavyweights Brisbane, North Queensland and Cronulla. The bottom three teams on the table – Warriors, Knights and Tigers – all seem like fair picks to fight it out for the wooden spoon. Suddenly the season seems to be taking shape.

Is Luke Keary the buy of the season?

It’s probably a bit early to be handing out accolades like ‘Buy of the Year’ but Keary’s impact on the Roosters (and their undefeated record) is undeniable. Departing Souths under a cloud after a drunken bust-up with owner Russell Crowe, Keary’s combination with a rejuvenated Mitchell Pearce and fellow underrated acquisition Michael Gordon has given the Roosters attack definite shape, something it has lacked since the departure of James Maloney. Importantly, Keary has taken advantage of the array of attacking weapons the Roosters possess, already equalling his 2016 season total of try assists by round four. The Roosters are seldom down for very long and after a miserable 2016, the smart acquisition of Keary and Gordon looks set to have them back on track to contend for the finals.

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Are the Dragons contenders or pretenders?

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the first month of the season is the strong form of the St George-Illawarra Dragons. Coach Paul McGregor was a favourite to be the first fired, but four rounds in he looks more likely to win Coach of the Year than join Jason Taylor in the unemployment queue. Despite the lack of players with ‘star’ reputations, the Dragons have forged a winning style on the back of a tough and uncompromising forward pack fronted by the granite-like Paul Vaughan, rugged Tyson Frizell and emerging lynchpin Jack De Belin. Elusive centre Euan Aitken is one of the most underrated players in the comp and continues the tradition of attacking weapons established by Matt Cooper and Mark Gasnier. While the halves combination of Gareth Widdop and Josh McCrone don’t have the reputation or skill set of some other duos around the NRL they have taken advantage of the strong platform laid by the formidable forward pack. It might not continue but the Dragons are definitely making the most of their early season opportunities.

Can Ivan Cleary turn the Tigers around?

After the sacking of Jason Taylor, NRL Twitter managed to whip itself into an absolute frenzy of speculation and outright fabrication – Ivan Cleary was the favourite to take over the job until Des Hasler was going to be fired and Cleary was going to take over at Belmore, taking the Tigers’ ‘Big Four’ with him until he wasn’t. Now it seems like Hasler will remain employed by the Dogs and Cleary is headed to Concord Oval, a result which would be a win for the Tigers. Cleary was a calm and stabilising presence during his time at the helm of the Warriors and the Panthers and has shown an aptitude for taking young, flighty teams and turning them into playoff contenders. There are definite question marks about whether he possesses the tactical nous to lead a team to a Premiership but for a club like the Tigers which has enjoyed little success, a boatload of turmoil and a revolving cast of coaches in recent years a little stability in the form of Cleary is just what the doctor ordered. Hopefully, his signing will convince the ‘Big Four’ to re-sign so the club can get back to the business of winning games.

Is it time for the NRL to expand to Western Australia again?

The imminent implosion of Super Rugby’s Western Force seemingly opens the door to the possibility of expansion once again – if the Rah-Rahs abandon Perth then it makes all the sense in the world for the NRL to swoop in and try to pick up any oval ball fans left without a team. Perth already has NIB stadium, a modern venue ideal to host an NRL franchise and the time difference would open another lucrative broadcasting window. The NRL has resisted expansion since the 2007 introduction of the Gold Coast Titans but the time feels right to add another pair of teams – particularly in regions that could expand the NRL into a truly national competition. Critics would point to the failure of the Western Reds as evidence that top level rugby league can’t survive in WA, but the Reds were victims of the fallout of the Super League war and the Storm have long since proven that a team can thrive in hostile territory outside rugby league’s traditional heartland. Rugby union in Australia is at crisis point and it would be foolish if the NRL didn’t try to take advantage. Adding a franchise in Perth and another in Brisbane seems like a slam dunk.

Game of the Week

Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers

It’s an old boxing adage that styles make fights and this match is the perfect NRL example of how clashing styles can make for a compelling contest – the stolid and well-drilled Storm versus the youthful exuberance and attacking flair of the Panthers. The Storm are established contenders, while the Panthers were a chic pick to challenge for a grand final berth. If the Panthers can hand the Storm their first loss of the season then they will certainly establish themselves a serious Premiership possibility. The Storm have made their reputation on grinding down high octane attacks with their regimented defence – if the Panthers can challenge Melbourne’s vaunted defence then this could be one of the games of the year.

Picks (season record 20-12): Broncos over Bulldogs / Roosters over Sea Eagles / Cowboys over Rabbitohs / Sharks over Knights / Raiders over Eels / Storm over Panthers / Warriors over Titans / Dragons over Tigers.