Set of Six: Superhero Round is back

It’s all go in the NRL this week with a misfiring mercurial halfback, a sacked coach, a concussion controversy and the absolute pinnacle of themed jerseys.

Is this the closest comp in years?

After three rounds only two teams are undefeated and every team has at least one win. Round Three featured several big upsets including the Dragons over the Sharks, the Titans over the Eels and the almost preposterous sight of the unfancied Sea Eagles tipping up the Cowboys at their vaunted Townsville fortress. If the season so far has taught us anything it’s that almost anything is possible – except maybe the Warriors winning the premiership.

Are we sure Shaun Johnson is good?

The Warriors put in one of the most insipid attacking displays in recent memory last week, enjoying a wealth of position and territory against the Bulldogs but only managing to score two tries. While the forward pack was listless and failed to stamp their authority on the match much of the blame for the misfiring offense has to lie with playmaker Shaun Johnson who spent the majority of the match crabbing across the field, dancing behind the line and hoisting aimless bombs on the last. Johnson is the NRL’s version of Haley’s Comet – spectacular and breathtaking when he shows up but it feels like a lifetime between appearances.

Johnson seems to struggle with the responsibility of guiding a team around the park and seems unwilling to alter his playing style to suit his team. When he takes the ball to the line he is a massive threat but he seems far too content to play behind the line, waiting for a play that doesn’t transpire. Since Johnson cracked first grade the Warriors have only made the finals once in six seasons and have a meagre 44% winning percentage – obviously, a single player isn’t responsible for club success, but when a club is mired in a period of sustained underachievement it’s fair to question whether its most influential components are performing.

The Warriors face a massive call on whether to re-sign Johnson. In a world where the similarly inconsistent Ben Hunt is worth $1.2 million a year what is Johnson, a player with a bigger reputation and who is a much bigger box office draw, worth? Are the Warriors content to commit another two or three seasons to a mercurial playmaker who is capable of flashes of brilliance but has yet to show the character or inclination to put a team on his back and take them to the promised land? Until the team has the courage to go in a different direction they are stuck trying to build a team around a playmaker for whom complimentary pieces might not exist.

[rugbypass-ad-banner id=”1473723640″]

Did the NRL handle the Brendan Eliot concussion incident correctly?

There was much hue and cry following the Knights’ failure to remove fullback Brendan Elliot after a violent concussion – given the greater awareness of the long-term effect of concussions the fact that Elliot was allowed to play on seemed callous and careless.

The NRL should be particularly aware of the issues surrounding concussions with former Newcastle Knight James McManus currently suing the NRL over claims that improper handling of his repeated concussions prematurely ended his career. While it was heartening that NRL CEO Todd Greenberg eventually levied massive fines against the clubs that failed to follow the concussion protocol correctly it’s just another example of the NRL responding to criticism rather than setting the agenda – they should be front-footing things like the concussion issue rather than acting to chase away bad headlines.

Did the Tigers make the right move in firing Jason Taylor?

Prior to the start of the season, Wests Tigers’ Jason Taylor and St George Illawarra’s Paul McGregor were odds-on favourites to be the first coach shown the door – but few would have predicted that Taylor would be out of a job within the first month of the season.

Perhaps the strangest aspect of the Taylor firing was that the decision was made so abruptly into the new season when Wests found their 2016 season ruined by the fallout from the vicious spat between ‘JT’ and club legend Robbie Farah. Ultimately the club sided with Taylor, with Farah now plying his trade at Redfern, which makes the decision to ditch Taylor a little puzzling. Allegedly the move was made to secure the re-signing of the so-called ‘Core Four’, a move that runs dangerously close to letting the lunatics run the asylum. if the Tigers lose one or more of Aaron Woods, James Tedesco, Mitchell Moses or Luke Brooks after firing Taylor and essentially punting on the season then serious questions need to be asked of club management.

On the flipside, Taylor can hardly claim to be hard done by with a 39% winning percentage Tigers (and 44% over seven seasons with three clubs) failing to provide much ammunition for him to be retained. The lack of development by the Tigers young players and some curious recruitment decisions add to the case for Taylor to be fired. Still, with a thin playing roster and a lack of experience at crucial positions, it’s hard to see the Tigers making an immediate improvement – it seems like a long season lies ahead for the fans at Leichardt and Campbelltown.

Is ISC Superhero Round the best theme round of the year?

Round 4 showcases one of the NRL’s greatest traditions, the ISC Superhero Round. A real fan favourite, the round is the pinnacle of the distinctly NRL phenomenon of using jerseys as cross-promotional tools – a phenomenon which reached its nadir with the infamous Bulldogs Avatar jersey.

This year teams seem to have switched superhero allegiances between seasons – the Roosters, for example, were previously aligned with Captain America but have now flipped to Spiderman, who was previously aligned with the Newcastle Knights. The Raiders were previously the fitting Incredible Hulk but have now been downgraded to the obscure Iron Fist, which sounds less like a superhero and more like something that happens on a Mad Monday trip to Bali.

Jerseys are now available! Purchase via your club shop! #ISCMARVELHEROES @marvelaunz @nrl @iscsport pic.twitter.com/NVB6ePUEn0

— ISC Sport (@ISCSport) February 27, 2017

We can’t have Avengers swapping teams like they are Arana Taumata. NRL fans have put up with enough nonsense over the year – the least they can do is have a consistent superhero to support. There used to be a few things you could count on in the NRL – the Sharks were rubbish, Queensland always won State of Origin and the North Queensland Cowboys were Thor. How times have changed! The only exciting aspect of this year’s batch of jerseys is that now someone has to spend an hour explaining to Tommy Raudonikis who Rocket Raccoon is.

Match of the Round: Broncos vs Raiders
The Raiders were rampant against the rudderless Wests Tigers, finally recording their first win of the season and looking like the team that many had tipped as a Premiership contender. The Broncos went down narrowly to the Storm in a vicious arm wrestle, their third close contest in as many rounds. It’s difficult to understate the importance of the return of Raiders captain and talisman Jarrod Croker – his return allows Eliot Whitehead to move back to his preferred position in the second row, giving the entire side a more settled and composed look. This contest shapes as a heavyweight bout, two massive packs going toe to toe, the resurgent Raiders keen to test their Premiership credentials against perennial contenders Brisbane. Look for the Raiders to win a tight one, mostly because Ricky will probably make them walk back to Canberra if they lose.

Picks (season record 14-10): Roosters over Rabbitohs / Panthers over Knights / Raiders over Broncos / Sea Eagles over Bulldogs / Eels over Sharks / Cowboys over Titans / Storm over Tigers / Dragons over Warriors.