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Set of Six: Who's going to bite on Cooper Cronk?
An intriguing Sliding Doors scenario is in the works with news Cooper Cronk is moving to Sydney next season, while Ivan Cleary’s tenure at Wests has got off to the worst possible start. These and all the week’s other big NRL storylines in this week’s Set of Six.
Where will Cooper Cronk end up next season?
Cooper Cronk managed to flip the NRL landscape on its head this week by declaring his intention to move to Sydney to be with his fiancé Tara Rushton. While he later suggested that he might retire rather than play on with a new club, the possibility that he could link with a Sydney outfit has sent the league into a spin. The two major contenders are the Canterbury Bulldogs and the Parramatta Eels. But it seems unlikely that Cronk would be willing to spend the waning years of his career guiding around an also-ran after spending over a decade competing for Premierships. Manly, Souths and the Roosters all seem committed to their halves duos for the foreseeable future, Penrith has a young halves pairing and little wiggle room in the salary cap.
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Still, Cronk is potentially the most impactful free agent since Greg Inglis left the Melbourne Storm and his unexpected availability might cause some clubs to re-think their long-term plans in exchange for a chance at short-circuiting the process of building a Premiership contender. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Cronk’s defection is the domino effect it might have the rest of the competition. Do the Storm make a play at either of the Warriors’ off-contract halves? Would a side with settled halves like the Sea Eagles or the Rabbitohs squeeze out their incumbents in order to secure a short-term upgrade? Do Parramatta abandon their pursuit of Cronulla’s Jack Bird for a shot at Cronk, and if they do does that open the door for Newcastle? Cronk’s bolt out of the blue has sent a shock wave through what had been a rather turgid free agent market so far but it could represent a fascinating Sliding Doors moment that shapes the NRL for near future.
Can Des Hasler win a Premiership at Canterbury?
After many months of speculation and behind-the-scenes drama, Des Hasler has finally re-signed for another two seasons. It speaks to the Bulldogs’ ambitions as a club (and their belief in their place in the order of the NRL) that five consecutive finals appearances and two Grand Final defeats is considered underachieving. Hasler might have the sort of personality that makes board members bristle, but he is undeniably one of the best coaches in the NRL – perhaps only Bellamy and Bennett could mount convincing claims of superiority.
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The fact that no slam-dunk alternative presented itself might have been as important a factor in saving Hasler’s job as the Dogs upset win over the Broncos. Dean Pay and Jim Dymock might bleed blue and white but there is no guarantee that they can replicate Hasler’s success, much less win a Premiership. The Dogs are still a solid side that feel like they are one major line-up change away from clicking – perhaps sliding Josh Reynolds into hooker leaving Frawley to partner with Mbye in the halves and shifting Brett Morris might provide the type of spark that could turn their season around. The Dogs have a soft schedule over the next month and if they can show the same fortitude they displayed in their victory over Brisbane then everyone will forget that Des was nearly unemployed in March.
Is Kieran Foran the missing piece for the Warriors?
Kieran Foran took the field for the Warriors for the first time since his untimely departure from Parramatta on Sunday, helping the Auckland franchise to a stilted win over a battered Titans team. Foran has long been touted as the solution to the Warriors inconsistency and his direct running certainly looked like it could open up the team’s erratic attack and allow offensive stars like Shaun Johnson and Isaac Luke to play their natural games. The Warriors showdown with Foran’s former club Parramatta will give the embattled playmaker the chance to prove his off the field troubles are behind him and he is ready to lead his new club to the finals.
Could the Ivan Cleary era have got off to a worse start?
Cleary apparently started his stint as Wests Tigers coach by laying down the law to the ‘Big Four’ free agents, resulting in Mitchell Moses signing with Parramatta and demanding an immediate release, with strong rumours that James Tedesco, Aaron Woods and Luke Brooks will also sign with rival clubs. If the Tigers do lose ‘the Big Four’ serious questions will have to be asked about the future direction of the club. Ivan Cleary will definitely be questioning whether he made the right decision taking the Tigers job only to find the cupboard is bare.
How can NRL free agency be fixed?
The NRL free agency period is a mess. Players have to make a decision on where they are playing next year without knowing how their team will finish this year. Teams have to make a call on a player for next season and hope that the decision bears up under a complete season’s evidence. Fans are forced to watch a player go around for their side even though he has committed to play for another team next season.
If all free agent transactions took place after the grand final teams, players and fans would have a much clearer position on where they stood and could make better decisions. In many professional sports the off-season free agency period is a key period on the calendar, often serving as much a point of interest as the season itself. For the NRL the various transactions and negotiations taking place mid-season only serve to detract from the actual games being played. Right now teams are negotiating for contracts without knowing what next season’s salary cap is. It’s hard to figure exactly benefits from the current set up and it needs to change.
Game of the Week: Storm vs Sharks
It’s a bit of a no-brainer to nominate the Grand Final re-match as the game of the round but such has been the quality defeated finalist Melbourne’s form this season that there is genuine curiosity about who will rise to challenge them. The Storm ably swatted away rising contenders Penrith with their trademark automaton like defence, but the Sharks are built in a similar fashion to the Storm. This isn’t about revenge for Melbourne – it’s about adding another brick in the wall of excellence. The Storm feel desperate to add another Premiership before Smith, Cronk and Slater ride off into the sunset and if they keep playing like this they might lock up the Minor Premiership before Origin. Cronk’s announcement will only add fuel to the fire.
Picks (season record 24-16): Broncos over Roosters / Bulldogs over Knights / Panthers over Rabbitohs / Dragons over Sea Eagles / Raiders over Titans / Cowboys over Tigers / Warriors over Eels / Storm over Sharks.
Comments on RugbyPass
That’s really sad, hope everyone involved is ok. At least he had pants on.
1 Go to commentsTo be fair it was nowhere bear the Leinster first team (for which, btw, Leinster copped nothing like the outrage that Jake White did for sending a rotated team to the UK). But it’s fun to watch the Stormers doing their thing. They are attracting big, diverse crowds of young fans, and deservedly so. Great to see.
1 Go to commentsIt might be legal but he’s sailing pretty close to the wind. Not a lot needs to go wrong for Finau to end up in the bin. Was it late? Not quite, but borderline. High? A couple of CM within the laws, no room for error with that one. Did he wrap the arms? There was a token effort to wrap one arm, the intent was clearly to hit with the shoulder. So yeah, it’s legal, just. But as we all know, a very slight change in the dynamics could easily have him seeing red. Hopefully not when it really matters.
4 Go to commentsCan we also show some love for Tane Edmed’s fantastic draw and pass? Put his body on the line and committed the defender before letting go of that pass. Flawless skill.
4 Go to commentsYou forget this is Rassie Erasmus who is still holding the Springbok keys. Even with Felix Jones orchestrating a really tight RWC SF last year. It still wasn't enough to get England past their particular Springbok Monkey in world cups. The reason is FJ was going off of what they did in 2019 not necessarily adapting to current Springboks. So yes, Australia can get passed England because let's be honest, England have a one track strategy, Springboks do not. Even with rush defense I wouldn't be surprised if Rassie continually tweaks it. Also bear in mind Rassie is happy to sacrifice a few mid year and inter World Cup matches to pin point how opposition plays and how to again tweak strategies to get his Springboks in peak performance for the next World Cup. As much as most teams like to win games in front of them and try to win everything, Rassie always makes sure to learn and train for the greatest showdown International Rugby has to offer. Tbh, most people remember World Cup wins and ignore intermediate losses as a result but will remember also WC losses, Ireland, even if they won games in the interim. So even if games are won against the Springboks, it's likely Rassie is just getting a feel for how opposition is moving and adapt accordingly…in time. For Rassie, a loss is never a loss because he uses it as a chance to learn and improve. Sometimes during a game, again like the England match in last year's Semi Final.
7 Go to commentsDanny don't care. He pretends to care but he don't. He says all this stuff to justify his reasoning but no one can claim that legitimately. He knew exactly what he was doing and wondered if his old team mate would overlook it, which he did. Ref has got to be sidelined or properly trained. It's one thing for refs to move up the ranks but if it was me I would require refs to either have played in different clubs or not at all having the temptation to bias in high stakes games like this. This has got to be stamped out. But then again World Rugby is so destroying the game of rugby in an attempt to be more “safe” and “concussion free”. What they are doing is making it more infuriating for the fans and more difficult for the refs to officiate evenly and consistently. It's fast become Australian Rules football. If guys don't want concussions, they should have played chess. Stop complaining you oldies of the game. When they played the game was vastly heavier hitting than it is now but of course they can't see that.
2 Go to commentsJa, why do Bulls get flack for not bringing their best but Leinster never bring their best and it goes “unnoticed”?
3 Go to commentsIt’ll be very interesting to see how Razor’s AB’s handle the new England rush D. It’s basically the Bok recipe they copied, so if England goes well then we know most likely the Boks will go well too. If England cops a hiding then we’ll have to study and adapt.
7 Go to commentsTypical trait of an australian is to moan. Goes well with there lack of humbleness as evident by the Reds bench on the weekend.
4 Go to commentsSBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
11 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
7 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
4 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
7 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
7 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
7 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
11 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
7 Go to comments