NRL 2022: Dragons have weapons primed in campaign to breach Penrith’s dominant defence
He’s big, he’s fast, he’s a freak — Zac Lomax says Dragons wrecking ball Mikaele Ravalawa is just the man to bust Penrith wide open.
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St George Illawarra centre Zac Lomax has put Penrith‘s new left edge on notice, backing his powerhouse winger Mikaele Ravalawa to keep adding to last week’s three-try haul.
The right side Dragons duo will face one of their biggest challenges on Friday night when they square off against Panthers rookie centre Izack Tago and NSW Blues winger Brian To’o.
While Penrith‘s defence proved almost impenetrable in round one, Lomax is confident Ravalawa will find the white strip, on his way to finishing the season as the game’s leading try scorer.
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“I wouldn’t have any other winger on my edge than Mika (Ravalawa),” Lomax said.
“He’s so big, powerful, strong and he’s so athletic too. You just have to give him a little bit of the ball and he’ll do the rest. He’s a freak, I love playing with him.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up try scorer of the year.
“He’s a big body and you don’t need to give him too much room. We have a good relationship where we trust each other.
“We just have to be in the right position at the right time and put yourselves in position (to score). Mika does that and I do too.”
Lomax and Ravalawa have spent the week doing their ‘homework’ and the Dragons centre is expecting Tago and To’o to have done the same ahead of Friday’s game.
The 22-year-old is anticipating Penrith’s halves, Jarome Luai and Sean O’Sullivan, to use their respective kicking games to minimise Ravalawa’s damaging runs from the back field.
“He‘s so good for us out the back of the field, because he’s a big body he just brings the ball back so hard. It wouldn’t surprise if that’s how they go about it ... they do kick to him because it takes his back the field carry out of it,” Lomax said.
“But we’ll be ready for whatever they throw at us.”
While Lomax‘s 50 games of NRL experience is helping to bring out the best of Ravalawa, Penrith rookie Tago is looking to his winger To’o to help guide him through his first full season at centre.
“It‘s unreal having Bizza (To’o) there. His communication and that just makes me feel comfortable. I think when I first came into the starting team too, I was real comfortable around him because of his energy and communication,” Tago said.
On the other side of the filed, Friday night‘s game is a chance for St George Illawarra’s other centre, Moses Suli, to make a statement against Penrith’s Stephen Crichton.
Crichton menaced Manly‘s left edge with his powerful runs causing the defence plenty of headaches. But Suli is planning to use the match-up to send a message to Blues coach Brad Fittler.
The 23-year-old, who feels ‘settled’ at the Dragons after a tumultuous start to this NRL career, is hoping it will be an early Origin audition against Crichton, who will also come into the frame for NSW selection.
“Hopefully Origin if I can get there,” Suli said.
“I reckon (I can play for NSW). It‘s a goal for me to play Origin footy. I know it’s tough, especially with Turbo (Tom Trbojevic) and Latrell (Mitchell) there (at centre). I know it will be tough for me, but I definitely want to play Origin.”
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It’s the bromance at the foot of the mountains that will be crucial in keeping Penrith’s premiership defence on track in season 2022.
Injured halfback Nathan Cleary and his replacement Sean O’Sullivan were all smiles during Panthers training on Monday morning.
The duo were spotted working closely together as they plotted the demise of round two opponent St George Illawarra after disposing of Manly last Thursday night.
O’Sullivan revealed Nathan’s calming last words helped to steady his nerves before running out in front of a packed BlueBet Stadium and a 17,000-strong home crowd.
“He’s very calm, I was nervous before the game but he just said to me ‘all the work is done, there is no point stressing about what you can’t control. Be confident in the work done in the off-season and there are 16 other boys that have your back” O’Sullivan said.
Nathan Cleary’s coveted No. 7 jumper was handed to O’Sullivan to start the season with the regular halfback yet to fully recover from a shoulder injury that required off-season surgery.
But the halfback role is in good hands with an impressive showing against Manly from O’Sullivan, who is shaping as the man coach Ivan Cleary will turn to when Penrith inevitably lose Nathan again to Origin duty mid season.
“He needs to be playing for this team. He’s our captain, our leader. When he’s back, whatever role, whether it’s in NSW Cup … I‘ll be training hard. When I get my next opportunity, I’ll take it with both hands,” O’Sullivan said.
The playmaking duo have worked closely in the pre-season to prepare O’Sullivan, who has only managed 21 games at three different clubs, for the opening month of Penrith’s title defence.
O’Sullivan has also leaned on five-eighth Jarome Luai and ball-playing lock forward Isaah Yeo for their respective footy smarts.
“For me, even Isaah Yeo, he’s been such a help. He was amazing against Manly. But even training alongside him. He sees the game like a half does. It’s unbelievable his knowledge that he has of the game,” O’Sullivan said.
“And just to be around Jarome too. Just to be around the boys and to know we are seeing the same things on the field and being able to communicate that, it helps the footy team.”
O’Sullivan grew up five minutes away from Cleary in Sydney’s west and the two played in the SG Ball together coming through the junior ranks.
While Cleary has climbed the NRL summit and is now a premiership winner and a Clive Churchill medallist, O’Sullivan has struggled to nail down a regular starting spot since making his debut in 2018.
But after guiding the Panthers to a round one victory ‘in dream come true’ start to his career at the club, O’Sullivan got a taste of what life is like for Cleary in Penrith, as the toast of the town.
“There were no free coffees though,” O’Sullivan laughed.
“I gave myself Thursday night, Friday morning to soak it all in but this is NRL you can’t just play one good game, the boys want to back it up. It’s all focus onto the Dragons now.”
Cleary trained in a red medical bib as the halfback and ran plays with both the first and string sides on Monday morning. The 24-year old isn’t expected back for another two weeks.
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