NRL Tackle Round 15: Brad Fittler’s Blues bias sours coverage, bolter could wipe out Nicho Hynes

THE TACKLE: It was one of the flashpoint incidents of the year, but Tino Fa’asuamaleaui’s hit which flattened Api Koroisau led to some unsavoury commentary from Blues coach Brad Fittler.

Brad Fittler’s bias was on show this week. Picture: Getty

Paul Crawley reveales his likes and dislikes from round 15 of the NRL season in The Tackle.

ROUND 15 DISLIKES

FREDDY’S BLUE BIAS ON TINO VERDICT

It would have been a travesty if Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was rubbed out of State of Origin for the unfortunate accident that broke Api Koroisau’s jaw.

This time it was Blues coach Brad Fittler leading the charge in Channel Nine’s post match commentary when he stopped just short of declaring the Queensland enforcer should be charged.

After Fa’asuamaleaui labelled it “a contact game”, Fittler certainly didn’t let his position as NSW coach hold him back from expressing his views.

“But there is also a due diligence,” Fittler said.

“If it was just contact it could get very dangerous out there, there would be a lot of injuries.

“It is the second time he has done it to a hooker. He knocked out Reed Mahoney a couple of weeks ago.”

But let’s be fair dinkum about this.

In the incident involving Mahoney there was clear evidence Fa’asuamaleaui had his eyes not only focussed directly on Mahoney but raised his elbow, and even smiled when the Bulldogs rake hit the deck.

But when you watched the replays on this occasion there was no such evidence that Fausuamaleaui was doing anything illegal and Koroisau just got his head in the wrong place.

Yes, it was awful and you wouldn’t wish an injury like that on any player.

But thankfully the NRL match review committee on this occasion did not overreact.

Brad Fittler’s bias was on show this week. Picture: Getty

BLUES BOLTER A HUGE THREAT TO HYNES

The question now will be if Nicho Hynes even keeps his place on the NSW bench, or should Brad Fittler select a second hooker like Cowboy Reece Robson to back up Damien Cook in the wake of the shocking broken jaw suffered by Api Koroisau?

There were already huge question marks hanging over taking a player who has not previously started an Origin to a must-win game at Suncorp as the chief playmaker.

But it certainly didn’t help Hynes’ cause with the Sharks finishing on the wrong side of a comprehensive 54-10 belting by the Storm, with the NRL’s Mr Nice Guy Hynes getting clearly upstaged in his head-to-head match-up with Mad Dog Cameron Munster.

Nicho Hynes’ spot in the Blues side is under serious threat.

Reece Robson is set to join the Blues’ bench. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty

To put it in perspective, Hynes finished with five runs for 29 metres, while the Queensland superstar had 20 runs for 165 metres, including three try assists.

Everyone in rugby league loves Hynes. He is that nice a bloke even Queenslanders would find it hard to boo him at Suncorp Stadium.

But you just can’t ignore what happened in Melbourne on Sunday.

Hynes went into the match in a three-way battle with Adam Reynolds and Mitchell Moses for the NSW No. 7 jumper.

Reynolds came up with the match winning try in the Broncos win over the Knights, while Moses’ Eels play the Bulldogs on Monday.

WHY FLANNO’S ‘BRAZEN’ STUNT COULD BACKFIRE

It defies belief that Shane Flanagan thought it was okay making contact with Ben Hunt to tell the Dragons star he would remain at halfback even before the club has officially made its final decision on the new coach.

You talk about a brazen political stunt.

And I don’t care how anyone wants to spin it, it was certainly disrespectful to put Hunt in a position where he had to confirm the approach while sitting beside interim coach Ryan Carr in the wake of St George Illawarra’s win over South Sydney.

Surely in this instance – and especially after what led to Flanagan being banned previously – the right thing to do would be hold fire until a final decision on the coaching job was public.

Shane Flanagan is under fire. Picture: NRL Photos

Remember, the reason Flanagan was deregistered indefinitely in 2018 resulted from an investigation that revealed he had communicated with the Sharks while already serving a previous 12-month ban.

And while that has nothing to do with this now, it can only be construed as a political play to get one up on the other contenders for the job, one being Dean Young who previously played Hunt at hooker during his time as interim coach following Paul McGregor’s exit.

But it is certainly overstepping the mark when the Dragons are still trying to convince their fans and possibly even the NRL hierarchy that Flanagan has changed his ways and deserves another shot at being a head coach.

‘LUNATIC’ ACT SHOWS UP CLEARY’S HYPOCRISY

It was a bit rich of Ivan Cleary throwing Jared Waerea-Hargreaves under the bus when accusing the Roosters enforcer of “looking for trouble” in the explosive aftermath to the Panthers’ thumping 30-6 win over the Roosters.

While it is understandable an NRL coach will want to look after his own players, Cleary might want to remember he doesn’t coach a team of choir boys.

And he has one player in particular in Jarome Luai who goes out every single week with what appears a clear intention of looking for trouble, albeit in a very different way to what Cleary was accusing Waerea-Hargreaves of here.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Spencer Leniu come together in a flashpoint at the end of the match. NRL Imagery

But in the big prop’s defence, it was outrageous of Cleary to suggest intentional foul play had anything to do with the two ugly incidents involving Liam Martin and Moses Leota.

While Cleary’s comments about Waerea-Hargreaves’ apparent intention to start the trouble were just as ludicrous, with the claim “the balance of probability was that Jared was probably the one initiating it” complete and utter nonsense.

In the incident involving Martin it was the Panthers backrower who came in from the side and hit his head on Waerea-Hargreaves’ hip.

A total accident, which was proven by the fact the NRL did not charge JWH for what happened.

While in respect to Leota, as Trent Robinson said, Waerea-Hargreaves was simply running with his bumpers up like every prop does, and the replays certainly did not indicate to me that he raised his elbow in an act of illegal play. Again, the NRL match review committee agreed.

Penrith coach Ivan Cleary had some choice words to say about Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. Picture: Getty

You see multiple incidents very similar in most games, just go back to Thursday night when Tino Fa’asuamaleaui broke Api Koroisau’s jaw.

Yet when asked if he had an issue with this one, Cleary didn’t hold back.

“If I’m truthful, I did,” Cleary added. “I think it was very questionable. The way he looked. Where he saw him. The way it (the elbow) was cocked.”

There was a time when rival coaches would steer clear of commenting on incidents likely to go before the NRL match review committee out of respect, especially when the evidence was as unclear as this was.

No doubt, Waerea-Hargreaves over reacted when squirting Spencer Leniu with water before hurling the bottle at him.

But again, Cleary’s inability to see fault in his own players was highlighted by the fact he was confused why Leniu was even sent to the sin bin.

How about the fact Leniu was carrying on like a lunatic and couldn’t be calmed down, not even by his own captain Isaah Yeo.

Even when Lenui was walking from the field he still couldn’t control his anger as he started doing lewd gestures to the crowd and appearing to offer to fight anyone out in the car park. You want to talk about out of control, that was the rugby league definition of it.

Waerea-Hargreaves has a reputation as one of the game’s most fiery forwards. Picture: Getty

WHY LAY THE BOOT INTO RICKY NOW?

A lot of people wanted to lay the slipper into Ricky Stuart following the Raiders’ loss to the Warriors that took the gloss of Jarrod Croker’s 300th match milestone.

I even had one reader email declaring Stuart “deserved to be called out for this debacle”.

Get a grip.

What we all saw on Friday night was one of the most beautiful milestone celebrations we have ever witnessed in the NRL, with the touching tribute to Croker and his family bringing tears not only to Croker’s eyes but most likely every single person watching on TV as well as the jam-packed crowd at GIO Stadium.

There is no doubt the occasion got the better of the Raiders who tried too hard to get their skipper the win, and quite clearly played with too much emotion on the night.

But as the wonderfully humble Canberra captain later commented, as disappointing as it was to lose the game, they will eventually move past that. But nothing will ever take away the memories.

That was a truly first-class celebration that completely justified the Raiders’ decision to rest Croker the previous week against the Tigers.

💚💚💚@Jarrodcroker#Croker300#WeAreRaiderspic.twitter.com/bmlkBtGOg8

— Canberra Raiders (@RaidersCanberra) June 9, 2023

ROOSTERS GO FROM BAD TO WORSE

It is impossible to see how the Roosters can bounce back from the shellacking they copped again off the Panthers and be a serious contender for this year’s NRL premiership.

Even with Victor Radley, Brandon Smith and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii missing, the team that started the season as arguably the strongest on paper look to be going backwards after 15 rounds.

It is unbelievable that their attack is by far the worst in the comp when it comes to points scored (210) – the Bulldogs are next worst (231) with a game in hand against Parramatta on Monday.

It seems an eternity ago that Sam Walker was dumped to make way for Joey Manu’s move to five-eighth.

But that switch just hasn’t worked with Trent Robinson conceding as much when moving Manu back into the centres against the Panthers.

They also have a pack that got completely overpowered again with Matt Lodge’s performance typifying how low on confidence and out of form they are.

Aside from James Tedesco they hardly looked a threat.

They could still stumble their way into the top eight but unless there is an unforeseen change in attitude and direction they will only be there to make up the numbers.

The Roosters are in the midst of a rough season. Picture: Getty

ROUND 15 LIKES

REYNO SHOWS CHARACTER OF A CHAMPION

It certainly won’t go down as Adam Reynolds’ best performance this year in his audition for Nathan Cleary’s vacant NSW No 7 jumper.

But what no one can argue following the Broncos’ thrilling 24-20 win over the Knights is that the veteran halfback certainly has the character of a champion, and he sure knows how to own the biggest moments as well.

And that should be proof enough to Brad Fittler that he wouldn’t let the Blues down if given the opportunity for an Origin recall.

There is no question Reynolds showed some nervous signs against the Knights with a couple of wayward passes, and it wasn’t his greatest kicking game either, while he fell off a few tackles including a crucial miss on Kalyn Ponga.

But when it mattered most the diminutive halfback stood tall, scoring the match winning try and setting up another in what many are saying was the best club game of the season so far.

It was a gutsy comeback win by the Broncos with that incredible pass from Ezra Mam to Reynolds showing us again what a gun halves combination these two are developing into.

In defeat, Ponga also deserves a huge rap for what would rate up with his best ever club performances with the Knights captain taking the points win over Reece Walsh, the man who replaced him in the Queensland No 1 jumper.

Adam Reynolds put in a great Origin audition. Picture: Getty

MOST AMAZING TRY YOU WILL EVER SEE

We see some incredible acrobatics from the wingers in the modern game.

But you’d struggle to remember a more spectacular put down than the one from Dallin Watene-Zelezniak in the Warriors’ win over the Raiders to spoil Jarrod Croker’s milestone celebrations.

Talk about making an average kick look great.

Shaun Johnson’s crossfield bomb looked for all money to be sailing straight over the in-goal sideline before DWZ soared into the air and somehow came down almost vertically with a magnificent one-handed put down with centimetres to spare.

This is the bloke we’ve been raving about all season for his blockbusting runs to get the Warriors on the front foot.

But this was the complete flip side when it comes to truly magical rugby league moments.

DRAGONS SURVIVE A HEART-STOPPING FINISH

In what was another amazing weekend of NRL action, the Dragons survived a heart-stopping finish to edge out the under-strength Rabbitohs 36-30.

Admittedly, Souths had much of their salary cap sitting in the grandstand with Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker, Cameron Murray, Jai Arrow and Tom Burgess all out of action.

But it certainly didn’t stop the action on the field in the 12-try thriller that finished six tries apiece after the Rabbitohs raced in three in as many minutes to set up the grandstand finish.

Ben Hunt was again the Dragons’ best while Damien Cook certainly showed why he will be a more than capable replacement for the injured Api Koroisau in Origin II, finishing with five runs for 108m and a game-high 48 tackles.

Tom Trbojevic had a blinder against the Dolphins. Picture: Getty

TURBO BACK TO DALLY M WINNING FORM

Who said Tom Trbjeovic was a spent force?

If there were any lingering doubts that the superstar Sea Eagles fullback might be risk taking into Origin II on the back of his underwhelming game one performance, Turbo certainly answered them in the 58-18 annihilation of the Dolphins.

He finished with two tries along with 202m from his 16 carries that also included a try assist before Cooper Cronk declared on Fox League Trbojevic was back in the form that won him the 2021 Dally M Medal.

“There is an obvious difference in Tom Trbojevic in the last month,” Cronk said.

“His intensity, his application, his ability to have an impact on the game is like what he was doing when he won the Dally M, and if you are a Manly fan or a neutral footy fan it is great to see.”

It was a stunning compliment from Cronk.

I’m not sure Turbo’s quite there yet, but the signs are certainly looking a lot more promising than they were a few weeks back.

EDWARDS MOUNTS MORE PRESSURE ON TEDDY

There is no chance in the world James Tedesco is going to lose his NSW No 1 jumper this year unless it comes through injury.

And in fairness to the under-fire NSW skipper, Teddy did everything in his power to try and inspire the Roosters in what was ultimately another crushing loss to the Panthers.

But there is just no denying that week in, week out, Dylan Edwards continues to be the most reliable No 1 in the game.

And if Edwards’ form continues next year, it will be hard to ignore why he shouldn’t get a crack for NSW at some point, starting in the No 1 jumper. Otherwise, Edwards will go down as the unluckiest player of his era not to play Origin. Edwards finished with another try along with 14 runs for 166m in his head-to-head showdown with Tedesco, who himself could not have tried harder with 13 runs for 112m and a well-deserved try.

Originally published as NRL Tackle Round 15: Brad Fittler’s Blues bias sours coverage, bolter could wipe out Nicho Hynes