NRL Tackle: Not sold on Cameron Smith’s move to five-eighth
It’s almost impossible to find a fault in the Storm’s thrilling golden-point win over the Roosters but there was one nitpick from the classic clash. Dally M votes from every game.
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Welcome to The Tackle, where our rugby league writers reveal what caught their eye — good and bad — in Round 8 of the NRL.
STORM V ROOSTERS
Dally M votes: Jahrome Hughes 3, Brett Morris 2, Cameron Smith 1 Judge: Darren Lockyer
LIKE: The confidence of the game’s young kids. In what many have called the game of the season, it wasn’t the veterans Cameron Smith or the Morris twins who stepped up when it mattered most, but it was the club’s kids who remained cool, calm and collected in the dying minutes.
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Trailing by two, with the game on the line, Roosters 21-year-old Kyle Flanagan who has played just 17 first-grade games, threw his hand up immediately to slot a penalty conversion from the sideline to level the scores. Melbourne’s 22-year-old speedster Ryan Papenhuyzen (30 games) then took it upon himself to slot a crucial field goal from 40m out to take the game to extra-time.
DISLIKE: It’s almost impossible to find a fault in Thursday’s night’s golden-point thriller at Suncorp Stadium so this could just be nitpicking but Cam Smith’s move to five-eighth needs some refining. The 419-game great was shifted into the halves in place of the injured Cameron Munster and did a valiant job.
Scroll down for the complete Dally M leaderboard
However, some of his options, such as a fifth tackle grubber into the in-goal, caught some of his teammates off guard. Coach Craig Bellamy admitted post-match that Smith had felt “pretty nervous” about the move and it was understandable considering the calibre of the game.
— Chris Honnery
RAIDERS V DRAGONS
Dally M votes: George Williams 3, Cameron McInnes 2, Euan Aitken 1 Judge: Billy Moore
LIKE: Canberra’s attack isn’t firing on all cylinders but English halfback George Williams impressed again in the win over the Dragons.
The Wigan man scored his first NRL try, set up another with a pinpoint kick for Bailey Simonsson and the Green Machine’s attack looks far more dangerous the more Williams gets involved. It’s still early days, but Williams is well on his way to becoming the first English back in a generation to succeed in the NRL.
DISLIKE: The Raiders snapped their two-match losing streak but their late collapse was more reminiscent of the litany of heartbreaking losses they suffered before their defensive evolution in 2019.
Prior to last season Canberra had a reputation of losing games that appeared unloseable, and when the Dragons ran in three late tries to cut a 22-0 deficit to 22-16 plenty of old demons were nearly resurrected. With a tough three-week stretch coming up where they face the Storm, Roosters and Rabbitohs, such lapses cannot be tolerated by Ricky Stuart.
— Nick Campton
EELS V COWBOYS
Dally M votes: Clinton Gutherson 3, Maika Sivo 2, Dylan Brown 1 Judge: Dene Halatau
LIKE: Geez, Brad Arthur sure can resurrect an NRL reject.
While plenty of rival clubs continually blame their woes on a lack of playing talent – perceived or genuine – Arthur has instead made superstars of those fellas his opponents either let go or don’t care enough about to fight for.
Think Clint Gutherson, Maika Sivo, Waqa Blake, Shaun Lane, Nathan Brown, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, even new makeshift No. 7 Jai Field.
Plucked from Penrith reserve grade, Sivo has risen up to become one of the most dangerous attacking weapons in rugby league – proved by his four tries against North Queensland.
Asked why the Fijian tearaway had thrived at the Eels, Arthur said simply: “Sometimes you just have to give them an opportunity. Put some belief in them.”
Special mention too for the goalkicking of Clint Gutherson. With regular kicker Mitchell Moses sidelined, Gutherson booted seven from eight attempts against the Cowboys – including several from the sideline.
Not bad considering he was unable to practice throughout the week.
“Clint had a bad cork from last week’s game,” Arthur revealed. “So he didn’t do any practice because he couldn’t. That just shows the type of bloke he is.”
DISLIKE: Put simply, that Queensland has no other franchises for the Eels to play. Currently, Parramatta have gone undefeated against all three sides from north of the border — and for a combined scoreline of 122-16.
In a wonderful run of terror against the Bananabenders, the Eels have scored huge wins over Gold Coast (46-6) in Round 2, Brisbane (34-6) in Round 3 and now the North Queensland Cowboys (42-4).
Against the Cowboys too, the Eels forwards were outstanding.
While it was Maika Sivo and Clint Gutherson who made headlines, coach Brad Arthur reserved special praise for a pack that didn’t so much beat the Cowboys as scalp them one after another.
Of the starters, every forward ran for over 100m — bar hooker Reed Mahoney, who made 40 tackles.
Out front were prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard (191m) and Junior Paulo (180m), while lock Marata Niukore (153m) was also strong.
— Nick Walshaw
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TITANS V SHARKS
Dally M votes: Shaun Johnson 3, Braden Hamlin-Uele 2, Andrew Fifita 1 Judge: Jonathan Thurston
LIKE: John Morris for taking a coaching gamble by changing the way his team attacks. In a departure from block plays and the tried and tired structures used in rugby league, Morris began a mini rugby league revolution by changing the role of the fullback. Until his plan was cruelled by an injury in the 28th minute, Morris was using Matt Moylan as a both sides of the ruck first receiver. Turning Chad Townsend and Shaun Johnston into old school five-eighths – which have been dead since No. 7s and No. 6s became the same thing with teams playing a half on each side of the ruck – Moylan pushed forward and played as a traditional first receiver.
Sacrificing a sweeping ball-running fullback and taking the Roosters playing out front style to a new level, the move gave the Sharks three halves. It could prove a masterstroke that is followed by other teams given the way the ruck rule changes have sped up the game. While many coaches try to make players fit into their structure – make them play to the way they coach – Morris is changing the way he coaches to suit his players. Boasting a bevy of ball running playmakers including Moylan, Johnston, Townsend and Wade Graham, he has taken the gutsy move of throwing out the stock-standard NRL game plan to make the most of what he has got. Unfortunately, Moylan’s injury ended the experiment.
DISLIKE: Matt Moylan’s injury. Not only did it stop Morris’ playmaking experiment, but it also cruelled Moylan’s comeback. Regularly struck down by injury since joining the Sharks, Moylan was threatening to find form in his third game back. There is no denying the former Panther’s game-changing talent but stints on the sideline have prevented him from becoming the player he was when he left Penrith. Morris is hopeful the hamstring strain will only keep Moylan out for “a couple” of weeks. Josh Dugan and Will Kennedy are in line to replace Moylan at the back.
— James Phelps
WARRIORS V BRONCOS
Dally M votes: Ken Maumalo 3, Blake Green 2, Tohu Harris 1 Judge: Greg Alexander
LIKE: The professionalism of Warriors playmaker Blake Green. Just 24 hours after Warriors owners said they would not sign him for next year, Green put aside the disappointment to orchestrate the club’s defeat of the Broncos. The 33-year-old lost his halves partner Kodi Nikorima to concussion after just five minutes but he still outsmarted Broncos halves Anthony Milford and Brodie Croft.
Green’s 40-20 kick in the 60th minute inspired the Warriors fightback that led to three tries in 10 minutes. If the Warriors don’t want him next year, the Broncos could do worse than sign him for 12 months to mentor their younger players.
DISLIKE: The Broncos have lost the plot in attack. Since their return from the COVID-19 break, the Broncos have scored just 58 points from six matches at an average of 9.6 per game. Halves Anthony Milford and Brodie Croft are struggling to build cohesion and provide some crisp shape to Brisbane’s attack. In recent weeks, the Broncos’ handful of tries have come from two Xavier Coates intercepts and Herbie Farnworth has scored two tries in the past fortnight from kicks. There have been few classy backline movements. The jury is out on whether Croft has the playmaking guile and experience to steer the Broncos out of troubled waters.
— Peter Badel
TIGERS V PANTHERS
Dally M votes: Apisai Koroisau 3, Jarome Luai 2, Harry Grant 1 Judge: Matt Elliott
LIKE: Api Koroisau is firming as the buy of the year. The Panthers hooker has helped lead the revival at the foot of the mountains. He controls the game from the middle of the field and on Saturday night picked his running opportunities. When Koroisau took off, he raced 60m to set up Dylan Edwards for the match-winning try. Class is a big reason for the change at Penrith this year.
DISLIKE: The Tigers’ ill-discipline, led by Joey Leilua. While Koroisau is a leading buy-of-the-year candidate, Tigers coach Michael Maguire is experiencing the frustrations of many former mentors when it comes to Leilua. His cheap shot on Dylan Edwards should have resulted in a send-off instead of a sin-bin. It was a low act. Leilua wasn’t alone, though. The Tigers imploded with a raft of brain dead errors which overshadowed a strong performance.
— Michael Carayannis
SEA EAGLES V KNIGHTS
Dally M votes: 3 David Klemmer, 2 Daniel Saifiti, 1 Daly Cherry-Evans Judge: Tony Puletua
LIKE: Brookie Oval on a sunny Sunday afternoon in front of fans — it was just like the old days. A crowd of 2271 — all members drawn from a ballot — attended the game and offered up a lively atmosphere. There were repeated social distancing warnings at the ground, but some still electing to sit side-by-side. It was just nice seeing fans back with locals decked out in their famous maroon and white. After playing in Gosford for the past five weeks, it was the first time Manly had played at Brookvale since round one. In just the third minute, one fan yelled: “Get ’em onside you idiot.” It was good being back at a suburban footy ground.
DISLIKE: Try as they did, Manly are lacking the speed, zip and penetration to be a premiership force yet again without injured fullback Tom Trbojevic. The Sea Eagles created multiple opportunities but lacked power and class to finish with Trbojevic sidelined. Manly fans should harbour further concerns because Trbojevic is four to six weeks away from returning.
— Dean Ritchie
BULLDOGS V RABBITOHS
Dally M votes: 3 Cameron Murray, 2 Damien Cook, 1 Adam Reynolds Judge: Steve Roach
LIKE: Kieran Foran played his guts out on Sunday night, setting an example for the young Bulldogs to follow as they fight their way through a rebuilding period that has so often teetered on the brink of full-blown crisis. Despite showing grit, the Bulldogs have now lost seven of their eight opening games for the first time since 1996. But there’s a silver lining — they play the diabolical Broncos on Saturday. They won’t get many better chances to climb off the bottom of the ladder, and with Foran leading the way they appear juicy odds at $2.60 with the TAB.
DISLIKE: Alex Johnston’s impending departure from South Sydney. He has played his heart out for the club since making his debut in 2014 but the Bunnies have told him they can’t fit him in the salary cap next season. Johnston is devastated but he hasn’t let it affect his on-field performances, scoring a sensational long-range try from a Latrell Mitchell pass on Sunday night. It would have been a bittersweet moment for fans, who have started a petition to send a message to the club about Johnston’s treatment. Peta McAlister spoke for many of the 2100 fans who have signed the petition by posting this message: “To push AJ out the door will forever tarnish the sincerity and sentiment that the club has built its fan base and reputation on.”
— James Silver
DALLY M LEADERBOARD
Clinton Gutherson 12
Harry Grant 11
Jason Taumalolo 11
Shaun Johnson 11
Nathan Cleary 9
Tom Trbojevic 9
Cameron Smith 8
George Williams 8
Apisai Koroisau 7
James Tedesco 7
Benji Marshall 6
Cameron Munster 6
Jack Wighton 6
Jahrome Hughes 6
Josh Hodgson 6
Luke Keary 6
Matthew Dufty 6
Mitchell Moses 6
Tohu Harris 6
Victor Radley 6
Kodi Nikorima 5
Addin Fonua-Blake 4
Braden Hamlin-Uele 4
Cameron McInnes 4
Curtis Sironen 4
Daniel Saifiti 4
Elliott Whitehead 4
Josh McGuire 4
Latrell Mitchell 4
Reed Mahoney 4
Cameron Murray 4
Ryan Papenhuyzen 4
Blake Green 3
Bradman Best 3
Brett Morris 3
Cody Walker 3
Dane Gagai 3
David Klemmer 3
David Nofoaluma 3
Herman Ese’ese 3
Isaah Yeo 3
Jake Clifford 3
James Fisher-Harris 3
Jarome Luai 3
Jayden Brailey 3
Jesse Bromwich 3
Damien Cook 3
Jesse Ramien 3
Josh Jackson 3
Josh Morris 3
Josh Papalii 3
Ken Maumalo 3
Liam Knight 3
Maika Sivo 3
Matt Burton 3
Mitchell Pearce 3
Moeaki Fotuaika 3
Moeaki Fotuaika 3
Payne Haas 3
Ryan Matterson 3
Siosiua Taukeiaho 3
Tim Glasby 3
Tui Kamikamica 3
Will Hopoate 3
Zac Lomax 3
Aaron Woods 2
Addin Fonua-Blake 2
Angus Crichton 2
Brodie Croft 2
Dale Finucane 2
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 2
Daly Cherry-Evans 2
Jai Arrow 2
James Tamou 2
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 2
Josh Mansour 2
Josh Reynolds 2
Junior Paulo 2
Justin Yeo 2
Luciano Leilua 2
Luke Brooks 2
Michael Jennings 2
Mitchell Barnett 2
Paul Vaughan 2
Scott Sorensen 2
Valentine Holmes 2
Viliame Kikau 2
Waqa Blake 2
William Hopoate 2
Aiden Tolman 1
Andrew Fifita 1
Ashley Taylor 1
Ben Hunt 1
Bryce Cartwright 1
Coen Hess 1
Dylan Brown 1
Eliesa Katoa 1
Euan Aitken 1
Jarrod Croker 1
Reece Robson 1
Scott Drinkwater 1
Sione Katoa 1
Suliasi Vunivalu 1
Tex Hoy 1
Wade Graham 1
Xavier Coates 1
Adam Reynolds 1
Kalyn Ponga 0
Thomas Flegler 0
Patrick Carrigan -1
Kotoni Staggs -2
Nathan Brown -10
Originally published as NRL Tackle: Not sold on Cameron Smith’s move to five-eighth