NRL Tackle round 22: Phil Gould forced to eat words after spectacular Broncos defensive effort
Phil Gould will have to rethink his assertion that the Broncos don’t have the defensive mettle to win the premiership, writes PAUL CRAWLEY.
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Paul Crawley reveals his likes and dislikes from blockbuster round of NRL action in the round 22 Tackle.
ROUND 22 DISLIKES
SUAALII NRL’S MOST OVER-HYPED YOUNG STAR
If the Wallabies think Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is going to solve all their problems they are kidding themselves.
Australia was absolutely destroyed 38-7 in Saturday night’s loss to the All Blacks in Melbourne.
And if you look at the input of Suaalii in Thursday night’s 32-10 flogging by the Broncos, you don’t need Trent Robinson’s football IQ to know Suaalii is the most over-hyped player of this generation.
While you couldn’t question his effort at the Gabba, he’s certainly not in the same ball park as the likes of Reece Walsh or Ezra Mam when it comes to being a game-changer at this point in his career.
Maybe one day he will be. But right now the question the Roosters need to ask themselves is if it is time to let the Wallabies try their luck and for the Roosters to move in a different direction?
Remember, Suaalii’s contract is worth $700,000 this year.
There is also a tough conversation coming up as to whether Luke Keary and Sam Walker can coexist when Walker eventually returns to the NRL, after Keary was totally outpointed by his old South Sydney halves partner Adam Reynolds.
Joey Manu’s lack of impact/involvement also further highlighted why the reigning Golden Boot winner has been the most wasted talent in the game this year.
But are the Roosters prepared to move James Tedesco from fullback to get Manu more involved next year?
It’s one thing to beat the Titans and the Bulldogs.
But the Roosters’ performance against the Broncos showed how far behind the top teams they really are.
I thought the Roosters’ forwards did a pretty good job in the arm wrestle early, but it was just the ill-discipline, mistakes and inability to ice the key moments that let them down.
It all goes back to the key players not owning the big moments.
DOLPHINS’ HEARTBREAK AFTER TWO TOUGH CALLS
You certainly couldn’t call it a forward pass howler. And it was most definitely an obstruction.
But you would be barking up the wrong tree to blame the match officials after the Dolphins’ finals hopes were crushed on the back of two tough decisions in the shock 23-22 loss to the Bulldogs.
The Dolphins had a chance to steal the game in the dying minute after Anthony Milford’s second try gave Jamayne Isaako a shot to win it.
But Isaako’s attempt sailed wide.
Earlier there was a 12-point turnaround when the Dolphins had a try disallowed after Felise Kaufusi was correctly penalised for an obstruction on Matt Burton.
While there was no chance Burton would have stopped the try, by the letter of the law it was still the right call.
Soon after the Dogs scored down the other end on the back of a line ball pass from Toby Sexton to Blake Wilson.
In Fox commentary Steve “Blocker” Roach thought it went forward while Warren Smith reckoned it was OK.
Ultimately, the ref and touch judge were well positioned to make the call (with the Bunker not allowed to rule on forward passes).
It’s been a gutsy first season from the Dolphins.
But it will be hard for them to stay in the hunt now given they remain on 22 competition points (two wins outside the top eight with five rounds to play).
EELS IN DANGEROUS FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL
Have the Eels left their run too late to even make the finals?
With Dylan Brown’s highly anticipated return from suspension for Sunday’s upcoming game against the Dragons, I’m still not convinced they can push their way back into the top eight with their draw over the closing rounds.
Especially given what we saw in the 46-16 hammering by the Storm.
Last year’s grand finalists are currently on 24 competition points (which is only one win out of the eight), but they will likely need 30 if not 32 competition points to make the cut.
Their run home after the Dragons at CommBank includes the Broncos (a), Roosters (h), Panthers (a) and the bye.
If they pick up a win against the Dragons, and a bye, they will also need one if not two wins in their remaining games to survive.
That would either mean beating the Broncos at the Gabba or the Panthers at Penrith.
Take into account Maika Sivo and Reagan Campbell-Gillard don’t return from their suspensions until the Roosters game.
RAIDERS THEIR OWN WORST ENEMIES
The Raiders were so off their game in the 28-6 loss to the Knights it was like watching Wests Tigers on a bad day.
Then I looked at the draw and saw they actually take on the Tigers on Sunday in Canberra.
Seriously, how could you predict what is going to happen in this one.
What’s for certain is Ricky Stuart will want to make sure his team doesn’t turn up with the attitude they seemed to have against the Knights, were they started like it was two competition points in the bank.
They will also want to remember the desperate 20-19 victory back in round 14 over the Tigers that followed the controversial decision to rest Jarrod Croker so he could play his 300th game in Canberra.
Stuart was spot on after the game on Saturday when he said at least the Raiders have put themselves in a position (5th on the ladder) that this performance is something that they can fight back from.
But in saying that, it will probably end up costing them any hope of finishing top four this year.
CRANKY TIGER OVERREACTS
You had to laugh at John Bateman’s reaction when waving away the Fox League camera filming him as the Englishman had a post match catch up with Tom Burgess after the Tigers’ loss to the Rabbitohs.
Seriously, talk about being over precious.
First the players don’t want to talk to the media over the CBA dramas, and they run out wearing a patch over the NRL logo.
Then you get this little hissy fit like the camera had no right to be there.
Players should remember it’s the TV broadcasting contracts that fill their bank accounts.
‘LAUGHABLE’ JWH NOT BINNED
So let’s try and make sense of what constitutes a sin bin and what doesn’t.
A week after the Cowboys’ Val Holmes was banish for so-called direct and forceful contact on Mitchell Moses (it was debatable if there was even initial head contact), Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves stays on the field after he was placed on report for what was clear direct and forceful head contact on Payne Haas.
Even Cooper Cronk, who is part of the Roosters coaching staff, conceded: “I thought he was lucky to stay on the field”.
Lucky?
It went beyond luck. It was laughable.
GUS MIGHT NEED A RETHINK
Days after Phil Gould said the Broncos didn’t have the defence to win the comp, Brisbane went out against the Roosters and produced one of the best defensive efforts of the season.
And it was the type of win six weeks out from the finals that really sent a message to everyone, not just the outspoken Bulldogs general manager.
Because it was the ease with which the Broncos did it in the end that was so impressive, never giving the Roosters a look in from pretty much the opening whistle.
You could talk all day about the Broncos’ class with the ball and the performances of Adam Reynolds, Ezra Mam, Kotoni Staggs and the rest.
But much like the Panthers always seem to have the extra gear in reserve, the Broncos played within themselves to pile on five tries to two in the 32-10 victory.
As good as they have gone so far this season, you get the feeling they are only about to show us what they are really capable of.
They now take on the Cowboys this Saturday in a blockbuster in Townsville.
PLAYMAKERS SHOULD NOT BE PROTECTED SPECIES
Contact on kickers has been a contentious issue all season.
But you would hate to see a big match in the coming weeks decided by such a nothing incident as what cost the Cowboys a penalty in the upset 22-13 loss to the Titans.
In this instance it didn’t have any impact on the result, and the Titans thoroughly deserved the win.
But as Shane Flanagan said in Fox League commentary after Cowboys dummy half Reece Robson was pulled up on what was minor contact on Tanah Boyd: “We maybe should put a bib on those kickers because we just can’t touch them anymore.”
You just hope the NRL has a rethink on this before we get to the finals because it certainly doesn’t make it a better game making playmakers a protected species.
NRL DOUBLES DOWN ON BUNKER BLOOPER
If Dragons coach Ryan Carr was expecting an apology for the controversial ‘no try’ ruling in the 24-18 loss to the Sea Eagles, Carr and all Dragons fans are in for a rude shock.
Because NRL head of football Graham Annesley has sensationally backed Bunker official Kasey Badger’s decision to support referee Chris Butler’s on field call of held up (see video above).
Annesley even went a step further, saying he would have no issue if that decision decided a grand final.
While Annesley conceded Badger’s language “was contradictory”, ultimately “she had no choice” but not to award the try.
This is despite Badger saying during the commentary the ball had been grounded and Russell was over the goal line.
And there was certainly no proof Manly’s Brad Parker had somehow managed to hold Russell up with a second effort after the ball had been grounded.
Further to that, referee Butler was in a terrible position to make the initial held up call anyhow, because he was standing directly behind Parker, so how could he possibly see if the ball was grounded or not?
Butler did look to his touch judge before making his ruling. But replays indicated momentum had carried Russell over the try line after the ball was grounded.
Annesley argued: “That is the point, there is no way anyone can tell if the ball was grounded or not.
“You might think that but there is no definitive evidence.
“So when there is no definitive evidence their fallback position is to go with the on field decision.”
I argued with Annesley that clearly shows why the process is flawed.
Surely it is madness to force a referee with an obstructed view to make the call in the first place.
Why not just send it up to the Bunker and allow video evidence to make an unbiased decision on all available evidence?
I have no doubt if that had been the case here the try would have been awarded.
In years gone by benefit of the doubt also went to the attacking team.
These days it’s like they are out to try and find a way not to award tries.
“That’s true, that is what it was once (benefit of the doubt to the attacking team,” Annesley said.
“(But) the Bunker can’t make a definitive decision without absolute evidence … and so although she could see the ball on the ground, she didn’t know if that was before or after the line.
“So given the on field decision was ‘no try’ she can’t overrule that unless she has some reason to overrule.”
Asked if he didn’t not see a reason, he added: “Nothing definitive. She would have been guessing. She would have had to say, ‘Oh, well, he probably did get it on the ground over the line’
“But there were no pictures that proved that.
“Whether people agree with the rule or not, that is a matter for them.
“But to say that the Bunker has in some way completely stuffed up is just completely wrong.”
ROUND 22 LIKES
CLEARY PUTS ON A MASTERCLASS
In just his second game back from his hamstring injury, what about the performance from Nathan Cleary in the 28-0 demolition of the Sharks?
Seriously, it was arguably the best individual game from a halfback this season as Cleary’s masterclass completely shut down a team that could not have been more desperate.
In fairness, the Sharks’ overall effort could not be questioned.
But they never stood a chance with Cleary pulling the strings for the Panthers’ machine that looked awesome in every facet of the game.
That said, the performance from Sharks’ warhorse Cameron McInnes will live in the memory bank for decades after notching up an NRL-record 78 tackles.
You talk about tough.
Go back through any era and McInnes is a bloke that pound-for-pound would hold his hands up against the best of them.
KNIGHTS NOT DONE YET
Just when you thought the Knights were done and dusted for another season, they have fired back with four straight wins dating back to their 20-12 loss to the Panthers in round 17.
And as inspirational as last round’s comeback over the Storm was, the way they went about pulling apart the Raiders with such ease was arguably just as impressive.
From the moment Kalyn Ponga sliced through on his first kick return, they played with so much self-belief across the park with Bradman Best, Tyson Frizell and Jackson Hastings all particularly impressive.
The Knights’ remaining five games are against the Dolphins, Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Sharks and Dragons.
From what we’ve seen in recent weeks they are a fair dinkum chance of winning all those games.
LATRELL CAN LEAD RABBITOHS ALL THE WAY
You wouldn’t say it was one of Latrell Mitchell’s most dazzling performances.
But the Rabbitohs superstar’s long awaited return from his calf injury was certainly enough to show why Souths remain such a threat in the race to the finals.
Credit to the Tigers too because they turned up and had a red hot crack in the 32-18 loss.
But Mitchell was the man who had everyone watching with interest as he warmed to the contest, ultimately finishing with 16 runs for 164m which are pretty fair figures by his regular standards. You can’t wait to see how he backs up against the Sharks on Saturday.
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