NRL Tackle: All the likes and dislikes from Round 17 of the NRL
He may have been on the losing side but John Bateman showed just what a loss he’s going to be for the Canberra Raiders with a five-star performance against the Roosters. Read all the likes and dislikes from the NRL here.
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Our rugby league writers reveal what caught their eye — good and bad — in Round 17 of the NRL.
Cowboys v Dragons
Like: He’s far from the complete product but Mikaele Ravalawa can produce something special when he wants to. Having butchered a try early in the first half when he dropped a Matt Dufty pass close to the line, the Fijian winger atoned when he made the impossible look easy to give his side the lead. With no room to work with, he somehow stayed in the field of play and grounded the ball despite catching it upright with defenders around him. Modern wingers come up with freakish plays every week, and Sunday’s effort continued the trend. Jake Clifford proved halfbacks are almost as handy with a neat finish of his own.
Dislike: Zac Lomax’s chances of making his State of Origin debut later this year continue to dwindle after he was again starved of ball against North Queensland. The Cowboys have struggled out wide in defence all season, but for some reason the Dragons refused to give their strike weapon any ball. His centre partner Euan Aitken had a field day with 144 metres and a try, but Lomax only had 10 runs for 78 metres on the right edge. Tyson Frizell was guilty of not passing to him, while no one targeted him with kicks.
Fox Sports key stats: The Cowboys broke a nine-game losing streak, and record a first win as a coach for Josh Hannay. Dragons fans have become accustomed to nail-biters. This was their team’s eighth straight game decided by eight points or less.
- Martin Gabor
Warriors v Eels
Like: If we were to judge the NRL captain of the year right at this moment you simply couldn’t go past the amazing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. The inspirational Warriors skipper has had to live away from his young family since they came to Australia earlier in the year. But despite his personal heartache, he has truly been an inspiration for his team. In another tremendous performance against Parramatta, the flying fullback still ran for 264m in another tremendous performance that included a try and eight tackle busts. Regardless of what happens from here, he has proved he’s worth every cent of his $1 million contract.
Dislike: The legacy of former NRL boss Dave Smith came back to haunt us again when Jazz Tevaga was sin-binned for a half-hearted punch on Nathan Brown. While everyone knows punching is not OK in the game anymore, surely this little brain snap was not worthy of the Warriors being forced to play a man down for 10 minutes. During that period in the first half, Parramatta scored two tries to jump to a 16-0 lead. As Andrew Johns summed up perfectly in Channel 9 commentary: “Ten minutes for that?” It’s just ridiculous.
Fox Sports key stats: The Warriors completed 85 per cent of their sets in the first half but just 61 per cent in the second half, while the Eels completed almost 85 per cent of their sets for the match. Aside from the brilliant Tui-vasa-Sheck, Clint Gutherson shone, making two linebreaks, running for almost 200m and setting up a try.
- Paul Crawley
Raiders v Roosters
Like: Watching Josh Morris continue to defy father time by shutting down both Jordan Rapana and Nick Cotric in his 300th game. While he might have proved himself human by losing a captain’s challenge, Morris was at his usual defensive best as he marked up against two of the game’s best outside backs. It was unfortunate that only 3000 people were on hand because of COVID restrictions to help Morris celebrate becoming just the 41st player to reach the 300 club. Teammate Daniel Tupou marked the milestone by giving him a smack in the face. “To my guys, thanks for making the night memorable,” Morris said. “I copped a bit of a knock from Tups, a bit of friendly fire but I’ll remember it for the right reasons. To all those people who reached out to me over the last few days with COVID being what it is, thank you from the bottom of my heart. It was a very humbling experience to receive such nice messages.”
Dislike: The NRL is set to lose a major drawcard when John Batemen returns to England at the end of the year. A few clubs, including Canberra, might be wishing they went a little harder to keep the English enforcer in Australia after he showed he is just as skilful as tough with a freakish kick through try. With Bateman out injured while he was looking for a new deal, NRL clubs must have either forgotten how good he was or written him off as a fading force. He has shown he is every bit the player he was when he led Canberra to the grand final last year and then some. His battle with Boyd Cordner on the edge was a highlight in an epic first half bash-up.
Fox Sports Key Stats: Canberra won the penalties 6-3 and had 38 tackles to 27 in the opposition 20 but could only score one try. The Roosters have won four of their past five games against the Raiders.
- James Phelps
Sea Eagles v Tigers
Like: The switch between Moses Mbye and Adam Doueihi. While Tigers coach Michael Maguire has flirted with the move in recent weeks it was the first time that Doueihi has played centre and Mbye played fullback for 80 minutes in weeks. The result was two tries to Doueihi including the matchwinner while Mbye scored a try and laid on one of his own. The change up in goal kicking also helped with Doueihi landing five from six. The form of David Nofoaluma is also irresistible with the winger scoring a treble to take a three-point lead in the top tryscorers list.
Dislike: The way the Sea Eagles are using one of their best players in Jake Trbojevic. While he scored a try and still made the second most tackles (26) of any Sea Eagles player, the representative back-rower’s use with the football is concerning. He has now become a link man and acting as another attacking player in the middle of the field. While his passing game does open up some space for his outside men, it has nullified his own running game. Despite playing 80 minutes, he ran for just 33 metres.
Fox Sports Key Stats: This is the most points Wests Tigers have conceded in a win since 2005 (37-36 v Bulldogs). Manly won the penalty count 8-1 and had 52 tackles to 33 in the opposition 20.
- Michael Carayannis
Bulldogs v Titans
Like: If there was an award for most underrated player in the game, Gold Coast prop Moeaki Fotuaika would be a finalist. He’s a true example of a rugby league workhorse - he gets through a mountain of work. On Saturday against the Bulldogs, he ran for 163 metres and made 41 tackles in a 70-minute effort to lead his side to their third win in five games. There is one award he should win in a few weeks - the Paul Broughton Medal as the Titans’ best and fairest, which he claimed last year. He’s been the most consistent player at the club all season.
Dislike: With less than a month remaining in the season, the Bulldogs have absolutely nothing to lose, yet they’re still playing boring football. They’re sticking to their structures and look rigid - it’s simply frustrating to watch. It’s no surprise they rank 15th in attack this season when they offer nothing in attack. Why bother letting a prop take a hit-up repeatedly on fourth and fifth tackle, especially inside the opposition’s 20m. Hopefully Trent Barrett can spark their attack when he arrives as coach next season.
Fox Sports Key Stats: Six straight losses for the Bulldogs - first time since 1958 they have had two six-game losing streaks in a season. The Titans have won nine of 18 against the Bulldogs - only the third team they have a 50 per cent record against (59 per cent v Wests Tigers and 55 v Eels).
- Michael Blok
Rabbitohs v Storm
Like: Cameron Smith might not be everyone’s favourite player but what can’t be denied is his phenomenal contribution to the Melbourne Storm and his current form has surely earned him the right to make the call on his career when he is good and ready.
And if that means waiting until after this year’s grand final is done then so be it.
Smith was again at his cunning best orchestrating the Storm’s come-from-behind win over South Sydney _ and that pass for big Tino Faasuamaleaui’s try that everyone is blowing up about was not the “metre forward” Brad Fittler initially called on Channel 9.
It was flat and it would have been the wrong call to have it disallowed.
Dislike: It’s hard to criticise too much after what was a ripper of a match. But Wayne Bennett’s summation that the Bunnies beat themselves was bang on the money.
The perfect example was the stuff up just before the break when Jaydn Su’A threw a silly pass on the fourth tackle near the halfway that Liam Knight knocked on.
Cam Murray was well within his rights to have a crack at Knight for not putting more effort into getting down on the ball. Moments later the Storm made them pay when Ryan Papenhuyzen laid on the try for Justin Olam. If the Rabbitohs can eliminate the silly errors they showed for most of this match that they can still be a premiership threat, even without Latrell Mitchell.
Fox Sports Key Stats: The Rabbitohs have won just one from seven against the teams ahead of them on the ladder this season. Melbourne didn’t lead the match until the 67th minute, going on to secure their fourth single figure win of the season - and first since round nine.
- Paul Crawley
Knights v Sharks
Like: Newcastle produced a listless performance against the New Zealand Warriors in round 16 but to their credit turned up on Friday night ready to get their title campaign back on track. Coach Adam O’Brien revealed the dominant performance was borne out of an honesty session earlier in the week. Kalyn Ponga deserves an honourable mention for his brilliant individual performance. On top of his attacking prowess, the fullback was clearly targeted the entire match but did not cower away from the physical challenge.
Dislike: Sharks coach John Morris unceremoniously dumped Andrew Fifita last week following their loss to the Cowboys. Disappointingly for the coach, the axing hardly inspired the right response. His starting props on Friday night played with little impact and hardly put a dent in the Knights defence. Starting props Braden Hamlin-Uele and Aaron Woods only managed 130 metres combined. Then there was the ill-discipline that looks set to cost the Sharks dearly with skipper Wade Graham (dangerous tackle) and halfback Chad Townsend (send off) facing three weeks on the sidelines.
Fox Sports Key Stats: The Sharks have won nine of 11 against teams below them on the ladder this season - but are now 0-6 against the teams above them. It was the Knights’ second biggest win this season (44-4 v Wests Tigers) while Chad Townsend Shark sent off since Paul Aiton in 2011.
- Fatima Kdouh
Broncos v Panthers
Like: Penrith’s halves combination of Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai have the fusion of organising class and attacking instinct to take Penrith to another premiership. Cleary’s game-management and kicking game was sublime, while Luai troubled the Broncos with his vision and fast feet. Luai set up Penrith’s first try and then showed great awareness to pounce on Cleary’s pinpoint grubber kick for the 56th minute try which broke Brisbane’s spirit. If they stay fit, Penrith have the playmaking duo to dismantle any team in the finals. The Broncos, meanwhile, have simplified their defensive systems and they look better for it.
Dislike: Critics who bag Anthony Milford should look at Brisbane’s five-eighth options without him. Sean O’Sullivan tried hard against the Panthers but he lacks the speed and game-breaking ability to be a long-term option in the No.6 jumper. The same goes for Storm recruit Brodie Croft, whose future at Red Hill without the coach who signed him, departed Anthony Seibold, looks grim. Milford is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury but Brisbane desperately need him firing next season. When Milford fires, the Broncos invariably win, but he needs to deliver more consistently.
Fox Sports Key Stats: Penrith became just the seventh team in premiership history to have had one loss through 17 games; Roosters (16-1 in 1935), Souths (15-1-1 in 1951), Newtown (14-2-1 in 1954), St George (16-1-0 in 1959), Manly (16-1 in 1995), and Canterbury (15-1-1) in 2002.
- Peter Badel
Originally published as NRL Tackle: All the likes and dislikes from Round 17 of the NRL