The Tackle Round 14: NSW Blues must reunite Adam Reynolds, Cody Walker after Nathan Cleary injury
With Nathan Cleary in some doubt for Origin II, NSW must conduct a complete halves overhaul and reunite Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker, writes Paul Crawley. See all the Round 14 likes and dislikes.
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Does James Tedesco’s starring performance in the Sydney Roosters nail-biting 25-24 win over the Bulldogs really answer his critics for his disappointing performance for NSW?
Or was it more a case of an under fire player who has been out of form responding to the challenge like you would have expected from a champion like Tedesco?
Let’s be fair dinkum.
The Bulldogs are not Queensland and Sunday afternoon round 14 clash in Gosford between two teams placed down near the bottom of the NRL ladder is not Origin.
Yes, Teddy was terrific against the Bulldogs when scoring two tries and helping to set up two others.
And it was great to see him fire back like he did.
But that does not wash away any of the criticism he copped last Wednesday night.
And fans, like experts, are entitled to their opinions on any game and any player so long as it is not unfair or discriminating.
In no way was any of the Origin criticism I saw of Tedesco a reflection of the Blues skipper’s service to the Blues over the years.
It was all to do with his underwhelming form this season and the fact that he had a shocker in the first Origin in Adelaide.
You want fans to pay their way through the gate, buy the merchandise and pay for subscriptions that ultimately funds the salaries of these players.
That makes them entitled to say whatever the bloody hell they want, even if it doesn’t line up with the parish pump-type commentary the back slappers want to dish out.
But I get so sick of media commentators trying to sell that this in any way changed what happened last Wednesday night.
The only thing that will fix what happened in Origin I is if NSW go to Suncorp on June 21 and level the series.
ROUND 14 DISLIKES
TIGERS ROBBED BY BUNKER HOWLER
How on earth the bunker missed the push in the back on Luke Brooks leading up to Jamal Fogarty’s second try is just unacceptable.
It was clear as day the moment it happened that the Tigers halfback was illegally taken out by Raiders forward Emre Guler in the heart-stopping 20-19 result.
In the end it was an equally ridiculous play from Isaiah Papali’I taking out the legs of Fogarty on a failed field goal attempt that cost the Tigers victory.
But it was inexcusable that the bunker hadn’t picked up the earlier indiscretion that should have resulted in a ‘no try’.
It was as bad as the one Campbell Graham got away with against the Dolphins earlier in the season.
DOLPHINS DOWN FOR THE COUNT
We are about to find out how much grit the Dolphins have with Jarrod Wallace and Anthony Milford facing three-to-four week bans for incidents in the loss to the Warriors.
You can’t make excuses for either tackle.
Wallace copped a grade two shoulder charge for a shot that led to a nasty head collision with Rocco Berry, while Milford copped a grade two dangerous contact charge for a late shot on Marcelo Montoya.
If they take the early guilty plea they will miss the next three games against the Sea Eagles, Eels and Broncos.
It would be a shame to see their season go down the drain after such an inspirational start.
But that could easily be the reality now given they are already without the suspended Felise Kaufusi for a couple more matches, while Tom Gilbert suffered a serious shoulder injury in the Origin opener.
They were also without Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Jeremy Marshall-King against the Warriors, while Sean O’Sullivan’s ongoing injury absence made it three of their four first choice spine members who were sidelined here.
TITANS NEED AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT
It must be so frustrating for Justin Holbrook watching his team implode every time they cop a bit of adversity.
But unfortunately for Holbrook if they don’t turn it around the Titans will be the next club searching for a new coach.
It’s probably not the week to rip in too hard because the Rabbitohs can do what they did to plenty of teams, and you have to take into account they are a young team with inexperience in key positions and they were missing Kieran Foran.
But the loss still makes it four games this year where they have blown a double figure lead to end up losing, and if they’d won all four they’d be top of the ladder.
And it’s becoming a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy that every time a team puts their defence to the blowtorch they fall to pieces. It’s just got to change or the coach will be the man who gets hung out to dry.
ROUND 14 LIKES
TIME TO REUNITE REYNO AND WALKER IF CLEARY IS RULED OUT
If Nathan Cleary is ruled out of State of Origin II then the Blues must conduct a complete halves overhaul and reunite Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker.
Cleary’s hamstring injury suffered in Sunday night’s game against the Dragons also puts Jarome Luai’s place in the NSW team under the microscope.
And if Cleary is unavailable for the clash at Suncorp Stadium on June 21, the Walker/Reynolds combination would be the best option for Brad Fittler given the former Rabbitohs halves know each other’s game inside out.
While Nicho Hynes and Mitchell Moses are the other options to wear the No 7 jumper, Reynolds has been in career best form this season.
And not only does the veteran halfback have the experience, but Reynolds certainly won’t be overawed playing in a must-win Origin on the Broncos’ backyard at Suncorp Stadium.
Meanwhile, Walker has justifiably copped plenty over the years for his tendency to be a hot head at crucial times, which has on occasions led to his and his team’s undoing.
But Walker deserves recognition for his public admission over the weekend that he has finally seen the pitfalls of his past and has been working consciously to change.
Walker produced another magnificent performance in the Rabbitohs’ 46-28 win over the Titans that once again highlighted why he is without question the game’s most brilliantly gifted No 6.
But his post match interview on Fox League was just as telling when speaking directly to Kangaroos Test coach Mal Meninga.
Meninga stated Walker was now playing with a calmness and composure he had not seen from the 33-year-old throughout his career.
Walker did not hide from the reality: “I think I have turned a corner, Mal.
“I have just focussed on what I need to do next and that is my job.
“In the halves you have got to be level headed and I think I have been doing that the last six or seven weeks.”
While Luai was okay in game one, he was hardly a standout.
And the perceived advantage of his combination with Cleary will be irrelevant if Cleary doesn’t play.
But can you imagine Walker teaming up with Reynolds along with the added bonus of having Latrell Mitchell on the left edge?
One thing you could guarantee is that they certainly wouldn’t die wondering.
WHY HAMMER HAD TO LEAVE COWBOYS
The Cowboys have copped plenty of criticism for the decision to let Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow leave the club to join the Dolphins. But then you see Scott Drinkwater deliver a flashback of what he is capable of in the eight-tries-to-three thumping of the Storm and you remember why the Cowboys were stuck between a rock and a hard place given both players are absolute stars but both also belong in the No 1 jumper.
While the Cowboys have been frustratingly inconsistent all season, when they turn up in the mood they did on Sunday they can beat any team.
And it’s worth pointing out they are now only two wins outside the top eight with the bye coming up before taking on the Panthers without Origin players on Friday week. You can close the gap pretty quick in a competition this close.
WAR OF WORDS A LESSON FOR ALL THE ‘MUPPETS’
Ricky Stuart’s war of words with Cooper Cronk and the rest of the “muppets” who dared question Canberra’s decision to rest Jarrod Croker so he could celebrate his 300th NRL match at home was a great example of how raw honesty in commentary and coaching should be celebrated, not feared.
I love seeing Ricky go berko at his media conferences given how mind-numbingly boring some of the other coaches often are.
But I also love it when an expert commentator like Cronk has the balls to call it as he sees it when asked about a controversial topic.
In no way were Cronk’s comments disrespectful to the Raiders, he just simply said he didn’t think it was the right call.
You might agree with him, or you might agree with Ricky.
In our online poll it was almost an even split among the 1100 plus who voted, with 52 per cent on Ricky’s side and 48 per cent supporting Cronk.
Regardless of who was wrong or right, I get sick and tired of listening to so many people working in the media today who are being paid good money to deliver expert analysis but choose to treat fans like mushrooms so they don’t upset the players or coaches.
What they need to realise is that just because fans didn’t play 350 plus games like Cronk, or coach 450 plus games like Ricky, doesn’t mean the majority aren’t smart enough to spot crap when they see or hear it.
TALK ABOUT RUNNING OFF THE BACK FENCE
We hear all the time about forwards coming off the back fence on kick off returns.
But have you ever see a better example than this from young Tigers forward Fonua Pole in the clash against the Raiders.
The 21-year-old was pretty much standing among the fans at Campbelltown when he came charging back from this kick off.
Even in defeat the Tigers again showed tremendous courage to fight back like they did. It was an edge of the seat entertainment from both teams.
ONE BRONCO DESERVES BIGGEST PAT ON THE BACK
Kevin Walters deserves most credit for the Broncos’ brave win over the Sharks.
Taking on Cronulla at home on a Saturday night is one of the toughest away games in the NRL - and to do it three days after Origin rates up with the great Bronco wins.
Especially when it was a performance built on defensive courage, where the Sharks had enough ball to put the cleaners through the opposition but the Broncos just turned them away again and again.
In the end the Sharks finished with 54 per cent of possession to the Broncos’ 46 per cent, while they had 45 tackles in the opposition quarter to 15.
You just can’t overstate the job Walters has done turning around a culture that was at rock bottom when he took over from Anthony Seibold.
WARRIORS INSPIRATIONAL FIGHTBACK
The Warriors are another team who have completely reinvented their culture under rookie coach Andrew Webster.
The job Webster has done to inspire Shaun Johnson to turn back the clock has been one of this season’s most enjoyable highlights, and how about Dallin Watene-Zelezniak who would probably rate as the toughest bloke to tackle in the game right now, while Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is playing in his best form since the 2019 when the Raiders made the grand final.
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