NRL Lowdown: How is your team faring after Round 2?
WHO starred, who’s on the fringe, who passed, who failed? Get the very best analysis from our team of experts in the Round 2 edition of the NRL Lowdown.
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WHO starred, who struggled, who’s on the fringe, who’s on the outer, who passed and who failed?
Get the very best analysis from our team of experts in the Round 2 edition of the NRL Lowdown.
YOUR SAY: How do you think your team is faring? Have your say below — the best reader comment for each club will be published in the Tuesday update
RABBITOHS
HOW THEY FARED
The dominant form showed by the Rabbitohs in round one continued right on into their clash against a hapless Newcastle Knights despite the loss of Adam Reynolds and Josh Sutton to injury. Tries came thick and fast in the 48-6 thrashing, with the Bunnies showing they could score on the left, on the right or straight up the middle.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Sam Burgess was devastating in his return to his favoured position at lock. He powered through his opposition for 130m and was an offload machine. It would be wrong to say star Bunnies fullback Greg Inglis struggled but he certainly had a quieter night than usual.
INJURY WARD
Thomas Burgess (ankle round 5), John Sutton (pectoral, round 18), Adam Reynolds (broken jaw, round 8), Zane Musgrove (wrist, indefinite)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
If the top tier Bunnies ever run out of wing talent then need look no further than NYC player Tom Perrin. The young Rabbitoh raced in two tries for his team’s 28-14 win over the Knights, showing off some fancy footwork to bamboozle Newcastle’s defence for his second.
REPORT CARD
A+: You couldn’t fault a Rabbitohs side that saw records tumbling as they advanced on the Knights. Luke Keary returned from suspension to guide a South Sydney attack that enters
round 3 with 17 tries already under their belt.
— David Campbell
BRONCOS
HOW THEY FARED
The Broncos made it two wins on the trot with their 25-10 victory over the Warriors last Friday night. It wasn’t an overly convincing win but New Zealand put in a better performance than their Round 1 debacle against Wests. The Broncos have started the season well but they still have plenty of improvement left in them. Losing in-form winger Corey Oates for a month will hurt.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED
Broncos five-eighth Anthony Milford has started the season in hot form. Milford is the more dominant playmaker at the moment with Ben Hunt just a little off his best.
INJURY WARD
Lachlan Maranta (Fractured wrist, Round 7)
Carlin Anderson (Stomach, Indefinite)
Corey Oates (Shoulder, round 6)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Greg Eden could be set for a recall in place of Oates on the wing while Marion Seve and Tom Opacic are also in the selection frame.
REPORT CARD
B: The Broncos are tracking well after the first two weeks but they have plenty of improvement left in them which coach Wayne Bennett will be happy to know.
— Travis Meyn
BULLDOGS
HOW THEY FARED
They were scrappy, but it got the job done. When the Dogs were only behind 14-6 at half-time, you felt they still had a shot at winning because they should have had more put on them. It was that desperation, or persistence, that allowed them to sneak home.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED
Everyone was talking about the cool Kerrod Holland at full-time but without Moses Mbye and Will Hopoate — who was very solid under the high ball — the Bulldogs wouldn’t have been in the contest. James Graham laid the platform for them.
Hooker Craig Garvey was okay without being outstanding and will need to settle quickly to hold on to the replacement gig for Lichaa.
INJURY WARD
Brett Morris (Knee, Round 16)
Chase Stanley (Hamstring, Round 3)
Adam Keighran (Shoulder, Indefinite)
Michael Lichaa (Knee, Round 6)
Aiden Tolman (Concussion, TBA)
Danny Faulalo (Virus, Indefinite)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE
Both reserves and 20s were second round losers, the NSW Cup side going down 38-12 to Illawarra, while Holden Cup were thumped 46-6 by Penrith. Shaun Lane was one of the try-scorers in reserve grade and could be in line for a call up with David Klemmer facing suspension and perhaps Aiden Tolman gone too.
REPORT CARD
B-: If they hadn’t won, it would be a lesser grade, but having the belief to stay in the game until the final siren can take a side a long way and make a big difference come the end of the year.
This showing was typical of the inconsistency that has plagued the Bulldogs’ game in recent years but some of the players the team needs to stand up are starting to do so, which is promising. They can’t produce that kind of performance against the tougher teams though.
— Fiona Bollen
TIGERS
HOW THEY FARED
The Tigers welcomed the highly fancied Sea Eagles to Leichhardt and ran them off their feet, tearing Manly apart with their speed on the edge of the field and the quick hands of their backline. While their win over the Warriors may have been more spectacular, this victory was far more controlled and steady, even if it did look a little hairy when the visitors pulled back to 16-all shortly after halftime.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
James Tedesco produced perhaps the finest individual performance so far this season, scorching the Sea Eagles with every touch en route to his first career hattrick while Mitch Moses and Luke Brooks also produced fine performances. Nobody really struggled, but Curtis Sironen left early with an injury and failed to return.
INJURY WARD
Matt Ballin (ACL, Round 8)
Robbie Farah (Knee, Round 5)
Justin Hunt (Back, Indefinite)
Curtis Sironen (back/hamstring, indefinite)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
The Tigers went down 44-6 to the Warriors in the NSW Cup but hooker Jacob Liddle looked right at home and could hold his head high. The promising dummy half scored his sides only try of the day and while the Warriors ran the joint venture ragged it was never the fault of Liddle, who defended stoutly throughout the difficult encounter.
REPORT CARD
A. In a near unthinkable scenario, the Tigers could secure a 3-0 start this weekend against the Titans. It may seem impossible given how impressive he was last season but Tedesco seems to have found another gear.
— Nick Campton
STORM
HOW THEY FARED
The Storm had to overcome the late withdrawal of star fullback Billy Slater, and then reel in a plucky Titans outfit that jumped out to a surprise lead late in the first half.
But on the back of a two-try blitz just before the break, Melbourne did as Melbourne does and ground the Titans into submission before turning on the style to run away 34-16 winners.
Cameron Munster switched to fullback and looked like he’d never left, Jordan McLean and Jesse Bromwich set the tone up front and Blake Green impressed as the Storm made it two wins from two.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
There were any number of quality contributors for Craig Bellamy’s side but skipper Cameron Smith deserves special praise. His brilliant 40-20 just before half-time led to Will Chambers’ first try which gave Melbourne a crucial 18-10 lead heading into the break.
One area Bellamy will no doubt like to see improve is the starts, with the Storm having to overcome an early deficit for the second week in a row after a shaky opening to the first half.
INJURY WARD
Billy Slater (shoulder, indefinite)
Matthew White (Calf, Indefinite)
Cheyse Blair (Foot, Indefinite)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
The emergence of young gun Curtis Scott has made the road to a Storm debut even tougher for Cheyse Blair. But the former Parramatta and Manly outside back is pushing his case via the Queensland Cup, scoring a try in Easts Tigers’ win over the Sunshine Coast Falcons.
REPORT CARD
B+: When you can afford to replace star fullback Billy Slater with star fullback Cameron Munster and barely miss a beat, you know you’re travelling okay. Two wins from two games at home have the Storm looking good.
— Dominic Burke
RAIDERS
HOW THEY FARED
The Raiders dropped a lot of ball, looked frail defensively, lost Lachlan Croker and Shaun Fensom to injury and took a good 50 minutes to hit their stride in attack, but still managed to sneak away with a one0point win in one of the more courageous performances in the club’s recent history.
It was the kind of game they would have lost last season and while they may have better wins it’s hard to see them having a braver one.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Paul Vaughan and Jeff Lima were superb off the bench for Canberra, running for 168 and 144 metres respectively. Vaughan also contributed seven tackle busts in a powerhouse display that helped turn the tide after the Roosters’ early dominance.
By comparison, starting props Shannon Boyd and Frank-Paul Nu’uausala struggled as the team failed to hold the ball early and paid the price on their stat line — they contributed just 45 and 40 metres respectively.
INJURY WARD
Aidan Sezer (eye socket, Round 5-7)
Blake Austin (knee, Round 5-7)
Shaun Fensom (concussion, indefinite)
Lachlan Croker (shoulder indefinite)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Zac Santo joined the Raiders from North Queensland late in the off-season and has impressed in the opening two rounds of the NSW Cup. Starting at fullback for Mounties, Santo scored a try in the 24-18 defeat to Wyong and his support play and speed at the back were a real feature for the Mulga. If injury hits the Raiders backs, Santo could certainly do the job on a short-term basis.
REPORT CARD
B+: Both of the Raiders’ victories this season are matches that they would have lost last season. Considering the adversity they overcame against the Tricolours, their fans should be excited.
— Nick Campton
SHARKS
HOW THEY FARED
The Sharks were convincing winners against a hapless Dragons in the local derby. Missing their captain Paul Gallen didn’t seem to bother the Shire club, and they delivered another strong defensive effort. They also played a more attacking style and managed to get five tries on the board. In positive signs for Cronulla fans, fullback Ben Barba showed glimpses of his best and returning recruit Chad Towsend was in fine touch, stepping up to showcase he has what it takes as a dominant playmaker.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Chad Towsend insisted he wouldn’t play second fiddle to star signing and halves partner James Maloney and he kept to his word by emerging as the unlikely dominant playmaker in the match. The halfback was responsible for two crucial moments in the game, setting up Valentime Holmes for a try and then scoring one himself with a grubber and regather effort.
It was a good team effort from the Sharks and no one player in particular had a standout poor performance. Joseph Paulo was promoted into the starting 13 and did the job needed of him without being outstanding.
INJURY WARD
Chris Heighington (Suspension, Round 3), Connor Tracey (ACL, Season), Paul Gallen (Knee, Round 7).
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Jordan Drew. The highly rated centre was in fine touch for the Newtown Jets in the NSW Cup. The young Queenslander has some competition to earn a spot ahead of the current established starters but coach Shane Flanagan will find it hard to ignore his hat-trick performance from the weekend.
REPORT CARD
B+: The Sharks backed up a gritty but losing performance against the Cowboys with another competent performance in round two. They were strong in defence and once their attack got going they scored five tries in 50 minutes. But even coach Shane Flanagan concedes their offensive game still has plenty of improvement in it.
— Fatima Kdouh
COWBOYS
HOW THEY FARED
The Cowboys suffered their first loss since September 12 last year when they fell 20-16 to Parramatta on Saturday night. North Queensland was terrible with the ball, completing just 60 per cent of sets and gifting the Eels too much possession. Their defence was good despite the extra work it had to do and they’ll take confidence from losing by just four points considering how poorly they played.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED
Ethan Lowe continued his hot form to start the season, terrorising the Eels’ defence on the right side. Scott Bolton was also strong off the bench. Plenty of Cowboys struggled so it might be best to forget this game.
INJURY WARD
Tautau Moga (ACL, Indefinite)
Ray Thompson (Leg, Round 10)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Despite the loss, coach Paul Green is expected to stick strong with the same 17 that won last year’s grand final for Thursday’s game against the Roosters.
REPORT CARD
C: The Cowboys haven’t played that poorly in a long time but they have a great opportunity to bounce back against the battling Roosters. Johnathan Thurston hasn’t dominated a game yet this year so expect him to come out firing.
— Travis Meyn
TITANS
HOW THEY FARED
The Titans had a tough night in Melbourne as the two Camerons — Smith and Munster — orchestrated a 34-16 win for the Storm. Smith controlled the game and Munster exposed the Gold Coast’s left-side defence. The Titans haven’t been bad to start the year but they will need to improve their defence to match it with the top teams.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED
Greg Bird had another strong game for the Titans after his great Round 1 performance. Halfback Ashley Taylor produced some nice kicks but his defence alongside Josh Hoffman needs some work.
INJURY WARD
Nathan Davis (shoulder, unknown)
Karl Lawton (Groin, Round 4)
Oshae Tuiasau (MCL, Round 6)
Will Zillman (Calf, Indefinite)
Kane Elgey (ACL, Season)
Nathaniel Peteru (Knee, Round 6)
Eddy Pettybourne (Corked thigh, Round 3)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Under-20s centre Brian Kelly could be in line for an NRL call-up as Nathan Davis battles a shoulder problem. Kelly has been strong in the junior competition and had a great pre-season.
REPORT CARD
B: The Titans have a great opportunity to be 2-1 when they host Wests Tigers on Saturday night and that would be a good start to the year. They are going to struggle against the top sides, especially when injuries start to kick in, so need to make the most of their early season form.
— Travis Meyn
EELS
HOW THEY FARED
After a week of being dogged by salary cap drama, a gallant Eels side managed to knock — off the premiers. Marquee recruit Kieran Foran had his first hit-out for the club and was solid without being outstanding. It took about 60 minutes before Foran ran the ball but when he got involved he was effective, helping to set-up a try. Up against one of the strongest packs in the league, Parramatta’s big men stood up to be counted and dominated the game.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED
Once again five-eighth Corey Norman had a fine performance and come up with some crucial plays. His job was made easier by a powerful effort from his forwards. Norman took control of the match and both his long and short kicking games were on point.
Centre Michael Jennings had a quiet game by his standards. Having said that he didn’t get too many opportunities in space.
WHO’ LURKING ON THE EDGE?
The Eels are looking for a replacement hook with Nathan Peats set for a stint on the sidelines after he dislocated his elbow in their win against the Cowboys. Veteran hooker Isaac De Gois and shapes up as the likely replacement. Cameron King isn’t an option after he too suffered a sternum injury in NSW Cup.
INJURY WARD
Nathan Peats (Dislocated elbow, round 9), John Folau (Hamstring, Indefinite), Anthony Watmough (Knee, Indefinite)
REPORT CARD
B- It was a good showing by the Eels but they struggled to replicate the same intensity of the opening 40 minutes in the second. Despite lapses of concentration during the game, in the end the Eels were able to defend their way to a win. The victory will give them some much needed confidence going into a tough clash against the Bulldogs this weekend.
— Fatima Kdouh
PANTHERS
HOW THEY FARED
Coach Anthony Griffin was playing ducks and drakes with his side in the lead-up to this clash. An injury to James Segeyaro last week saw an unlikely reshuffle. Peter Wallace switched to hooker with Peachy slotting-in in the halves.
The Panthers were markedly improved on last week’s showing, with Jamie Soward hitting some form.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
A kicking masterclass from five-eighth Jamie Soward, it wasn’t enough to get Penrith the win. After struggling to take any control of the Panthers attack in round one against the Raiders, Soward lifted to take the reins on Thursday night.
Peter Wallace, who played at hooker, also deserves a mention. Like Soward, he was far from impressive last weekend but was effective from dummy half and controlled the game well.
Waqa Blake had a mixed game, he did save a certain try late in the first half but beyond that really struggled to make any impact. In fairness to the centre, by the time 80 minutes was called he could barely walk. He was forced to stay on in the latter staged of the match as the Panthers had used up their interchanges.
INJURY WARD
Round two injuries: Dean Whare (Calf, Indefinite), Waqa Blake (Ankle, Indefinite).
Other injuries: George Jennings (Shoulder, Round 3), Sione Katoa (Knee, Round 3), James Segeyaro (Broken arm, Round 7), Brendan Atwood (Arm, Indefinite), Matt Moylan (Back, Round 3), Viliame Kikau (Ankle, Indefinite)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE
Will Smith. Depending on the extent of the injuries to Dean Whare (calf) and Waqa Blake (ankle), Will Smith should get another crack at NRL footy. He was hard by in missing selection in round two, considering he was on of Penrith’s best against the Raiders. But should Whare and Blake find themselves on the sidelines this week, Smith is a deserved frontrunner to come into the side as a replacement.
REPORT CARD
B-: The Panthers were vastly improved from their first round clash against the Raiders but despite their efforts it wasn’t enough to get them home. After a lacklustre showing from their halves in round one, both Soward and Wallace returned to form and were effective in their roles respectively. But after two close losses, they’ll well and truly have their character test by the Broncos this weekend.
— Fatima Kdouh
WARRIORS
HOW THEY FARED
Any hopes coach Andrew McFadden had of earning a reprieve from the spotlight went out the window when his Warriors turned in yet another below-par performance.
Fresh from a horror opening half against the Tigers to open their season, the New Zealanders turned in another average effort against a Broncos outfit that didn’t exactly dominate.
A 10th-straight loss stretching back to last season was made worse by injuries to giant winger Manu Vatuvei and centre Blake Ayshford.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED
Veteran Jacob Lillyman led the Warriors pack for run metres, while Ben Matulino made an impact off the bench but it’s hard to find many positives from another disappointing defeat.
If Shaun Johnson’s shift to five-eighth was meant to ignite his electric running game it’s not working. Johnson had just one run against the Broncos, and the Warriors need so much more from their fleet-footed superstar.
INJURY WARD
Thomas Leuluai (ACL, Round 5)
Ligi Sao (Dislocated shoulder, Indefinite)
Sione Lousi (Injury, Round 4)
Sipley Toafofoa (Injury, Round 4)
Mason Lino (Injury, Round 4)
Ben Henry (Knee, Indefinite)
Henare Wells (Hamstring, Round 3)
Blake Ayshford (Concussion, Indefinite)
Manu Vatuvei (Ribs, Indefinite)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
The calls for Konrad Hurrell’s return are only getting louder, and it seems certain that the blockbusting centre will make his season debut following the Vatuvei and Ayshford injuries.
If McFadden really wants to mix things up, he could look back to the future and throw offload machine Ali Lauitiiti an SOS, after the veteran forward stole the show for the Warriors’ NSW Cup side in their 38-6 thrashing of Wests Tigers.
REPORT CARD
D: Teams have bounced back from 0-2 starts to the season before — defending premiers North Queensland opened 2015 with three straight losses — but it’s the manner of the Warriors’ play that concerns most. A tough home test against the Storm looms next, and McFadden will want a much-improved effort right across the park if the pressure is to ease any time soon.
— Dominic Burke
DRAGONS
HOW THEY FARED
The Dragons had a promising start against the Sharks but it all went south after 20 minutes. The Red V were given numerous opportunities to put Cronulla to the sword but threw them
all away, including giving up three penalties in a 10-minute first half period that saw the Sharks fielding just 12 men. The end 30-2 score line was all they deserved.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Benji Marshall showed his characteristic flair, skipping through Sharks players to give Dragons fans the only real thing they had to smile about all Sunday afternoon. A Marshall
line-break in the first half was the Red V’s only match highlight. Meanwhile, Kurt Mann struggled massively in the custodian role. The former Storm player dropped balls cold, sent
them into touch and failed to get involved.
INJURY WARD
Josh Dugan (hamstring, indefinite), Dylan Farrell (back, indefinite), Mose Masoe (ACL, season), Kiti Glymin (hamstring, round 3)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Fringe NRL first-grader Kalifa Faifai Loa continued to show he’s ready for a Dragons call-up. The winger bagged two tries and had another disallowed for the Illawarra Cutters in
their 38-12 win over the Bulldogs on Saturday.
REPORT CARD
F: To be blunt, the Dragons were horrible on Sunday. They had plenty of chances to attack and put points on the board but squandered them all. Whether it was dropped balls, soft
penalties or kicking out on the full nothing went right for St George Illawarra.
— David Campbell
ROOSTERS
HOW THEY FARED
The Roosters snatched defeat from the arms of victory after giving up a perfectly winnable position to go down by one solitary point against the Raiders. Not only did the Roosters
allow Canberra back into the match but they squandered a number of chances to slot their own winning field goal before the Raiders did it themselves for a 21-20 victory.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Latrell Mitchell had a better outing in round two, bagging the first try for the Roosters and notching seven tackle busts to be one of the visiting sides best attacking players on
the day. Mitchell’s fellow rookie Jackson Hastings had an afternoon to forget. he failed to inject himself into play and made just one run for 13 metres.
INJURY WARD
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (ACL, indefinite), Boyd Cordner (pectoral, round 8), Daniel Tupou (ankle, indefinite), Vincent Leuluai (knee, indefinite)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Connor Watson led the NYC Roosters to a 32-22 victory over the young Raiders on Saturday, having a hand in most of the points his team offered up. A Watson kick set up the first try,
a deft pass conjured the second and he crossed the chalk twice himself.
REPORT CARD
C: The Tricolours are obviously still working on their new combinations but really should have put the Raiders away. Canberra was ravaged by injuries, had no-one left on the bench
and was down a man due to the sin bin when they mounted a comeback that should never have been possible.
— David Campbell
SEA EAGLES
HOW THEY FARED
The Sea Eagles have continued their less than desired start to the season with another loss, this time to the Tigers. It was an improved performance on their round one showing but some of the same issues remain. They were poor in defence, in particular on the edges, their forwards struggled to dominate and key man Daly Cherry-Evans was nowhere near his best on Monday night.
HOW STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED
He had a couple of lapses in defence and was at the receiving end of a fend from Mitchel Moses, but new recruit Martin Taupau was one of Manly’s best. The former Tiger played with the aggression he is famous for and was a handful on the edge, making three linebreaks, seven tackle busts and scoring a try.
Unfortunately for Daly Cherry-Evans he once again failed to have any real impact for his side. The $10m dollar man needs to find away to inject himself into the game. That pass to Brenton Lawrence on the last with just five minutes to go is not good enough from a player of his calibre.
INJURY WARD
Jamie Buhrer (Broken jaw, Round 4)
Isaac John (Virus, Indefinite)
Brett Stewart (Hamstring, Indefinite)
Jayden Hodges (ACL, Season)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE
Another less than inspiring performance from some of the Manly forwards (Josh Starling and Nate Myles) opens the door for the likes of Darcy Lussick to be promoted back into the NRL side as coach Trent Barrett tries to find that extra muscle they are lacking upfront.
REPORT CARD
D: Improved from their round one thrashing at the hands of the Bulldogs but were poor in patches especially in defence and lacked any real direction in attack with Cherry-Evans failing to fire.
— Fatima Kdouh
KNIGHTS
HOW THEY FARED
Remember how we said last week was just about as bad as it could get for the Knights? It just got worse. Newcastle were totally outclassed in all aspects against the Rabbitohs and looked out of their depth. They were dominated in the middle, beaten on the edges and were simply non-competitive.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
For the second week in a row no Knights forward managed to make more than 100 metres with ball in hand. Nathan Ross scored a fine try late in the piece and ran the ball well but even he had a few blues in defence. The only positive to come out of this game was that Souths took their foot off the gas and didn’t break some records.
INJURY WARD
Chanel Mata’utia (Knee, Round 8)
James McManus (Concussion, Season)
Tariq Sims (Suspension, Round 6)
Jake Mamo (Ankle, Indefinite)
David Bhana (Ankle, Indefinite)
WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Sione Mata’utia was relegated to the under-20s on Saturday night but had a very strong first half before leaving the field to act as cover for the first grade side. The former Kangaroo looked a class above, scoring a try, setting up another and making 103 metres from 11 carries.
REPORT CARD
D: It is difficult to imagine a worse start to a season. The Knights face a real battle to not just avoid the wooden spoon in 2016 but to simply be competitive.
— Nick Campton
Originally published as NRL Lowdown: How is your team faring after Round 2?
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