The Tackle: Paul Crawley’s likes and dislikes from round 14 of the NRL
Phil Gould should call off the search - the Bulldogs have found their new head coach, writes PAUL CRAWLEY.
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Phil Gould should call off the search. The Bulldogs have found their new head coach. All they have to do is give Mick Potter the job.
Stop wasting more time searching for a better solution.
Potter ticks every box.
He has the Dogs’ DNA. A two-time premiership winning player and a champion of his era.
He already has Gould’s respect because Gus appointed him as interim coach after Trent Barrett was punted.
And he can obviously coach.
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That performance against Parramatta was the best the Dogs have played in years.
Every week this squad has played under Potter you could see subtle changes being made but until now it just hasn’t clicked.
But that 34-4 spanking of the Eels was the culmination of all the work that has gone into making these players not only take accountability but to start believing in themselves again.
Matt Burton and Josh Addo-Carr were tremendous. Tevita Pangai was enormous. It was Potter’s call to move Jake Averillo to fullback. Kyle Flanagan suddenly looked a footballer again. Jacob Kiraz. Max King. You could name the lot of them.
Potter is one of the most humble men you will ever meet but he is no mug.
And he would have learnt a hell of a lot about the politics of the game from his time at the Tigers, where he walked into a hornet’s nest and got blamed for a series of disasters not of his making. That was not his fault as you’ve seen with the coaches that have come and went since.
But he’s had seven years to mull over what he could himself do differently, and when Gus came knocking it gave him the opportunity to put that into practice.
Gould has said previously this is not the job for an inexperienced coach.
And for all the hype about Cameron Ciraldo and his obvious talent, it would still be a huge gamble for him and the Dogs to make this his first head coaching gig.
But Potter would fit like a glove.
The only thing he doesn’t do is talk himself up.
But that win over Parra just did it for him.
STORM FIGHT FOR KAUFUSI
- Brent Read
Melbourne are ready to fight for Felise Kaufusi after the Queensland forward was charged over an incident involving Sydney Roosters youngster Sam Walker at the weekend.
News Corp can reveal that the Storm are ready to challenge the grade one dangerous contact charge that was levelled at Kaufusi by the match review committee.
Kaufusi would have copped an $1800 fine had he entered an early guilty plea but by fighting the charge at the judiciary, he would risk the fine being raised to $2500 should he fail to be exonerated.
The Storm clearly feel it is worth the risk. The decision is likely to polarise fans and pundits alike. Newcastle legend and eighth Immortal Andrew Johns claimed that Kaufusi should go and buy a lottery ticket after he was handed a fine over the incident.
Others suggested Kaufusi knew what he was doing as he appeared to drive his forearm into Walker’s head. The Storm feel differently as they attempt to have their Queensland forward cleared by the judiciary panel.
KAUFUSI’S GRUBBY HISTORY
Melbourne enforcer Felise Kaufusi has forfeited the right to get any benefit of the doubt when it comes to nasty incidents like his elbow to the head of fallen Roosters half Sam Walker.
Though that is exactly what he has got after being hit with a grade one dangerous contact charge by the NRL’s match review committee. That means Kaufusi will escape with an $1800 fine if he takes the early guilty plea.
The ugly incident on Saturday night has divided the game as evidenced by opposing views of the Fox League experts Greg Alexander, Cooper Cronk and Benji Marshall.
But one thing is clear — Kaufusi’s rap sheet speaks for itself.
Kaufusi of course has previous form for repeated and scarily similar foul-play offences, including that terrible moment last year where he buried his forearm into the head of Parramatta forward Ryan Matterson which caused a serious concussion.
Kaufusi also collected former Roosters captain Boyd Cordner twice, once with a forearm to the head and the second was an elbow to the chin.
Alexander had no doubt the second effort from Kaufusi as Walker laid defenceless on the ground was intentional.
“OK, I will say it,” Alexander fired after watching multiple replays.
“I think he meant exactly what we saw. He knew exactly what he was doing.”
But both Cronk and Marshall maintained they didn’t think it was a major issue.
“I think (the second action) will get looked at but the thing that saves Kaufusi at that moment is that the elbow doesn’t stay there,” Cronk said.
But I’m with Brandy on this.
The NRL is not MMA and incidents like this should not be tolerated.
While it is accepted that big forwards can run at little halves with their ‘bumpers up”, it was the second effort on the ground that crossed the line.
It also raises a legitimate debate about the lack of consistency when it comes to the bunker’s interference for what should and shouldn’t constitute a sin bin for dangerous head contact.
The good news for Walker was after being forced off for a HIA he was allowed to return.
But should a player have to be seriously injured for the bunker to act?
KEARY CONCERN A REMINDER OF DANGERS
The sad sight of a clearly distressed Luke Keary leaving the field at the SCG was another reminder of the dangers of every head knock.
And that is why the game has to do all it can to eliminate any that are avoidable.
On this occasion it was friendly fire from Joey Manu who accidentally hit Keary in the back of the head with a stray knee.
There wouldn’t be a person in the NRL not wishing the likeable halfback a speedy recovery given his concussion history.
Keary had five head knocks during a shocking run in 2018 and 2019, while he missed most of last season after rupturing his ACL.
Up until that point on Saturday night Keary had been the best player on the field going head-to-head with Melbourne’s star halves Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes.
‘THE GIFTED ONE’ NEEDS A REALITY CHECK
When Zac Lomax entered the top grade in 2018 Brad Fittler labelled him “the gifted one”.
Four years down the track it looks pretty obvious the constant praise hasn’t done the now 22-year-old any favours.
No one questions Lomax’s talent.
But it’s also no surprise he doesn’t even get a look in when names are being tossed up for possible call-up into Freddy’s Origin team.
You just had to watch the St George Illawarra centre’s mistake-riddled performance against the Cowboys to see why.
Whether it’s this compulsion to continually go for the no-look pass, or blaming a teammate for his own mistake (after he gave it to Tautau Moga), Lomax just always wants to go for the trick shot and to hell with the consequences.
As Michael Ennis said on Fox: “At some point Anthony Griffin needs to get Zac Lomax into his office and have a real good chat to him.”
That was the Dragons’ eighth straight loss against a top four opponent.
It again highlights how far off they are when it comes to competing with the genuine contenders.
RAIDERS’ SPINE GOES MIA
The easy target in the wake of the Raiders’ loss to the busted Broncos was Xavier Savage.
The young fullback just had one of those nights where everything went wrong for him, and the harder he tried the deeper the hole he dug.
But it was the other members of the Raiders’ spine who just didn’t ice the game when it was there to be won, with Jamal Fogarty and Tom Starling off the bench in particular just taking too many wrong options.
It was a really tough and enjoyable game to watch, and the Raiders certainly had their moments to win it.
But game management is where they really need to improve, and that’s Fogarty’s brief.
Credit to Ricky Stuart for sticking up for his under fire fullback after the game.
“He’s learning and he’s improving every game,” Stuart said of Savage.
“It is a tough job fullback. Really tough.”
LIKES
SLATER SAYS COWBOYS ‘CAN WIN THE COMP’
Very few people know the look of rugby league success better than Billy Slater.
And the Queensland coach had some stunning praise for the Cowboys in the wake of their win over the Dragons, declaring “I think they can win the comp”.
It shows you how far Todd Payten has taken the team that was the worst backed to win the title and the most popular pick for the wooden spoon.
But without Reuben Cotter, Jeremiah Nanai and Kyle Feldt they gave it to the Dragons.
Slater told Channel 9: “I think the Cowboys are right in this premiership race. I think they can win the comp.
“They have got the second best defence in the competition … they are as good as anyone with the football.”
LOST DRAGON NOW COOK’S GREATEST ORIGIN THREAT
Still on the Cowboys, Dragons fans would have to be furious watching the rise of Reece Robson.
As filthy as they were losing former skipper Cameron McInnes, Robson is now proving himself as probably the next in line for NSW hooker Damien Cook’s job in the long term.
Robson was actually earmarked as a future rep player by Test coach Mal Meninga even before he’d played NRL, when Meninga picked him in a Prime Minister’s side in 2018.
Robson was then let go after just nine NRL games because Paul McGregor had committed to McInnes being starting hooker and skipper.
But the decision to let McInnes then leave and bring in McCullough has just made losing Robson all the more difficult to swallow.
He had eight runs for 115m against his old club as well as chalking up 47 tackles in a performance that just made everyone stand up and take note.
The Blues are unlikely to get rid of Cook anytime soon, but given Robson is only 23 time is on his side.
BUSTED BRONCOS PROVE KEVVIE CAN COACH
Who would have thought at the start of the season Kevvie Walters would be challenging Todd Payten for Dally M coach of the year?
Yet Walters deserves his share of the recognition for how he has transformed this Broncos team to be playing with such inspirational belief and resilience.
That win over the Raiders was as brave as any of us have seen, and not just from Broncos teams over the years.
And while it’s going to be incredibly difficult to back up against the Storm at AAMI Park on Friday night, this is a test you get the feeling these young Broncos would be looking forward to.
They were paying $7 in the pre-season to finish top four and $26 to win the title.
What about the punter who had $2500 at $3 with the TAB for them to make the top eight. A pretty risky bet is now looking as safe as money in the bank
JOHNSTON HAS ALL-TIME RECORD IN SIGHT
If Alex Johnston keeps scoring at the rate he is, the Rabbitoh flyer is a deadset chance of catching Ken Irvine’s record for most tries ever.
Johnston collected another hat-trick in the win over the Titans to clock up 150 in 179 games.
That now puts him 15th on the all-time list behind Irvine (212), Billy Slater (190) second and Steve Menzies (180) third.
On Johnston’s side is he’s still only 27, so who knows how many years he has left to play.
He certainly has Beaver and Slater in his sights, and Irvine’s record is definitely not out of his reach.
What a moment for Grant Anderson and his family ðŸ‘#NRLRoostersStormpic.twitter.com/KCJ2xEnYO4
— Fox League (@FOXNRL) June 11, 2022
STORM ROOKIE’S TOUCHING MOMENT
How wonderful were the scenes at the SCG with young Melbourne debutant Grant Anderson celebrating with a pack of family and friends who made the trip down from Newcastle.
After scoring a double on debut, Anderson was swamped by about 60 of his nearest and dearest at the famous old ground, while they said hundreds more were back at the local leagues club cheering him on.
But no one was prouder than Anderson’s 98-year-old granddad who grabbed Lara Pitt at the end of the interview on Fox to tell her the Storm jacket he was wearing was a Christmas present from his grandson.
It was just a beautiful moment.
SUAALII AND WALKER SHINE
Even in defeat you couldn’t help but marvel at the amazing ability of Roosters teenagers Joseph Suaalii and Sam Walker.
Suaalii, 18, had another tremendous game with the exclamation point an extraordinary trysaving tackle that just showed super human strength and determination.
Meanwhile, Walker’s quick thinking very nearly stole the match with a clever chip that should have put the Roosters back on top with seven minutes to go, only for Sitili Tupouniua to drop it with the line wide open.
Felise Kaufusi then put the game to bed at the other end a minute later.
Walker also scored a brilliant individual try with a chip and regather that would have made Turvey Mortimer proud.
TIME FOR OLAKAU’ATU TO AIM UP AGAINST BIG BOYS
There is no scarier sight in the NRL at the moment than the rampaging Haumole Olakau’atu.
The towering backrower charged for 162m that included 10 tackle busts and a try against what must be conceded was an embarrassingly soft Tigers’ defence.
It backed up the 171m and the try Olakau’atu scored against the Warriors last week.
Now we need to see how the big man aims up against the inform Cowboys this Friday night, to be followed by the Storm.
Back-to-back wins puts the Sea Eagles in ninth spot and on equal competition points (14) with the eighth placed Roosters and 10th placed Dragons.
But it’s worth remembering Manly is still to beat a top eight team this season.
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Originally published as The Tackle: Paul Crawley’s likes and dislikes from round 14 of the NRL
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