Matthew Johns preliminary finals preview: Which top-four team has the most dangerous halves duo

MATTY JOHNS analyses the halves partnerships of the four preliminary finals teams — but which team comes out on top? VOTE IN OUR POLL

It’s no surprise that the four teams who remain in the NRL finals series have the best four halves combinations.

Halves make a team work. Granted, good forward packs provide the creatives space to manoeuvre in, but a great forward pack without a strong halves combination is like a Formula One car without the steering wheel.

There are many nuances into what makes a great half/five-eighth combination, but primarily it’s obviously understanding. An understanding of what the team is trying to achieve in attack, the principles, the game plan.

It’s an understanding of one another. Knowing what one is about to do and what the other needs to do to compliment.

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Halves combinations for the ages: (Clockwise from top left) Brisbane's Kevin Walters and Allan Langer, Parramatta's Brett Kenny and Peter Sterling, Canberra's Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley, and Newcastle's Andrew and Matthew Johns.

But the players who make up the best combinations, very often have different styles and different strengths. They’re able to make those differences become a strength, rather than a problem.

Ricky Stuart was a master of generating width with his pass, Laurie Daley was an explosive runner, that combination made the Green Machine attack the most feared of the era.

Peter Sterling wasn’t fast, yet lightning quick in thought, his halves partner Brett Kenny, was fast, strong and had a tremendous awareness and understanding of Sterlo’s game.

All these factors are achieved by time playing alongside one another. The more time, the better the combination gets.

Amazingly, since 1980 there’s been only eight halves combinations to play 100 games or more together. Here they are in order:

Allan Langer/Kevin Walters (190 games)

Geoff Toovey/Cliff Lyons (144)

Daly Cherry-Evans/Kieran Foran (132)

Andrew Johns/ Matthew Johns – (thank you!) (129)

Brett Kenny/Peter Sterling (125)

Adam Reynolds/Cody Walker (104)

Ben Hornby/Jamie Soward (104)

Laurie Daley/Ricky Stuart (100)

Seven out of eight of these combinations have won grand finals together.

Before the grand final qualifiers this weekend, let’s study what makes these four halves combinations so good.

LONGEST HALVES PARTNERSHIPS

Halves combinations	Games	Wins	Draws	Losses	Win %
Kevin Walters & Allan Langer	190	133	5	52	70
Cliff Lyons & Geoff Toovey	144	91	3	50	63.2
Kieran Foran & Daly Cherry-Evans*	132	86	1	45	65.2
Matthew Johns & Andrew Johns	129	73	4	52	56.6
Brett Kenny & Peter Sterling	125	84	3	38	67.2
Cody Walker & Adam Reynolds*	104	73	0	31	70.2
Jamie Soward & Ben Hornby	104	63	1	40	60.6
Laurie Daley & Ricky Stuart	100	69	3	28	69
...	...	...	...	...	...
Cameron Munster & Jahrome Hughes*	44	36	0	8	81.82
Jarome Luai & Nathan Cleary*	40	37	0	3	92.50
*Active combinations

ADAM REYNOLDS/CODY WALKER

104 games Win rate: 70.2%

The one combination out of the eight yet to win a title, and this is their last chance at South Sydney. They are the perfect example of differences making a great combination.

Adam Reynolds prefers to ball play on the right side of the play-the-ball, while Cody Walker is most dangerous on the left.

Reynolds is a planning halfback, he calls sets and puts the sequences into play. Walker is a reactive playmaker, he recognises opportunity and explodes with it.

Reynolds takes charge of the last tackle, he has to think about how he positions himself and what kind of kick is required.

Walker sucks the marrow out of every attacking set of six he handles on back-to-back tackles, if the momentum maintains he’ll keep the foot on the accelerator.

On Friday night, Souths’ edge attack is their greatest weapon.

The attacking sequences will eventually lead to Walker attacking the Daly Cherry-Evans - Morgan Harper right-side defensive combination.

Watch for Reynolds to occasionally throw the jab for Walker’s knockout punch.

Reynolds will take the ball to his right edge to gather defenders and open up the field for Walker at second receiver to expose Cherry-Evans and Harper.

DALY CHERRY-EVANS/KIERAN FORAN

132 games Win rate 65.2%

It’s no surprise that both men are back toward peak form after reuniting.

There are distinct differences in style. Daly Cherry-Evans is a player who looks to skim across a defence, jumping in and out of gaps between defenders to create opportunity.

Foran plays gun-barrel straight. Kieran Foran has suffered for his craft; his direct approach in attracting his target defender has seen him cop as much punishment as any playmaker in the modern era.

Cherry-Evans is more of a risk taker, he’ll wander across with the ball, unsure exactly what opportunity may be on offer and willing to throw a chancy pass.

Foran knows what he’s good at, play straight and play decisively.

What has got Foran back playing great football is a creative back-rower outside him in Josh Schuster. Foran no longer has to be depended upon to throw the ‘key pass’, and that’s simplified his role.

Ironically, that’s exactly what Glenn Stewart gave Cherry-Evans in the early part of his career.

On Friday night, I expect this experienced halves pairing to play the patience game. Look for DCE to kick early.

They’ll let the big men assert dominance, which will give Manly the momentum they need to unlock Tom Trbojevic.

NATHAN CLEARY/JAROME LUAI

40 games Win rate 92.5%

The devil is in the detail here. Forget 40 games. This partnership, as far as time playing alongside each other, is that of a veteran combination.

Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai have come right through the Penrith junior system playing alongside each other.

The football you’ve seen them play as a duo in the last two years is the tip of a very big iceberg.

No combination has a better understanding. They were educated in rugby league tactics and principles together, simultaneously.

Cleary is a half who sees playmaking as an exact science. He works the ball toward the posts and calls attacking shapes which suit his strengths. Cleary plays tight, exact football.

Luai is in charge of width. When Cleary plays tight and exact he attracts defenders and opens opportunity for Jarome on the long side.

Cleary plays with a furrowed brow, Jarome is loose and relaxed.

On Saturday night Cleary and Luai must get back to generating width in attack. In recent weeks it’s been all midfield football.

To beat Melbourne, this combination needs to attack with their early season principles.

Cameron Munster has altered his game slightly so that his combination with Jahrome Hughes can thrive in the post-Cameron Smith era. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

CAMERON MUNSTER/JAHROME HUGHES

44 games Win rate 81.82%

Like Cleary and Luai, 44 games doesn’t tell the true story. Both of these players have been in the Storm system for quite a while and been part of the spine, at times in different positions, and often not alongside each other.

What’s accelerated their understanding is that they’re part of a Melbourne team whose principles have barely changed.

It’s a system of play which everyone understands inside/out, and doesn’t require halves to babysit players into position.

2021 was going to be a huge test for the Jahrome Hughes/Cameron Munster combination. Both men play a very similar game in that they are primarily ball runners. That worked perfectly with Cameron Smith operating at the core of the attack. But with Smith gone, one had to alter their game slightly.

It’s been Munster.

He’s shown tremendous game awareness and patience during 2021, taking greater responsibility with kick options.

On Saturday night expect a huge game from this partnership with Munster getting the balance between fast and unorthodox, and steady and patient just right.