Monday Bunker: Has Ricky landed find of season? And can changes spark dreadful Dogs?
The season is only a week old but there is already plenty to dissect, including a recruit’s dream debut — our rugby league writers analyse the NRL’s talking points after a big opening weekend.
With Round 1 of the 2019 competition now done and dusted, our team of rugby league writers analyse the NRL’s talking points in the Monday Bunker.
SEIBOLD MUST SOLVE BRONCOS PACK PUZZLE
Match report: Storm Broncos cop Round 1 reality check
Anthony Seibold’s new era at the Broncos is clearly still a work in progress.
Seibold is keen for Brisbane to employ the fast-moving, up-tempo passing style that worked so successfully at South Sydney last season but for that to happen, the Broncos’ forwards must first muscle up and lay the platform.
Brisbane’s front six were brutally mauled by Melbourne giants Jesse Bromwich and Nelson Asofa-Solomona in the key opening 20 minutes at AAMI Park.
Seibold must also work out a long-term plan for Matt Gillett. The Origin star played in the middle at lock in his comeback from a fractured neck.
His superb effort in making 50 tackles underlines Gillett’s grit, but if he keeps getting targeted in midfield, he will be burnt out by mid-season.
Seibold must consider returning Gillett to his cherished back-row spot on Brisbane’s right edge.
The Storm, meanwhile, showed they can go one better this season. They looked crisper and better organised than the Broncos. Maroons ace Cameron Munster is developing into a magnificent five-eighth. With Munster’s running and kicking game and hooker Cameron Smith’s guile around the rucks, the Storm look primed to set the early pace.
— Peter Badel
GALLEN KNOWS SOLUTION TO SHARKS’ SLOW START
Match report: Knights survive controversial call to down Cronulla
Cronulla will spend the week working on their polish as they highlighted poor completion as their undoing in Newcastle on Friday night.
A completion rate of 63 per cent to the Knights’ 78 was the area both coach John Morris and captain Paul Gallen identified as where things went wrong.
The Sharks had three line-breaks to one and a couple of tries disallowed, but Gallen said they needed immediate individual improvement rather than mere game time to lift the team’s standard.
“We’re going to get better, there’s no doubt about that, and for whatever reason we’ve had a terrible round one performance for 15 years, but it comes down to individual errors. There was a lot,” he said.
“We’ve got to fix that completion rate. Sixty-six per cent completion up against over 80 per cent you’re going to right up against it every week.
“If it was outstanding, if you look at being done by six points with that sort of completion rate, it’s not all negative, but we have to fix that up.”
The Sharks made 13 errors to the Knights’ nine, centre Josh Dugan produced four himself.
They could have made a difference.
“I think we created more chances … I reckon we doubled their line-breaks,” Gallen said.
“No doubt about it, we created plenty of opportunity, but execution, if you complete at 66 per cent you’re going to be up against it.
“We know what we need to improve on and if we can do that we’ll be all right.”
— Fiona Bollen
INGLIS’ ASTONISHING BOOST FOR BUNNIES
Match report: Reynolds shine as Rabbitohs roll Roosters
Greg Inglis’ first-up performance should not be underestimated, nor what it will mean for South Sydney going forward in 2019.
It’s no secret Inglis has struggled with his fitness over summer because of a knee complication, while some also questioned if the superstar still has the motivation to compete at the very top level.
Just looking at his physical appearance, it was clear to all how much work Inglis has to go before he gets anywhere near his peak.
In saying that, challenged with the job of going head-to-head with Latrell Mitchell, the 32-year-old South Sydney skipper not only held his own but probably came out on top.
This is no small feat.
In actual fact, it is amazing.
While it was hardly one of Inglis’ great performances, let’s not forget young Mitchell is the No. 1 centre in the game.
Pretty much every opponent Mitchell comes up against on a weekly basis struggles to contain him.
So for Inglis to do it despite being so clearly underdone is an astonishing effort.
While you wouldn’t be backing Inglis to be playing fullback any time soon, just having him on the field is a huge bonus for the Rabbitohs.
As new Bunnies coach Wayne Bennett said after the match: “Greg needed what he did (on Friday night).
“He was underdone in terms of preparation compared to everyone else but he has played a lot of football and he knows how to get the job done and he showed that.”
Bennett said it was going to take some weeks for Inglis to hit his real stride.
When he does, look out.
— Paul Crawley
ALREADY TIME FOR PAY TO TEAR UP TEAMSHEET?
Match report: Young gun’s dream debut torches shocking Dogs
We’ll need to see them do it against stronger opposition, but this was exactly the sort of performance Warriors hierarchy would have dreamt of when they made the toughest of calls to cut ties with Shaun Johnson.
One in which veteran Blake Green stands up with a level-headed approach and a stellar kicking game — and newcomer Adam Keighran chimes in with composed debut, playing the support role with a strong running game.
The hope is that this is a more sustainable winning strategy than relying on the dazzling feet and unpredictable brilliance of Johnson.
There are still plenty of gamebreakers at the Warriors — headlined by skipper Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, and featuring Solomone Kata, David Fusitua and Ken Maumalo — so don’t expect them to lose the razzle-dazzle entirely.
But maybe the days of wondering which Warriors outfit would turn up on a week-to-week basis could be behind them.
On the other side of the coin, even one round in, this was a worrying loss for the Bulldogs.
An off-season of preparation came undone in 80 minutes and Dean Pay may already need to tear up the teamsheet and start again.
Young fullback Nick Meaney was brought across from Newcastle and he looms as an option to inject some spark into the flagging attack.
The 21-year-old scored a try in the Bulldogs’ reserve grade victory, and his raw pace could be a gamechanger in a team which desperately needs some energy in the backline.
This is no slight on Will Hopoate, who set up the Bulldogs’ only try of the afternoon, but would push him to the centres — where they lack class.
— Joe Barton
LONG SEASON LOOMS FOR STRUGGLING SEA EAGLES
Match report: ‘Grandad’ Farah and Wests rookies rout Manly
There is still life in the old dog but Manly are in for a long year.
The Tigers may have trailed 2-0 at half-time but they were always in control.
Veteran Robbie Farah produced one of the most remarkable second half performances you’ll see with two tries, two line drop outs and a line break assist.
He also topped the Tigers tackle count for good measure. Life under new coach Michael Maguire started swimmingly for the Tigers.
While Manly’s old-new coach in Des Hasler has plenty of headaches to come.
His side were resilient in the opening half as they withstood plenty of defence. But the defensive workload took its toll in the second half. They struggled to gain and traction with the ball and did not build pressure.
— Michael Carayannis
TAUMALOLO LAYS PLATFORM FOR CLASSY COWBOYS
Match report: Barnstorming Taumalolo tears Dragons apart
Cowboys giant Jason Taumalolo has kicked off 2019 in devastating form, the hulking 117kg forward racking up an unstoppable 301 running metres during his side’s win over the Dragons in Townsville.
His barnstorming effort broke his previous personal best of 283m against Melbourne in Round 15, 2017.
The Tongan international was shifted out onto the left edge for North Queensland while Matt Scott, Jordan McLean and Josh McGuire played through the middle of the field.
Taumalolo worried St George’s defensive line all night and his two devastating line breaks both led to North Queensland tries.
The Cowboys were slow out of the blocks, falling to a 6-0 deficit after just 11 minutes, through a couple of missed tackles and handling errors.
But a try to Cowboys winger Javid Bowen in the 30th minute, set up by Taumalolo’s first linebreak, gave North Queensland a much-needed confidence boost and the points continued from there.
The Round 1 win sets up another blockbuster Queensland derby on Friday night when they travel to Suncorp Stadium to play the Broncos, who will be out to make amends for their loss against Melbourne.
— Chris Honnery
DEPTH PROVING A PROBLEM FOR POOR PANTHERS
Match report: Whiz kid lives up to hype in Eels upset
If a week is a long time in rugby league then a year is an eternity.
Last season, Penrith’s back-row was so well stocked then coach Anthony Griffin (and later Cameron Ciraldo) could barely find enough minutes to spread them around.
Fast forward to 2019 and Corey Harawira-Naera and Trent Merrin have gone, along with utility Tyrone Peachey, while pre-season casualty Viliame Kikau has been joined in the injury ward by Hame Sele (broken arm) and potentially Isaah Yeo, who left the field on Sunday with a concussion.
Throw in a potential suspension for Jack Hetherington, who was penalised for a shoulder charge against the Eels, and it’s all looking a bit grim for coach Ivan Cleary.
It means the returning Panthers coach could be forced to turn to recruit Frank Winterstein, brought in from Manly last week, and rookie Jed Cartwright as he tries to pick up the pieces from a disappointing season-opening loss.
The Panthers travel to Newcastle to take on a Knights side whose pack stood up against the vaunted Cronulla forwards to open their 2019 campaign with a confidence-boosting win.
— Dominic Burke
RAIDERS RECRUIT MAKES AN EARLY SPLASH
Match report: New era, same old feeling as Titans fall flat
Ricky Stuart may have unearthed the find of the season in English import John Bateman.
Bateman was sensational in his NRL debut as Canberra racked up an impressive 21-0 win against the Gold Coast Titans on Sunday night.
The England international has a dream debut in torrential rain which may have been a blessing in disguise for him.
Bateman started the game at lock and terrorised the Titans with and without the ball.
He is not overly big but was involved in a number of big collisions and didn’t take a backwards step, even baiting Queensland Origin forward Jarrod Wallace.
Bateman ran for 154m, busted five tackles and made 36 tackles in an 80-minute performance.
Alongside Elliot Whitehead and Joseph Tapine, the Raiders boast one of the NRL’s most impressive back rows.
The Raiders aren’t as big as recent years but they are more mobile and packed punch against the Titans, especially with a fit Josh Hodgson running the show at hooker.
Jack Wighton made an excellent debut at five-eighth, with his running game a real weapon for the Raiders.
The signs are bright for Canberra who blew a heap of close finishes last season and could be a real threat in 2019.
— Travis Meyn
Gus’ ‘doctored’ claim ignites NRL conspiracy
The NRL Grand Final’s controversial no try scandal has taken a wild turn despite the game releasing the angle the decision was based on.
Kangaroos selection shocks: NRL legends’ Test careers appear over
Mal Meninga has dropped a major selection bombshell by overlooking both James Tedesco and Kalyn Ponga for Kangaroos selection, with the list of surprise omissions and debutants not ending there. See the full squad.