Monday Bunker: NRL’s sleeping giant emerges after nine rounds
MONDAY BUNKER: Jason Taumalolo and Sam Burgess have starred at points this season, but Martin Taupau’s performance in defeat against the Roosters might be the best of any forward this year.
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WITH Round 9 of the competition now done and dusted, our team of rugby league writers analyse the NRL’s talking points in the Monday Bunker.
INJURIES HARM BRONCOS’ BID TO BUILD MOMENTUM
BRONCOS 22 BULLDOGS 20: Brisbane edge home in controversial thriller
The Broncos cannot catch a break when it comes to their injury toll.
While they appear to be building towards more consistent form, they are struggling with their forward depth.
Even after Andrew McCullough pulled off a miraculous comeback to play in Brisbane’s win over Canterbury on Thursday, they then lost Payne Haas for a minimum of two weeks.
The talented young prop suffered a high ankle sprain after just six minutes in his second NRL appearance and now joins Matt Gillett (neck) and Josh McGuire (ankle) on the sideline.
Versatile back Jordan Kahu (jaw) also suffered a setback this week when he returned to contact training, only to cop a hit to the face, delaying his comeback.
The growing injury list is a blow for the Broncos who are trying to find consistency on the field.
The most obvious replacement for Haas is experienced forward Sam Tagataese but Brisbane will be hoping for a consistent 17 soon to continue moving up the ladder.
— Rikki-Lee Arnold
SOUTHS EMERGE AS 2018’S SLEEPING GIANT
KNIGHTS 18 RABBITOHS 36: Emotional Walker dedicates win to mum
If you want to talk sleeping giants in 2018, South Sydney should definitely be factored into that.
Their win on Friday night over Newcastle propelled them into fifth spot on the ladder and they are methodically improving each week, identifying areas that need work, rectifying that and moving forward.
Their spine is firing, and though on paper it may not have the million-dollar price tag of others, the Bunnies’ four playmakers are hitting form at the same time.
Adam Reynolds has one of the best kicking games in the competition; Cody Walker is damaging at the line (he played a huge part in Souths’ quick 12-0 lead on Friday); Damien Cook is taking his options out of dummy-half and delivering quick ball to his halves; and Alex Johnston has settled in nicely at the back, returning with speed and injecting himself into the attack — his team-high 144m and two try assists evidence of that last round.
Cook said the Rabbitohs have a “good vibe” at training and players have a narrow focus on what they need to achieve each week, which helps them hit their targets.
With one of the biggest packs in the comp, a backline bursting with talent, an in-form spine and everyone enjoying their footy, it’s the makings of a side that other teams should have their eye on.
— Fiona Bollen
COWBOYS IMPROVE, BUT TOUGHER TESTS LOOM LARGE
PANTHERS 20 COWBOYS 26: NQ big guns get season back on track
Fittingly, the Cowboys produced their best performance of the season in the wild west.
The central west, but still.
Paul Green said North Queensland showed the spirit of old in their 26-20 win over Penrith and while the Cowboys left Bathurst with the two points and flashes of their best footy there is still plenty of work to be done.
The Cowboys’ attack, which has looked so predictable and staid so far this season, at last clicked into some manner of gear. Remarkably, this was their equal second highest score of the season.
Much of this can be put down to better execution in the attacking quarter and a fine performance from Ben Hampton, who is by no means a natural centre but works well as a makeshift option due to his speed.
Working down the right side, with Hampton, Hess and the improving Michael Morgan, who had his best match of the season, seems their most likely avenue for points.
Penrith very nearly came back to win, from 20 points down no less, and if they had managed to claw their way back it may have been the final blow for North Queensland’s ailing season.
A tricky away trip to Leichhardt, where the club hasn’t won since 2000, looms as a truer test of their mettle — the Panthers lost key forward Trent Merrin before kick-off on top of the numerous other ailments that have dogged the club.
North Queensland looked better and yet still far from their best, but after the way the season has started, that’s good enough for now.
— Nick Campton
TITANS LEFT TEETERING BY RED-HOT RAIDERS
RAIDERS 32 TITANS 18: Arrow hurt as Gold Coast crash in capital
The honeymoon is over for the Gold Coast.
The Titans have now had two months to adapt to rookie coach Garth Brennan’s new defensive patterns and if they don’t get with the program soon, they will finish with the wooden spoon.
Canberra’s first two tries came from terrible defensive reads. Other tries the Titans leaked were just plain soft.
Now they face premiers the Storm, who will inflict a fifth straight loss in the Suncorp double header if the Titans don’t defend with the commitment they last showed at the venue in their epic defeat of the Broncos.
Defence is not their only problem. The Titans are cruelling themselves with too many fundamental errors.
They simply don’t have the quality of roster to win games with a 65-70 per cent completion rate.
The Raiders have crept to within striking distance of the top eight and their offence is breathtaking to watch when they execute with precision.
The Sharks will pose a much tougher challenge in the middle-third so it’s critical the likes of Junior Paulo, Sia Soliola and Shannon Boyd muscle up.
— Peter Badel
WARRIORS IMPRESSIVE DEPTH CONTINUES TO GROW
WARRIORS 26 WESTS TIGERS 4: Johnson, Luke injuries mar triumph
In a regular year you could put a line through the Warriors — at least in the short-term — following injuries to Shaun Johnson and Issac Luke.
But 2018 is anything but a regular year for the men in black.
Through the likes of Mason Lino, Anthony Gelling and Ligi Sao the Warriors have proven their strength throughout the grades, and their depth grew another notch on Saturday night against the Tigers when debutant Karl Lawton took to the field.
The former Titan and brother of Kayne Lawton — also a former Titans hooker — scored two tries from dummy-half in just 25 minutes when called upon to deputise for Issac Luke.
Lawton was lethal in his short cameo and could be a revelation when given a starting berth in Luke’s absence, although his sample size across the Tasman is limited.
While the likes of Johnson and Luke are essential for New Zealand’s maiden premiership tilt, the talent coming through has proven more than capable of filling the sizeable shoes of the men before them.
— Tim Williams
CLINICAL CRONULLA TRACKING IN RIGHT DIRECTION
SHARKS 22 EELS 20: Graham hurt as Cronulla survive late Parra surge
Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan described it as a “horror movie”.
Only it had a happy ending for a Sharks side who almost blew an unassailable lead after leaking three tries in six minutes.
Don’t let the score trick you, Parramatta were horrible and did not deserve an opportunity to take the game into extra point.
Their halves lacked patience while Cronulla — who continue to be decimated by injury and illness — were clinical for all but the final six minutes.
— Michael Carayannis
DOMINANT DRAGONS LEAD WAY FOR REST OF COMP
DRAGONS 34 STORM 14: Dominant Dragons crush Melbourne
The benchmark baton has been handed over from Melbourne to St George Illawarra according to Craig Bellamy.
The Storm coach declared the Dragons are the new yardstick of the competition after they belted his side 34-14 at Kogarah on Sunday.
“We know now that we have got some work to do,” he said after the match.
“And I just said that to the players in there, and hopefully they will take that on board, because they are the benchmark. Without a doubt.”
The Red V’s dominant performance also confirmed their status as genuine title contenders. They have now won eight from nine matches to open their 2018 season — a feat the Storm achieved last year before they went on to win the premiership.
Defence is the cornerstone of any title campaign and the Dragons line again passed the test against the Storm.
At times they looked shaky on the edges but they muscled up when defending on their own tryline, making a number of crucial one-on-one tackles.
— Fatima Kdouh
POWERHOUSE PERFORMANCE ALMOST CARRIES MANLY HOME
ROOSTERS 22 SEA EAGLES 20: Turbo’s tough time could hurt Origin hopes
Could the best performance by a forward this season have come in defeat?
Jason Taumalolo was tremendous against Penrith on Friday night, and has been better than advertised for much of the year. Sam Burgess destroyed the Raiders two weeks ago, even though he was lucky to finish the game after rattling Aidan Sezer’s brain.
But in terms of sheer desire, force of will manifested in effort after effort after effort, not just wanting to win but needing it like other players need to breathe, Martin Taupau could have them covered.
Manly’s season is collapsing around them, but Taupau can hold his head high after what he’s produced in the last two weeks. A subpar outing in the belting at the hands of Parramatta precipitated two of the best matches of his career.
A 223-metre outing against the Knights was fantastic, but he outdid himself in Sunday’s loss to the Roosters. Taupau took 25 carries for 265 metres, both career highs, and tried time and again to lift his ailing team.
The image of Taupau standing over James Tedesco after belting the life out of him from the kick-off following the Jared Waerea-Hargreaves try will remain one of the highlights of a season that is rapidly spiralling beyond Manly’s control.
Apart from the brave shots of Victor Radley, which confirmed the Tricolours bantamweight could be equally described as courageous and insane, the Roosters had no answer for the big Kiwi.
Taumalolo’s performances are more relentless, Burgess was more destructive, but Taupau put the team on his back when they needed someone to lift and even though the Sea Eagles went down he can rest knowing there was nothing more for him to give.
— Nick Campton