NRL Tackle: South Sydney star Cody Walker sends message to NSW selectors
Cody Walker might be the most unlucky player to miss out on NSW’s squad for State of Origin game three — and he’s sent a loud message to coach Brad Fittler.
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Our team of experts run their eye over the Round 13 NRL action.
Like: There’s a saying that the best gifts come badly wrapped, and when you look at the Raiders’ situation right now, it certainly rings true.
The loss of George Williams midway through the season could have crippled the Green Machine, but it’s opened the door for Sam Williams to step in to do what he does best. He’s not the flashiest player but he won’t let you down. He’s always responded when asked to do a job, and he hasn’t complained about being the back-up option.
Williams debuted in 2011 but only recently ran out for his 100th game. He was the difference on Thursday, scoring two simple tries and kicking Manly into submission to help his side grind out a crucial win.
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Dislike: It’s easy to dismiss Manly’s loss given they were without Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans, but that would be the easy way out. They were very poor on Thursday night, with their ruck defence falling apart horribly on the back of a lopsided possession count.
Des Hasler spoke about the frailties through the middle, but it was a moment on the edge that summed up the loss.
The Sea Eagles could have gone up 10-0 early but centre Brad Parker lost the ball attempting to put the ball down over the try line. From there the Silvertails lost focus and conceded four consecutive tries without a response, and that highlighted a concerning lack of leadership when they were on the back foot.
Moses Suli was handed a rare start but he didn’t take his opportunity. Centres have become blockers whenever a kick is put up, but sometimes it pays to look at the ball. Suli found out the hard way when he copped a farcical falcon that led to a Seb Kris try. As Bonnie Tyler said: “Turn around”.
Fox Sports key stats: It was the Raiders’ first second-half win since round 4. Their 18 second-half points were their most since round 1. They completed 41 of 44 sets (93%) – their best under Ricky Stuart.
Dally M: 3 Sam Williams 2 Joseph Tapine 1 Josh Hodgson
— Martin Gabor
Like: Getting overlooked for Jarome Luai for the first two State of Origin games was justified in the end, but it would’ve been hard for Cody Walker to stomach being overlooked for game three, particularly given they could’ve replaced one club combination with another considering Adam Reynolds was a like-for-like replacement for Nathan Cleary.
But instead of kicking stones, Walker, the league leader in try assists and line break assists, sliced and diced the Cowboys’ defence for another four and six respectively to show what the Blues were missing out on. Eighth Immortal Andrew Johns likened Walker to legendary five-eighth Cliff Lyons, and the comparison is bang on.
Dislike: There’s no shame in being opened up by a red-hot Rabbitohs attack led by Walker. But some of the defensive reads on both the Cowboys’ edges made for difficult viewing.
North Queensland were on the wrong end of a 30-18 missed tackle count, but the worst culprits were on the flanks, including the two wingers. Kyle Feldt, a State of Origin I axing, and wing partner Murray Taulagi, had five each, resulting in hat tricks for their counterparts in Alex Johnston and Taane Milne.
Centre Javid Bowen also missed five tackles, with the trio accounting for half their missed tackle count. Their right edge has leaked the most tries of any team in the competition this season.
Fox Sports key stats: A 14-point individual haul from Adam Reynolds takes him to within 53 points of the club’s all-time pointscoring record held by Eric Simms. Barring injury, he looks a certainty to get it.
Dally M: 3 Cody Walker 2 Alex Johnston 1 Kaeon Koloamatangi
— Matt Encarnacion
Like: The showing of Lachlan Lewis in a losing side. Trent Barrett made a call to dump Kyle Flanagan for a second time this season and give Lewis his shot in Canterbury’s halves. He has had a wretched run with injury this year, including a bad concussion, but Lewis brings things that the Bulldogs desperately need – enthusiasm and desire. He scored a try with a clever chip and chase but it is his effort play that nets rewards.
Off-contract at season’s end and unsure of his future, he now has a chance of putting himself in the shop front window, given Penrith young gun Matt Burton has signed a three-year deal to join the club from next season, and Saturday night’s halves partner Jake Averillo has two years left to run on his contract.
Dislike: At his best, Jack Hetherington has proven he can mix it with some of the game’s elite. But when he is a little bit off, he struggles. That was the case against a big Roosters middle.
He missed three tackles — which was probably conservative but it was the style of his misses which would annoy Barrett. He just needs to find a way to stop in the match for the time he is out there in order to take his game to the next level.
The last-play option by Roosters halfback Sam Walker to race 90 metres backwards to run out the clock with 20 seconds remaining was not only one of the most bizarre scenes in a rugby league game, it also raised a few eyebrows. When cameras panned up to the Roosters’ coaching box after Walker eventually ran the ball over the sideline, Trent Robinson did not look pleased.
Walker, however, found support from Melbourne and Queensland great Billy Slater, who tweeted: “Heaven forbid someone playing the game different. Careful, we might stumble on a better way. Do it your way Sam!”
Fox Sports key stats: Eight straight wins for the Roosters over the Bulldogs – the first time either side has achieved that in this fixture. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves ran for an impressive 211m.
Dally M: 3 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 2 Lachlan Lewis 1 Sitili Tupouniua
— Michael Carayannis
Like: Stop the fight, we’ve found the greatest ever post-try celebration (video above). There have been some beauties over the years but Braden Hamlin-Uele now wears the championship belt after he did his best Rock impression to deliver a People’s Elbow to Jack Williams. The move was so realistic that people genuinely thought he’d punched his teammate, but it quickly became clear what was going on. It meant Sportsbet donated another $5000 to the Men of League Foundation to support Mose Masoe, but it was so good the betting agency should consider doubling it.
Dislike: Everyone knew the high tackle crackdown was dead before Sunday, but referee Chris Sutton should still be asked for a please explain after he opted to not send Sione Katoa to the sin bin even though he smacked Bayley Sironen across the chops with a swinging arm. The back-rower had to come from the field with blood pouring from his nose, but the tackle was merely put on report. Crackdown or not, Katoa had to spend 10 minutes in the sin bin for a tackle that will likely see him charged by the match review committee.
Fox Sports key stats: This was the Sharks’ fifth win in the past six and it moves them into the eight. Braydon Trindall had a strong game for Cronulla, tallying up a try, try assist, linebreak and two tackle busts.
Dally M: 3 Shaun Johnson 2 Siosifa Talakai 1 Aiden Tolman
— Martin Gabor
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