NRL 2022: Is Sea Eagles star Haumole Olakau’atu ready for State of Origin? | Crawley Files
NSW are spoiled for choice when selecting their Origin team, but if the Blues were picking on form today there is an obvious choice, writes PAUL CRAWLEY.
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There are some mighty NSW backrowers in contention for State of Origin this year.
But if the Blues were picking a team today on form and not reputation, it would be hard to leave Manly’s tearaway backrower Haumole Olakau’atu out of the conversation.
In the absence of the injured Josh Schuster this year, it has been the 196cm (6’ 4’’) 113kg wrecking ball that has taken his game to the next level.
Olakau’atu, 23, finished with the three Dally M Medal points for his barnstorming two-try effort in last weekend’s win over Gold Coast.
There is no doubt Blues coach Brad Fittler has some strong options probably in front of Olakau’atu at this point.
Last year Isaah Yeo played lock, with Cam Murray and Tariq Sims on the edges, and Angus Crichton and Liam Martin on the bench.
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Souths’ young gun Keaon Koloamatangi is another putting his name in the mix.
Olakau’atu might still be a year away from that level. He has another big test when the Sea Eagles take on the Sharks on Thursday night and he lines up on the same side of the field as blockbusting second-rower-turned-centre Siosifa Talakai.
The Sharks are the firm favourites at $1.43, with the Sea Eagles $2.85.
Make no mistake, this is a really important game for Manly, who has won the past two games against the Knights and Titans without injured star fullback Tom Trbojevic.
If they can stand up against the Sharks at Pointsbet Stadium, it would go a long way to proving they can be a force even when Turbo is not playing.
THE 20-YEAR HOODOO LOOMING OVER NRL STRUGGLERS
Canterbury and Wests Tigers will need to break a 20-year hoodoo if they go on to play finals footy this year but don’t get a win this weekend.
That’s according to Fox Sports Stats numbers, which also show nine teams during the NRL era finished with the wooden spoon after being stuck on one win at this point in the season.
As we head into round seven, this is the weekend a lot of footy analysts traditionally view as the time of the season where the field settles and we really start to get a good guide on where most teams are headed.
The Panthers and Storm are the obvious standouts, and behind them are the Sharks, Eels, Roosters, Sea Eagles and Rabbitohs – who most think will end up in the eight but just need to determine in which order.
That’s excluding the Cowboys, who are seventh on three wins, and the Warriors in ninth and also on three wins. With due respect to both, they remain part of a logjam of nine clubs in a battle for potentially one remaining finals spot.
What is important for all fans to take note of is that right now, history says every team is still in premiership contention.
But what the numbers also say is that winning this weekend could be the difference for as many as seven clubs – those on two wins or fewer – having a shot at the playoffs or sliding into that wooden spoon battle.
BULLDOGS
16th. 1 win. -89 points differential
Dead last on the ladder with one win and the worst points differential. Just to make a bad situation worse, the Dogs have been smashed with a Covid outbreak on the eve of Friday’s crucial clash in Brisbane.
While you wouldn’t have said the Dogs would be a definite top-eight team this year, there was certainly a level of optimism after a much-hyped recruitment drive.
But the results have been massively underwhelming, and if they don’t beat the Broncos this weekend, it could be a long end to the season if you take history as a guide.
People won’t remember there was a Covid outbreak this week – they just look back at the wins and losses. And dating back to 1998, only three teams have finished this round with one win and still played finals footy. The last to do so was the Raiders and Dragons, in 2002.
TIGERS
15th. 1 win. -63 points differential
One win doesn’t make a season, but the Easter Monday boilover certainly may have saved it for Michael Maguire’s team.
During the NRL era, no team has gone through the opening six rounds without a win and then played finals footy. As relieving as the win over Parramatta was, the records also show if the Tigers don’t back it up against the Rabbitohs on Saturday, it’s almost certain they won’t be alive come September. There is also the dreaded wooden spoon hanging over their head.
Previously, seven teams stuck on one win at this point went on to finish last – the Rabbitohs in 2003, the Eels in 2012, the Sharks in 2014, the Knights in 2016 and 2017, Parra again in 2018 and the Dogs last year.
But the other point is 12 teams on two wins after seven rounds have made the finals.
One was the Dragons, who finished the regular season second in 2005, and Parra made the grand final in 2009 in the year Jarryd Hayne caught fire.
While it’s hard to imagine that happening for the Tigers, what the win over Parra showed is anything is possible when they turn up with the right attitude.
BRONCOS
14th. 2 wins, -59 points differential
One of five teams on two wins, but history says it’s not too late to turn it around.
Since 1998, three teams with three wins after seven games have gone on to win the comp: the Roosters in 2002, the Tigers in 2005 and Souths in 2014.
Two other teams – Canterbury in 1998 and the Warriors in 2011 – made the grand final.
Melbourne also did it in 2009, but it doesn’t count because of their salary cap punishment.
Last year, Manly made the top four after starting the season with three wins and four losses.
You get the feeling this is a big game for the Broncos, who have been brave their past two but still didn’t get the points.
And Brisbane fans will have every right to go berserk if they lose to the team sitting last, especially given the Covid outbreak the Bulldogs are dealing with.
DRAGONS
13th. 2 wins. -57 points differential
You wouldn’t call the Dragons’ victory over the Knights a classic, but two points is two points and it certainly would have given this playing group a huge lift.
Now they need to back it up on Anzac Day against a Roosters side that isn’t exactly setting the world on fire but who always get themselves up for this blockbuster event.
I had the Dragons in my top eight to start the season but I’m really starting to question that now.
It’s worth noting the Dragons have the NRL’s worst defence after seven rounds, and it will be interesting to see how they handle a Roosters side with so much strike power.
Even though the Chooks have been clunky, they are going to get it right at some point.
RAIDERS
12th. 2 wins. -52 points differential
Take on the Panthers at Penrith on Sunday and this could get really ugly if the Raiders don’t significantly reduce their errors and play with a hell of a lot more discipline.
It was always going to be tough without Jamal Fogarty and Josh Hodgson, but they could still easily be two wins up the ladder if they didn’t constantly shoot themselves in the foot.
It’s not as if they’re not creating enough opportunities but they blow it with silly mistakes that are fast turning this into another forgettable season.
While it’s not too late to turn it around, it would be as big an upset here as the Tigers beating Parra on Easter Monday. In TAB head-to-head betting, the Raiders are paying a whopping $8.50 and the Panthers $1.07. That pretty much tells the story of how this is expected to go.
KNIGHTS
11th. 2 wins. -29 points differential
Have slumped to four straight defeats and get Parra at a rotten time given the embarrassment of losing to the Tigers. But if the Knights can win this, anything is possible.
They certainly have a side capable of competing with the best with a strong forward pack and real strike in the backs.
The circus surrounding their skipper Kalyn Ponga was just a distraction they were clearly not handling as a club. Thank God we’ve heard the last of that with Ponga now extending.
TITANS
10th. 2 wins. -16 points differential
If the Titans get it right, they could still be the team that jumps out of the pack in the charge for this year’s finals.
They have such extraordinary talent right across the park and when it all clicks, look out.
Against the Cowboys on Saturday, it is the perfect chance to get things rolling after back-to-back losses.
Rugby league’s craziest recruitment challenge ever
Royce Simmons accomplished many wonderful things in his illustrious footy career.
But the one that won Royce a place in English rugby league folklore was the time the former Hull FC coach set himself the astonishing challenge of running five marathons in as many days so he could win Des Hasler in a bet.
The story from three decades ago has resurfaced as Simmons prepares for his 300km walk for dementia that is coming up in May, with some of his former players back in England organising a ride from Hull to St Helens to help raise awareness.
Roycey certainly didn’t do his legendary status any harm back in the early 1990s when a club sponsor had a dig at the former Penrith Test hooker for putting on a bit of weight, suggesting Royce had been “eating too many pork pies and drinking too many pints”.
So Simmons set himself a challenge to run a marathon “to give me something to train for”.
When the sponsor suggested he would throw in £1000 to help with recruitment, Royce upped the bet: “I said, ‘Mate, how about £5000 to make it worthwhile and I’ll run five of them’.”
The rest as they say is history.
Over five successive days he ran 210km, and even had locals throwing coins in collection buckets that helped turn that £5000 promised by the sponsor into almost £30,000, enough to recruit Hasler to Hull as the Aussie import.
Even though they missed the finals by one competition point that year, it didn’t stop Royce running his way into the hearts of every English rugby league fan.
Can you imagine any NRL coach in the modern game, even Des, running five marathons to get a recruit over the line?
It’s just madness, but what a legend.
For further information on Royce’s walk for dementia go to roycesbigwalk.com.au
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