NRL Tackle: Broncos star Adam Reynolds continues to embarrass South Sydney

Brisbane’s gain is South Sydney’s pain as the Broncos’ charge to the preliminary final exposed a dud decision from the Rabbitohs once again. Check out all the likes and dislikes from week one of the NRL finals

The Tackle.

REYNO CONTINUES TO EMBARRASS SOUTHS

REYNO CONTINUES TO EMBARRASS SOUTHS

It’s starting to sound like a broken record.

But just when you thought South Sydney’s dismal season couldn’t get any worse after completely missing the play-offs, Adam Reynolds goes out and delivers another absolute masterclass.

There were some concerns going into this clash that the Storm would target the ageing halfback given Reynolds’ lack of game time in recent weeks due to that ongoing calf injury.

But instead Reynolds again showed why the Rabbitohs’ decision to let him go will continue to be one of the great retention blunders.

He is now one game away from playing in another NRL grand final at the age of 33, and arguably still playing the best footy of his career.

For all the strike the Broncos have across the park, and don’t they have some strike, Reynolds’ calmness and ability just to come up with the right plays at the right time remains the Broncos’ greatest strength.

It’s also everything the Rabbitohs were missing this season.

Adam Reynolds embarrassed South Sydney again. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

RAMPAGING BRONCOS TOO STRONG

So much for the questions about the Broncos’ not having the defence to be considered a legitimate premiership force.

To hold the Storm to nil in a semi-final was just extraordinary.

Just as impressive is going through the metres made in the forwards.

While not one Storm forward ran for over 100m (Nelson Asofa-Solomona had the most with 11 runs for 93m), the Broncos had four forwards run for more 100m.

Payne Haas as usual led the way with 16 runs for 157m, while Pat Carrigan was next with 20/146m, Keenan Palasia 17/116m and Kobe Hetherington 16/116.

Herbie Farnworth is the other who really deserved a rap with 13 runs for 146m.

CLEARY CLINIC LIKE JOEY MASTERCLASS

You could throw in all the greatest performances we’ve seen from the champion halfbacks over the years.

Few would rate better than Nathan Cleary’s effort in the Panthers’ crushing win over the Warriors.

In fact, Cleary’s dominance had the same feel about it as the Andrew Johns’ masterclass in State of Origin II back in 2005.

Cleary was just so far ahead of any other player on the field it was scary for any of the opposition teams hoping to stop the reigning champs on their charge to become the first team to win three straight premierships since Parramatta in the early 1980s.

With Jarome Luai out injured, Cleary took on both roles as conductor and ball runner, finishing with 9 runs for 93m that included a try, 5 tackle busts, 2 linebreaks, 2 linbreak assists and a try assist.

Throw in all the great modern day halfbacks including Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Peter Sterling, Allan Langer and Ricky Stuart.

At the age of 25 Cleary is already in the conversation as the best ever.

And his best football years are still ahead of him.

It was such a dominant win from the Panthers who were so strong across the park. But the other player who deserves a special mention is James Fisher-Harris who easily won the battle up front against arguably the prop of the season Addin Fonua-Blake.

ROOSTERS DELIVER ‘ROCKY’ FIGHTBACK

What about the Rocky Balboa performance of the season.

Even the Roosters’ harshest critics (of which I have been this year) could not have been more inspired by the effort under fire in what was truly one of the bravest finals fightbacks in memory.

The unbelievable commitment of veterans James Tedesco and Luke Keary to just find a way to charge down those late field goal attempts from Nicho Hynes.

But you could throw in the effort of every other Roosters player on what was an unbelievable night of entertainment.

The Roosters celebrate. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty

Time and again the Roosters looked down for the count after losing Joey Manu (hamstring) and Joseph Suaalii (concussion), while Billy Smith had a period off for head injury assessment, and the Tedesco sin binning.

But they just continued to find a way to turn up for each other.

Whether it was Billy Smith taking over the goalkicking duties, Brandon Smith’s runs from dummy half, the performance of Siua Wong and Angus Crichton who both had to play in the centres (how good a player is Wong?), young Sandon Smith filling in at fullback, and what about Victor Radley and especially Lindsay Collins?

It was dead set the gutsiest performance we have seen from any team this season.

And to do it in an elimination final after such a challenging year for the Roosters spoke of the culture that obviously still drives this club.

It’s going to take a hell of an effort to back up from that taking on the Storm in Melbourne.

But you’d be mad to write the Roosters off after that.

FINALS DISLIKES

SEND OFF FARCE COMPOUNDS BITING ALLEGATION

Why was Jack Wighton not sent off?

The teeth marks on Tyson Gamble’s arm were there for all to see.

Wighton has been an incredibly brave and wonderful player for the Canberra Raiders over the years.

But he is going to be hard pressed defending this ugly allegation that marred Newcastle’s gutsy 30-28 extra time fightback victory over Ricky Stuart’s Raiders.

As Braith Anasta said on Fox League: “You can see here Jack Wighton has his mouth open and his arm in it.

“I don’t know how he didn’t get sent off the field?”

Corey Parker was on the same page: “There is teeth marks on the forearm of Tyson Gamble.

“How Jack Wighton was able to stay on the field I will never know.”

Jack Wighton allegedly biting Tyson Gamble.

Tyson Gamble shows off the fresh bite mark.

The incident occurred in the 47th minute when Gamble came up claiming he had been bitten after making a tackle on Wighton.

Wighton initially claimed it was because Gamble had put his arm in Wighton’s mouth.

But as Parker explained, Wighton’s defence was as bewildering as the incident itself.

“At the time Ashley Klein said do you want to make a formal complaint (to Gamble)?” Parker said.

“He said, ‘Yes I do’.

“And from memory the words coming out of Jack were, ‘Well, what am I supposed to do?”

But Klein referred it to the Bunker to make the call if the replays could clearly show it was a biting action.

Wighton was ultimately put on report but somehow managed to stay on the field.

While the defeat ends Canberra’s season, the issue now is what it means for South Sydney moving forward.

Wighton will now join the Rabbitohs amid a storm of controversy as he faces an extended stint on the sideline.

Former Gold Coast forward Kevin Proctor was suspended for four matches back in 2020 after being found guilty of biting Shaun Johnson.

Wighton also has a court case coming up in October after he and Latrell Mitchell were involved in a police incident at Wighton’s 30th birthday party earlier this year.

The two have pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from an alleged fight outside a Canberra night club in February.

It is certainly not the way he would have hoped of finishing his career at the Raiders.

It overshadowed a tremendous first half from the Raiders who led 16-6 at the break but got rolled after the incident completely changed the momentum of the match.

It was the Knights’ 10th straight victory and now sends them into an elimination semi final against the Warriors in New Zealand.

Jack Wighton making the most of his teeth before they all get surgically removed once he arrives at Souths

— Hux (@AdamHux2) September 10, 2023

I can’t believe Jack Wighton is still on the field! I just if you’re a man and it’s a big game it’s okay!

— Hann (@princess_hann_) September 10, 2023

Jack Wighton should be off the field what is this nonsense? #NRLKnightsRaiders

— Rewster (@Rewster7) September 10, 2023

Ashley Klein has completely lost the plot. Not sending Jack Wighton off for a pretty obvious bite is beyond belief #NRLKnightsRaiders

— Gene Irvine (@geneirvine12) September 10, 2023

‘WORST RULE IN RUGBY LEAGUE’

There is no way in the world anyone can make excuses for the Sharks’ failing to capitalise on a stack of opportunities when they had the Roosters on the ropes but failed to deliver the knockout punch.

That said, you’d still hate to see the decision not to award a try to Cam McInnes early in the game when he was ruled to be held up ultimately deciding a grand final.

If that was made in the final minutes of a premiership decider, and not in the 6th minute like it did on Saturday night, we’d all be talking about it for months to come.

I maintain it is the worst rule in rugby league - where the Bunker has to find sufficient evidence to overturn an onfield referee’s live call.

In the old days the advantage used to go to the attacking team when it was referred to as the benefit of the doubt.

But in this instance the Bunker was backed into a corner due to the fact referee Gerard Sutton had sent it up as a “no try”.

Even though Sutton was in a great position, he still had his view obstructed by the fact McInnes was surrounded by three Roosters players trying to keep him from grounding the ball.

But other replays from a side angle indicated the probability suggested the ball had to have touched the ground.

So why not just send it up without a determination and let the Bunker make the call on the best available angle?

In Fox Sports’ match commentary Corey Parker said “I’d be leaning more towards if it is down”, while Greg Alexander said after the game “I thought it was a try”.

In the end the better team won the match, but that doesn’t deny the rule needs to change.

STORM’S ‘BIG THREE’ GO MIA

As brilliant and brutal as the Brisbane Broncos were in their 26-0 shut of the Melbourne Storm, what about the performances of the ‘Big Three’?

Harry Grant had his worst game in memory while Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes weren’t much better.

They were totally outplayed by the Broncos with Adam Reynolds having a blinder, while bargain buy Broncos dummy half Billy Walters was a clear points winner over his star opponent.

Patrick Carrigan and Harry Grant come together. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

And while Hughes was returning from injury, everyone has been waiting for Munster to come alive for some time now, given his reputation as the NRL’s best big match player.

But they didn’t fire a shot all night.

It was also puzzling to see Nelson Asofa-Solomona left on the bench for as long as he was before the giant forward finally made his way into the game.

If the Storm are going to fire back against the Roosters this week they will need Grant, Munster and Hughes to lead the way.

It will be interesting to see if Craig Bellamy also changes his plan and starts Asofa-Solomona given how well the Roosters forwards led sensationally by Lindsay Collins and Victor Radley played against the Sharks.

WARRIORS TAUGHT FINALS LESSON

It was great to see Andrew Webster refuse to make excuses for Shaun Johnson’s absence in the wake of the Warriors’ lacklustre effort against the Panthers.

Webster was given an opportunity to portion some of the blame on the Warriors’ inability to build pressure on the fact the star halfback was ruled out of the game.

But Webster didn’t want a bar of it, instead pointing out that Johnson would not have changed the fact the Warriors were their own worst enemies coming up with too many errors.

In the end they finished with 14 errors to the Panthers’ six, lost the penalty count 6-4 and missed 39 tackles to 14.

Like Webster said, the Panthers won’t beat themselves.

What the Warriors did do well though was defend so bravely that it probably saved a 32-6 scoreboard completely blowing out.

If Johnson returns this week it will be a huge boost.

But even without him the Warriors know what they need to fix up to give themselves any chance.

TOUCH JUDGE’S STAGGERING MISS

For all the talk about the tough calls that went against Cronulla Sharks in the heartbreaking 13-12 loss to the Sydney Roosters, what about the shot on Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii that went unpunished.

How Wade Graham stayed on the field is a mystery given all the sin bins we have seen this season for dangerous head contact.

It was high. It was forceful. It was clearly unnecessary.

But not so much as a penalty, let alone a sin bin.

Meanwhile, the young winger is now expected to be ruled out of the elimination semi final against the Melbourne Storm.

The Roosters have confirmed Suaalii failed a head injury assessment during the halftime break after the medical staff recognised the 20-year-old was displaying concussion related symptoms.

There is some confusion that the talk it was a category 3 may mean Suaalii could be cleared to play.

Wade Graham collects Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. Pic: Fox League

Touch judge looks on as Wade Graham collects Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. Picture: Fox League

But the general rule is if a player fails a HIA then the 11-day stand down rule automatically applies.

The incident occurred in the countdown to halftime when Graham came in late and absolutely clobbered Suaalii in the back of the head when Suaalii was on the ground.

It probably didn’t help the Roosters’ cause that Suaalii got to his feet and bravely played on before he was then ruled out for the match during the break.

There is some suggestion the incident that caused the injury to Suaalii may have been the result of another moment when Suaalii hit his head on the ground.

Regardless of how it happened, the reality is the Graham tackle was illegal and occurred in direct view of the touchie.

Meanwhile, Graham was later hit with a grade one careless high tackle charge by the NRL match review committee, with the retiring backrower facing an $1800 fine with an early guilty plea.

But it will come as cold comfort for the Roosters.

Originally published as NRL Tackle: Broncos star Adam Reynolds continues to embarrass South Sydney