Wild, wild west; The best of the 2020 NRL Nines in Perth
The NRL Nines are done and dusted for another year, and there was plenty of wild action over in Perth. Here's the best, worst and weirdest of day two of the tournament.
The NRL Nines are done and dusted for another year, and there was plenty of wild action over in Perth. Here's the best, worst and weirdest of day two of the tournament.
- You crazy for this one, Rick!
Some teams took the Nines very seriously. They sent over strong squads, they played to a plan, they wanted to go out there and win, maybe try a few things they’ve practiced over the offseason. Brisbane, for example, sent over some of their best players, like Payne Haas and David Fifita and Parramatta sent their entire first grade squad. There were other teams who didn’t care so much.
The Raiders sent over a squad of reserve graders and young fellas, and although they were captained by star backrower Elliott Whitehead, the Englishman did not play a single minute. It was incredible.
Great players make the Nines great, but it's always fun to see which teams flat out do not care, and Ricky Stuart has been so consistent in his selections for the tournament that it's hard not to respect it at this point.
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- Let’s all overreact!
Overreacting to trial form is a pre-season tradition, and over-reacting to Nines form is the other side of the same coin.
Given the abbreviated format and the lack of star players it’s silly to try and take too much away from the tournament…but if you’re a success-starved Knights fan how can you not be fascinated by the mini-revival under Adam O’Brien?
Or if you’re a Sea Eagles supporter, how could you not be stoked about youngster Luke Metcalf?
Or how could any red-blooded Cowboy not be absolutely stoked with the form of Scott Drinkwater?
Or if you’re a broken Titans fan who has soured on the club after their recent struggles, how could you not have a little bit of hope after Gold Coast’s promising run to the semi-finals? Fans are starving for hope after the long summer without footy, and sometimes it’s a case of any port in a storm.
- Young bloods announce themselves
It’s always fun to see some young unknowns tear it up in the Nines, and this year was no exception. Metcalf showed a great turn of pace for the Sea Eagles and looks a likely type, while Cody Ramsey was one of St George Illawarra’s best and teenager Tesi Niu looked more than ready for first grade despite Brisbane’s struggles. Tex Hoy, future sheriff of Newcastle, was another rookie who enjoyed a terrific weekend.
- It’s Hammer time
We’ve already spoken about the rookies, but Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow deserves special mention. Going into the weekend, Jason Taumalolo reckoned the 18-year old was already the fastest man in the game, and after what happened in Perth he might be right.
All of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s tries came from deep in his own half, and all of them were the sort of tries only somebody with real, true speed could have scored. Remember the first time you heard the name, because before long the whole rugby league world will know about “The Hammer”.
- The Bunker isn’t all bad
The Dragons-Panthers quarterfinal was the match of the tournament, and it still would have been if the referees had correctly disallowed Ramsey’s late match-winner, which was shown on replay to be a clear drop. There’s plenty of complaining about video referees, but it’s always better to have them than to not, because it means these howlers can always be avoided.
FULL RESULTS
Broncos 16 def Roosters 0
Dragons 29 def Warriors 7
Knights 16 def Panthers 4
Roosters 14 def Warriors 8
Sharks 25 def Bulldogs 4
Eels 15 def Dragons 7
Rabbitohs 29 def Raiders 8
Titans 14 def Wests Tigers 13
Cowboys 10 def Sea Eagles 7
Broncos 12 def Storm 8
Quarter Final 1 – Eels 14 def Knights 7
Quarter Final 2 – Dragons 17 def Panthers 14
Quarter Final 3 – Titans 24 v Sea Eagles 0
Quarter Final 4 – Cowboys 20 v Rabbitohs 6
Broncos 25 def Warriors 4 (NRLW)
Roosters 14 def Dragons 13 (NRLW)
Semi Final 1 – Dragons 8 def Eels 6
Semi Final 1 – Cowboys 19 def Titans 8
Women's final – Dragons 28 def Broncos 4
Men's final – Cowboys 23 def Dragons 14
Originally published as Wild, wild west; The best of the 2020 NRL Nines in Perth
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