Normal service resumes
Penrith last season went all-but into the grand final, stringing together improbable victory after improbable victory. Despite being busted like bashed-up Jatz Crackers they continued to win and win again. This year, not so much. This year when they don’t have star fullback Matt Moylan for 70 minutes and star five-eighth Jamie Soward for 40 minutes they lose to Parramatta Eels, an inconsistent mob at the best of times. Last year, somehow, the Panthers kept on keeping on, despite losing a player a week. But it seems that was an anomaly. Normal service has returned and the maxim that a coach is only as good as his players is …. back. Is here. Holds true. Yet Ivan Cleary and the Panthers aren’t dead and far from it. They have a quality operation. And June injuries are better than September ones. But with two of the major vertebra of their spine off the field, Penrith are back with the all-panting pack.
Spectacular stuff up
Sunday afternoon’s 42-6 flogging at the hands of angry Dragons told us several things about the poor Cronulla Sharks, none of them edifying for the bongo-bonking party people who make up their ever-suffering fan base. For one, they can’t attack. For two they can’t defend. Halfback Jeff Robson’s fifth tackle option, 30 metres out, was kick the ball along the ground to Josh Dugan. That was the option. That was it. That’s the extent of the Sharks’ attack. Switzerland attacks better. When they did have a crack they threw it about on their own try-line. And conceded a drop-out. And kicked out on the full from the kick-off twice. And generally just stuffed everything up. Poor day at the office perhaps. But if they play like this each week they won’t just be whacked with the wooden spoon they’ll have their eyes gouged out with it and be relegated out of the comp, their spot taken by someone more worthy such as Maitland Pumpkin Pickers or Nar Nar Goon FC. That “The Goon” plays Australian rules in Ellinbank & District Football League in Victoria is illustrative of how poor the Sharks were on Sunday. They were char-black toast.
Men versus boys
The Dragons? Who are these Dragons and what have they done with the Dragons? Six tries, nine goals, one try conceded, halves in sparkling form, fullback carving up like Changa Redux. Their hooker is pushing for an Origin-berth and their stingy forwards are keen to crush their enemies. Some pundits’ (gulp) spoon favourites pre-season, the Red V is red hot. True, the Sharks could do with Todd Carney. They could also do with Ben Barba which is weird because he was playing for them Sunday in the rout. And true the Sharks kids are learning how to play National Rugby League rugby league. But the Dragons ate them like meat-lovers pizza. Smoked them. Clinically, brutally, borderline immorally. Maybe not immorally. But it was men versus boys and men won.
Running ragged
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has a step more dangerous than a backyard meth lab. How about that thing? That step of his it’s … like an electric eel. It’s like a cattle prod. Bzzt! And off he shoots, little RTS, bouncing about, this firecracker, this fullback. He’s a ripper, Roger. Elsewhere in Sydney’s entertaining thumping of Melbourne Storm, Mitch Aubusson again showed he has plenty of game. Jake Friend proved he is Origin-standard, again. And on the back of metre-eatery by Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Sam Moa, Jimmy Maloney and Mitch Pearce with a point to prove, again, ran the Storm ragged. Melbourne’s flankers are good players with the ball. Without it and Billy Slater they were terrorised by Maloney and Pearce. The Roosters lost four straight not that long ago but no game by a lot. Since then they’ve demolished Wests Tigers, belted the Bulldogs, and rode roughshod over comp heavyweight Storm. And for the dwindling amount of money in my betting account, these Chooks remain the testing material of this National Rugby League.
A miracle in Canberra
Brisbane’s try on Saturday against Canberra at GIO Stadium is lay-down misère try-of-the-year. It’s got to be. A thousand sets of hands, all-running malarkey, dash and derring-do. It was like Queensland’s “that’s not a try that’s a miracle” try in ’94. Indeed caller Andrew Voss roared, “It’s a miracle in Canberra! What just happened!” Not the same sheep station riding on it. But you’re still pretty happy with it to win a round 12 game in Canberra. Canberra? Has now lost three straight after giving fans some of Barack Obama’s “hope”, but are now being mocked again as if by Sarah Palin, “How’s that hopey-changey stuff working out for y’all?” The Raiders were 150-1. They came in to 50-1. Their true odds are probably somewhere in between there.
