The end of a winning streak
St George Illawarra Dragon’s win over the Canterbury Bulldogs last Sunday —their fourth straight— was one of the club’s best performances since pre-Origin 2011 (after which point the Dragons fell into a sinkhole from which they still haven’t extricated themselves). Pleasingly for Paul McGregor’s men, it combined the Thou Shall Not Pass defence of the previous three and half games, during which time the Dragons have conceded just 12 points, with an attacking edge hitherto sheathed and seemingly lost amid the chaos of their underwear drawer. Having previously scored just 55 points in five games the Dragons put 31 past Canterbury with ruthless efficiency. With Benji Marshall doing a Benjamin Button it was as if every time the Dragons got down Canterbury’s end they came away with points. Still, to be picky, the Dragons’ completion rate was ordinary (27/40), and they’ll need to cherish the ball a lot more if they are to weather the visit to Kogarah of ladder-leaders Brisbane Broncos, who are fresh from their best win of the season, their fifth in a row no less. The suspension of the in-form Tyson Frizell will hurt the Dragons, as might their five-day turnaround. Then there’s countering the renewed zest of Sam Thaiday, the zip of Ben Hunt and the return from injury of the niggliest niggler in the history of nigglers, Justin Hodges. Survive this test and we may begin to look at the Dragons differently.
Manly’s blues, Canterbury’s Blues
To see the Manly Sea Eagles on the bottom of the ladder, and looking at home there, is an unusual sight, which isn’t to say rival fans are not willing to get used to it. Manly might have to as well unless they can find a way to reknit themselves — a psychological challenge, as much as a footballing one, it appears. It’s as if when Glenn Stewart and Anthony Watmough departed someone forgot to cut the cord and thus as they wended their way to Redfern and Parramatta respectively they began pulling strands of maroon and white wool behind them causing a catastrophic unravelling of the Manly jersey to the point it now looks like a crop top. Can Geoff Toovey knit one, never mind purl one? Perhaps the challenge of facing foes Canterbury on Friday will help (yes, they did already play Canterbury, back in round two), as might the return to the starting team of Jamie Lyon and Steve Matai. Canterbury have their own issues (let’s be honest, who doesn’t?), such as the continued absence of star players, their attacking inefficiency, and the related form struggles of Josh Reynolds and Trent Hodkinson (struggles that have prompted Andrew Johns to question their candidacy for NSW for this year’s Origin opener in May). But Manly’s current five-game losing streak away from home hardly suggests they are about to stop the rot.
The Melbourne-Sydney thing
But for that crushing one-point loss to the North Queensland Cowboys in round four, the Melbourne Storm would be on a four-game winning streak and sharing the competition lead. As it is, they are still sitting in second and looking impressively solid. Not bad for a side many expected to slowly fall into ruins like a once grand temple swallowed by the jungle and the march of time. It has certainly helped their cause that Cameron Smith typically failed to succumb to an injury (an off-season ankle surgery) that at one point looked like keeping him from his duties for the opening month. Though he returned looking as underdone as a limb recently freed from six weeks in plaster he was tough enough (and important enough to Melbourne) to endure the furnace floor of NRL whilst getting match-fit, and Melbourne have benefitted from his leadership. Just as crucial, however, has been the metres and sting of Jesse Bromwich (259 metres and 33 tackles last week against Canberra), as well as the quick adaptation to the Storm’s renowned structures of youngsters Marika Koroibete, Kurt Mann, Mahe Fonua and Young Tonumaipea. For all that the Storm’s draw hasn’t been especially tough, something remedied this week when they take on a Sydney Roosters side stung by back-to-back losses, though last week’s golden point loss to Brisbane was hardly one to be ashamed about. If anything it will have given the Roosters a boost as their forward aggression and backline sting looked to be coming back. The Storm, weathering their second-consecutive six-day turnaround, are hard to beat at home but they have a job ahead of them.
JT 4 MOM
Everyone’s* favourite second teams play each other this week and as dangerous as the Warriors can be when their stars align you’d have to think the now flying Cowboys, at home in the sticky climes of Townsville, will have too much, not least because they have Johnathan Thurston who is in such a rich vein of form at the moment that Gina Rinehart must be figuring out how to mine it and sell it to China by the ship load. Obviously there’s a degree of subjectivity in the bestowing of a man of the match award (Wally Lewis used to get them in Origin simply for making his way out on to the field without tripping over) but Thurston has now won three on the trot and who’d back against a fourth? No-one is universally loved, but you’d have to go out of your way to dislike Thurston. And not only because he’s a brilliant footballer and competitor, and has that unrestrained kookaburra laugh. Personally, I like how he’s happy to slap the hands of kids in the players’ race as he makes his way on to the field, the way he tosses his headgear into the crowd at the end of the game, and the way he thanks kids who deliver and retrieve his kicking tee time and again. Small things, yes, but things many others don’t bother to do, or even think to do. It’s nice to be reminded that being a fierce competitor and an arse and not mutually inclusive.
*No surveys were undertaken in coming to this bold conclusion.
The Eels’ search for spark
Since beating South Sydney 29-16 on a recent Friday night at Parramatta Stadium — a win that sparked the kind of effusion of hope and gloriously foolish idealism evident in a political party room after a national election victory— the Parramatta Eels have come crashing down to earth. To run the analogy out, seizing power is easier than dealing with it, what with budgets to balance and promises to break without making it look obvious you’re breaking them. So for the Eels that inspirational night against the Rabbitohs was followed by two dispiriting home losses, 22-6 and 38-16, against the Tigers and Titans respectively. Ill-discipline and errors have hurt them and forced them onto the back foot, and consequently the likes of Chris Sandow and Corey Norman have been taken out of the game. Unfortunately for the Eels, though they’ll welcome the return from injury of Semi Radradra, their attempt to get back into the winner’s circle this week will come away from home and against a Newcastle side themselves trying to arrest a two-game slump. This one’s harder to pick than a swinging seat.
One more thing (yes, that’s six, we’re in bonus territory, folks)
Best of luck to Kasey Badger who, by running the line at the Titans vs Panthers match at the Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon, will become just the second woman to officiate in an NRL match. As she said herself, we can only hope no-one notices her. It’s a strange job where the better you do it the less attention you draw to yourself but there you go.
Fixtures
Friday
Dragons vs Broncos,Jubilee Oval, 7:35pm
Bulldogs vs Sea Eagles, ANZ Stadium, 7:35pm
Saturday
Titans vs Panthers, Cbus Super Stadium, 3pm
Cowboys vs Warriors,1300Smiles Stadium,5:30pm
Storm vs Roosters, AMMI Park, 7:30pm
Sunday
Tigers vs Raiders, Leichhardt Oval, 2pm
Knights vs Eels, Hunter Stadium, 4pm
Monday
Sharks vs Rabbitohs, Remondis Stadium, 7pm
