7 sleeps to go

At the one week mark now, so at the very least if you are sick of me spamming your Twitter timeline with how close the season is and you haven't unfollowed me yet, well I'll be stopping soon. Moving on with the countdown now and what better time to bring him into the equation given the events of the last few days, the latest to seeming fall victim to the curse of being the "face of Rugby League"...

#7 Ben Barba

Well until a couple of days ago I didn't have the slightest clue that when I came to Ben Barba in the countdown I'd be talking about a guy who was being stood down. There's already enough coverage of the Barba situation, so I won't dwell on it any further, this countdown is about the best footy players, so I'll focus on why Ben deserves his spot here at number 7. Of course, anyone who pays any attention to League probably knows the case when it comes to Barba's 2012 season. The 23 year old took the world by storm, and was the clear cut most lethal weapon in the competition, putting together one of the all time great seasons. His illustrious season capped off by winning Dally M Fullback of the Year, Dally M Player of the Year, the Peter Frilingos Memorial award, the Provan Summons Medal, RLPA Player of the Year, RLW Player of the Year. After every Bulldogs game, I simply couldn't wait until the following week when I'd get to see Barba in action again, he was an excitement machine. Watching Barba was edge of your seat stuff, he was more likely than not going to deliver something jaw dropping. He did it all with a contagious smile and enthusiasm for the game, which makes the news of his personal issues so much worse to here, this guy looked happier than a kid on Christmas on the footy field. There's very few athletes who I've considered such a joy to watch as Ben Barba.

The human highlight reel

Unsurprisingly, Barba's magical 2012 season saw him amass some of the NRLs best statistics, all of which emphasise the incredible attacking threat that he is. 22 tries the most in the competition, 24 line breaks, 3009 metres, 159 tackle busts, 31 offloads, 22 try assists. While leading the competition in tries is obviously a big stand out, the real story of how lethal Barba is comes in his line breaks and tackle busts stats. He was 3rd in the NRL in line breaks and 2nd in tackle busts just 3 behind Greg Inglis. Of course we expect the hulking Inglis to bust through tackles, but Barba is one of the smaller blokes in the competition at 174cm and 90kg. The next guys on the list were Bowen and Brett Morris with 117, 42 tackle busts behind Barba. Lightning quick off the mark, Barba is one of the most fast and agile players in the competition. and this helps when it comes to breaking out of tackles. He's incredibly slippery, many of his huge runs aren't just clean runs through the gap, he's dancing around defenders, slipping out of their grasp, throwing in a fend, kicking a leg free to get away. At times he just can not be tackled, no matter how hard you try, he is too slippery, too fast, it's like trying to catch an angry cat. Once he makes the line break or slips out of a tackle, it's a scramble on defense to try to shut him down, and that's when Barba is at his best, in the loose field with people trying to chase him down and getting to unleash his steps and spins and speed to buy himself time until he finds where he wants to go, and then he's gone. His 22 assists were only 1 less than Thurston, more than the likes of Adam Reynolds, James Maloney, Todd Carney. His assists don't often come in the traditional way those halves mentioned accumulate them, instead they come from Barba making one of his many breaks, and sending whoever is fast enough to keep up with him, often Josh Morris, home with an easy try after he has drawn in the fullback. He tears opposing defenses to pieces, there is no game plan to stop him, he will get through eventually.

A valiant pursuit from Sandow

While Barba is known for his incredible attacking exploits, he's also come along way in other aspects of his game in his meteoric rise to the top. Questions earlier in his career of his ability under the high ball were silenced in 2012 as Barba managed to swallow the pill regularly when opponents would put one up to test him. A lot of that reliability under the high ball comes with confidence, and Barba oozed confidence in 2012. Barba has also developed a fantastic knack for stopping tries, or should I say "saving" tries. On multiple occasions in 2012 Barba robbed would be attackers on tries that would usually be a run of the mill finish. His pace goes a long way in this regard, he can reel in players that most in the competition can't, but once he catches you, he has an uncanny ability to get his body in the right position, and this is often happening at high speed chasing the attacker down, to either dislodge the ball or get himself underneath it. If you subscribe to the theory that saving a try is just as good as scoring one, well Barba may well be the best in the competition when it comes to not only scoring tries but stopping them also. Add on the tries he makes for other guys while you are at it and he's just an outright freak. Nicknamed "X-Factor" there couldn't be a more perfect way to describe him, he is the X-Factor, he is the difference maker, he is the game-breaker. There's something special surrounding Barba where things work out for him. He has all the skill in the world, and it all seems to be accompanied by some sort of magic touch or magic aura that Barba brings with him. Things just come off for him that others couldn't dream of trying to pull off, the ball bounces perfectly for him, kicks are always weighted perfectly for him, everything just clicks. 

Barba says no

Barba has so far torched the NRL for 62 tries in his 80 games, a strike rate of 77%. He's already reached the highest of highs as far as individual NRL performances go, few players in the history of the game have or will replicate the type of year he had in 2012. The questions of Ben Barba now, when he is ready to return to the game, will be based around firstly if he can find his game again after his time away. People already questioned whether Barba could replicate his 2012 form in 2013, a fair question as maintaining such a high level of play would be incredibly difficult, Barba went out and delivered an ominous response in the 2013 All Star game by scoring a hat trick. But now with the extended stint away from the field, time will tell if and when Barba can get back to his magical best. Once he gets back to the top of his game, the questions will revolve around Barba as a possible representative player. Despite a season for the ages, Barba could not earn selection in the Queensland State of Origin side and has yet to turn out for the Maroons or Australia. This isn't a negative reflection of Barba's ability at all, but the reality of being from the same state and country as a player many regard as the best fullback in history in Billy Slater. Spots do not tend to open up on the Queensland team unless injuries or retirement dictate it, and no matter how well Barba may play, the likelihood of anyone taking Slater's number 1 jersey is very slim indeed. Like so many young Queensland players over the years, he will have to continue to bide his time and remain patient until somehow he slips into the team either as a spark plug off the bench or getting an opportunity through injuries. This is what for now separates Barba from the players to follow in the countdown, he was the best player in the NRL in 2012 without a doubt, but the players to follow have a longer list of credentials, NRL Premiership wins and stacks of representative appearances. But Barba is only 23, and he has a long time left to start stamping his mark in the representative arenas, to begin making his argument for being not only one of the best players in the NRL, but one of the best to ever play Rugby League.

Barba fired his warning shots for 2013 in great fashion

The loss of Barba, even if only temporary, is a big loss for all Rugby League fans, the NRL is a much more exciting competition with him on the scene. I eagerly await Barba's return, but hope he takes the time to resolve the issues that he has, there are more important things in life than League. Until he returns, he's already left us with more highlights over a few seasons than most have in their entire careers. Waking up tomorrow we'll be looking at only 6 sleeps remaining, less than a week. Thursday next week, if you're like me, you'll be enjoying some Thursday Nighty Footy! as always, feel free to contact me on Twitter if you have any comments or suggestions @WellsNorthShore

8 more sleeps to go

#8 Jamie Lyon

So here is yet again another Manly player, and this time it's the captain of the ship, or "co captain" I should say. At 31 Lyon is one of the "old timers" compared to most of the players to have featured in this countdown, but he's playing quite possibly the best footy of his career. The Jamie Lyon story goes all the way back to the year 2000 when he made his début for Parramatta where he would go on to make 70 appearances. He'd then embark on a trip to the Super League making 60 appearances for St Helens, before coming back home to the NRL where he took on a contract with Manly who has since logged 138 games and counting. That's a whopping 268 games of club footy for Lyon, a wealth of experience and add to that 8 appearances for Australia, 10 for NSW and 2 for NSW Country. Lyon was a Man of Steel winner in the UK all the way back in 05, and lead St Helens to a Super League Title and a Challenge Cup Title. He was the Dally M Centre of the year in 2010 and 2011, the RLIF Centre of the Year in 2011, and in 2012 he added the Dally M Captain of the year award to his shelf. With Manly he was a Grand Final winner in 2008 and 2011, including being part of the side that put a 40-0 Grand Final thrashing on Melbourne, he's also one of a small number of players still in the NRL who has been part of a series winning NSW State of Origin effort, Lyon has had success in every facet of the game.. A finalist for Centre of the Year in 2012, missing out to a high flying season from Josh Morris riding shotgun with Barba, Lyon should be an automatic selection for both NSW and Australia, but elects to remove himself from the representative frame. Of course Lyon is more than welcome to make his own decisions, but it's a shame that his career rep honours won't historically reflect just how good he is. His lack of representative appearances may see him not in the spotlight as often as some of the other centres in the game, but his on field performances for Manly make it clear who the top dog in the midfield is.

Killer breaks the Sharkies hearts

Lyon is another one of these fantastic players who has all the talent to play across multiple positions. While in recent years he has settled down in the centre role, and subsequently became the best centre in the game, Lyon has spent much of his career playing at five-eighth also. This is by no means in a "fill in" type capacity, he has the ability to be a legit NRL level five-eighth, and indeed when Manly won the title in 2008, Lyon spent the majority of the season at five-eighth, including through the finals. He has all the five-eighth skills, a great tactical kicking game, the passing game, and the critical understanding of the game that comes with being a class five-eighth. While it's not a requirement of a guy in the 6 jersey, he's also a great goal kicker, which lead to him being one of the most prolific point scorers in the competition in 2012 with 190. Defensively he's a rock, he's got plenty of pace, and he's got the sort of rugged mentality in his approach to the game that is so often found in those who are good on the defensive side of the football. .

A rare highlight where Barba wasn't the star

Taking a look at his stats, you see the versatile, well rounded game he brings to the table...

• 11 tries
• 18 assists
• 16 tackles per game
• 75 metres per game
• 7 line breaks
• 15 line break assists
• 45 kicks in play
• 55 tackle breaks
• 25 offloads

this really tells the story when it comes to Jamie Lyon's abilities. While he was 4th overall in the NRL in points, he isn't pushing the top of the rankings in any of these stats, but he's merging so many different skills together and that's what separates him from the pack. It's a unique threat to have a centre who is also such a talented kicker, sure there's centres in the comp who can boot a ball, but Lyon has the tactical kicking game. Whether it be an attacking grubber or chip through for his winger for a try, or a defensive kick to take the pressure off, he has all the tools and he has the brains to make the right decisions. Manly's 2012 season saw the squad constantly shuffling players through due to injury, but this didn't seem to phase Lyon. He held things down on his side of the field no matter what forwards and wingers were playing with him, and again this is an example of how his wide array of skills come into play. He can adjust his game to play with anyone,  and he can adjust his game to play against anyone, he has so many options in how he approaches the game that there isn't situations or combinations that he can't adapt to. Factor in his tenacious approach to the game, his experience, big performances in big matches, the way nothing phases him, he's a fantastic leader for his side and that lead to a thoroughly deserved Dally M Captain of the year award to celebrate another brilliant year from Lyon. Heading into 2013 and his 14th professional footy season, Lyon looks as dangerous as he ever has, and as part of a great Manly outfit, expect more of the same from the man known as Killer this year.

Check back in tomorrow for number 7, which means we'll be at the one week point! with this Wednesday all but wrapped up, there's only one League free day of each day of the week left to endure. That means only one more League free Monday, one more League free Tuesday, one more League free Wednesday and so on, so revel in the fact that every day is a countdown milestone at this point! Throw me a Tweet if you have any comments @WellsNorthShore 

9 more sleeps to go

So here we are into the single digits with 9 more sleeps remaining. I like to continue to set little markers within the countdown to make it feel like more progress was being made, and cracking into single digits was one of those. Next it's the march towards the one week mark, which is only a couple of nights away, yes after just two more posts we'll be looking at only one week of sleeps until the footy is back! on with the countdown...

#9 Robbie Farah

2012 was a turbulent year for the Tigers rake both on and off the paddock. Injuries saw him restricted to just 16 games and the disappointing Tigers, predicted by most to be amongst the competitions elite fizzled out and missed the top eight, but when he was on the paddock, he once again showed why he's the best hooker in the game not named Cameron Smith. For a long time Farah has been ignored when it comes to NSW selection, with only two appearances in 2009 and 2012 looked to be no different as he was advised that the returning Danny Buderus would be taking on the blue number 9 jersey as Farah, once again, was deemed not an "Origin" type of player. But fortune would favour Farah in the form of an injury to Buderus, and after an outstanding performance for NSW City, Farah finally found himself back in the Origin arena.  While the Blues would once again go down to Queensland, Farah stood out as one of the best players in the series, picking up the Brad Fittler medal for NSW and putting on one of the great Origin performances in the game 2 victory for New South Wales. Farah would handle the ball 101 times and amass an Origin record 63 tackles, with no missed tackles, leaving anyone who questioned Farah's credentials as an "Origin type player"  with a fair bit of egg on their face. But a cruel twist followed, after Farah played quite possibly the greatest game of his career, he soon lost his mother Sonia to her battle with pancreatic cancer. To make matters worse, his mothers untimely passing was thrust into the media as miscreants on Twitter thought it an opportune time to put the knife in to Farah, who opted to take this as an opportunity to draw attention to the way people use the social media platform and make them held more accountable. 2012 would see Farah become the most capped Tigers captain in club history, and at the same time once again see rumours of a rift between he and star half Benji Marshall which he vehemently denied in a scathing interview with Matthew Johns on NRL on Fox. The end of the year saw bitter disappointment from a club perspective, but a finalist for Dally M Hooker of the Year as one last testament to the level of his own individual performance.

Not sure what's going on with this guys TV but it can't be good for his eyesight 

At 29, Farah has logged 185 games for the Tigers, was part of the 2005 Premiership winning team, 3 games for Australia and 1 for Lebanon, 5 for NSW, 6 for NSW City as well as appearing for the NRL All Stars. He's a two time Dally M Hooker of the year, a two time runner up for Dally M Player of the year, as well as a RLIF Hooker of the Year winner. Consider for a moment the competition Farah has been up against for those Hooker of the Year awards,namely, one Cameron Smith. Many believe Smith to be the greatest hooker the game has ever seen and, surprise, he'll be revealed later on in the countdown. In recent times, Smith has had somewhat of a monopoly on the award, winning it 4 times, so it says a lot that Farah was able to take it twice. In a competition without Cameron Smith, Farah may well be a 4 or 5 time winner. So too has Smith denied Farah much of the international acclaim he deserves. With Australia having Smith who is incredibly durable and plays 80 minutes like it's a stroll on the beach, there simply hasn't been much room in the Kangaroos for Robbie. If Smith wasn't on the scene, we'd be talking about Farah as the premier hooker in the game after the departure of Buderus. But what of his lack of Origin matches? after all, Cam Smith doesn't stand in his way there. Danny Buderus had laid claim to the Origin hooking spot before Farah even entered the competition, and went on to amass a total of 21 games for NSW. Once Buderus was gone, the NSW selectors turned a blind eye to Farah, labelling him as not "Origin material" compared to players perceived to have more of an edge to them like Michael Ennis, of course, when Robbie finally got his opportunity, this theory went right out the window.

Farah putting another grub in his place

The notion that Farah didn't play an Origin type of game wasn't entirely unfounded. Despite his herculean defensive effort in 2012 game 2, Farah is first and foremost known for his exemplary abilities on attack. The high flying offensive style of the Tigers isn't just about Benji Marshall, Farah is just as much a part of it. His sniping runs around the ruck are extremely potent and he has a bit of toe on him once he cuts loose. He's got a great understanding of what's going on and has a very crafty passing game to back that up, he's extremely dangerous near the opponents goal line with his ability to either make the slippery scoot out of the ruck, or hit a crispy short ball to put a man over the line. On top of this, he's got a fantastic kicking game, often taking the pressure of his halves by launching some big, precise kicks out of dummy half, the occasional drop kick too if need be, he has all the tools to play in the halves and indeed has in the past. Like many others who have made my countdown, he brings to the table the skills of various positions to separate him and make him one of the elite. In Robbie Farah, you have a hooker with the speed, darting runs and distribution that you want from your number 9, but then you add to that the kicking, passing and mental game of a half, and then you start looking at a guy who isn't just a great hooker, but one of the greatest overall players in the competition. The high octane attack at the Tigers which was powered in large part by Farah is a far cry from the gruelling defensive slugfest that Origin often becomes, but if people couldn't see this in Farah at an NRL level, they certainly saw it in Origin. Farah is a real heart on his sleeve type of player, and that's why he's been such a great captain for the Tigers. He doesn't have the reputation of one of the hard men in the competition, but he's all heart and when you have as much heart as Farah does then that's enough to make you one tough competitor. This guy gives you absolutely everything he's got and never gives up, he might not always get it right, but at least you know he's going to do all he can to get you a win. Defensively, well all you have to do is once again point to that effort in Origin 2, when you break the tackling record for Origin, then that's about all you need to prove your defensive credentials. Once again I feel this comes back to the heart Farah plays with, he's 179cm and 89kg, on the Origin paddock that makes him one of the small blokes, and Queensland wanted to exploit that, but he just dug deeper than anyone else on the field and refused to yield. 

"Even Rocky had a montage"

Farah enters the new season as the captain of a team with a lot to prove. The Tigers should have been much better than they were, and they should be much better in 2013, the majority of that expectation falls on the shoulders of Farah and Marshall. For the first time, Farah enters a season as "the guy" when it comes to the NSW hooking situation, and while 2012 was such an up and down season for him in so many ways, knowing that you're the premier hooker from your state must put a bit of a chip on his shoulder. I expect this to only be a good thing for Farah, in no way do I think he will become lazy or assume he will make Origin again, in fact quite the opposite. Getting that taste of Origin, only to ultimately lose the series, is going to just spurn Farah on more, push him to ensure he gets an opportunity for another crack at it. He's waited a long time to be that guy, and I don't see him letting anyone take that blue 9 jersey away from him. No longer needing concern himself with the once looming threat of DJ Yallah reappearing at his restaurant should ease a massive load off his shoulders also...

HECTIC BRO

Check back in tomorrow for number 8, special marks for you if you know where the montage quote is from.  As always if you have any comments, criticisms, suggestions then let me know @WellsNorthShore one more  great Farah clip to see us off...

10 sleeps to go

For the last time my countdown to the 2013 year will feature a double digit number, once we move past here, we are down to only 9 more sleeps! Today we were hit with the shock news of Ben Barba being removed from the game indefinitely. There's a lot of rumours floating around, and a lot of people making comments without really having a clue what Barba has done, including some pretty big names in League throwing out some unverified comments. In today's social media driven world, it's far too easy for people to make a quick comment without thinking about the repercussions. Earlier today, social media was blowing up about Barba and apparently he was a wife beater and on it went. The guy clearly has some issues that he needs to sort out, but we aren't privy to what exactly those issues are, nor do we need to be. It sounds like his team is doing the right thing for Ben, and that should be all we need to know unless Barba wants to open up further about it. Hopefully whatever issues Barba is dealing with can be overcome and we as fans will be luckily enough to have him back entertaining us on the field sometime soon. At the end of the day, as much as we all love Rugby League, there are more important things in life, let's just remember that he's a 23 year old kid despite being on top of the Rugby League world in 2012. Now let's move on with the countdown...

#10 James Tamou

Despite not picking up the Dally M honours, in 2012 James Tamou for me cemented himself as the premier prop in the competition. While he still needs to pad his CV to match the likes of team mate Matt Scott, at just 24 Tamou has blossomed into the yard stick which all other props will be measured. He's a whopping unit at 195cm and 114kg and he has a motor that just doesn't stop. Put a couple of pairs of footy boots on a horse, strap a pair of hands to it, and you'd have James Tamou. 394 runs for 3808 metres, putting him second in the NRL in both categories despite missing time for Origin. 86 tackle busts, 35 offloads, Tamou is just an absolute force carrying the ball. Tamou found himself the centre of controversy in 2012 as the Palmerston North born, former New Zealand Maori representative was caught in a war over his eligibility between New Zealand, Australia and subsequently New South Wales. The allure of the Origin stage and it's financial benefits proved too much for Tamou and he subsequently pledged his allegiance to Australia, resulting in Tamou starting all three games in the #10 jersey for NSW and making his Australian test début off the bench against the Kiwis. It was Tamou who would have the last laugh as he was voted the Australian teams players player of the game in the test, rising to the occasion in a raucous Eden Park environment against a team clearly out to teach him a lesson.

 Where is Palmerston North? that's in New South Wales! Queensland's everywhere!

Beginning his NRL career back in 2009, Tamou had logged 78 games for the Cowboys at the age of just 23 after making his move from the Sydney Roosters Toyota Cup team in 2008. His 3808 spread over his 24 appearances on the season saw him average a gigantic 158 metres per game, more than any other prop in the competition and he's generally good for around 50-60 minutes on the field every week, a huge workload for such a big, damaging runner. His great size and strength allows him to free up his arms for an offload regularly, which proves very dangerous with the dynamite backs at the Cowboys. Tamou gives you go forward all night long, there's nobody better in the competition at putting your team on the front foot than Tamou. 

There's nowhere to hide from Aussie Jim

What is most often overlooked about Tamou is that the guy is actually really quick for someone his size, really agile to boot. Someone his size doesn't often have to go around a player, not when he can just turn them into a speed bump and run straight over them, but Tamou actually has a pretty useful step on him. If Tamou finds himself in the open field, which he often does thanks to the playmaking genius of Thurston and Bowen, then watch out. A 114kg tank who has pace and the step to turn defenders inside out is more than a handful. Defensively, Tamou is good for around 20-30 tackles a game and he doesn't miss many. On only three occasions did Tamou miss more than 2 tackles in a game and as you'd expect from a guy his size, when he tackles someone, they feel it. He doesn't deliver too many highlight reel huge hits, but when he hits someone, there's no leeway there, it's like running into a brick wall, once you hit Tamou, your run stops. 

Take a moment to look at how monstrous this guy is compared to the rest of the field

Tamou on the rampage with the big step

2012 was really the coming out party for Tamou, taking his game to the representative stage for everyone to see. From here, expect to see Tamou add to his career becoming a staple member of the NSW and Australian teams for years to come as well as continuing to help lead the charge on one of the most competitive outfits in the NRL. He's already ascended to the top of the propping ladder on the field, now it's a matter of forging a career of accomplishments to testify to his amazing on field efforts. 

Check back in tomorrow as we move on to number 9, so close to only a week away. Any criticisms or comments, throw me a Tweet @WellsNorthShore

God of nations at thy wait wait wait let me start over

11 sleeps to go

Only one more League free Sunday left until the season begins, how good does that sound? if we can just make it through this coming week, we're on the home stretch! in fact with the season kicking off on a Thursday, there's only one more League free Thursday left as well until kick off! moving on now with 11 sleeps until the season begins, here's number 11 in the countdown...

#11 Matt Bowen

To me, Matty Bowen is one of the most under-appreciated players in the competition. Sure, everyone acknowledges he's a really good player, but I see him as one of the true superstars of the game, and that's why he comes in here at number 11. It's easy to understand why Bowen at times flies under the radar, he plays in the shadow of Thurston at the Cowboys, JT is the identity of that team, and the spotlight for their attacking nous primarily shines on him. He's only had one game for Australia, and despite lodging 10 games for Queensland, he hasn't been in the team since 2007 so he isn't exactly basking in the limelight on the representative stage. At the ripe age of 30, Bowen is amongst the oldest players in my countdown, making his début all the way back in 2001. As he prepares to embark on what will be his thirteenth NRL season, all of them with his beloved Cowboys, Bowen comes off yet another fantastic season, 78 points, 13 tries, 21 line breaks, 117 tackle busts (tied for third in the competition), 189 kicks in play and 28 try assists which was second only to Benji Marshall and Cooper Cronk. These stats tell the story of one of the most exciting, creative, dangerous attacking players in the competition, as you would expect from a former Dally M Fullback of the Year and two time leading NRL try scorer. Then consider this, Bowen was second in Dally M voting for 2012, missing out to Ben Barba, and consider this also, Bowen was second in Dally M Fullback of the year voting, again missing out to Barba. If not for Barba putting on one of the greatest individual seasons we've seen, we'd quite possibly be talking about Bowen being the best player in the competition in 2012. This while playing with a banged up shoulder most of the season that required off season surgery. 

2012 was a fabulous year for the Cowboys speedster

Mellow on those stats from Bowen for a moment, they're certainly very impressive, placing him among the best players in the NRL. Then consider that he puts up those stats playing with Jonathan Thurston. Now of course, JT has a positive influence on his team-mates stats when it comes to things like line breaks and tries, it's but one of his many glorious talents the way he can put guys through the line. But consider the fact that Bowen has to share the ball around with Thurston, indeed JT is the primary playmaker on the Cowboys. Yet Bowen still had more try assists than Thurston, 28 to 23 and he still put up a whopping number of kicks despite being behind team mate Thurston. What kind of gaudy numbers could Bowen put up if he was the main conductor on the team? well we are exposed to that when Thurston leaves the scene for Origin duty and the burden falls heavier on Bowen, and Bowen delivers time after time showing himself to be more than capable of being the go to guy. As it stands however, the two of them have long been one of the most dynamic combinations in the NRL and they are both much better benefiting from each others abilities, but I find it all the more impressive that Bowen can achieve such lofty numbers while sharing the load with JT.

Bowen and Thurston share one of the best on field connections in the NRL

Two knee reconstructions and the effects of age have lead to Bowen slowing down, slightly, but if you watch him in action, you'll think the suggestion that he has slowed down must be crazy. He still has blistering pace and he's not the least bit shy about pinning his ears back and taking off. One of the greatest things about the Bowen-Thurston connection is seeing Bowen flying through a gap and into open field at full speed after JT has hit him with the perfect pass. It's this blurring speed that has seen him amass a whopping 124 career tries so far throughout his 251 NRL games. He is incredibly agile, he has all the steps, all the swerves, and he can turn on his speed very quickly, if you give him an inch he'll take a mile. But Bowen is so much more than just a speed freak, as his stats suggest. As he has gotten older, he's become progressively wiser, and he's now one of the most astute playmakers in the game. He could very easily slip into the halves if it was required, but it would be a waste of his blinding speed to have him stand around waiting at first or second receiver, though he does step into that role from time to time. He has all the tools you want in the halves, a great kicking game, a great passer, and he thinks the game at such a high level like the best halves do. You wrap all of this up and you have the freakish combination that Bowen brings to the table, the blinding speed and agility of a star wing or fullback, combined with the kicking and playmaking and creativity of a top halves player, vastly experienced, and he's a fantastic leader too. It's this sort of versatile, all around ability that saw Bowen selected primarily selected as an interchange player throughout his 10 Origin appearances.

Speedy Gonzalez or the Road Runner?

I posted the videos above for two reasons. The most obvious being to show off the amazing speed that he possesses by running down some of the other "speedsters in the competition, but also to illustrate what Bowen brings to the table defensively. Bowen's claim to fame no doubt is his attacking wizardry, but he's also very reliable on the defensive side also. His blazing speed allows him to chase down guys on the break that very few others in the competition would be able to reel in. The play on Locke is particularly impressive, the way he reads what Locke is doing, lures Locke in to taking him on outside, and then reigning him in. Very, very few people in the NRL would be able to run down Kevin Locke, Bowen is one of them. This type of thing isn't what most people traditionally think of when they think about defense, they think about the tackle machine forwards up front, but having a guy who can cut down those open field breaks is a wonderful asset to a defense. Bowen's also very courageous under the high ball and he brings them in reliably, there's no weakness to target here, Bowen stands up to be counted defensively. He's one of the smaller guys in the competition at 175cm and 85kg, but he's actually got some real strength to him, and while he won't be allowed to do it in 2013, he's laid out a few guys with the shoulder during his years. He plays the game like he's 7 foot tall and he's got as much heart and toughness as anyone in the competition.

A familiar sight

Check back in tomorrow for the final instalment before we move into single digit territory. Any comments, suggestions, criticisms, give me a tweet @WellsNorthShore 

12 sleeps to go

How great has it been to already have two really enjoyable contests this week? with an enthralling World Club Challenge backing up from the Charity Shield contest, let's hope the two games on tonight prove just as entertaining. Moving on now to 12 sleeps remaining, we are inching ever closer to the single digits, let's get on to number 12 in the countdown with another highlight machine.

#12 Benji Marshall

This may end up reading awfully similar to my entry on Jarryd Hayne. Another guy who once held the throne as the kinf of the NRL. Benji lead a Tigers outfit predicted for the basement to Grand Final glory and took the Kiwis to a World Cup victory. But recent times haven't been as kind to Benji, rather than the fairytale story of the Tigers in 2005, the 2012 Tigers were predicted at many bookies to win the whole competition, instead they floundered out of the 8, finishing up in 10th and the "Benji Magic" was at times not to be found. The 27 year old is a two time RLIF Five-Eighth of the year, a Golden Boot winner, and a Dally M Five-Eighth of the year winner. Statistically, Benji was again amongst the elite of the league, Third in points with 167, 72 goals, 3 drop goals, 312 kicks in play, and leading all players in the competition with 37 try assists. But the Tigers as a whole were an inconsistent outfit, and Benji both contributed and suffered as a result. Without a stable partner in the halves, Benji wasn't able to play his natural game and despite the high assist total, his attacking game was at times stifled by trying to play a more composed "solid" game which just didn't work for him. By all accounts, the Tigers seem set this year to let Benji be Benji, which is great news for all League fans.

By most players standards, Benji 2012 was still awesome

Pretty much everyone knows the deal when it comes to Benji. Arguably the most talented guy in the competition. A former Australian National Touch team player, there's guys that have all the tricks, then there's the guy who made all the tricks. Benji unleashed on the competition an array of trickery the likes of which has rarely been seen across any football code. He's another guy with a humongous boot on him, a great example of which was shown off when he slotted a 50 metre drop goal against the Titans. His arsenal of flick passes, no look passes, skip out passes allow Benji to put guys into gaps that nobody else would think possible. As he drifts across the field, he leaves defenses almost frozen, it's like Benji slows down time so he can make the decision of which runner he wants to hit with his pass. It's his array of fakes, dummies, and his amazing steps that cause this effect, opposing defenses simply don't have the slightest clue what Benji is going to come up with when he has the ball in hand.. That's why you can't constrain Benji and try to settle him down, you need to let him be free, because there's no gameplan to shut down a free roaming Benji Marshall. No disrespect to his Tigers teammates intended, but I'm pretty sure you could put a wheelie bin at centre and give it the occasional push and Benji would send it in for a few tries a year. If you've watched a few Tigers games then you've no doubt seen it, Benji drifting across the field as the Tigers have various options running through, he dummies, he dummies and then he hits a guy with a perfect pass to see him through a gap untouched.

Benji resorted to 50 metre drop goals to even the playing field with Moltzen

After a few grim years dealing with shoulder issues that threatened to derail his career, Benji has now amassed 179 NRL games and 24 tests for New Zealand where he proudly serves as the captain. At only 27, he should still have a few good years left in him. The Tigers will no doubt enter 2013 with a huge point to prove after such a disappointing 2012 campaign. The exit of Time Sheens will bring a fresh environment to the Tigers and I expect Benji to be able to be himself and really find his game again. While Benji was entirely capable in the roll he was used in 2012, it wasn't the best way to capitalize on his abilities. Benji at his best is selective when he enters the play. He isn't a halfback who can control the whole game and lead everyone around, he's a five-eighth who should be playing off a halfback and breaking the game open, that's how you best utilize the abilities of Benji Marshall. I always thought it said a lot about his ability that so many Australian past players, commentators, "authorities" would openly refer to him, a proud Kiwi, as the best player in the world. 

I've spent many a work day watching Benji compilations

Check back in tomorrow for number 11 as we see prepare for the home stretch, the last week of no televised League before the season gets under way. As always I'm on Twitter if you have any criticisms or suggestions @WellsNorthShore

13 sleeps to go

After a highly entertaining Charity Shield to once again give us a tease that NRL is just around the corner, we now have just 13 more sleeps until March 7th, and just one more sleep until the World Club Challenge, Warriors vs Broncos and Foundation Cup tomorrow night. The Rabbitohs certainly looked the part in their Charity Shield outing, Luke, Reynolds, Sutton, Inglis leading the charge as you would expect. They appear ready to pick up where they left off the 2013 year, amongst the top teams in the competition. The Dragons really let themselves down by coughing up the pill far too often, you simply aren't going to take down a team with the size and skill of the Bunnies by making simple errors like that. Now let's move on to number 13 in the countdown with another of the reformed bad boys of Rugby League...

#13 Nate Myles

The 27 year old Myles has been one of the best forwards in the competition for a long time now, but 2012 saw Myles put together what would be his most impressive yet, culminating in being named the 2012 Wally Lewis Medal winner, Dally M Representative Player of the Year and the Dally M Second Rower of the Year. He's certainly came a long way from the young bloke who was done for drink driving back in 2006 and suspended 6 games by the NRL after a drunken tirade in 2010 which involved defecating in a hotel lobby and being found naked on the fire escape. Much like his Titans team mate Greg Bird, he appears to have put his alcohol issues behind him and he is now really maximizing his potential on the field, leading to him being named a co captain at the Titans after just one season at the club.

You won't like me when I'm drunk

At 187cm and 105kg, Myles is built like a brick you know what, he's a very solid  human being. Again like Bird, he's very old school in his approach to the game. Capable of playing in the front row, second row, or lock as required, Myles isn't one of the new breed of flashier, ball playing second rowers. Myles game is based around the fundamentals of what a big tough forward is meant to do. He carries the ball and he carries if often with 339 carries in 2012, and he racks up tackles with 781. He can produce the occasional offload, but he's by no means prolific, he isn't the type of guy to make linebreaks or bust tackles or offer much in the playmaking department. He keeps it simple, he's a big strong guy, and he puts that to use by imposing himself physically around the field by running at guys and tackling guys all night. It takes strength, it takes toughness, it takes an enjoyment of smashing bodies around, and Myles has all of these traits.

Myles and Bird are enough to drive the most sane player up the wall

While Myles doesn't have the flash or flare, he brings another element to his game to support his strong ball running and tackling, and once again it's something he shares in common with Greg Bird. Myles is one of the most niggly characters around. As I've confessed in the past, I'm not saying this is a bad thing, there's room in Rugby League for this sort of behaviour to be effective, there's referees on the field to punish Myles as they see fit but admittedly he is very crafty at walking the line. It's all part of the old school approach that Myles brings, he keeps it basic, he keeps it rough, he keeps it nasty. He knows every trick in the book in the tackle and in the ruck, and it's not just simple things like slowing up the play the ball or slipping the ball out, Myles tricks are often more sinister in nature, about how he can inflict pain on his opponents while they are vulnerable. But testament to Myles, he dishes it out, but he doesn't go into hiding if someone comes knocking for him, while so many may refer to him as a "grub" today, I suspect there's many old timers about who idolized blokes who played like this back in their day.

Nate Myles 101: Head-butts and other antics

2012 may have been the year that Myles play was finally recognized formally through medals and awards, but he has been part of the outstanding Queensland Origin team since 2006. During that time, Myles has logged a whopping 20 Origins, meaning Myles has played in all 3 games for Queensland every year but one since his first selection, that being 2009 where he only made 2 appearances. While he's only been selected 3 times for Australia, making his début in 2010, it says a lot about Myles that he can be one of the players who has earned his way into a Queensland outfit that is widely regarded as the greatest Origin team of all time, and lay claim to a position, refusing to budge despite some very talented challengers to his spot. At 27, Myles, health permitting, should still have a few years of Origin left in him, and with 20 games already Myles is on track to wind up his career with one of the more impressive Origin careers to have been put together. He certainly doesn't appear to be showing any signs of slowing down, considering he was selected as Queensland's best player throughout the 2012 campaign. Myles is the third Titans forward I have named in the countdown, and Queensland Origin regular Ashley Harrison was certainly pushing for a spot also. Surrounded by such talent, 2013 stands to be a big year for Myles after the heights he reached last season. He's tasted so much success in the Maroon jersey, but he's never won a Premiership. With the responsibility of being a co captain, no doubt a lot of pressure will be on Myles broad shoulders to rectify that and translate some of his Queensland success to a struggling Gold Coast outfit. As part of possibly the best forward pack in the NRL, Myles stats may take a blow, but the follow up act to 2012 should be a blinder.

Roman's imprisonment cleared the way for Nate to make a move on Nicole

Check back in tomorrow for number 12 in the countdown. I hope everyone enjoyed the Charity Shield, I sure did, even without shoulder charges! and looking forward to three games to sink my teeth into tomorrow. Any comments, suggestions, complaints, or general chin wag, you can reach me on Twitter @WellsNorthShore

14 sleeps to go

Exactly on the two week mark we come to number 14 in the countdown with a guy who will certainly prove no trouble to find highlight videos of . So as I'll be sure to put in quite a few videos of this guy for everyone's enjoyment I'll make the intro short and snappy and get straight into it.

#14 Jarryd Hayne

 Prepare for take-off 

No doubt somebody is rolling their eyes thinking "eugh Hayne, really?", yes, really. The man known as the "Hayne Plane", "Hayne Train", "Hayne Machine", "Haynesy", "Jazzer", and no doubt countless other things certainly has his fair share of critics. Like him or not however, Hayne back in 2009 was the clear cut best player in the world. As good as Barba was in 2012, his brilliance for mine still wasn't enough to eclipse what Hayne produced in 09, and I'd struggle to think of anyone who produced a season of such magnitude. Hayne's list of awards is a long one, 2006 Dally M Rookie of the Year, 2007 Brad Fittler Medal, 2007 Dally M Winger of the Year, 2008 Brad Fittler Medal, 2009 Dally M Fullback of the Year, 2009 Dally M player of the Year, 2009 RLIF Fullback of the Year, 2009 RLIF Player of the year, 2009 RLW Player of the Year, 2010 Peter Frilingos Memorial Award. Hayne truly was on top of the Rugby League world, but his amazing level of play was never going to be sustainable, and in recent years injuries have clipped Hayne's wings. While he's still played at a high level, he's been clearly hampered, a couple of yards slower than he once was, and an inconsistent squad surrounding him has been of little help. Regardless, I'm not yet ready to write Hayne off, and still see him amongst the upper echelon of players in the league. 

Hayne's 2009 was basically a season long highlight reel

At just 25, Hayne has already forged a very impressive career. 140 games for the Eels with 75 tries, 4 games for Fiji, 6 for Australia, 5 for NSW City, and a whopping 16 Origins for NSW. He's a big, powerful guy for a fullback at 189cm and 100kg, it often takes you by surprise just how strong he is because he moves so lightly on his feet, but when he decides he'd rather barrel into a defender head on instead of prance his way around them, he often sends the would be tackler stumbling back, and he's quite capable of throwing out a big hit if he is in the mood. Hayne may well be the most skilled player in the competition, he's certainly in the conversation. He's got all the tricks, the steps, the flashy passes, the no look passes, the skip out passes, the chips, all of the "park footy" repertoire. 

Looking where you pass is cheating

Then he's got an absolutely booming boot on him. He can really bang the ball a long way. While he plays most of his time wearing the number 1, he is capable of slipping into the five-eight role, and indeed many argue he would be best served staying there. The way Hayne plays fullback in the Eels attack seems him regularly move in at first receiver, he often floats about the backline on attack, waiting for when he decides he should inject himself, then moves in to first receiver for a play and the show begins. Then he returns behind the attacking line, waiting again for when he sees fit to insert himself into the action again. While he does this very well and is very dangerous, keeping in the 1 allows for his gamebreaking kick return abilities to be unleashed also. While he's slowed down a few paces, it's still very exciting to see Hayne bring the ball back, he's always a threat to break a tackle or four, the type of guy who can really produce something out of nothing. 

Shut the gate

I've mentioned a couple of times now about Hayne not being as fast as he once was, and it's true, but he's still amongst the quickest men in the competition, If he breaks the line, you likely aren't going to catch him. He's an attacking wizard, if you made yourself on Rugby League Live, his skill set is what we'd all like to imagine we have. While a lot of fans like to take shots at Hayne, I find that he also has a bit of mongrel in him  when he's pushed which I think is great. Hayne realizes that first and foremost, his job is to be an elite attacking player, not get caught up in the niggly stuff, but he's not afraid to get amongst a bit of biff if the need arises, and if you get him ticked off then don't be surprised if the Hayne Train comes in to try run you over. Most of the time however, he'll do his best talking by utilizing the vast array of skills he has at his disposal.

Step, bump off, step, turbo, gone

I for one hope that 2013 brings with it a healthy Jarryd Hayne set to return to form. The NRL is a better competition with the Hayne Plane in full flight. He is one of the true superstars of our game and he makes for fantastic viewing. From a talent perspective Hayne has all the potential to be number 1 in these rankings come next year if his body allows it. The Eels have anointed Hayne one of the co captains of the team for 2013, a testament to the developing maturity of the young superstar. Hayne's Eels proved very underwhelming in 2012, and a lot is going to fall on Hayne's shoulders if that is to change in 2013, but he certainly is one of the players in the competition with the ability to put a team on his back and lead them to the 8.

Hopefully we see a bit more of this in Origin also

Check back in tomorrow as we move on to number 13, any criticism, any comments, throw me a tweet @WellsNorthShore

15 sleeps to go

We've reached the halfway point of the 30 day count down now, and at the end of this post we will have crossed over that halfway barrier. After this post, there will be only 14 sleeps remaining, only two more weeks! and with the televised games this weekend,  it's just going to keep flying by. Moving on to number 15 in the countdown, it's becoming increasingly difficult to separate guys at this stage, and there's just so many players that I think wow, I can't believe I missed him out, but such is the wealth of talent that the NRL is blessed with. I would love to hear anyone you think I may have missed out, but remember if someone comes in, then someone has to go out, so I'd also love to hear who you think didn't quite deserve to make the cut too.

#15 Daly Cherry-Evans

At just 23, the Manly halfback has seen a meteoric rise in a very short span of time. Some may argue that I'm jumping the gun putting DCE up so high in the rankings, but this guy in his first season won the Dally M Rookie of the Year, RLIF Halfback of the Year, and guided his team to an NRL Grand Final victory, scoring a try in the final. As he enters what will be just his third year, despite already having 54 NRL games under his belt, what halfbacks can you say you would take over him? no surprises, I'll take Cronk over him, and Cronk will of course be revealed later in the countdown and Thurston would be an automatic selection, but he's playing at five-eighth now. For me, this is the best number 7 in the business behind Cronk and that's saying a lot. Even though he's only been around 2 seasons, the only reason DCE isn't already playing Origin for Queensland is the aforementioned Cronk and Thurston, if he was from NSW I have no doubt he would have been playing for the Blues in 2012. Cherry-Evans isn't going anywhere any time soon, but as Cronk waited in the wings for Lockyer and Thurston, so too will DCE wait behind Thurston and Cronk. While the representative honours will have to wait, don't let that fool you, he's Origin class, he's world class.

Yes I posted this on the Brett Stewart entry, but it's worth posting again

It really is fantastic how well rounded DCE's game is at just 23 and after only two seasons. He plays with the poise and control of a guy who has been in the competition 10 years, I'm sure beginning your career by winning a Premiership goes a long way to help a young blokes confidence. He has a huge boot that he's very precise with, and he uses it often, with the 5th most kicks in play during the 2012 year. While he's most adept at kicking off his profound right foot, he's also shown there's plenty of talent in the left one as well should be forced to use it. While he may not be quite as ferocious as his halves partner Kieran Foran, he's also not shy about making tackles, he doesn't go hiding in the backline and he notched up over 20 tackles 18 times over 28 rounds, never dropping below 12. Given DCE's outstanding attacking nous, he'd be one of the games better players without this commitment to defense, and while he misses a few, he's pretty reliable as far as halfbacks go. 

This whole NRL thing seems pretty easy

At 180cm and 84kg, DCE is one slippery character and he breaks an awful lot of tackles for a halfback. He's very elusive and very agile and he has that uncanny ability to almost squirm his way out of tackles, he's the type of player who one moment looks like he's been wrapped up with an elementary tackle, but then he's slipped out and he's away. To add to that he's also deceptively strong and packs a very useful fend especially when he's got a bit of steam up, you'll often see him take a gap or make a break, followed quickly by a would be tackler getting a firm hand to the chest dispatching them away. Speaking of steam, Daly has plenty of toe on him. If he makes a break, often you may as well just shut the gate because he'll be gone. As I said earlier, he plays like he's been around the track for years, and this shines through in his passing game. His passing is very controlled, very accurate, in fact he's very accurate in almost everything he does. But while I say controlled, that doesn't mean he's tentative, it means that he makes the right passes. He's really just the ideal pivot to navigate your team up and down the field. A great kicker, a great playmaker, a great individual threat, he's got it all.

Basically that entire last paragraph in one short video

Embarking on what will be his 3rd year, many players would be looking to break out, to take that next step into the star category. DCE has been a star since his very first year, he's played like a guy in the prime of his career from his rookie year. There's not that much more for this guy to do to his game but just keep on keeping on. Expect Cherry-Evans and Manly to once again be premiership contenders, and expect DCE to again be nipping at the heels of Cronk and JT for a Maroon jersey, if either of them go down then he'll be getting the call up. 2013 will be another year of DCE solidifying himself amongst the games most elite players, right where he belongs. 

"The Phenom" seems an accurate title for this video

Check back in tomorrow as we reach the two week mark of just 14 sleeps to go. As always, I'm around on Twitter @WellsNorthShore if you have any comments.

16 sleeps to go

Today marks 16 more sleeps until NRL 2013 and I'm a little taken back at how quickly it is going by. I started writing these out of boredom, fun and primarily to help me count down until the season begins, after finishing this number 16, that will have been 15 of these articles I have written, 15 nights checked off the calendar, the halfway point! so let's get on with number 16 in the countdown

#16 Matthew Scott

2012 was just another year for the 27 year old Cowboys front rower, and I mean that in only the most complimentary fashion. Backing up from his 2011 Dally M and RLIF Prop of the Year awards, Scott once again displayed the leadership and consistency that has seen him become widely regarded as the top prop in the game. At 185 cm and 106kg, the Cowboys co captain has been the model of consistency and reliability for some years now. Entering his 10th season, Scott has ascended to the level where he is often taken for granted, he puts in a workhorse effort week in week out, you always know what you are going to get from him, leading from the front. He's reached the top of the mountain and now as he embarks on his prime years, he stands to be the alpha prop in the competition for several years to come. The Cowboys had a fantastic 2012 season, and most of the attention is given to the electrifying back line with the likes of Thurston, Bowen, Graham, Linnett, Tate, but the scintillating form of those backs was made possible from the likes of Scott powering one hell of an engine room.

While the spotlight shines on Thurston, Scott carries a lot of the load

While over the next few years I believe some props may rise above Scott in terms of performance, even if only temporarily, what makes Scott deserving of being ranked so highly is his status as the spearhead of not only the Cowboys forward pack, but the Queensland and Australian forward packs also. He's the alpha prop in Rugby League now. While some young pups may come along who can put out a better showing, Scott is now the guy that has been there, done that, especially with the retirement of Civoniceva. While other props may have surpassed Petro later in his career, he still maintained the status of being the old hand in the front row, now that torch has to be passed on and to me Scott is the guy that is picking it up. Entering 2013, Scott has logged 141 games for the Cowboys, 8 tests for Australia, and 11 Origins for Queensland, he's been starting at prop in the last 9 straight Origins. There may be a couple of guys further down my list who I would suggest had better 2012 seasons than Scott, but his overall package of leadership, experience, proven track record at the highest levels, separate Scott from the pack. There may be no more reliable player in the NRL than this guy. 

No matter the stage, the performances remain the same

2012 didn't see Scott dominate the competitions statistical categories. You won't find around the top of the metres or hit up lists, but as always he was putting in the heavy work. The scouting report on Matt Scott is really pretty simple. Think of everything you want in your prop, you want a big motor, you want legs that don't stop pumping, you want courage, you want a guy who leads from the front, everything you want from a prop, Matt Scott has it. There's nothing fancy about him, he can make a nice offload, but what defines Matt Scott  is just simply being a fantastic, genuine prop. a big strong bloke with a tireless work ethic. I almost feel like I'm not doing him justice, that I'm making it sound easy, but if it was that easy, a whole lot of us would be doing it. Think about some of the big units floating around the NRL, putting big shots on the ball carrier, Scott is the guy who runs at these big opposing forwards over and over again. The grand stage of Origin, big hits galore, and Scott is the guy who is leading from the front, ball in hand, running into those big shots time and time again. It all starts up front, and it really says it all that the Queensland Origin team have turned to Scott to lead the way in their last 9 games. His performance in 2011 Origin I remains one of the most impressive front row performances in recent times, eclipsed perhaps only by the herculean effort from Paul Gallen in the following contest.

This is really more of a JT video, but Scott videos were lacking and this one never bores me

Check back in tomorrow for 15, can't believe that we've almost hit the two weeks to go mark! as always if you have any feedback, positive and negative, but preferably constructive, then give me a tweet on @WellsNorthShore