Power Rankings Round 3

No changes at the top again this week and likely won't be for the foreseeable future as Melbourne looks likely to once again roll through the NRL. A couple of "upsets" however have certainly spiced up the rankings for round 3, and here we go.

#1 Storm - 6 points (prev #1)

Pushed harder than some anticipated by a spirited Bulldogs team, Melbourne marched on to yet another victory, making it three from three to start the season. After sub 70% completion percentages in the first two rounds, the Storm completed 76% this time around. Cameron Smith handled the ball 103 times, made 46 tackles, 4 offloads and kicked 156 metres while Cooper Cronk was once again steering the ship on attack with 2 try assists. Melbourne's +46 points differential is the best in the competition and has them sitting top of the table, there 84 points scored is second in the NRL, just 2 points behind the Rabbitohs.

#2 Rabbitohs - 6 points (prev #2)

Maintaining their spot at number 2 are the Bunnies who join the Storm as the only unbeaten teams in the competition. Put up 44 points on Penrith but in a game that resembled an Under 20s contest they also conceded 32, the Bunnies had exploded for 34 in just the first half. Both Sam and George Burgess trumped 100 yards while Greg Inglis was at his destructive best once again with 186 metres, 1 try, 1 try assist, 3 line breaks, 5 tackle breaks. With 86 the Bunnies have scored more points than any other team in the competition lead by winger Nathan Merritt who has chalked up 6 tries in just 3 contests.

#3 Sea Eagles - 4 points (prev #3)

Suffered their first loss at the hands of the Titans but a loss that really said more about the Titans ability than any shortcoming on Manly's behalf. Jamie Lyon had a costly off night with the boot going just 1 out of 3, while Daly Cherry-Evans goal line drop out that sailed over the touchline for a Gold Coast penalty would be the deciding factor as the Titans would win by just 2 points. Centre Steve Matai showed no signs of the injury that saw him escorted off early last week, making 155 metres with 2 try assists, he really came into his own in the second half doing all he could to lift Manly but it wasn't enough. Manly currently has the third best points differential with 38 and allowed the third fewest points with just 30.

#4 Titans - 4 points (prev #5)

Continuing to move up the rankings, the Titans backed up their belting of the Raiders with a huge statement game picking up a win over Manly. Greg Bird spoke of wanting to establish Skilled Park as the fortress that it once was and this type of victory will certainly go a long way to help that as the Titans announced themselves as a legitimate force capable of handling the big boys. The Titans continue to work their winning formula of a star studded forward pack that logs big metres (1304) setting a great platform for the young halves combination of Sezer and Kelly who have gone from question mark to looking like they've been together for years. The Titans have so far allowed just a measly 26 points, best in the NRL. 

#5 Knights - 4 points (prev #9)

After being dismantled by Manly raised questions over the Knights emphatic round 1 victory, the men from Newcastle answered back in fine form by cruising past the highly regarded Cowboys to remind everyone that they mean business. With Kurt Gidley a late exclusion, Tyrone Roberts stepped in admirably scoring a great try and kicking 5 out of 7 while Fijian flyer Akuila Uate crossed the line twice bringing his total to 5 in 3 games as the Knights rampaged through 1542 metres with a 77% completion rate. The Knights 76 total points is good for 4th in the NRL, yet those points came in just 2 games as they were blanked by Manly in week 2. 

#6 Sharks - 4 points (prev #6)

The Sharks weren't meant to have much trouble with the Warriors, and they didn't, sailing to a 24 point victory in a searing hot day in The Shire. Taking a 18-0 lead into the half, the Sharks never looked in danger of losing this one, and while they were 7.5 point favourites, you still have to go out there and do the job and the Sharks did so in convincing fashion reeling off 1579 metres and missing only 6 tackles. In a surprise to absolutely nobody, Paul Gallen lead all players with 21 runs, which resulted in 198 metres, and he tacked on 19 tackles to go with it. Gallen leads the NRL with 61 hit ups, 13 more than second place Aiden Tolman. The captain has had great support from Andrew Fifita 4th in the NRL in hit ups with 49. The Sharks defence ranks second in the comp allowing just 28 points so far. 

#7 Tigers - 4 points (prev #13)

Backed up their round 2 win with a 5 try performance against the Eels, running rampant in the first half and never looking back. The Tigers continued to look like they are getting their mojo back on attack but were struck a severe blow with the freakish Marika Koroibete being added to the casualty list. The Tigers managed to complete 88% of their sets, a rare site with the way that group likes to fling the ball about, but they missed 31 tackles which is continuing to be troublesome as they sit tied for first in the NRL in that category. Tied for second in line breaks, the Tigers appear to be growing more dangerous, but while they sit around the top third in points scored, they sit around the top third in points conceded also. Robbie Farah continues to be among the very best players in the comp and is second in the NRL in tackles with 126 already.

#8 Roosters - 4 points (prev #11)

Two wins in a row now for the Chooks as they blanked the Broncos in a huge defensive effort with 402 tackles. Completed 74% of their sets but 16 errors will need to be worked on. Jennings once again butchered what would have been a blinder of a try, but his performances really personify this Roosters team. They're getting there, doing good things but not quite cracking into that top echelon of teams yet. Jennings still had a fantastic game with 151 metres, 5 tackle breaks and 2 line breaks and his connection with Sonny Bill Williams continues to look like they could become the most potent combination in the competition. The Roosters are the only team to have so far eclipsed 1000 tackles with 1077 yet are nowhere to be found among the top teams in missed tackles which is encouraging, meanwhile they are tied for 3rd in line breaks. 

#9 Eels - 2 points (prev #7)

After the first round eruption against the Warriors, the Eels have failed to build on that and now recorded back to back losses. The Eels allowed the Tigers to get out of the gate early and often, going into the break down 18 and while they displayed some character fighting back to win the second half 18-13, it proved too much of an ask to overcome the early lead they conceded. While they only registered 3 tries, the Eels backs look a threatening bunch, sitting tied for 4th in the NRL in tries, putting up points isn't a problem and they sit in the middle of the pack defensively. In round 2 the Eels offered nothing in the second half, in round 3 they offered nothing in the first half, they need to be putting 80 minute efforts together like they did in week 1. 

#10 Cowboys - 2 points (prev #4)

Had a very, very bad showing against Newcastle falling to one from three now, but remember one of those losses came against Melbourne so it's hard to hold that one against them. What can be held against them however is a 67% completion rate, 30 missed tackles, 10 errors and getting over the line only once. The Cows scored first in the 9th minute, but the following 70 minutes were all one way traffic, the Cowboys really having an off night. Lock Dallas Johnson never gave up despite the scoreline and racked up 62 tackles.  The Cowboys have put up just 40 points so far, 5th fewest in the comp, more is expected from such a dangerous attack. Little reason to panic however as the loss to Newcastle really just seemed like an off night  which happens to every team on occasion, except maybe for Melbourne.

#11 Bulldogs - 2 points (prev #10)

Despite registering a second loss of the year, the short-handed Doggies did themselves proud, putting up a strong fight against Melbourne. While the Dogs have lost two out of three, those losses have come against Melbourne and the Cowboys, and with the Dogs getting back Ben Barba and Frank Pritchard this week, getting those tough opponents out of the way while they were depleted may prove beneficial. Currently sitting amongst the bottom third in both points allowed and points scored, the Bulldogs have still done a sufficient job of getting through this early stretch of the season with some big names missing. But while they still wait on Kasiano and Graham, the returning names this week will mean we can start to judge the 2013 Bulldogs more accurately. 

#12 Broncos - 2 points (prev #8)

Unable to follow up a strong effort over the Dragons with another win, failing to even cross the line against the Chooks. The Broncos completed their sets well at 77%, put up some good metres with 1366 and won the possession battle with 54% but were unable to capitalize on any of this, not registering a single line break. Without Justin Hodges the Broncos really struggled to challenge the Roosters defensive line, failing to look very threatening at all. While they missed 30 tackles, the Broncos restricted the Roosters to just 1 try, they sit fourth in the comp in points conceded, allowing a stingy 36 points so far. The problem however is offensively, the Broncos have scored the fourth fewest points, 36 points also. 

#13 Panthers - 2 points (prev #12)

Tried to do everything they could in a shoot out with the Bunnies putting up 6 tries, but the Rabbitohs had more weapons in their arsenal. Missed 34 tackles, a regular problem so far for the Panthers who are tied for first in the NRL in missed tackles with 91 and that has lead to them being the third worst team in the league defensively allowing 82 points so far. It's not all bad news for the Panthers however as they sit third in the NRL in points scored so continue to expect action packed games from this lot. The Panthers are getting some great efforts out of front rowers Tim Grant and Sam McKendry who combined for 281 metres in 90 metres last week while the addition of James Segeyaro is proving a great buy bringing some fantastic spark behind Kevin Kingston

#14 Raiders - 2 points (prev #16)

Made a trip to the winners circle for the first time in 2013 going over the Dragons with a comprehensive 5 try performance. Reece Robinson did his best to make people forget about Josh Dugan by grabbing two tries, setting up another and making 141 metres. Shaun Fensom went through a huge amount of work with 160 metres and 47 tackles, the Raiders combined rumbled their way to 1632 metres. Some encouraging signs from the Raiders but still a lot to work on, they sit last in the NRL in points conceded with 85 but they have at least now shown they can get over the line. A hot Newcastle team on the cards this week should be a huge challenge. 

#15 Dragons - 0 points (prev #16)

The first of two teams without wins so far, the Dragons 13 year hoodoo in Canberra continued as the Red V failed to overcome the Raiders. 30 missed tackles and completing just 65% of their sets will be cause for concern. The Dragons at least were able to cross the line three times which may not seem like a lot but with the attacking struggles the Dragons have had it's something, however they're still second worst in the comp with only 33 points. It doesn't get much rosier on defence with the Dragons tied for third worst allowing 82 points so far. Trent Merrin remains one of the few bright points, amassing 45 tackles, 97 metres, 4 offloads and a try assist. 

#16 Warriors - 0 points (prev #15)

Offered very little fight against the Sharks slumping to three losses from three games. The Warriors sporadic episodes of great play were quickly untangled by simple mistakes, a 40-20 followed up by a knock on on the first play summed the Warriors performance up. Unable to generate much in attack, the Warriors now have the least points scored through the first three rounds with just 28, the second most points against with 84 and the worst points differential in the competition. They've made the 5th most tackles and missed the 5th most as well. It likely won't get prettier any time soon with the Cowboys and Bunnies on the agenda.

@WellsNorthShore

Power Rankings Week 2

Two rounds have already flown by and already a couple of teams are separating themselves into the elite of the competition while others are leaving their fans asking many questions. Here's my rankings and recap following round 2.

#1 Storm - 4 points (prev #2)

In what was on paper a game of the round contest against the highly touted Cowboys, the Storm sounded an ominous warning to the rest of the NRL by dispatching of another expected Premiership contender with relative ease. Melbourne once again completed less than 70% of their sets, but the Storm's attacking prowess was too much for the Cowboys to handle running in 6 tries to 2. Once again it was Cronk who stood tallest of the big three, scoring two tries and picking up try assists on two others along with 294 kicking metres. Rookie 2^nd rower Tohu Harris had a big night logging 80 minutes, 123 metres and 31 tackles. A quiet Cameron Smith still lead all players with 35 tackles. 

#2 Rabbitohs - 4 points (prev #1)

Left a lot to be desired but managed to grind out a 2 point win over Cronulla in a very sloppy Monday night footy. The Rabbitohs looked likely to win for most of the game but completed just 66% of their sets and missed 37 tackles.  Andrew Reynolds once again offered plenty for the NSW selectors to think about picking up 2 try assists, 228 kicking metres and 21 tackles, his kicking game was very precise. Greg Inglis was monstrous as usual with 198 metres and 8 tackle breaks. The Bunnies still showed in patches that they are going to be amongst the cream of the crop, they still put up the second most metres of the round, but they did have a bit of an off night.

#3 Sea Eagles - 4 points (prev #4) 

Not sure if it was too much respect for Newcastle or not enough respect for Manly, but the Sea Eagles opened with just a -2.5 line at Brookvale, the bookies won’t make that mistake again as they cruised to a 32-0 victory. Jorge Taufua opened their account early at the 6 minute mark, again  at the 60^th and at the 79^th still wasn't finished as he dotted over for the hat trick. Daly Cherry-Evans amassed 554 kicking metres while Anthony Watmough was at his best with 154 metres, 32 tackles, 6 tackle breaks and a try. With over 1500 metres, 76% completion rate, 12 offloads and 16 missed tackles it was a good 

all-around effort for Manly.  

#4 Cowboys - 2 points (prev #3)

A disappointing week for the Cows who many fancied to give the Storm a run for their money, but weathering the Storm is no easy feat as the Cowboys were reminded Saturday night. A completion rate of 70% and 29 missed tackles will both need to be addressed at training this week, but Melbourne will make many teams look bad this season. The Cowboys will be happy with a strong 15 offload performance, and the co captains were dependable as always. Matt Scott a rampaging 159 metres and 29 tackles while JT asked a lot of questions with 4 tackle breaks, 2 offloads, 1 line break and 2 line break assists. Should have no trouble getting back on track after this hiccup.

#5 Titans - 2 points (prev #8) 

Rocketing up the rankings after the biggest thrashing of the round a 36-0 flogging of the Raiders. Sure, the Raiders looked pretty dreadful, but the Titans showed a lot of grit in their loss to a very motivated Sharks team in round 1, and now have shown off plenty of fire power also. For the second week in a row the Titans lead all teams in metres 1580 and their Origin studded forward pack is looking very strong. Everyone knew the forward group was loaded, but the Titans are shooting up to 5^th because of some great play from young halves Aidan Sezer and Albert Kelly. The halves were the question mark for the Gold Coast this year but these two are gelling very well.

#6 Sharks - 2 points (prev #7)

Given no chance by the books starting with a +8.5 line that blew out to 10.5 in some places, the Sharks couldn't get the deal done against the Bunnies but managed to kept it agonizingly close going down 14-12. Ate up some big metres with 1507, but too many missed tackles with 16, plenty of errors with 18 and they couldn't finish a cake with just 60% of their sets completed. The Sharks however will be very enthused about pulling off 21 offloads, and the captain Paul Gallen as always putting in work with 170 metres and 31 tackles. Michael Gordon looked back to his explosive best with a try, 171 metres and 12 tackle breaks while Luke Lewis also stood out with 104 metres, 8 tackle breaks, 19 tackles and 4 offloads. While people continue to write off the Sharks with speculation about the drug investigation and Flanagan and horse injections and whatever else is floating around there, on the field the Sharks are rallying together to tune all of the drama out.

#7 Eels - 2 points (prev #6)

Went toe to toe in a 7 try first half exchange with the Bulldogs, with an 88% completion rate and 3 tries, but crumbled in the second half to 67% and failing to cross the line again. A weird game overall with a 0 point second half after a try scoring feast in the first, but while the Eels were unable to get their second win of the season, they did at least follow up their emphatic week 1 win with a competitive performance. Chris Sandow continues to look rejuvenated with 389 kicking metres and 3 try assists, if he continues to play like this then the Eels are going to remain a team in the mix for a spot in the top 8. Jarryd Hayne put up the quietest 158 metres and 6 tackle breaks that you'll ever see, he really didn't seem all there for this game, if the Eels can get both he and Sandow firing then watch out. 

#8 Broncos - 2 points (prev #12)

After a 40 minute performance against Manly in week 1, the Broncos delivered a very strong performance in week 2 taking down the Dragons 22-6. The Broncos failed to complete just 2 sets, going 31/33 for 94%. Too many missed tackles with 29 but fortunately for the Broncos the Dragons were able to do little to capitalize on them. Suffered too worrying injury blows with Josh McGuire looking to be out for around a month while Justin Hodges left the game early but is named to play this coming week. A monstrous night out of Ben Hannant with 135 metres, 39 tackles and a try in just 48 minutes with great support from Andrew McCullough who made 50 tackles, Alex Glenn 152 metres 15 tackles and Sam Thaiday 102 metres 38 tackles. A complete performance from the Broncos that will give them a lot to build from.

#9 Knights - 2 points (prev #5)

After flying high in round 1 decimating the Tigers, the Knights were treated to a comprehensive reality check from Manly getting flogged 32-0. The Knights were scored on early and scored on often, a 69% completion rate and 26 missed tackles did nothing to help their cause. The men from Newcastle had no answer for a big Manly team that trampled over them for 1520 metres. Matt Hilder lead all players with 41 tackles, and Darius Boyd delivered another strong performance with 128 metres and 5 tackle breaks but ultimately the Knights were never in this one and their were few positives they could take from that performance. 

#10 Bulldogs - 2 points (prev #10)

Put up 4 first half tries in a back and forth frenzy with the Eels to take a 20-16 lead, then held out the entire second half to finish the game on that same score and pick up the win. Completed 79% in the first half with 5 missed tackles, but backed that up with 63% and 15 missed tackles in the second stanza. Just one Bulldogs player went over 100 metres, tireless Aiden Tolman racking up 162 metres to go with 25 tackles. The Bulldogs have been reasonable enough across their 2 games, but a far cry from the elite team they were last year, unsurprising given the plethora of stars they have out of action. With Ben Barba set to return in round 4 and the likes of Frank Pritchard and Sam Kasiano also returning soon, we'll then get a better idea of what the 2013 Doggies are going to do. 

#11 Roosters - 2 points (prev #11)

It wasn't comprehensive but the Roosters did enough to come away from a trip to Auckland with a 2 point victory. Just 6 errors and a 78% completion rate while all of the Roosters backs had multiple tackle breaks. The Roosters continue to show glimpses of what they may be capable of once they have fully gelled with Sonny Bill Williams and Michael Jennings showing the potential to be a lethal combination. SBW played 80 minutes for 100 metres and 19 tackles, while Jennings was every bit the danger man with 166 metres 3 tackle breaks, 1 offload, 2 line breaks and a line break assist. With a win under their belt it will be interesting to see how the Roosters follow this one up.

#12 Panthers - 2 points (prev #9)

Had to change the script when Lachlan Coote was lost early in the game and will be out for the season. Fell off 38 tackles which is simply unacceptable and asking to get burned by a team like the Tigers who only need a sniff and didn't do much when they got their mitts on the ball completing just 68%. Josh Mansour continues to look the goods with 132 metres and 4 tackle breaks while Sika Manu grabbed 2 tries. While James Segeyaro put forth a valiant effort with 105 metres, 33 tackles and 5 offloads, but it's a big ask for most teams to reshuffle around an injured half. Maintain their position for a solid week 1 performance, but how much of that was attributable to the Raiders ineptitude? 

#13 Tigers - 2 points (prev  #16)

After a disastrous opening round, the Tigers found a bit of their swag and put up 5 tries in a solid win over Penrith. Completed just 68% of their sets and had 14 errors, but the positives came in the form of 9 line breaks and 16 offloads. The Tigers aren't built to be clinical, they're built to be dangerous and we saw a few glimpses of that. Unfortunately lost prop Keith Galloway with a pectoral industry, but Aaron Woods made a huge statement to NSW selectors with 144 metres, 27 tackles, 5 tackle breaks and 2 tries. Marika Koroibete sprung to life after being nullified in week 1, going off for 223 metres 7 tackle breaks and a try. A nice response after Newcastle embarrassed them, but still questions to be answered. 

 #14 Dragons - 0 points (prev #13)

Familiar story for the Dragons who once again failed to muster up much on attack with just 1 try against the Broncos and even that one had to come from Michael Weyman. Unsurprising that the Dragons are apparently willing to overlook Josh Dugan's indiscretions because they won't be going anywhere with this feeble attacking game, even the Broncos being down a man for 10 minutes didn't help them. An 80% completion rate from 40 sets and 8 errors are good numbers as were 15 offloads, but they need to find a way to get over the line. Brett Morris ate up the metres with 214 along with 5 tackle breaks while Trent Merrin was his usual busy self with 160 metres and 3o tackles.

 #15 Warriors - 0 points (prev #15)

Much improved from the rogering they took from the Eels in week 1 but not good enough to put the touring Roosters away in front of 32,740 Eden Park faithful. Matched the Chooks with 3 tries a piece but lack of a specialist goal kicker was very clear and proved costly. 24 missed tackles and 12 errors indicate there's still a lot to improve on but the defence was at least somewhat stronger than the feeble week 1 effort. Lacked direction and creativity in attack, but received a clear boost when utility Pita Godinet took to the field. As always, Ben Matulino proved reliable with 160 metres and 22 tackles and Jacob Lillyman provided great support with 123 metres and 31 tackles. Early in the season but two losses down and a trip to Cronulla followed by visits from the Cowboys and Rabbitohs will be very difficult. 

#16 Raiders - 0 points (prev #14)

Absolutely belted by the Titans on the back of some dreadful defence that saw them heading to the break down 30-0. Saved a little face in the second half restricting the Titans to just 6 points but they were out of this one within the first 10 minutes when the Titans had already crossed the line twice. Completed just 23 sets, 26 missed tackles, 17 errors and a sin binning for Reece Robinson capped off a very turbulent week for the Green Machine. Lock Shaun Fensom was his usual honest self with 42 tackles and big Tom Learoyd-Lahrs chewed off 100 metres off just 10 hit ups but there’ll probably be a few other Raiders on the Vodka Cruisers after this one.

@WellsNorthShore

Round 1 Power Rankings

With round 1 in the books, here's my first of what will be a weekly update on how I have the teams in the competition ranked and an update about how they've gone over the past week. My first time doing these so expect my approach to change overtime, but here we go.

#1 Rabbitohs – 2 points

Got the 2013 season underway with a big opening night game against the Roosters. Let in a quick try only three minutes in, but it was one way traffic from there as they piled on five unanswered tries, three to winger Nathan Merritt. With few personnel changes in the offseason the Bunnies looked like an upgraded version of the strong side they fielded last year. Great structure in attack, size and strength all over the field, Greg Inglis looking like a Dally M candidate.  Completed 84% of their sets, 10 offloads and just 7 errors tied for the best of all teams in the first round.

#2 Storm – 2 points

Business as usual for the defending champions, running in three unanswered first half tries against the Dragons and five in total. Completed just 64% of their sets but had far too much firepower and missed just 13 tackles. The big three were all on form, Slater opening the account for the Storm and making 7 tackle breaks, Smith lead all players with 40 tackles and Cooper Cronk once again was named man of the match. This was the 4^th successive game that Cronk has been recognized the best player on the field, including the 2012 Grand Final and World Club Challenge, he had 328 kicking metres including a 40-20.

#3 Cowboys – 2 points

It was an arm wrestle early on but the million dollar man Johnathan Thurston turned in a stunning effort in leading the Cowboys to a first round win. The teams traded 4 tries in the opening 19 minutes, but the Cowboys would run in 3 unanswered en route to a 12 point win with Ash Graham grabbing a double. Matt Scott and James Tamou combined for over 300 metres and had some great support from impact forward Jason Taumalolo. The forwards laid a great platform and the brilliance of JT would capitalize, unleashing his talented backline by making 7 tackle breaks and 3 try assists, along with 186 kicking metres.

#4 Sea Eagles – 2 points

Fell behind early in the game down 14-6 at the half, but fought back with some valiant play in the second stanza to spell a bad night for Tom Waterhouse and the Broncos. 79% completion rate, missing just 13 tackles from 318, and only 7 errors in a very strong performance despite missing Glenn Stewart and Jason King. Matai won a fantastic duel with Hodges crossing over for 2 tries and 177 metres. Lawrence, Kite, Buhrer and Watmough all eclipsed 100 metres, Kite particularly impressive with 127 metres and 32 tackles in 54 minutes. Daly Cherry-Evans scored a great try, 5 tackle breaks, a gigantic 418 kicking metres and still managed to find time to make 32 tackles.  

#5 Knights – 2 points

Unleashed an offensive onslaught on a hapless Tigers outfit putting up 42 points.  The Tigers struck early with a try in the 6^th minute, but then the Knights simply could not be stopped, piling on 7 tries. The Knights completed 85% of their sets and starved the Tigers out of the game, limiting them to just 27 sets. Fullback Darius Boyd began his 2013 campaign looking back to his best, injecting himself into the backline adding his playmaking nous, 148 metres and 5 tackle breaks in a man of the match performance. Akuila Uate  scored a blistering hattrick, 162 metres, 11 tackle breaks, 2 offloads, 4 line breaks in an ominous display.

#6 Eels – 2 points

Put on a dazzling display against the Warriors to get their campaign underway in fine fashion. Started off rusty with some poor ball control and a couple of silly penalties, but righted the ship to snare an 18-0 lead at the break. The Warriors mounted a second half comeback with 2 tries but the Eels showed great character responding with 4 unanswered to seal the deal.  Hayne notched 3 tries with 6 tackle breaks and 171 metres. The enigmatic Chris Sandow had 5 tackle breaks, 2 line breaks, a try, a try assist and 339 kicking metres. Sandow sliced up the defence with ease and his kicking early in the set stabilized things for the Eels, letting them play the game where they wanted to be.

#7 Sharks – 2 points

Grinded out a hard fought 2 point win in front of a passionate Sharks Stadium.  Captain Paul Gallen made a big statement with 25 runs for 202 metres, 31 tackles and 4 offloads in 68 minutes. Great support from Wade Graham with 137 metres and 22 tackles in just 48 minutes and rampaging prop Andrew Fifita with 110 metres, 27 tackles and scored the match winning try. Todd Carney had a huge day with the boot kicking 414 metres including a 40-20. The Sharks didn’t look particularly threatening on attack, but prized fullback recruit Michael Gordon had a strong debut with 151 metres and 4 tackle breaks.

#8 Titans – 0 points

Went toe to toe with a fired up Sharks outfit and came away just a conversion short. Made more metres than any other team with 1555 along with 15 offloads. Eight players who went over 100 metres, along with Idris who had 99 and Harrison 98. Their forward pack is the real deal, all 4 Origin second rowers stood out, none more so than Myles with 105 metres and 42 tackles. Winger David Mead was explosive with 188 metres and 3 tackle breaks. The new halves pairing of Sezer and Kelly showed a lot of promise, Kelly providing some spark on offence, they could form a very dangerous duo on the back of all these gun forwards.

#9 Panthers – 2 points

Put in a real blue collar performance and were rewarded for their hard work with a 22 point win. Completed 83% of their sets and made 13 offloads en route to 1462 metres. Winger Josh Mansour followed on from his strong rookie campaign with 173 metres and 8 tackle breaks. Showed a great team mentality despite a roster that hasn’t been together for very long. There were few individual standouts, this was the type of effort where the forwards score 4 of your 5 tries. But everyone did their job, everyone pitched in and they played a relatively mistake free game and in the end that was enough to get them home comfortably.  

#10 Bulldogs – 0 points

Missing Barba, Kasiano, Graham, Pritchard was already a big blow, taking on one of the elite teams of the NRL in the Cowboys didn’t make things any easier. Despite losing by 12, the Dogs showed they were still capable of competing despite the big losses. Completed 75% of their sets and made only 8 errors but an uncharacteristically high missed tackle count proved costly as Thurston turned it up and let his backs start running wild. 19 year old monster David Klemmer made his debut dipping his feet for 17 minutes but didn’t look out of place. Tolman put in a tough nights work trying to fill the void of the missing front rowers with 102 metres and 37 tackles.

#11 Roosters – 0 points

Scored after just 3 minutes through new recruit James Maloney, but let down by a poor completion rate of just 60%, 27 missed tackles and 12 errors. The Chooks looked threatening at times and produced 6 line breaks, but ultimately looked like a group of players thrown together compared to the cohesive Rabbitohs outfit. Jennings made a couple of fantastic breaks but failed to capitalize on them. Waerea-Hargreaves had a strong night with 109 metres and 37 tackles. The much anticipated return of SBW didn’t live up to the hype, nor was it ever going to, but he looked solid making 26 tackles and a consolation try. Will likely need time to the chemistry to develop.

#12 Broncos – 0 points

Looked good early against Manly taking a 14-6 lead into the break before the Sea Eagles smoked them 16-0 in the second half. Had an 81% completion rate in the first half with 5 errors and 5 missed tackles, but fell off drastically in the second with a 50% completion rate, 9 errors and 20 missed tackles. Hodges was fantastic at centre despite being outshined by his opposing man Steve Matai, putting up 150 metres with 2 offloads, 2 line break assists and 2 try assists. The battle between those two alone was worth watching. Alex Glenn had a good night with 147 metres and 22 tackles while Parker was his usual self piling up 43 tackles. The lacklustre second half performance ultimately proved far too inviting for a classy Manly team.

#13 Dragons – 0 points

The reality of facing Melbourne is that if they are in the mood then they are probably going to run you off the park and that’s what happened to the Dragons, down 18-0 at the break and once Melbourne shuts the gate it very rarely opens back up. Had a far better completion rate (79%) and error count (8) than Melbourne but as was the case last year, the Dragons do not have the firepower to gun it with a team like Melbourne.  A number of Dragons forwards put in some hard graft, most notably Merrin with 109 metres, 30 tackles and 3 offloads.  Sadly yet another Stanley injury this time Chase going down in the 77^th minute with a knee injury

.

#14 Raiders – 0 points

Didn’t want this one as bad as their opposition did at a very hot Centrebet Stadium. Completed just 68%, restricted to 1042 metres and had 26 missed tackles. A really tough day at the office for Sandor Earl with 6 errors. Dugan and Croker made surprising starts after many expected them to miss round 1. Dugan would put up 124 metres but didn’t offer up anything too threatening, Croker had minimal impact with only 8 metres though he did make 15 tackles. No player other than Dugan would go over 100 metres, Shillington leading all forwards with 78. With Dugan and Ferguson stood down this week for off field issues this could be a testing early stretch for the Raiders.

#15 Warriors – 0 points

Looked no different than the Warriors of 2012. Completed only 20 sets and had 31 missed tackles.  Showed some character early in the second half as they mounted a comeback before the Eels put their foot on the throat and stomped down repeatedly. The defence parted far too easily and the Eels walked right on in. Lacked direction on attack and put up a paltry 1069 metres but weren’t helped by the early loss of Vatuvei. Ikahihifo ran the ball incredibly hard for 113 metres and 17 tackles, did himself really proud. New recruit Dane Nielsen snagged a try in his Warriors debut and looked every bit the player he was advertised to be.

#16 Tigers – 0 points

Looked strong for 10 minutes before it all fell to pieces for the Tigers. Familiar problems from last year with too many missed tackles. Completed only 67% of 27 sets as the Knights dominated possession. By far the lowest amount of metres of all teams in round 1 with just 812, for perspective the next lowest was 1042. Just one Tigers player went over 100 metres, the starting backrow combined for just 73. Captain Robbie Farah put on a fabulous effort that went under the radar with 53 tackles, try assists, line breaks, line break assists, no errors, no penalties. One of the best performances of the round setting a strong example that few in his team seemed interested in following. 

and there we have it for week 1. Disagree with how I've ranked them? let me know on Twitter @WellsNorthShore 

ONE MORE SLEEP

We've made it all the way here to NRL eve, just one more sleep to go, tomorrow we'll be watching the likes of Inglis, Jennings, Burgess and of course SBW in action. Before we get to revealing number one, I wanted to touch on a couple of other things.

Firstly, this list has been counting down the top thirty players in the NRL and it has been absolutely jam packed with talent. We are truly fortunate as fans to have so many incredible players to watch, but what of those who missed out? there's a long list of amazing players that did not make the cut. These aren't just "good" players, but Origin players, International players, and it's a reminder of just how talented the NRL altogether is. Let's take a look at a quick list of guys I compiled who are still very much household names...

Alex Glenn, Matt Gillett, Tom Leayrod-Lahrs, Danny Buderus, Jamal Idris, Glenn Stewart, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Justin Hodges,Konrad Hurrell, Chris Sandow, Ben Hannant, Kade Snowden, Andrew Fifita, Ben Te'o, Michael Gordon, Sika Manu, Todd Carney, Issac Luke, Darius Boyd, Sam Perrett, Shaun Fensom, Kane Linnett, Josh McGuire, Ryan Hoffman, Josh Hoffman, David Stage, Krisnan Inu, Tony Williams, Michael Ennis, Corey Parker, Tariq Sims, Michael Gordon, Manu Vatuvei, Steve Matai, Matt Duffie, Kurt Gidley, Ben Matulino, Frank Pritchard, Brett Morris, Josh Reynolds, Adam Reynolds, Nathan Friend, Jake Friend, Nathan Merritt, Michael Jennings, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, James Maloney, Matt Ballin, Luke Douglas, Dallas Johnson, Ashton Sims, Blake Ferguson, Josh Papalii, Aidan Tolman, David Shillington, Anthony Watmough, Jamie Buhrer, Michael Crocker, Ben Creagh, Matt Cooper, Mitchell Pearce, Dane Nielsen, Jason Nightingale, Trent Merrin, Braith Anasta, Shaun Johnson, Simon Mannering, Chris Houston, Jeremy Smith, Timana Tahu, Lachlan Coote, Tim Grant, Fuifui MoiMoi, Luke Galloway, Tim Mannah...

this list is by no means exhaustive, there's plenty of other very talented players in the NRL, and every year the Under 20s competition introduces us to new exciting talents. Just soak that bunch of guys in for a moment, so many great players there, maybe you think a couple of them belong in the top thirty, but the point is to reflect on just how deep the NRL is, which is one of several reasons why it is the greatest competition in the world.

 "hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha" - Johnathan Thurston

The second thing I wanted to do was to investigate how the teams in the NRL were represented throughout my list. In theory, the most successful teams of 2012 will likely be well represented. I paid no attention to this when creating the list, so this reflection is as much to satisfy my own curiosity as anything else.

Sea Eagles 5

Cowboys 4

Bulldogs 4

Melbourne 3

Titans 3

Tigers 3

Rabbitohs 2

Sharks 2

Warriors 1

Knights 1

Thaiday 1

Raiders 1

Eels 1

Panthers 0

Dragons 0

Roosters 0

It is important to note that roster movements saw the Panthers drop from 1 to 0 with the move of Luke Lewis, and the Rabbitohs lose 1 player while the Titans gained 1 with the move of Dave Taylor. Melbourne's 3 are of course a lot more valuable than any other 3 that can be put together. For the most part however, these rankings paint an accurate picture of where the power currently seems to reside in the NRL. Moving on now to the moment you've all been waiting...

#1 Johnathan Thurston

The newly crowned "face of the game" after Ben Barba's exit from the stage, JT has for me been the best player in the NRL for many years now. 2012 was yet another great year for Thurston, third highest scorer in the competition with 192 points, with 90 goals, 232 kicks in play and 23 offloads. Thurston moved into five-eighth for both the Cowboys, Queensland and Australia, a move prompted by the retirement of Darren Lockyer, Thurston stepped forward to fill the void at 6 and allow Cooper Cronk to play in his regular halfback position. The number changed, the game didn't for JT, scoring a try and adding 4 goals in the ANZAC test victory over New Zealand, along with a try and 9 goals in the State of Origin series. Though Thurston's Cowboys would bow out to Manly in the semi final, on the back of some very dubious decisions, the Cows spent the year as one of the most dynamic teams in the NRL and the play of JT and Matt Bowen were the triggers for their explosive backline. Thurston's shift to five-eighth resulted in being named the Dally M Five-Eighth of the Year for 2012, the first year he had played the position full time, and immediately becoming the best player in the NRL wearing number 6.

In his younger days Thurson would wear several spiders on his head to ward off tacklers

The 2012 Five-Eighth award was but another feather in the cap for JT who has been recognized as one of the top halves in the game several times in his career, starting way back in 2005

• 2005 Dally M Halfback of the Year
• 2005 Dally M Player of the Year
• 2007 Dally M Halfback of the Year
• 2007 Dally M Player of the Year
• 2007 RLIF Back of the Year
• 2007 RLW Player of the Year
• 2008 Wally Lewis Medal
• 2009 Dally M Halfback of the Year
• 2011 Golden Boot Award
• 2012 Dally M Five-Eighth of the Year

Thurston was also named in the Indigenous Team of the Century. The most impressive part of Thurston's career however is his exploits in State of Origin. Thurston is the only player to have played in every single game in Queensland's 7 consecutive Origin series victories. Since Thurston's Origin début in game 1 2005, Thurston has played an astonishing 24 straight Origin games. This leaves JT with North Sydney great Gary Larson for the all time record, and provided he isn't injured, Thurston will break the record for most consecutive Origin appearances in 2013. The Queensland Origin teams over the years have been a unit of amazing players, but Thurston is the only man who can lay claim to being part of the entirety of Queensland's dominance. His 24 Origin appearances have resulted in 4 tries and 61 goals, he's also been a staple of the Australian team for a long time with 23 appearances, 10 tries, 99 goals.

JT doing it all

On the field, Thurston is the best playmaker in the business, nobody leads an attack around the field quite as well as he does. Incredibly intelligent on the field, one of the best kicking games in the business, the ability to take the line on and break through it with his dummies and steps and amazing vision. At times it seems as if Thurston's thinking is three or four plays ahead of what is happening on the field, he's already got everything organized, it's just a matter of him playing the waiting game until he can execute. Despite the regular screams of frustration he unleashes when he doesn't do something perfectly, Thurston is one of the coolest customers in Rugby League. That's why he's been such an amazing goal kicker over the years. He's brilliant when it comes to kicking goals to begin with, but when the pressure turns up, Thurston never notices. This is the guy you want on the sideline attempting a match winning kick, he will put his trademark big curve on it, bending it back over almost every time. He has all of the tools that you want from a guy in the halves, and defensively he's no giant but he has so much heart that he makes an impact, Thurston loves to get involved in absolutely everything. It's the "heart" that Thurston shows that sells me on him being the best player in the game. Unlike the cerebral Cameron Smith, Thurston wears his heart on his sleeve for all to see. He's so passionate about the game, he's so passionate about leading his team, there seems to be no star harder on himself when he does well, and no star that relishes in the "fun" of the game as much as he does. All of these guys up the top of the list have the skillset to be the best player in the game, they all "do it all", so for me, what separates JT is that heart, that passion, the leadership. There's nobody else in the game I would rather have leading me into war.

How do you separate these two?

While I tried to maintain judgement of players for this list strictly based around on field abilities, Thurston's personality deserves special focus. He is the perfect face of the game, he may have the odd blow up out of frustration, but he is passionate, hard working, determined but at the same time is so grounded. He has every right to have an enormous ego, but Thurston so often is the fun loving comedian of the "stars" of Rugby League. There is nobody who seems to love the game more than Thurston. The work he does in the community and the work he does with fans, it all goes a long way. His interactions with the ball kids when he makes his kicks are just a brief little glimpse at how good of a bloke he is. It appears such a small gesture to many of us, to pick up the kicking tee, hand it to the kid and give him a little rub on the head, but to those kids who look up to JT as a hero, it means a lot to them. Despite his at times ferocious on field persona, he always switches that off, just for a couple of moments, to give these kids respect and attention, no matter how tired he is, regardless of whether his team is winning or losing. Rugby League players have developed such a terrible reputation over the years, the increasingly media dominated world has not been kind to the indiscretions of League players. Thurston is the guy we as League fans can be proud to point to and say this is our guy, this is our leader, this is the face of our game,  this is the best we have. 

I hope those who had a read enjoyed this countdown and I hope it helped pass the time for you until kickoff tomorrow night, it certainly made the time go by for me! and with that I depart, with the excitement of a kid on Christmas eve, waiting for kickoff tomorrow night. Check back in during the season on my blog as I'll be posting my thoughts and rantings throughout the year. As always, any comments feel free to give me a message on Twitter @WellsNorthShore thanks to everyone who has floated me a message or give me a RT it is much appreciated.

2 sleeps to go

So we come to number 2 now, with just two more sleeps remaining. That means it's NRL eve, eve! I suspect a lot of people are going to disagree with me not having this guy as number 1, and as I've said with the last few entries, I think you can argue any of them to be the top guy, but I'm calling it how I see it, and being number 2 is really nothing to scoff at, so here he is, number 2 in the countdown of the best players in the NRL...

#2 Cameron Smith

2012 was yet another fantastic year in the illustrious career of the 29 year old Melbourne rake. Inheriting the captaincy of both Queensland and Australia after the retirement of the great Darren Lockyer, Smith lead all of his teams to glory. Captaining Australia to an ANZAC Test victory over New Zealand, captaining Queensland to another State of Origin series victory, captaining Melbourne to what would be his "legitimate' NRL Premiership, and captaining the Storm to a WCC victory over Leeds. Everything that was on offer to Smith and the teams that followed his lead was added to the trophy cabinet, and Smith himself would pick up another piece to add to his collection being named the Dally M Hooker of the Year. As usual, Smith would pile up points and pile up tackles, notching 164 points, 78 coming off his boot, along with 917 tackles. After the Storm were stripped of their previous Premierships that Smith had lead them to, 2012 was the sweetest year of Smith's career, silencing the critics and being a winner in all facets.

Apparently the Poms like giving out big trophies for trial games

Now the previous few entrants, and indeed many earlier in the list, have had some fabulous credentials, but Smith takes it to a new level and is already regarded by many as the greatest hooker to ever play the game. Taking a look at Smith's list of personal accomplishments...

• 2005 Ron McAullife Medal
• 2006 Dally M Hooker of the Year
• 2006 Dally M Player of the Year
• 2007 Dally M Representative Player of the Year
• 2007 Golden Boot Award
• 2007 Ron McAullife Medal
• 2007 Wally Lewis Medal
• 2008 Dally M Hooker of the Year
• 2008 RLIF Hooker of the Year
• 2009 RLIF Hooker of the Year
• 2011 Dally M Captain of the Year
• 2011 Dally M Hooker of the Year
• 2011 Dally M Representative Player of the Year
• 2011 RLIF Hooker of the Year
• 2011 Wally Lewis Medal
• 2012 Dally M Hooker of the Year

and he'd be odds on favourite to add to that list of Hooker of the Year awards in 2013 also. Smith has been part of a winning environment everywhere he has taken his talents since becoming a professional. In 29 appearances for Australia, the Kangaroos have a winning percentage of 86.21, in 27 appearances for Queensland the Maroons have a winner percentage of 80, and in 238 appearances for Melbourne, the Storm have a winner percentage of  70.59. In the 11 seasons Smith has been in the NRL, Melbourne has never lost more games than they've won with Smith playing, the closest being a 50% record in Smith's first moments on the scene back in 2002 when the Storm won one and lost one in his two games. Of course League is a team game, and one man can't be attributed all that success, but it's a great testament to Smith that he has won everywhere he has been and for so long.

Celebrating "200 games" gets you an extra long montage

In my post on Cooper Cronk, I touched on how he at times played in such a "robotic" fashion, but he has nothing on Smith. Smith is like something the Japanese developed in the future and sent back in time to provide an efficient Rugby League performance. He's all business when on the field, focussed, calculated, determined. One of the fittest players in Rugby League, he plays 80 minutes for a warm up, and is heavily involved during that time, constantly making plays out of dummy half and one of the most prolific tacklers in the business. Every year around Origin time we start to hear stories about how "Smith may get rested" or "Smith has been through such a big workload he needs a break", and every year it seems Smith comes out and, like the machine he is, just continues to put in work. There's nothing external that has any impact on Smith's game and concepts like fatigue or resting your body have no relevance when you're talking about a robot. Many sports have teams or players that are so good it becomes boring, Smith is that guy. He is so good but does it in such a fundamental way, there's no flash to his game, he's like the Tim Duncan of Rugby League, doing the basics well supported by a great understanding of the game and endless dedication.

So then Craig suggested maybe we reduce my minutes around Origin

Smith's durability and fitness extends beyond just his ability to play 80 minutes week in week out. In one of the worlds most high impact sports, Smith has has never played less than 20 games for Melbourne since his début 2 game season. A remarkable feat considering the added workload of Origin and International Duty that he puts himself through. Since his first turn out for Queensland in Stage of Origin game 3 2003, Smith has missed just one Origin contest, but as I said, this is a robot we are dealing with. Smith's game isn't based off athletic gifts, he isn't exceptionally fast or strong or agile. But he is as fit as anyone in the competition and the smartest player in the NRL to go with it. Defensively, he is a tackle machine, and his great understanding of the game sees him quickly figure out what opposing attacks are trying to achieve. On attack, Smith blends the skills of a five-eighth and a hooker to perfection. A fabulous kicking game with ambidextrous feet, he launches very precise kicks out of dummy half when he sees a weakness in the defense or wants to take the pressure off his halves. His ability to read the game sees him often putting little kicks over the top of the defense for his backs to run on to, but he doesn't force the issue, he does it at the right time. Smith's game is so calculated that everything he does is done in just that fashion. He doesn't rely on athletic ability, he relies on making the right decisions. He makes great runs out of dummy half, but it's because he makes those runs when he senses weakness, when he sees the opportunity to take advantage. His delivery out of dummy half is excellent, he very, very rarely let's a pass get away from him and again his brain let's him see plays develop and make the right passes at the right time. He may not have the showy passes of a Benji Marshall, but the results are often the same, Smith makes the skip pass or the inside ball or the short ball, based on what he has read in the defense and formulating the right option. The foundation of the Storm's so perfectly structured attack is the games smartest player having his hands on the ball first and having his hands on the ball often. Let's not forget that he's also a very useful goal kicker, slotting a career average of 72.38 of his attempts at goal. 

Surprise

Check back in tomorrow when finally we get to number 1. Though you've probably figured it out by now, I'll do my best to try to make it interesting regardless. I'm looking forward to a hard day at work tomorrow changing my Dream Team 50 times and as always if you have any comments I'm on Twitter @WellsNorthShore

3 sleeps to go

Just three more sleeps to go now, this whole starting the season on a Thursday thing was a fantastic idea, otherwise we'd be looking at four more sleeps to go! but we aren't, so not to worry. On that gleeful note, let's move on to number 3 on the countdown...

#3 Paul Gallen

Despite being restricted to just 16 games, the 31 year old Sharks and NSW Captain delivered another stellar season, capped off by winning the 2012 Dally M Lock of the Year. On the back Gallen's tireless shoulders, the Sharks finally found themselves back in the top eight, taking 7th place in the standings. While the Sharkies made a hasty exit, going out in the qualifying finals to the Canberra Raiders, it was finally at least a taste of success for starved Sharks fans. Gallen would once again turn out for Australia, starting in the front row in their 20-12 ANZAC test victory, and add another three Origin appearances for NSW to his resume, though once again failing to secure the series victory. In just 16 games, Gallen would amass 359 runs for 3174 metres and would be third in the NRL in offloads with 50. All up a very strong year for Gallen, but missing games, losing another Origin series and a swift booting from the playoffs would have no doubt left Gallen with a lot of unfinished business on his mind. Adding another feather to his cap however, Gallen would participate in the 2012 Fight for Life charity event, taking on the heavily favoured Chiefs and All Blacks hooker Hika Elliot. To the surprise of many, at least many in the Union fraternity, Big Gal would score an impressive upset victory over the trained martial artist, showing the toughness that he displays in the NRL week after week.

"Oh, shark has fangs"

Gallen of course also has a substantial list of awards to his name in what has been a sparkling career. Spanning 216 NRL games, 22 Tests for Australia and 14 Origin's for New South Wales. Gallen has been the premier backrow forward in Rugby League, and indeed at times front rower, for several years now...

• 2008 RLIF Lock of the Year
• 2010 Harry Sunderland Medal
• 2010 RLW Player of the Year
• 2011 Brad Fittler Medal
• 2011 Dally M Lock of the Year
• 2011 Harry Sunderland Medal
• 2011 Peter Frilingos Memorial Award
• 2011 RLIF Lock of the Year
• 2012 Dally M Lock of the Year

In four out of the past five years, Gallen has been recognized by either RLIF, RLW, or the Dally M's as the Lock of the Year or Player of the Year. He's also the only player in history to receive a rating of 10 from Rugby League Week for a State of Origin game, and in 2012 became only the third player to receive a 10 rating twice in his career after a win against the Cowboys in March.

Probably the best title of any video I've put in the blog so far

There was once a time when Gallen was arguably the most hated man in Rugby League. The reputation of his attitude, dirty play and a pretty vocal mouth to go with it certainly didn't earn him many fans outside of the Shire. He was known as one of the grubbiest players around, and was labelled a "racist" after being fined $10,000 by the NRL for alleged comments he made to Micky Paea in a game, supposedly referring to him as a "black ______" I'll let you fill in the blank. But my how times have changed, today scarce few, no matter who you support, aren't a fan of Gallen's work. He's rebuilt his reputation on toughness and hard work, traits that everyone can appreciate. Even the staunchest of Queensland supporters had to concede that Gallen's miraculous 234 metre 30 tackle 80 minute effort in the front row in Game 2 2011 was the stuff of legend. Gallen has played the full 80 minutes in 118 games, twice for Australia, four times for NSW and 112 times for the Sharks. That someone can play his style of game, do it for 80 minutes, and do that regularly just defies belief. We've seen guys who can regularly pull off big games in terms of metres, we've seen guys who can regularly pull off big games in terms of tackles, but Gallen combines the two like few others have. 200 metres isn't an excuse for him to come up short in the tackle count, he does it all. There's forwards around who can give you an 80 minute effort if required, but not in the fashion that Gallen does. His durability and toughness is unparalleled by anyone in the game today and few in the games history. He has a motor that never stops, he never stops running, he never stops tackling, absorbing so many punishing collisions and continuing to soldier on. It's what makes Gallen such a great captain, there is nobody who sets a better example in terms of all around toughness and work rate than Gallen. That's the foundation of what has changed Gallen from criminal in the public eye to one of the games greatest heroes, a game based on toughness and hard work that demands respect. You can't fault a guy who just pours so much into the game every week.

How could anyone hate this guy?

Cronulla pulled a massive recruitment drive for the 2013 season, bolstering their forward pack with the additions of Luke Lewis and Chris Heighington. While they lose Kiwi hardman Jeremy Smith to Newcastle, the Sharks forward pack remains on paper one of the best in the competition with these new additions. Subsequently, Gallen is set to actually see a reduced role in 2013, something his team had rarely been able to  offer in the past. For all of his personal accolades, Gallen's Sharks have won only 44% of the games he has played in over the years. While Gallen was clearly more than capable of carrying the extra burden, it should prove a huge load off his shoulders to be able to have a spell on the sideline knowing players of such class are there to support him. Gallen will now be able to play 60-70 minute games rather than expending himself over 80 minutes regularly. This should see Gallen have a bit more in the tank to pump out while he is on the field, as if he needed that, and should also help Gal manage his body over the next few years as he traverses his 30s and the rigorous NRL, Origin, International seasons that players of his calibre must endure. 

Although he has had his moments

Check back in tomorrow for number 2, if you've been following then it should be pretty clear to most who the last two are, but what order will they come out in? and thus it dawns on me that once I reveal number 2, the idea of "revealing" number 1 will effectively be redundant because everyone will know who he is! but by then it will will be NRL eve and nobody will care anyway because we'll be settling in for footy the following night. I'm on Twitter @WellsNorthShore throw me a tweet if you have any comments.