The NRL Nines is shaping up to be a fantastic spectacle and whether you'll be attending or spending the weekend on the couch with your chip and dip, the game is always that extra bit exciting when you've got some money on the line. Here's a couple of tips that I see as really good value for the sensible minded punter, as well as some high risk, high reward options for those looking to make a real splash this weekend.
Green Group Winner
– Broncos $2.00 @ Centrebet
The Green group, featuring the Broncos, Eels, Roosters and
Bulldogs looks to be a one horse race, but the Broncos are still being offered
at good value. The Bulldogs and the Roosters are clearly not taking the
competition very seriously with numerous big names missing from their 9s sides,
Des Hasler hasn’t even made the trip to Auckland. The Eels were set to unleash
new recruit Will Hopoate, but now he’s out with a groin injury and superstar
Jarryd Hayne is nowhere to be seen. The Eels have most of their other players
on board, but without Hopoate and Hayne that isn’t really saying much. It’s all
hands on deck for the Broncos however, with representative players like
Thaiday, Parker, Glenn and Hoffman all named, along with 2012 Dally M Player of
the year Ben Barba.
Red Group – Panthers
$1.95 @ Centrebet
The Red group, featuring the Panthers, Dragons, Rabbitohs
and Storm is another pool with a couple of heavyweights who have opted to keep
their big names at home with the likes of Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Billy
Slater, Greg Inglis, Adam Reynolds, Isaac Luke and the Burgess brothers all
nowhere to be seen. The Dragons side shows their intentions to give the
competition a real crack with rep stars like Josh Dugan, Josh Morris and Trent
Merrin all featuring, but they’ll be hard pressed to match the wealth of quick
young players the Panthers are bringing to the table with the Naiqama’s, Josh
Mansour and keep an eye out for George Jennings , brother of Michael “Jetboot”
Jennings and Tyrone Peachey, nephew of Cronulla great David Peachey. For all
the flak he caught last year, don’t be surprised to see Jamie Soward fit in
very well in this format.
Tournament Winner
Group – Blue $2.35 @ Centrebet
The “pool of death” in this tournament, the Blue group,
consisting of the Titans, Knights, Sharks and Tigers make up 3 of the current top
5 favourites, and even their least respected team, the Tigers, sit as the 11th
favourite with the bookies, but a real smokey for many punters. 2.35 represents great value to hitch yourself
to the wagon of all four of these teams, who have all named very strong outfits
and are clearly coming to play. Remembering that two teams from each pool move
on to the playoff stages, you’ll be equipped with two of these heavy favourites
in that next round, which should place you in very good stead indeed.
Tournament Top Try
Scorer – Ben Barba $11.00 @ Centrebet
Most remember Ben Barba’s 2013 for the off-field drama, the
injuries, and ultimately his departure from the Bulldogs. What many forget was
the beautiful display Barba put on to start the year, scoring three tries in
the NRL All Star game, smiling all the way. Barba is a true showman who has
shown numerous times his ability to elevate his game for the big occasions and
the 9s festival should be just the ticket for the man known as the X-Factor to
put on an incredible show. At his best, he’s impossible to wrap up for 13 man
defences, so if he’s on his game, 9 defenders don’t have a chance. The Broncos
will likely have few problems escaping the pool stages, ensuring you get the opportunity
for tries further into the tournament also.
Tournament Winner – Titans
$8.00 @ Centrebet
I’m very high on the Titans for this upcoming NRL season,
and I’m even higher on them in this form of the game. In David Mead and Kevin
Gordon, the Titans have possibly the fastest pair of players in the NRL, and
players like Brad Tighe and Will Zillman are no slouches either. Big Dave
Taylor often takes three blokes to bring down on his own and has the skill of a
five-eighth, he’s going to be an incredible handful for a team of 9 to contain
and Greg Bird is one of the most dynamic forwards on the scene who can fill any
role. Albert Kelly showed to the world in 2013 that he’s put his past issues
behind him and is ready to capitalise on his incredible skill set, and those
skills along with his great pace should transfer to the 9s perfectly. Speed is
going to count for a lot in this tournament and the Titans have it in spades,
along with great forwards who should be able to acclimatise well to the 9s
environment, and a half capable of completely dominating the tournament, the
Titans on paper really have it all.
As the NRL continues to seemingly bend to the will of the PC brigade, the polarizing Gus Gould recently unleashed an opinion piece unsurprisingly coming to the great games defence which has been receiving a lot of traction. As I sit here watching a replay of Wild Turkey Bourbon Super Saturday, with an entire Sharks team running around the field with Luxbet printed on their backs, one part of Gould's column stands out in particular
Please don't compare junior league football with the win-at-all costs professional sport you see on our TV screens. If you don't like some of the stuff you see, tell your kids why it's not right for them to do the same. If they behave badly on the football field, discipline and educate them.
I love the NRL, I watch every game, every week, but lets put a few things in perspective, the NRL is an entertainment business.
The competition is built in large part on violence. I hate when people say violence makes the game because the skill of these players at times defies belief, but at its core, a large part of the entertainment of the game is watching these huge, intense men running into each other trying to smash each other. The junior game need not be as violent, because it isn't comprised of finely tuned professional athletes who are hellbent on winning. These aren't guys who play for fun, of course they enjoy the game, they grew up enjoying the game, but there comes a time in everyone's sporting life where a line is drawn between playing for fun and playing to win. In the NRL, these guys play to win and they play to live, this is their career, their livelihood, of course it is going to get intense, of course it is going to get violent.
and then, Hodges said my skills weren't up to the required standard to play in this competition
More than half the teams in the competition are sponsored by gambling companies....
Broncos - Sportingbet
Raiders - ACT TAB
Titans - BET EZY
Manly - Centrebet
Knights - Sportsbet
Roosters - Sportsbet
Sharks - Luxbet
Warriors - Skycity
Panthers - Centrebet (who play out of Centrebet stadium)
Big Dell always knows how to get a slice of the pie
Factor in the in game segments from the likes of Tom Waterhouse, the TAB and the advertising around the stadium from various betting agencies and each NRL game is a gigantic gambling advertisement. There is no way to hide from it, every time you watch the NRL you are being bombarded with gambling advertising, most people probably don't even realise, they think nothing of it, that's how it is meant to happen. You still know, there's no better bet than a sporting bet. Was it only me that found saw the irony when Ben Barba returned after his various issues, including problems with gambling, that he was at fullback hovering around posts with BET365 advertising on the padding?
"I know what punters want"
Then there's the alcohol. Attending the VB Blues vs XXXX Maroons clash last Wednesday at ANZ Stadium, I was left with no question which beer was the right choice for a "hard earned thirst" after seeing thousands of jerseys point it out to me all night and the Sharks, Dragons, Roosters, Tigers would surely all agree.
I whole heartedly endorse this event or product
But the following teams may feel a little differently...
Broncos - XXXX
Bulldogs - Tooheys
Titans - XXXX
Manly - Tooheys, Jim Beam
Cowboys - XXXX
Eels - Tooheys
Panthers - Tooheys, Jim Beam
Warriors - Lion Red
and the Raiders likely don't care, as long as you make your purchase from Local Liquor. Again, add in the sponsorship of particular nights e.g. the previously mentioned Wild Turkey Super Saturday, or the Woodstock advertising that regularly appears during broadcasts on Sky in New Zealand, the alcohol advertising around the stadium, the numerous alcohol stands around the ground. Our "great game" is used by these companies to sell you alcohol, and the NRL, in all its family friendly goodness, takes that money quite happily. Then we turn around and complain about the impact the drink is having on the game and the players and how Dugan is up on a roof drinking and Tamou is out drink driving and George Burgess is parading the streets doing Hulk impressions.
So what we have is a violent form of entertainment in a contest between men battling for money, battling for their livelihood, sponsored by gambling and alcohol companies, It's clearly incredibly popular, but the NRL is built around adult themes. If the NRL is so concerned with creating a child friendly environment, stop launching hundreds upon hundreds of examples of alcohol and gambling advertising at young children who tune in to games, who show up to games, who buy the jerseys. Oh no, we couldn't do that, too much money to lose there. The NRL is an entertainment outlet that serves as a huge advertising vehicle for adult escapades yet is watched by thousands of children. How many players have we seen undone by the rare punch up during a game? and how many have we seen undone by alcohol and gambling problems? the NRL promotes bigger threats to its players than the issue it's trying to clear up.It's the parents job to teach children about violence, just like it is to shield them from the alcohol and gambling onslaught their children are unwittingly exposed to every game.
But hey, if the kids get the right jerseys, then they too can be a walking gambling and drinking advertisement!
Well how good was round 5? just when you think some teams are on top of the world and some destined to mingle at the bottom of the table. Round 5 was very much the round of the underdog, and even though they didn't all win, their was plenty of fight and spirit on display from all comers.
#1 Storm - 10 points (prev #1) Another week another win for Melbourne overcoming a spirited Tigers team. Got their completion rate up to 80%, significantly decreased their missed tackle stats from last week with just 16 and ran for 1410 metres. The Storm remain easily the most prolific attacking side in the competition with 142 points and averaging 5 tries per game. All of the "big three' are firing. Cooper Cronk continues to be tied for the NRL lead in both line break assists and try assists. Cameron Smith is one of only 5 players in the NRL to have already eclipsed 200 tackles and is third in total points, while Billy Slater is second in line breaks along with 4 tries and 4 try assists. #2 Rabbitohs - 10 points (prev #2) Just an ever so slightest step behind come the Bunnies who joined the Storm on 10 points notching up their 5th win of the year. It wasn't easy for the Rabbitohs with a missed Warriors conversion being the difference but the Bunnies record over the ditch in recent times had been very lacklustre, the 2013 unit rectified that. Souths remain in second in both tries and points, averaging 25.4 per game, largely on the back of Nathan Merritt who has amassed 8 tries already, once again striving for NSW to finally give him a chance. The big test comes this week as the two undefeated giants clash, for all of the Bunnies early success, they aren't quite looked as in the same way as Melbourne are, this is their chance to lay claim to being the best team at this stage of the competition. #3 Sea Eagles - 8 points (prev #3) Some expected the Sea Eagles vs Bulldogs clash would finally mark the arrival of the Dogs in 2013, but Manly had different ideas unleashing an 18-0 first half barrage en route to a comfortable 20-6 victory. Despite the players they are missing, the Dogs still possess a big strong pack, but Manly ran right over the top of them for 1607 metres. Jorge Taufua has developed into one of the most lethal strike weapons in the competition sitting second in the NRL with 7 tries and leading all players with 8 line breaks while Matt Ballin continues to rack up huge tackle numbers, his 48 against the Dogs seeing him up to 217 on the year, third in the comp. Manly remain a clear first in defence, allowing just 36 points, an average of 7.2 per game while also being fourth in points scored. #4 Roosters - 6 points (prev #6) Lead 16-0 at the half but blew it in the second to fall by 2 points to the Raiders. The Roosters first half clean sheet saw them eclipse over 200 straight minutes without conceding a point, going back to round 2. Despite the loss, the Roosters continue to look a group capable of remaining amongst the upper echelon of the competition. They've scored the 5th most points and tied for second in points conceded with just 66. James Maloney has really found himself at home, leading the NRL in points, 5 line breaks, 4 line break assists and he's finding a great balance with Mitchell Pearce with a 44-40 split in kicks in play. The Roosters lead all teams with an average of 6 line breaks per game. #5 Titans - 6 points (prev #4) A dreadful week all up for the boys from the Gold Coast. They lost five-eighth Aiden Sezer late to injury leading to a reshuffle with Greg Bird slotting into the halves. The Titans seemed to be doing OK with a 12-10 HT lead including a exceptional effort from halfback Albert Kelly for a try. Unfortunately for the Titans, they'd proceed to be blown away 22-0 in the second half and Kelly would leave the game with what looked a very concerning knee injury. They maintained an 80% completion rate and had just 9 errors, but were unable to stop the Broncos trampling them for 1540 metres. The Titans now will be sweating on the health of both halves who have been integral to their strong start to the year. #6 Knights - 6 points (prev #5) Another favourite who couldn't get across the line in round 5, the 19-16 3 point margin suggests the Knights were right in it, but an 80th minute score try the Knights made that score somewhat misleading. The Knights made good metres with 1408 but dropped below 70% completions which generally is a fast track to defeat. The Knights remain among the highest scoring teams in the league sitting in third with 24 per game lead by Akuila Uate already on 7 tries and Jarrod Mullen may well have put his name into Origin contention with a string of fantastic kicking performances, currently with 15 more kicks in play than any other player. The Knights however will need to start performing away from home if they are to cement themselves as contenders. #7 Broncos - 4 points (prev #10) A big statement game at just the right time for Brisbane bouncing back after two straight losses to topple the Titans. The Broncos seemingly always get up for this clash and this time was no different as they put 6 tries on one of the better defensive sides in the competition, the Broncos will be feeling pretty good after going very close against Melbourne the week prior and now picking up a very strong win here. The shift of Corey Norman to fullback and Josh Hoffman to the wing is starting to look like a great decision as the two continue to find their footing in new jerseys, Norman has 4 try assists and 3 line break assists, Hoffman 5 tries and 5 line breaks. Ben Hannant has really lifted his game to help fill the void of injured Josh McGuire with 183 tackles along with 77 hit ups. #8 Dragons - 4 points (prev #12) With so much inconsistency among the bottom half of the competition, the Dragons join only Manly, Melbourne and South Sydney as teams who have won both games the last two rounds as the Dragons followed up a win over the Sharks with a win over the Knights despite losing fullback Gerard Beale halfway through the contest. These are two pretty nice scalps for the Dragons who had been struggling greatly over the first 3 rounds. The Dragons completed their sets well at 80%, put up some strong metres with 1485 and made only 8 errors. They remain one of the poorest attacking sides despite the exploits of Jason Nightingale who has 4 tries 4 linebreaks and 9 offloads, but Jamie Soward is starting to find his form and the Dragons are playing intelligently with some good structure. #9 Cowboys - 4 points (prev #11) I'll jump right back on the Cowboys bandwagon after they had a clear point to prove dishing out a 30-0 flogging of Penrith. Penrith leak more points than anyone, but 30-0 is still a very emphatic victory. There's no question that the Cowboys posses a fantastic roster and I don't doubt they'll make the top 8 once they get back on track and this type of win was just the type they needed to get their tails up. Thurston and Bowen are both tied for the most try assists while Scott and Tamou have 149 hit ups combined. The Cowboys sit 9th in points for and 8th in points against, real middle of the pack stuff, but the current table allows for teams to get back up the ladder pretty quickly if they can string a couple together. #10 Tigers - 4 points (prev #9) The Tigers put on a very clinical effort but joined the list of teams to fall victim to Melbourne. They completed 82% had 10 errors and missed 20 tackles which was a good effort, but couldn't match the Storm for fire power. Once again the Tigers struggled more metres while their opposition stomped on them, the Tigers are not a big team and it's becoming a familiar trend to see a large difference in metres made between them and their opponents. Robbie Farah made 51 tackles against Melbourne and is tied for the NRL lead in try assists, line break assists along with leading the NRL in tackles reflecting the fantastic, dynamic player that he is. Farah is really wearing his heart on his sleeve as he always does, leading from the front. #11 Eels - 4 points (prev #14) If there was ever a game for this Eels group to get up for, it was this contest against Cronulla, celebrating the life of Jon Mannah and competing for the Jon Mannah cup. In an emotional, physical contest, the Eels put on a performance that lacked in pizazz but was high in heart as they went home 13-6 winners. The Eels completed 90% of their sets, ran for 1427 metres and made only 6 errors, in the second half they completed 18/19. This was a huge game for the Eels for a number of reasons and they came through after 3 straight losses. Now they'll need to address a defence that has been the fifth worst in the NRL and maintain the commitment that had been lacking in weeks prior. #12 Sharks - 4 points (prev #7) Back to back losses for the Sharkies now who have generated the second lowest points total in the NRL. In the first first weeks the Sharks seemed to really embrace the drama that had surrounded the club amongst the doping scandal, taking that drama and using it to motivate them on the field. But over the last couple of weeks, the exhaustion of the mental gymnastics that Sharks have had to endure has looked to take its toll and while Gallen has managed to don a thong and ride his motorbike through town for charity, the Sharks on field performances are crumbling. They once again showed very poor ball control with just 67%, just 52% in the second half. The Sharks were supposedly looking to lighten the load on Gallen this year, but he's the only player in the NRL with over 100 hit ups, his 111 puts him 24 above the next closest player. #13 Raiders - 4 points (prev #16) It's been a very rough start to the season for the Raiders, struggling on the field and dealing with issues off the field, but the Raiders made a huge statement picking up a win over the very hot Roosters. Down 16-0 at the half, the Raiders looked likely to be the next team to be blanked by the Chooks, but a 4 try second half explosion from the Raiders saw them pick up a 24-22 victory for the biggest upset of the round. Once again Shaun Fensom was very busy, making 41 tackles taking him to 218 on the year, the second most in the competition. A lot for the Raiders to work on, the second most points conceded and the fourth least scored, but you have to start somewhere if you are going to turn it around and this was a great way for the Green Machine to do it. #14 Warriors - 2 points (prev #15) The Warriors chalked up yet another loss but deserve to hold their head high after once again falling by just 2 points, agonizingly close to handing the Rabbitohs their first loss of the year. 1399 metres saw them outdo the Bunnies but 41 missed tackles is far from acceptable and they sit second worst in that category with 140. The Warriors were boosted by the return of Russell Packer and this week will regain the services of Dane Nielsen. Rookie centre/winger Ngani Laumape is starting to generate a lot of excitement, making 120 metres and scoring a try in the Warriors losing effort. After their dreadful start, the last two weeks for the Warriors have seen a lot of positives, but they'll need to start kicking on and getting some wins if they want to make something of the season. #15 Bulldogs - 2 points (prev #8) The benefit of the doubt is over for the Doggies for now. They still await two huge names in James Graham and Sam Kasiano along with the suspension of Krisnan Inu, but with Barba and Pritchard back, the Dogs now need to get their season in gear but they offered very little against Manly, failing to score until the 72nd minute which was far too late. I still believe this team will make the 8, but they need to start winning games to justify being ranked any higher. The positive for the Bulldogs is the strength of schedule they have endured. Their 4 losses have come against the Melbourne, Manly, South Sydney, North Queensland, that's 3 of the top 4 teams, that group combined has won 16 out of 20. That's some very tough games they have gotten out of the way. #16 Panthers - 2 points (prev #13) A 30-0 drubbing to give the Panthers 4 losses in their last 4 games, no wins since round 1. They continue to hold the highest missed tackle count in the NRL averaging 33 missed per game and this has contributed to the Panthers being the worst defensive team in the comp allowing an average of 28 pointers per game. The Panthers have shown that they can score points, sitting in eighth for points scored, but only Melbourne has scored enough points to compensate for how many the Panthers have allowed. Penrith fans looking for a positive need look no further than winger Josh Mansour who had 166 metres and 4 offloads in the Panthers big defeat. Mansour is fifth in the NRL in hit ups and first in offloads with 17, unfortunately there's not a whole lot he can do on his own.
Four rounds in the books now and the likes of the Storm, Rabbitohs and Manly continue to impress while the Roosters put their hand up demanding some attention. Meanwhile the Dragons and Warriors picked up their first wins creating one giant mess in the bottom half of the ladder with 8 teams sitting on 2 points. Another very entertaining round, as they always are, and here's how I rank them.
#1 Storm - 8 points (prev #1)
No surprises here as the Melbourne attacking juggernaut marched on to another victory. Cruising 20-6 at half time, the Storm let the Broncos back into the game early in the second half but responded as they almost always do to seal a 6 point victory. The Storm completed 77% of their sets and made 7 errors but missed a few more tackles than they would have liked with 25. The fire power of the Storm is proving too much for anyone to handle, they have the most points in the NRL, most tries, most try assists with Cronk continuing to pull the strings tied for the lead in both try assists and line break assists with 5 of each.
#2 Rabbitohs - 8 points (prev #2)
No surprises here either as the Rabbitohs joined the Storm in remaining undefeated through the first 4 rounds. Tasked with taking on a Bulldogs team with a returning Ben Barba and Frank Pritchard, the Rabbitohs ground out another strong win with an 84% completion rate and once again racking up some huge metres with 1670. Greg Inglis continues to stomp on anyone that gets in his path reeling off 198 metres, he sits second in the NRL with 532 metres through 4 games, leads the NRL with 25 tackle busts and tied for the lead in line breaks with 5.
#3 Sea Eagles - 6 points (prev #3)
Coming up against a Tigers outfit that was gaining in confidence, the Sea Eagles were a brick wall leaving the Tigers scoreless in a 26-0 victory. Manly were on the back foot early as the Tigers looked threatening, but they soaked up what the Tigers had to offer and then threw it all back at them. Slippery conditions proved tough for Manly to deal with completing just 62% and making 16 errors, but they stampeded their way to 1600 metres. The clean sheet sees Manly ranked the best defensive team in the competition allowing just 30 points through 4 games, they also sit 4th in points scored. Hooker Matt Ballin leads the NRL in tackles with 127.
#4 Titans - 6 points (prev #4)
I was quick to jump on the Titans bandwagon but they continue to justify it with another strong victory, this time 28-10 over Penrith. Nate Myles put on an immense performance with 135 metres and 44 tackles, but the Titans forward pack as a whole are a giant handful. Myles was joined by Bailey, Taylor, Bird and James in eclipsing 100 metres, the Titans have no shortage of blokes willing to put their hands up. The combination of Sezer and Kelly continues to blossom, Sezer the controlled, calculated navigator while Kelly provides the off the cuff spark, they are playing as well as any halves combination.
#5 Knights - 6 points (prev #5)
The Knights continued to show they are serious top 8 contenders this year cruising to a 28-12 victory over Canberra. The Knights played well in the first half but went to the break down 10-12, but in the second half, completing 21 of 23 sets, the Knights ran in 3 unanswered tries. Newcastle sit second in the NRL in points with 104 and second in hit ups with 665, while also being one of the better teams defensively ranked 5th. Akuila Uate continued his emphatic start to the year notching his 6th try,good for 2nd in the comp, he's also tied for the lead in line breaks. Jarrod Mullen has been getting through a mountain of kicking with the most kicks in play in the comp along with tying Cooper Cronk for the most assists.
#6 Roosters - 6 points (prev #8)
Completely squashed the Eels with a 50 point 9 try battering. 9 Roosters eclipsed 100 metres including all 5 of the backs, Sonny Bill was a colossus, seemingly offloading the ball every time he ran with it, while future superstar Roger Tuivasa-Sheck grabbed a hat trick. It was almost a training run for the Roosters who completed 86%, made 1580 metres and only 4 errors. Perhaps more impressive than the attacking explosion the Chooks unleashed was the fact they have now blanked opponents in back to back games. The Roosters will come into round 5 having not conceded a single point for the past 165 minutes they've been on the field.
#7 Sharks - 4 points (prev #6)
In a game where they were 9.5 point favourites, the Sharks gave the Dragons their first win of the season. Despite being in front of a home crowd the Sharks could only put up 2 tries which proved insufficient. Were dealt a huge blow with Origin half Todd Carney leaving the game through injury. The Sharks once again were under 70% with their completions and let themselves down with 20 missed tackles and 13 errors. Issues of finishing their sets and ball control are becoming a familiar trend. They are still one of the better defensive outfits sitting 4th with only 53 points conceded.
#8 Bulldogs - 2 points (prev #11)
Yes, they lost again, but they managed to compete with the Rabbitohs and go down by only 5. The Bulldogs have just one win to go with three losses, but consider that this Bulldogs team has clearly been depleted and then consider their opponents. They lost to the Cowboys before they fell out of form, they lost to Melbourne by just 4 points in Melbourne, and they lost to the Rabbitohs by 5. Those three teams would have been pencilled in by many as top 4 teams and two of them are yet to lose a game. With the bottom 8 currently comprised of teams all sitting on 1 win, the Bulldogs can at least lay claim to showing they are capable of competing with those top teams.
#9 Tigers - 4 points (prev #7)
Just when the Tigers looked to be getting their tails up, they ran into a Manly side backing up from a loss who were quick to put their foot down. The Tigers had a lot of ball and a lot of opportunity early that they couldn't capitalize on and so often if you can't take your chances when they are available, especially against the likes of Manly, then you're going to pay for it. The Tigers may have two wins, but they've come against the Panthers and the Eels. The two top eight teams they've played this season they've lost combined 68-10. They've leaked the 4th most points and have the second highest missed tackle count. I'm no NRL coach but if you are compelled to give Farah a "rest" then probably best to find a better time to do so.
#10 Broncos - 2 points (prev #12)
The latest victim to be consumed by the Storm, the Broncos did themselves proud in a 6 point losing effort. The Broncos showed a lot of character to fight back from a 20-6 half time deficit with the first three strikes of the second half but Melbourne had too many points in them. They will be pleased with an 81% completion rate and crossing over for 5 tries in what became a very impressive attacking display, but they were only able to make 1131 metres. Captain Sam Thaiday had one of his best games in a long time, really trying to put the team on his back with 133 metres and 44 tackles.The Broncos will need to build on this attacking effort as they sit 5th worst in points scored.
#11 Cowboys - 2 points (prev #10)
Followed up on their dreadful loss to Newcastle by giving the Warriors their first win of the season. Things really aren't going well for this lot right now who were predicted to be amongst the elite of the competition. The Cowboys lead 12-6 at the half and looked to be back on track, but really fell to pieces in the second. They only lost the game by 2 points, but their second half effort included 19 missed tackles, 8 errors and a measly 53% completion rate. They've missed the third most tackles in the comp and their studded backline has failed to fire tied for the third least points so far. You'd be foolish to write them off with that roster, but they need to get back on track quickly.
#12 Dragons - 2 points (prev #15)
They do know where the try line is! they may still be the third worst attacking team in the competition, but the Dragons will take a lot of confidence after scoring 4 tries on the road against a much fancied Sharks team. 4 tries may not seem like a lot to most, but for a Dragons unit that has failed to put up points for so long, maybe this can give them the spark they need. The halves combo of Fien and Soward has copped a lot of criticism and they responded by being the first two blokes to cross the line. Against a big imposing Sharks team, the Dragons roared their way to 1687 metres. Still a lot of work to do, but a big statement game out of the Dragons.
#13 Panthers - 2 points (prev #13)
What separates Penrith from the other 1 win teams is that they have shown an ability to score points, they sit 5th overall in the NRL in that category and tied for the best in line breaks. What pulls the Panthers back in line with these lower ranked teams is their defence which has leaked the third most points and this comes in large part on the back of poor tackling, in a clear first place for missed tackles with 127. It was this problem that let the Panthers down in their loss to the Titans as they missed 36 tackles. They didn't put up many points but they made good metres with 1597 this against a huge Titans pack and while the 28-10 score line wasn't too embarrassing, especially considering the Titans scored on the 80 minute mark, the Panthers can't continue to miss that many tackles.
#14 Eels - 2 points (prev #9)
Absolutely stomped by the Roosters in one of the worst performances in Eels history. Barely made 1000 metres with just 1009, missed an embarrassing 40 tackles along with 12 errors, describing the Eels as a speed bump would be generous as the Chooks walked all over them all night. Eels management will spend the week trying to locate Jarryd Hayne and Chris Sandow who were mysteriously absent from the Eels implosion. That's three losses in a row now for the Eels after their big round 1 win over the Warriors and while some of these bottom half teams look to be taking a step forward, if only a small one, the Eels took one gigantic step back.
#15 Warriors - 2 points (prev #16)
The Warriors finally got to waltz into the winners circle with a 2 point victory over the Cowboys. Early signs were worrying as the Cowboys looked in the mood and likely to run away with it, but the Warriors struck very late in the first half and got their tails wagging in the second. The return of Nathan Friend was huge for the Auckland side, his distribution out of dummy half giving the Warriors halves much better ball to work with and Shaun Johnson seemed to have a lot less weight on his shoulders, playing with much more freedom and in the end it was his x factor that took the game over. The Warriors overcame injuries to Nielsen, Hurrell, Locke and Henry, to the point where they played the last 7 minutes with just 12 men on the field as Henry left with concussion and they were out of substitutes.
#16 Raiders - 2 points (prev #14)
Back to the bottom for the Green Machine with a league worst point differential of -61. They've been scored on the most and they've scored the second fewest points and now have lost one of their best attacking weapons in Ferguson to injury. Despite their troubles, Shaun Fensom continues to make people question whether he is human, making 18 hit ups for 117 metres along with 57 tackles against the Knights along with 3 offloads. The Raiders return home this week to welcome a Roosters team that ran straight over the Eels and they'll need to really get their act together if they don't want to suffer the same fate.
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.
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 4th
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 6th 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 77th 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
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.
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.
