There’s Always Next Week
NRL Round 4 in Review
Whether you’re a footy fanatic who analyses their team under the microscope, or you just love seeing the highlights on repeat — this one’s for you.
Join me as we take a closer look at the key plays and players from your team each week.
Brisbane Broncos v Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters fired back a retort to the bookies and fans who moved Canberra into premiership favourites last week.
Playing behind a dominant forward pack, Luke Keary continues to develop into one of the game’s most complete playmakers, with a superb showing against the Broncos on Thursday night.
The words execution and clinical are often thrown around when talking about the Roosters, and for good reason.
Ten line breaks were converted into 10 tries against the Broncos on Thursday night.
If that’s not clinical, show me what is.
With superstar fullback James Tedesco missing, the Roosters focussed on executing simple set plays consistently. Three of their first half tries came from the same simple block-shape shift.
Using Victory Radley as an extra pivot allows the halves to play wide of the ruck, shifting out the back to Brett Morris who offloads for the first two:
And once the defence begins to adjusts and anticipate the shape, Kyle Flanagan hits Angus Crichton short for their third:
It’s worth noting that earlier in the game, the Roosters tried running this same shape, but the ball went to ground.
Playing without his regular fullback Tedesco, Keary’s pass misses the mark and the Rooster’s could have been excused for going away from that shape and into their shells.
A well coached team can often be judged by the way they handle disruption or challenges — ie player withdrawals or positional changes.
To persevere and execute this play three more times without key player Tedesco, shows that Trent Robinson’s men clearly know their roles within the team, and trust the game plan given to them.
For the Broncos… who knows?
The timing couldn’t be worse as talk ramps up around a second Brisbane team — if this form continues, we might find out how loyal footy fans in the River City really are.
New Zealand Warriors v Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers survived another 80-minutes without their on-field general Nathan Cleary this week, but it was far from pretty against a labouring Warriors side.
Led by the barnstorming form of James Fisher-Harris (averaging 200+ meters per game in 2020), the Panthers have had little trouble making their way up field in this season.
But the absence of NSW halfback Cleary has been painfully obvious, as both Jahrome Luai and Matt Burton struggled to take good fifth tackle options against a willing but hardly top-tier Warriors defensive outfit.
It was clear that Ivan Cleary had instilled in his halves a ‘run-first’ mentality for Friday night, but the setup and timing of those runs left much to be desired.
Luai’s choice here to run on fifth tackle, on the halfway line, when his team is in the grind, shows a lack of game awareness from the young half.
And while strike back-rower Villiame Kikau is always a dangerous attacking weapon when given early ball, he has a much better chance of creating something from nothing if Penrith run this shape closer to the try line:
For the Warriors, hooker Wade Egan is serviceable but doesn’t threaten from dummy half, meaning opposing A and B defenders can lock in the hit up forwards and make dominant tackles.
Short of suggesting yet another Warriors’ spine shake-up, perhaps Kodi Nikorima could be put to better use around the ruck.
Melbourne Storm v South Sydney Rabbitohs
Two clutch-moment plays from Cameron Munster was the difference in a dour affair on Friday night, as Souths left ruing a wasted chance to break a 15 game losing streak in Melbourne.
Souths completed their first 10 sets and weathered an early onslaught to stay in the fight, despite Melbourne scoring first with a slick short-side attacking play:
But from the 20 minute mark, Souths completed just 16 from 31 sets to give themselves no chance of winning.
The Storm weren’t great in comparison (76% completion rate, 13 errors), but took two chances — and the two points — on offer through some Munster brilliance.
Just before halftime, rookie forward Tom Amone gets caught up in the niggle at marker, and Munster makes him pay with some great footwork and vision:
Then with 15 minutes to go, Munster found Josh Ado-Carr with a precision chip-kick, ending any chance of a Rabbitohs’ fight back.
The Storm were far from the polished, composed outfit we’ve come to expect, but certainly showed they still have the defensive grit and attacking flair in big moments to be a force in the competition.
For Souths, Cody Walker’s return from suspension should go a long way to improving their clunky offence. His combination with improving fullback Latrell Mitchell could be dynamic — expect to see this pass on the highlights reels for some time:
Parramatta Eels v Manly Sea Eagles
With superstar playmakers on both teams pulling the strings, you could have been excused for expecting a high scoring affair in Manly on Saturday night.
But where Parramatta took their chances, Manly will lament a few missed opportunities that left them praying for a last minute miracle…lets get to that later.
In comparison, Mitchell Moses’ ability to build pressure with his pinpoint kicking game (3 forced drop outs) gave Parramatta the field position to post some points.
Some champagne footy down the short-side, including a brilliant offload from Mika Sivo, got the Eels’ their first try:
Well played.
The rest of Parra’s points came directly came off the back of Manly errors, something coach Des Hasler will surely be addressing in Monday’s video review.
One thing he won’t want to discuss will be the forward pass call that denied Manly a buzzer-beater clutch victory, courtesy of some ‘Tommy Turbo’ brilliance.
The forward pass call was incorrect. It should have been a try. But it was called by the touch judge as it would have been last year a second ref would have had no impact on that decision — Graham Annesley, 6/7
Annesley’s swift admission of the mistake was a classy and necesary act, but it doesn’t help Manly climb the ladder.
With camera quality and recording technology improving every year, will it be long before we start using video referees to adjudicate on forward passes? Or will that just open another can of worms…?
Cronulla Sharks v North Queensland Cowboys
Despite a flying start to the season, the attacking flair of North Queensland’s new-look backline came to a halt against a undermanned, under-fire Cronulla Sharks squad.
With a gluttony of errors making for a grinding, sea-sawing affair early, it was a resolute and determined Sharks’ defensive line that set the tone for the game.
Despite the recent trend of one-sided, runaway scorelines when a team is starved of possession early, the Sharks repelled an early Cowboys’ onslaught (70% possession in opening 10 minutes) to drag themselves back in the game.
Defensive efforts like this are promising signs for coach John Morris:
After attacking with consecutive sets, the Cowboys shifted wide looking to score in the corner, but no less than seven Sharks slid into frame to defend their line.
Good signs for the Sharks who’s defensive line was tough as wet-paper against the Tigers last week.
For the Cowboys, the return of Jason Taumololo and a recharged Coes Hess should give their exciting backline more attacking opportunities over the advantage line in the coming rounds.
Canterbury Bulldogs v St George Illawarra Dragons
If you read the headlines, you might’ve heard about a supposed doomsday-like showdown on Monday night between coaches Paul ‘Mary’ McGregor and Dean Pay.
Unfortunately for Mary and his Dragons, they failed to emerge victorious as Kieran Foran’s return sparked back to life the Bulldogs, and coach Dean Pay’s
The veteran playmaker’s control around the ruck meant that the ‘Dogs got themselves into good attacking field position, albeit against a flimsy Dragons’ defensive line:
Some keen coaching from Dean Pay saw Will Hopoate move to fullback, where his safe hands and experience are put to better use (see above), while damaging ball runner Dallin Watene-Zelezniak can focus on his role from the wing.
Expect to see poor Mary McGregor in the headlines again this week.
