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What’s the problem with Todd Carney being photographed hanging out with Schapelle Corby and her sister in Bali? It’s just a few Aussies having a harmless get-together in a foreign land.
No-one was hurting anyone, or breaking any laws.
Now that I’ve got your attention, let’s talk about some active footballers – you know, guys who are actually playing in the NRL, with six rounds to go and counting down towards the finals series.
I’m going to start with Jarryd Hayne – arguably the best player in the game as we speak.
I’m still marvelling at Hayne’s display for Parramatta in the second half against Gold Coast last weekend. That long-distance try he scored was one of those rare moments where an individual rises above the level of the game and becomes untouchable for one magical play.
But we all know Hayne is a superstar. The person I really want to give a wrap to at the Eels is their coach, Brad Arthur. He had the guts to do what he thought was best and restied Hayne from games that were played two and three days after State of Origins I and III.
Parramatta’s chances of winning those games – against Penrith and the Warriors – were drastically decreased in the process, and they went down heavily each time. But Arthur believed the team’s chances of making the finals would be improved if Hayne was spared the quick back-ups after the intensity of Origin.
He certainly looked fresh against the Titans, and if he keeps playing like that Parramatta can make the finals. If they do, Arthur will deserve as much praise as Hayne, for ensuring the player was better off for the long run by not overloading and potentially flattening him.
It would have been easy just to throw Hayne in. It was much more courageous to look at the big picture and pull him out.
Next up, Gareth Widdop and Benji Marshall. The fact Marshall is prepared to play a virtual support role to Widdop in the halves at St George Illawarra is a clear indication of two things – just how good Widdop is and how much Marshall has matured, both as a footballer and person.
There is no mistaking the fact Widdop runs the show at the Dragons, but Marshall is clearly very comfortable with that. He is able to pick and choose his times to get involved.
At the end of last season, after Marshall’s time in league had soured and he was leaving Wests Tigers for New Zealand to play rugby union, what odds would you have got about him playing in the NRL finals this season?
Probably not as good as you would have thought, because if you went to a bookmaker to ask for a seemingly unlikely bet like that they would have thought you had some inside mail, but here is Marshall knocking on the door of the top eight with the rejuvenated Dragons.
Josh Reynolds. Is he the spark that can get Canterbury out of their funk? After two straight losses for the Bulldogs and with Reynolds returning after a three-match suspension, he will certainly put himself about in a bid to help get something going against Penrith at ANZ Stadium on Friday night.
People are usually definite in their opinion of Reynolds – they either love him or hate him. There doesn’t seem to be much in-between. I’m a fan. I think he’s more skilled than people give him credit for and has a very good football brain.
The Bulldogs need a push, and I think Reynolds will provide it for them.
Unfortunately for John Sutton and South Sydney, he’s not going to be able to provide the Rabbitohs with anything over the next few weeks as he recovers from a knee injury sustained in the win over Canberra on Monday.
History says that is going to make for a difficult period for Souths, because statistics show their winning percentage dips dramatically when Sutton is out. Put simply, Sutton has got big plays in him. He can sense the right time to step in and either score a try or make one for a teammate.
You can say Sutton only lasted for eight minutes before getting hurt against the Raiders and the Rabbitohs still won easily, but two things need to be pointed out here.
One, it’s easier for a team to adapt on the run when a key player goes missing. You’ve no time to think about it. But it gets harder when you’ve got all week to think about it, leading up to a game. That’s when reality can bite.
And two, it was Canberra.
Finally, speaking of the Raiders, I’ve got to mention Shaun Fensom. He really stands out in that side, because of his unwavering commitment to the cause. Fensom is not just a defender. He’s got ball skills and he makes a prop’s metres.
Unlike the other teams mentioned here, Fensom’s side has no chance of making the finals, but it’s not because of him. Imagine Fensom in, say, the Manly team, where good players make each other look even better.
It’s a disgrace that Fensom, at 26, hasn’t even been given a Country jumper yet, let alone played for NSW. That’s the problem sometimes, when you’re playing for a team that is out of sight and generally not performing well on top of that. People don’t take that much notice of you.
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