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SMITHY: For creativity in attack, the NRL is all over Origin

19th May, 2015
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Blake Austin will make his return against the Panthers. (Photo: NRL images)
Expert
19th May, 2015
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Last week I suggested the game of Round 10 might be the Dragons versus the Raiders, and wow what a game it was!

Did you see it? You missed a beauty if you didn’t.

Read more from Brian Smith at Smithy Speaks.

The opening set from the kick-off saw the Dragons play a double of consecutive short-side shots at Blake Austin. They were letting him know they were going to make him work hard in ‘D’ so as to run him out of energy for the damaging attack he has been generating for the Raiders.

If you have been watching the Raiders you would have seen them doing exactly the same, making great metres and working over the opposition halves with their big second rowers and centres, often in one-on-one situations. That leads to quick play the balls and more metres on the next play.

Yet – and I kid you not – there are some teams who have not gone down the short side in their end for a decade! The play requires a clever dummy half with good footwork and great timing, which the Raiders have in Josh Hodgson and Drags certainly have in Mitch Rein.

This play throws the markers a whole new set of questions right from the outset, so they can’t just head off to smash some honest front rower heading to the middle of the field, with defenders bashing him from all angles.

Not to be short of questions for the Raiders, the Drags made ground, got quick play the balls, then put the ball through their halves’ great hands to the opposite side of the field. It finished with Benji Marshall going down the short side, kicking back to the middle with a pretty good chase.

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In one set the Drags had done what some teams will only achieve having completed their opening 145 sets, crashing it up the middle with one-pass plays, never disturbing the grass or the edge defenders who are as fresh as daisies at half time! What they achieved, which the Raiders duly replicated in their early sets also, was to get the ball into the outside 10 metres on both sides of the field in one set.

It was interesting, also, to watch two developing teams. The Dragons were recently ranked #15 in the NRL in tries scored despite their lofty position on the ladder. The Raiders too were struggling for points early in the season, but both played some attractive and threatening attack throughout.

Both are improving but are certainly not without areas that need drastic attention.

The Dragons’ right side got a workout from the Raiders, and they also had a soft try scored on their left when the Raiders used terrific width in their attack for Josh Papalii to rip them apart on a well-timed combination play. Marshall and Gareth Widdop still have weakness in their tackling and commitment at times.

Likewise the Raiders conceded too easily on two tries scored by Marshall and Widdop, creatively kicked by the opposite teammate. It’s a feature of the Dragons’ play – their good ball kicks are deadly.

In other games…

I have been talking about Melbourne’s attack-minded footy since mid-season 2014. It paid off for them in their win over a gutsy but attack-depleted Souths. Billy Slater iced almost every opportunity created by his teammates and did some creating himself.

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Likewise the first half of the Cowboys versus Broncos had both sides showcasing some great support play, as big and burly ball carriers passed early and offloaded in the tackle inside their own half. It was so entertaining.

Manly played with some real enterprise in attack, creating breaks for Brett Stewart to score two beauties and take the Sea Eagles’ all-time try-scoring record, which he really deserves. What a great attacking player he is. Too bad Tommy Symonds got busted.

Even playing at 6, which he hadn’t done much of since his rookie days at Roosters NYC, he did some great things in attack, but Manly couldn’t sustain their roll and the gritty young group from Penrith squeezed out a terrific win.

Yet some commentary crews couldn’t stop talking about Origin, as if the footy in front of them was not important enough to focus on.

Round 11 is really only half of a round, with just four matches. You won’t hear much about them, but there are some really important games to be played. With disruptions to most teams by key players lost to rep duties, it will be difficult for combinations to create some of that terrific attack witnessed at some venues last weekend.

Maybe we will get a taste of really high-quality attack next Wednesday night, when the most experienced and talented combination of players ever turns out for Queensland again. Can you imagine what Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Johnathan Thurston and Billy Slater could create in attack if they really opened up?

Don’t expect too much from the Blues’ attack, with left and right halves operating independently and exclusively on one side of the field, and with forwards who will crash the ball up from kick off to final whistle never thinking of passing or offloading unless they are behind on the scoreboard with the clock running out.

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Origin matches are great physical contests, but too often there is not nearly enough skill and creativity.

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