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Four players – three backs and one forward – will attract a hot and heavy spotlight in what shapes as a nail-biting Round 25 of the NRL competition.
Injuries to senior players have thrust these four to centre stage, and their respective teams will be sweating on their performances with the finals fast approaching.
I refer to a somewhat unlikely quartet of Rabbitoh Alex Johnston, Cowboy Ray Thompson, Rooster Jackson Hastings and Sea Eagle Blake Leary.
Johnston has been named at fullback, deputising for the injured Greg Inglis in tomorrow night’s big clash with Brisbane at Allianz Stadium. He has made his name as a winger at Souths but fullback is his pet position and he can expect a searching, 80-minute test from the Broncos’ kickers and chasers.
I’m not sure that he can handle the job against a kick-chase team as accomplished as Brisbane but I like him as a player and wish him well on what shapes as a very difficult night.
Thompson has played plenty of five-eighth for the Cowboys and is a nippy customer who won’t let them down. He is lucky to have the world’s best player, Johnathan Thurston, alongside him, as well as another attacking livewire in the shape of dummy half Jake Granville to ease the pressure when the going gets tough.
He’s no Michael Morgan, but is more than capable of doing a solid job for the Cowboys.
The scenario for the Roosters will be very interesting against a desperate Manly at Brookvale on Friday night. Jackson Hastings – the son of club favourite Horrie – has been handed Mitchell Pearce’s No. 7 jumper and he’ll have it for the next four or five games.
He has loads of talent and he’ll need to show it against a Manly team clearly embarrassed by Sunday’s loss to Parramatta and razor-keen to produce an upset win for coach Geoff Toovey in his last hurrah at The Fortress.
Hastings has been charged with the playmaking duties alongside James Maloney. He looked solid when he came on for the injured Pearce against Brisbane in the last round, but is he ready for the big stuff that lies ahead? The jury is still out.
If the Hastings-Maloney combination doesn’t work, watch for yet another dramatic change in the bookmakers’ premiership markets.
The Sea Eagles are clinging to their finals hope by a talon. They need St George Illawarra to lose (heavily), along with an upset win over the Roosters to stay in the hunt.
Blake Leary has been named at hooker when most thought the job of replacing the injured Matt Ballin would go to Jayden Hodges. Leary is usually seen as a lock or second-rower and it’s a big gamble for Toovey to pitch him into dummy half.
I’m really looking forward to this penultimate premiership round in a competition which seems to change complexion with every game. Nothing is cut and dried – just look at last weekend’s crazy results – and there could be more upheavals served between now and Monday night.
As football fans, we can only hope that no more major injuries are suffered by the competition’s leading lights.
I am wishing Messrs Johnston, Thompson, Hastings and Leary the best of luck. Each is in the hot seat and their respective teams could sink or swim on their performance.
Up and at ’em fellas.
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