Every keen league fan imagines they are able to pinpoint, in one brilliant flash, the exact reason their team isn’t winning.
In that great tradition, here’s part one of the biggest weakness each NRL team has in 2014, and why it will stop them from winning the premiership.
Roosters – discipline
The Roosters have never been favourites of the men in pink. An interesting statistic came out last week that showed in the last seven years, the Roosters have always been among the most penalised teams in the competition. That was on show last Friday night at Allianz against Manly, who came out nine penalties better off than the home team.
A lopsided penalty count doesn’t always lose the better team the game, but at the business end of the season, the one in ten times it does might cost the Roosters the premiership.
Eels – combinations
It could’ve been goal kicking after it cost them the game against Manly, but they’ve gotten through the first three rounds without a settled spine. With the addition of the solid and gritty Nathan Peats and the calm organisational skills of Corey Norman, the Eels look to have found good counterbalances to the unpredictable and instinctive talents of Jarryd Hayne and the recalled Chris Sandow.
Whether these four can forge solid on-field chemistry will be crucial to the Eels’ success, but it’s a tall order to expect it to happen first year out.
Panthers – spare parts
The Panthers have a long-term strategy in place that is expected to lay the foundations for the club to be a powerhouse. But Phil Gould and Ivan Cleary knew a few years of bottom-half finishes wasn’t likely to keep the fans and sponsors on board during the years it took for the investment to pay off. So they recruited experienced players from other clubs who could steer the team around and ensure some solid, if unspectacular, football.
Peter Wallace and Jamie Soward are the two in the most important positions. Experienced though they are, with these two in the halves their former clubs finished last year 12th and 14th, so they’re not likely to deliver the Panthers a premiership this year.
Storm – the keystone
In old archways, the keystone is the single piece that holds the whole thing up. That’s what Cameron Smith does for the Storm. There are a lot of column inches devoted to the ‘Big Three’ but Smith is the one who holds it all together and makes the other pieces fit.
The 40 points the Bulldogs put on the Melbourne team in Perth might be discounted as a one-off, but a look at the Storm’s winning percentage without their captain tells the story.
Rabbitohs – effort
From the outside looking in, it’s hard to pinpoint what’s going wrong at the Rabbitohs, though many have tried. Sure they’ve got an injury or two, but they look lethargic, distracted and at times, uninterested.
Whether it’s some positional changes or dropping some players for a week or two to wake them up, Souths need something to stop them playing like a team that looks like they’re expecting to win simply by turning up.
Knights – $1
It sounds like that one could be solved by anyone reading this article. The Knights board and members need to decide whether it’s worth buying the club back from near-broke mining magnate Nathan Tinkler for $1.
It might seem a simple decision, but many of the Knights stars have their contracts topped-up by third party deals brokered by Tinkler. Also, rumours are that Wayne Bennett’s contract, which isn’t part of the salary cap, is paid by Hunter Sports Group, not the Knights.
The Knights need to figure out the best course of action before it becomes a distraction for the players and staff – unpaid employees are not productive employees.
Sharks – take your pick
A website that matches people wanting to have an affair offered the Sharks sponsorship in the 2014 season, which would be funnier if there had been other offers.
As it is, the Sharks have no major sponsor, no coach, and no points after four rounds. What they do have is a massive hangover as a result of the ASADA fine handed down to the club and most of their salary cap sitting on the bench through suspension and injury.
One weakness? The Sharks would love just one.
Warriors- consistency
Same old story. They can win by 20 or lose by as much, without any hint as to why, which is precisely what has happened so far this season. The team most likely to make tipsters pull their hair out and swear off punting are constantly confounding even the most experienced league watchers.
Some argue that shackling them into a game plan robs them of their creative flair. That might be true, but without a stronger structure they will be exciting in 2014, but once again, not a credible premiership threat.
Stay tuned for part two early next week.
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