A game as good as the one between South Sydney and Sydney Roosters on Sunday isn’t supposed to be possible in Round 2.
Teams are supposed to be still finding their way at this early stage – making basic errors, getting rid of the rust, keeping it conservative – but this game was something else.
It was extraordinarily good, full of all the things that make rugby league great when it is played the way it should be.
Watching it, I thought this was a game worthy of finals football – maybe even a grand final – and it just kept getting better and better. Even allowing for the undoubted quality of the Rabbitohs and Roosters, I honestly found it hard to believe we could see something like this in March.
Two teams not content with just hitting it up for five tackles and then kicking, but really playing footy. There were great tries (Greg Inglis collecting a kick in-goal and setting up Alex Johnston for a length-of-the-field runaway was just one) and massive power plays (George Burgess and Dylan Napa among the main performers here).
There was great opportunism (the Michael Jennings try after Joel Reddy allowed a spiral bomb to bounce), some fireworks (Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to the fore) and a classic stuff-up just to keep everyone honest (Shaun Kenny-Dowall dropping the ball over the line).
The ebb and flow was striking. First it was Souths who looked well on top, leading 12-0, but then the Roosters scored the next 22 points. Souths responded, cutting the deficit to four, and then the Roosters got their lead back out to eight.
Souths came back again, but with two consecutive tries this time, and led 28-26. Fittingly, in such an absorbing contest, we couldn’t be sure who was going to win until very close to the end, when Issac Luke scored for Souths.
The worst period in the game for Souths coincided with halfback Adam Reynolds being off the field concussed. They got their act back together when he came back on.
Souths coach Michael Maguire was disappointed his team had lost control of the game for a while, but coaches are never happy. This was an epic contest between two great sides.
Just throwing forward for a minute, I wouldn’t have any problem with NSW coach Laurie Daley sticking with Trent Hodkinson as halfback for State of Origin Game 1 – as long as the Canterbury player was in good form. But if Daley decided he wanted an alternative and Reynolds was in form, I hope he would go for him.
When Mitchell Pearce was playing halfback for NSW he tried to have a big influence but couldn’t come up with the plays. Meanwhile, the other players in the team who were capable of making a sizeable impact didn’t get enough opportunities.
Hodkinson didn’t try to be too brilliant in last year’s series. He just did his job and didn’t over-play his hand and Jarryd Hayne ended up as clearly the most influential player for the Blues. I could see Reynolds fitting similarly into the NSW side.
But that’s down the track.
There are some teams in the NRL who – if they weren’t watching it live – shouldn’t view the Souths-Roosters game on replay either. It would only dent their confidence by making them realise just how far off the pace they are – and are likely to stay.
It’s obviously still very early days and a lot could change over the next few rounds, but there are a few things that already look pretty clear in the pecking order.
On performances so far I’ve separated the teams into a few groups, headed by the Rabbitohs, Roosters and Penrith at the top. Canterbury is alone in the next group, but within reaching distance of the top pack and likely to join it at any stage.
Then I pile Newcastle, Warriors, Canberra, Manly, Melbourne and Parramatta all in together.
Brisbane, North Queensland and Wests Tigers, who play St George Illawarra at Campbelltown on Monday night to complete Round 2, are in the next sector.
The Cowboys were the team I found hardest to place. Not quite sure what to make of them at this stage. And in the bottom group I’ve got Cronulla, the Dragons and Gold Coast.
I’m stunned by how bad the Sharks have been in attack. I expected them to get back into the top eight this season and there is still plenty of time for them to do that, but they are the biggest disappointments in the competition so far.
steveng
Roar Rookie
At 12-0 the Rabbits were sailing along until Adam Reynolds came off and then there was a nock on in the Souths 20 and then all hell broke lose mainly and purely because the Roosters got a few lucky breaks which they made themselves and that is what a big game is all about. Souths persisted and were just too strong and relentless up the middle and off some great forward runs which eventuated in Burgess try. All in all I was very impressed with the performance of Souths and for sure as I've seen so far in rounds 1 and 2 and part of round 3 the top teams so far are Souths, Roosters and the Panthers with the Eels not far behind (without any injuries).
Little Red Rooster
Guest
Jacksyd..how can you honestly follow a team that gets more leg ups than D. Oliver?
Roaring Rooster
Guest
Ahhh Jacksyd..if only you knew what you were talking about..how does it feel following a team that gets more leg ups than Damien Oliver?
Chooks
Guest
You're kidding yourself. What about the no penalty call for big George tackling Jennings in the air that led to the first try? And before you say it was simulataneous I've freeze framed, he hadn't landed.
Muzz
Guest
Andrew Johns says that Pearce and A Reynolds are the form halfbacks atm and that halves hit their straps around 25 which is how old Pearcey is but what would the 8th immortal know? Did you watch the Roosters vs Cows game? Pearcey shredded JT.
Muzz
Guest
The overall kicking game wasn't the best and some serious D lapses(ball watching) around ruck let them down and they still managed to put themselves in a position to win it. All these things will be worked on and sorted.Early days! Jake Friend is also a very important piece of the puzzle and should be back before round 8.
Chappy
Guest
Muzz, just watch all of Pearce's Origin games again. Game, set and match.
SpongeBob
Guest
One-off play, as in, they're doing nothing and then something happens and suddenly it's a try - no real lead up work. Vs a series of a plays where they do some plays to setup their other play. A simple example: Hammer down one side to compress the defence then a big backline movement back to the other side. Perhaps even a chip to the winger who is positioned wider then theirs who had come in.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
I lost count of how many times Pearce and Maloney either put it dead or put it high and in goal with no real chasers. I mean admittedly I wasn't keeping a running tally, but it happened far too much.
Muzz
Guest
Lol. More garb age from Chappy. His grubber was inch perfect.Watch the replay! McIIwrick and Fergo both missed tackles and GI's freakish ability lead to the try.Watch the replay! Kearys try came from a poor read by Issac Liu.Pearce was marking Mcqueen.He sees the danger and points to Lui.He then had to jam in but it was too late. Watch the replay! Haters gonna hate Chappy son. https://www.nrl.com/rd-2-rabbitohs-v-roosters-hls/tabid/10959/contentid/729200/default.aspx
sheek
Roar Guru
A brother-in-law came up with one of the best sayings I've heard for a long time during a conversation last year. Simple yet succinct. He's in a management position & he said the trick in both work & life was managing the grey. I thought this profound since most of life is grey, with few absolute black & whites. Well, at least in a democracy we're lucky to have plenty of grey.
Mike from Tari
Guest
Just shows that one off plays work just as well as team plays, but your wrong, if a ball goes from one player to another that is team play.
Angus
Guest
Agreed...shame about the dubious and unfair decisions against the Storm...referees need to be penalized for their mistakes!!!! We lost, but thought both teams played an exceptional game as expected.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
I made the suggestion on the AFL thread last Friday that declining attendance is a universal problem for pro sport and that even the AFL had experience slight decreases in total attendance, despite having two extra teams and an extra game each week. The counter-argument I got was so convoluted an nonsensical that it was really a sight to behold. It was then claimed that the NRL deliberately scheduled the Eels v Bulldogs game to combat the GWS Giants TRIAL game next door. Yeah.
Alvin Purple
Guest
Wasn't that because of the Intrust Cup game being on beforehand?
The Barry
Roar Guru
From my perspective while I watch and enjoy other sports, league is the sport I care about and want to see the best for. There's no doubt that playing to full(er) stadiums is part of that. So when I have these discussions it's about expressing how I think league could be improved. I'm certainly not having a shot at league. While I'm interested in what's happening in other sports, I don't really CARE if a-league, AFL, bocce or whatever have the same problems.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of common sense in League officiating. For instance, when Inglis scored his match winning try for Queensland at Etihad stadium (where he dropped the ball and it was deemed to have been stripped by Farah... or something...), I was pretty furious. Yes, I was supporting NSW at that game, so naturally I was upset, but the thing that got me was that they tried applying a a broad range of "interpretations" despite the fact that he clearly did not plant the ball on the ground. You can consider all the interpretations, precedents etc. all you want, but giving that try was not in the spirit of the game. But that is why I think black and white rules would've helped. The ref should have been able to look at that try and say: "The ball came loose. Farah didn't touch it. Knock on."
sheek
Roar Guru
Epiquin, I'm not a fan of absolute black & white, because ultimately I don't think it works. The NRL thought that they might reduce controversy with more officials. But it doesn't work that way. More adjudicators will only mean more disagreements. But the way our society is going, common sense is becoming a lost art. A workmate tells where his brother works in the mines in NT, the employees are banned from using the phrase 'common sense.' Apparently everything has to be spoon fed to them, spelt out for them in black & white. No leeway to giving staff the option of using their initiative. It's sad, but I guess that's where we're heading.....
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Perhaps this crowd debate is one which should probably be one to incorporate all pro sports. I just don't see why this debate always appears on league threads as we certainly dont see supporters of other codes harp on as much. There have been some dismal attendances of late in other codes not to mention tv ratings.
Phil Coorey
Roar Pro
"Unacceptable in 2015. Do I need to drive to AusPost to pay my club membership too?" Oh don't worry - I am absolutly livid about it My stream yesterday was horrible as well - screw nine , that's why I refuse to buy Stan - screw them