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.
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.
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.
Origin matches are great physical contests, but too often there is not nearly enough skill and creativity.
Dav
Guest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFiFGNfzEvY
FrozenNorth
Guest
FINALLY! Finally someone who agrees with me. It was bad and not just because of low scoring, the quality of footy was flat out poor, especially last tackle options. It was rubbish footy.
Dav
Guest
Smithy, you forgot to mention the offside factor? How is that missed by a professional Ref? Or should we say that Rugby League really suffers as a sport and professionalism? or in the heat of the moment the Ref just missed it. Should there be a thired Ref out there, why is not the touch judge reporting on these issues? http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img537/1593/lQkmrX.jpg\ SOO Game 2, no penalty given ...
Doc79
Roar Rookie
Great article and have to agree with Brian. I did see the raiders v dragons game. The way I see it, everyone likes a bit of the hard slog but also a little ball movement in sweeping backline plays. I don't believe, for origin reffed football (why they ref different to nrl has got me buggered), the nsw halves have the points in them compared to qld but the powers that be can make sure the spectacle has both. How? The interchange bench. I'd like to see a 3:1 bench with only eight or seven interchange limit. The one bench player would be a full replacement (especially now with the concussion rule), the player that is replaced remains off.
turbodewd
Guest
well their bench is 4 fowards basically
Rodney
Guest
thats just projecting one game onto the whole series. 2011-2013 was typified by Queensland briliance in attack and NSW grinding defence. NSW usually getting out to a tiny lead or just a little behind and holding out wave after wave until something eventually gave. There was one game when NSW held out 7 consecutive sets on their line which just sort of typified the times. There was almost a gut feeling of inevitability but NSW usually just held on long enough or were gutsy enough to make you believe they could do it. Out of the 8 series NSW lost in a row 7 ended up 2-1. The niggle of game 2 last year was particularly bad, before that there was some niggle and a few brawls but nothing on the level of the margin pushing there.
Jamieson Murphy
Roar Guru
In Origin NSW have the mind set that QLD is going to score tries regardless, and rather then trying to beat them at their own game they try to grind them out of the game. They might as well pick a team of back rowers who can all tackle if they are going to play that way.
Bulldog
Guest
Not true. Origin is refereed differently to get a closer contest. Game 2 last year was a perfect example. Make it an open and skillful game and QLD would have won the last 8 years or so by 20 to 30 points in every game which would have killed off origin in NSW. No crowds no money - no hype no money.
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
Well said. "You can't defend you your way to a win if you fall behind". I am sure QLD are aware that if they can match us in the forwards, not beat us, just hold us, they can rack up plenty of points. We will then be relying on a team with very few ball players in it, to try create something. Don't hold your breath. As for your point about is it good for the game. I have been a season ticket holder at the Panthers for 25 years. I enjoy league so much I will go and watch games live even when my team isn't playing. I love league, but I really didn't enjoy game's 1 and 2 last year and I think they would be a difficult sell to a non-league fan. They would appreciate the physical toughness, but I think they would be quickly bored.
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
Well Sideline, "beauty is in the eye..." and all that. Having said that, I agree a defensive arm wrestle game can be gripping. But the trouble was, game 2 was more of the same and then it become apparent that NSW really only had bash and barge to their game. Hitup, kick, tackle and so on. If every game is like that, the defensiveness becomes boring and predictable. I hope NSW prove me wrong and dazzle me with their brilliant use of the football. We can circle back and check on that after game one.
turbodewd
Guest
I see 2 themes for Origin coming up. Queensland are old and tired and wont have the hunger. The Blues have no points in their side, if Qld - somehow - get a 10 pt lead its all over.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
I disagree about the first Game of last year's season. I think it was one of the most engaging contests I have ever seen, and there was a lot of plaudits for it at the time. It was close, it was tough, and was edge of the seat the whole way through. Notedly, it also had a relative lack of grubbiness, despite the odd Thurston-esque b-slap. I think tight defensive games can be incredibly exciting. For instance, one of the best games I have ever seen was the quarter-final between Many and the Roosters in 2013, which easts won 4-0. The grubbiness of Game 2 last year sort of eclipsed the first, and game 3 wasn't much better. It left a sour taste in the mouth for a series that started with a ripper.
sham
Guest
Statistical analysis is becoming more prominent in sport. In some sports the old canards about defence being more important than attack are shown to be false. The reason that in these sports all the claims about defence are still made is that attitude is so important to defence – the last thing you would ever want to do is to downplay it. Interestingly in the Premier League a good argument can be made and has been made that attack is valued over defence and that defensive players are undervalued . While I cannot really establish this without a careful statistical study (that has never been undertaken) I suspect that in rugby league we overvalue gritty defensive players in the forwards. I certainly think that the NSW Origin side is defence oriented. It is a risky strategy as what do you do when you fall behind? You can’t defend your way to a win if you are behind. I sure don’t want my NRL team dominated by gritty forwards who never pass. I want a few really fast guys and some forwards who can and do offload from time to time. Origin is the NRL ‘showpiece’ to use clichéd language. Is it ideal for us to have such a defence minded approach in a series that people who do not normally watch league will see? Probably not if you think about the bigger picture – do we want people to think that league is largely just five hit ups and then a kick to the corners? Sure the NSW Waratahs fans overdo it but they demand an attacking approach and in recent years they have got what they wanted.
P.Marlowe
Guest
Agree with that. As a Qld fan, I will say the series before that which Qld won was very similar - just alot of one out running by both sides.
Jason Hosken
Guest
Nice Raiders v Dragons wrap - i enjoyed the technical analysis. Saints certainly did take the sting out of Austin's attack. Probably goes to show Blake still has a way to go before Origin consideration.
jamesb
Guest
On the Qld side of things, many of their players have been together for a decade, and should be familar with combinations. But as NZ exposed a couple of weeks ago, those Qld legends are getting older and slower. The problem is I don't think NSW is good enough.
Rod
Guest
I agree origin has become predictable and frustrating to watch.i partly blame this on the insistence of not blowing the whistle, which was meant to speed the game up. It's turned the game into arm wrestle. The Bunnies with Keary have used the short side with great effect, especially in last years final series. But they could / should do it more often
BBA
Guest
well to be fair, I think it is more they lack the time to try and learn to come up with a more enterprising attack, and definitely lack the time and opportunity to try things out and learn from them as you can during a season. So what you get are simple plays with some individual brilliance. Lets hope we have some individual brilliance.
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
On the money as always Brian. Last years SOO was woeful. I can honestly say I didn't enjoy it, even though the Blues won. The Gal/Bird/Gal/Bird/Gal/Bird hitup-athon was like watching glaciers form. Laurie Daley clearly has no faith in the football ability of the Blues and instructs them to bash and barge their way to victory. This year it is worse. No Hayne and Hodgkinson is in terrible form. Dugan is a great runner, but he can't pass water let alone the ball. There will be no Slater/Stewart ball playing from him. Jennings and Morris should be fresh as daisies for their clubs, because they sure won't be seeing the ball out wide in attack. A bit of tackling for them and their work is done.
Jay C
Roar Guru
I would love to see an open and skilful Origin match, but the powers that be love close, tight, grinding affairs.