Wow. is it safe to come back out and watch the final game of the round between Melbourne and St George Illawarra or is someone else going to sustain a major injury?
You would forgive the Storm and Dragons players if they went into Monday night’s game a fraction nervous about the injury toll in the first seven games of the season, but of course they won’t.
The commitment to the physical challenge is one of the great credits to the NRL as a competition – and the main reason players are so often hurt.
They do everything they can to avoid it through their meticulous pre-game preparations and post-game recoveries, but once they get out there and the collisions come at high speed, or the unfortunate twists occur in the tackles, they are rolling the dice.
Sometimes it can happen just through a change of direction when a player runs the ball, as appeared to be the case when Cronulla’s Paul Gallen did his knee against North Queensland.
Gallen, Canterbury’s Michael Lichaa, Brisbane’s Jordan Kahu, Canberra pair Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer, Penrith’s James Segeyaro, and South Sydney’s Adam Reynolds and John Sutton headed the list of those who finished the weekend considerably the worse for wear.
On the positive side, I’m almost afraid to mention that one of my favourite players, Wests Tigers fullback James Tedesco, safely negotiated the first round, for fear of putting the mock on him. But I’ve said it now.
Tedesco was again terrific for the Tigers in their roller-coaster of a game against the Warriors. You will recall he had some horrible luck with injuries in his first three years in the NRL, but last season he was one of only three Tigers players to play all 24 games.
Tedesco scored the runaway try right at the end that confirmed a Tigers win after a big second-half comeback from the Warriors.
The try had to go to the NRL bunker before it was awarded and the officials there made a pretty quick decision that what looked like a knock-on from Tigers five-eighth Mitchell Moses was, in fact, a knock-back.
I was intrigued to the extent that I replayed the incident on video about a dozen times afterwards and came to the conclusion that they got it right. The ball went ever-so-slightly backwards off Moses. The fact he got knocked backwards himself made me think the ball went forward.
The speed with which the decisions generally came out of the bunker was the key.
The biggest problem with video referees over the years was the amount of time they took and the number of looks they had before making decisions in many instances. Their apparent uncertainty invited everyone else watching to lack confidence in and find fault with their decisions.
The weekend results left Warriors coach Andrew McFadden as the stand-out when it comes to coaches under the most immediate pressure. The loser of that Tigers-Warriors game was always going to be left carrying that tag.
The Tigers weren’t that convincing either when you consider the pickle they got themselves into after halftime, but a win is a win and their coach, Jason Taylor, can breathe easier.
The Warriors now face Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night. The Broncos are coming off a win and will have had more time to rest and prepare, having played the season opener against Parramatta on Thursday night.
It’s not looking good for McFadden. The Warriors spent up big to acquire fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and hooker Issac Luke and quick results will be demanded by the club’s management.
The game against the Broncos will be followed by back-to-back home games for the Warriors against Melbourne and Newcastle.
I can’t see McFadden surviving past the first four rounds if the Warriors haven’t got a win by then.
Apart from that, it may only be one round but good luck to Newcastle in their bid to avoid back-to-back wooden spoons. They’re going to need a truckload of it judging by their 30-12 loss to Gold Coast on Sunday night.
And beware Canterbury, who have issued the most impressive challenge so far, in these early days, to last season’s premiers, North Queensland, and runners-up Brisbane. The Bulldogs went to Brookvale Oval on Friday night and kicked rebuilt Manly’s butt.
Canterbury coach Des Hasler may not have won a premiership with the Bulldogs yet, but he has taken them to two grand finals and a third trip there this season is a big possibility.
East Bound & Down
Guest
Tis a shame really as I think the kid deserves his chance at origin and he's had a pretty crappy run with injuries , can't say my sympathy extends to Souths though .
East Bound & Down
Guest
Hey I won't argue that any of the players I've mentioned aren't good players on their day , but it's my opinion that they have all contributed heavily to the losing culture in the NSW camp in recent years .
steveng
Roar Rookie
It's been made official that Adam Reynolds has got a 'Fractured Jaw' and its not known for how long he will be out until tomorrow, but judging by these sorts of fractures and if they are wired it could be between 6-8 weeks. Bad luck to Adam for falling awkwardly onto Isaac Liu's hip but he is susceptible to injuries every year and this is nothing unusual for him.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I noticed his shiner in the first few minutes. He toughed it out for a while.
Chris Morrison
Guest
Hahaha squidward. Yeah, I think everyone is feeling the SuperCoach pain a little bit after that first round
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Certainly an attritional opening round compounded by the immense heat. That was brutally hot in Canberra with the afternoon kickoff. I was at the Bunnies game and it was very warm. Looks like Sutto will be out for a while.
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
Mitch Moses was very good yesterday! Moses to lead the Blues out of the desert?
planko
Roar Guru
Josh Reynolds will be injured and or Suspended by SOO
Kaks
Roar Guru
But not as lengthy as the other blokes, fingers crossed!
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Raiders site shows both Austin (knee) and Sezer (eye socket) are out for 4-6 weeks. I reckon both would have been a chance for Origin if they'd stayed fit. Williams will be in for the Raiders but who will partner him in the halves? Don't want to see Wighton shifted from FB. Young Lachlan Croker or maybe Hodgson or Baptiste? Tough to lose both halves in the first match of the season but I don't think you can attribute them to the reduced interchange. Gutsy peformance by Sezer as I think it happened very early in the match.
AGO74
Guest
As a dogs fan I want him to be the answer but re Friday night He was good but he was very much helped helped by a dominant dogs pack. I will reserve judgment for a little while just yet.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
My guess is we will have Hodkinson and Josh Reynolds.
Chop
Roar Guru
Except if neither make it back before origin, then NSW are even more stuffed.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Sezer was injured as well wasn't he? Was it an eye socket or a cheekbone? 2-4?
The Barry
Roar Guru
Josh Reynolds and Aiden Sezer on fire on the weekend. Not all is lost...
Epiquin
Roar Guru
He's injured too :(
Dean - Surry Hills
Guest
Lets nip this problem in the bud. Burn all the balls - then introduce a total ban on leather and synthetics, so that no balls can ever be made again.
JOHNY BULLDOG
Roar Rookie
Money well spent by the Doggies I believe-just goes to show Des is a lot smarter than the average bear!
Kaks
Roar Guru
For the love of everything good in the world, NO! Would rather see Sezer given the chance than see the perennial loser who will never be mentally prepared to face QLD ANOTHER go.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Annnndddd... NSW Origin team is in tatters. Reynolds played a perfect game yesterday until he was injured, it seemed he and Austin were a lock to make their Origin debuts. I wouldn't be surprised if Pearce starts for NSW now...