Upsets galore and a Sticky hissy fit: Round 3 proved the footy's back

What a weird week in league. The only thing that could have made Round 3 any weirder is if an NRL star was filmed simulating a nefarious act with a…

Never mind.

Let’s just get down to brass tacks.

Cowboys 40 defeat Roosters 0
Oh how the mighty have fallen. Just goes to show that the Roosters aren’t worth much without any of their star players. Take that Bondi!

A swag load of injuries and embarrassing suspensions have left the Roosters to field an under 14s squad each week. Things got worse on that front with new recruit Dale Copley taking a trip to the sick bay and not likely to return for a couple of weeks.

Word is that Trent Robinson is scouring the pubs of Bondi and youth hostels for new recruits to cover his ever-growing injury list.

Parramatta 20 defeat Canterbury 6
What the hell happened here? A bloke I work with was scrutinising his tips for the week and decided to back the Eels. I called him all sorts of colourful names. I questioned his sanity.

I questioned his manhood.

Needless to say, I’m still living it down.

I sat watching this game in utter shock. Are the Eels… good?

Surely not.

This was also the game that made people sceptical of the bunker. Did Sam Kasiano’s offload to Sam Perrett travel forward from the hand or was it only a forward pass if an Eel player didn’t touch it? Can a video ref rule on a forward pass? Did the touchies actually call a forward pass?

So many questions it makes my head hurt!

Newcastle 24 drew Canberra 24
Take note: Round 3 was the real season opener. Ricky Stuart throwing a hissy fit at a post-match press conference means the footy is back.

This game proved that the whole point of golden point is pointless.

I can’t decide if either side was equally good or equally bad.

Penrith 23 defeat Brisbane 22
I sure hope Newcastle and Canberra watched re-runs of this game: this is how you win a close encounter! A field goal!

How did Brisbane lose this one? Especially considering Anthony Milford has taken two needless field goals in the opening two games, but couldn’t tonk one over when it really counts?

Titans 30 defeat Tigers 18
WTF?

That’s all you can say about this game. Neil Henry is clearly the greatest coach to have ever blessed the NRL. Perhaps we should just hand over control of the country to Henry, because if he can turn around a basket case like the Titans, who knows what else he’s capable of? Peace in the Middle East?

Storm 21 defeat Warriors 14
Someone needs to drop by Centrelink and pick up some paperwork for Andrew McFadden – he’ll need it soon. The Warriors arguably have the greatest line up in the NRL at the moment, despite giving Konrad Hurrell the cold shoulder.

James Gavet was also penalised for a dangerous one-on-one legs tackle that nearly snapped Cameron Munster in two. Some of us needed to dust off the old rule book to look that one up.

Debate has raged whether the tackle really was illegal or not. I say who cares? Munster doesn’t need any bloody legs anyway.

Dragons 8 defeat Rabbitohs 6
This game proved the Bunnies need to go back to basics. I mean primary school arithmetic basics. Two minus one does not win a game, Greg.

Greg Inglis – with his side two points down, and only seconds left until fulltime – in his infinite wisdom, wound up and went for a field goal!?

Sam Burgess did himself a mischief, which was scary to see. But Burgess is so tough that he scares Chuck Norris, he’ll be right.

Sea Eagles 22 defeat Sharks 12
Trent Barrett sighed the biggest sigh of relief after this win. Manly finally had a win and an unexpected one at that.

The Sharks look likely to make the eight this year but if they can’t sink sides like the Sea Eagles then maybe the eight will be a bridge too far.

Martin Taupau is in a bit of hot water after he did his best guillotine impression on poor Jack Bird.