The chopping block: Clipboard holders' edition

It was a welcome return to the bunker this weekend, pouring over the weekend’s action with Ray Barnacle.

The big highlight at our Boolaroo Creek HQ is the new statistical data supplied by the upgrade from the Commodore 64 to a sleeker, quicker Commodore 128.

Usually the data is available early Wednesday morning, but with the upgrade it was ready Tuesday lunch time.

We were blown away by the speed and accuracy of the reporting, although the floppy disc drive has had some teething problems. Ray reckons he can iron it out after viewing an episode of MacGyver, where the great man used hair spray and a paperclip.

We launched it by blaring out the classic Boston hit ‘More than a feeling’ as Ray flicked the on button. The folks at Apple would have been impressed with the light show – a strobe Ray put together back in 1989 purchased from Tandy Electronics! You can’t buy that quality these days.

On to more pressing matters, and a crisis is emerging at the Dragons after back-to-back hidings from sides lower on the ladder. The Warriors continue to be their own worst enemy, the Eels continue to punch on despite more drama off the park than an episode of the Kardashians, and rumours of player unrest at Souths gain further momentum with the mysterious late withdrawal of star halfback Adam Reynolds.

Andrew McFadden
Tui Lolohea, one of the NRL’s brightest young prospects, sat on the bench in the pouring rain on Saturday night – in Perth, no less – and was not used in the 80 minutes.

The coach deflected all queries on his bizarre decision to not replacing the inept Manu Vatuvei, or just as ineffective Ken Maumalo, with the whiz kid on the pine.

How he can justify his statement “We just couldn’t find the right spot for him, so we weren’t going to make the change just for the sake of it”?

How about the fact David Fusitu’a struggles with a pass longer than two metres, evidenced by the ball for Maumalo that went to the touch judge. Or Vatuvei’s slow retrieval of kicks in goal, which cost his side a goal-line drop out? Or Maumalo contesting bombs with reckless abandon in atrocious conditions? Or Blake Ayshford’s poor defensive lapses in the opening 20 minutes and ineffectiveness in attack?

I could go on all day, especially since the same thing happened against the Sharks. Surely a player with the footwork, speed and vision of Lolohea is more effective against tiring defences than big, slow bodies?

Rumours of talks between Warriors management and Brad Arthur will continue to gain momentum while McFadden shows this lack of vision or tactical nous in tight matches.

The fact Lolohea’s manager received three calls or text messages from rival clubs should be the wake-up call to slot him back to fullback, where he offers better playmaking skills than Fusitu’a.

But chances are Tui will be playing NSW Cup instead of Canberra, and Jono will return as the utility interchange strike weapon!

Paul McGregor
Poor old Mary. His Dragons had the rub of the green facing the Cowboys and Storm at home during the Origin period and banking four points in tight battles. With a clash against the out of sorts Manly at Brookvale followed by a home clash with the Titans, a move up closer to the top four looked on the cards.

Alas, a 30-point drubbing at the hands of the Sea Eagles, and a 20-point shellacking from the Broncos, will have alarm bell ringing for fans of the Red V.

After a 50-point turnaround in For and against, the Dragons now sit tenth spot on the NRL ladder, with a crucial clash against the inconsistent Tigers this weekend. No doubt the joint-venture club will be out to spoil their former favourite son Benji Marshall’s 250th first-grade game.

Is it time to bring in the ‘Oust Doust’ banners, given only the Knights have a worse for and against and attacking record than the boring Dragons?

The rumoured play for Trent Hodkinson, the $200k per season less offer on the table for Mitch Rein and any future halves with potential or ready-made playmakers to get the team’s sterile attack back on track, is alarming.

Why don’t they chase a player such as Nu Brown from the Sharks? The kid is class and would be a perfect solution for the beleaguered club, yet every time a star playmaker is on the market or at odds with his club, the Dragons make a play and come up empty handed.

Michael Maguire
The Rabbitohs’ losing streak continued with a below par performance by the previously out of form Broncos.

Paul Carter and Kirisome Auva’a were sacked in the lead-up, then Adam Reynolds withdrew from the match during the warm up, leading to rumours of a strained relationship with the coach.

The Bunnies appear almost certain to be out of the running for the finals in 2016, and further disharmony, player unrest, sackings and poor form will result in a rather robust chat with club owner Rusty Crowe come season’s end.

It must not be forgotten that this is the coach who delivered the Bunnies their first premiership since Greenpeace was founded, but the most obvious reason behind the decline is that the gameplan deployed in 2014 is failing in 2016.

Unless the coach can reinvent himself and rejuvenate his side, the strong card in his favour may not be worth much when The Gladiator conducts an end-of-season review up at Nana Glen.

Luke Keary is leaving, Chris Grevsmuhl was released early to the Panthers, two promising first graders have been sacked, and there are the constant rumours of Greg Inglis going to Brisbane. It’s not pleasant reading for Souths fans.

On the positive vibes for this week:

Agnatius Paasi
Have we seen a more consistent and dominant interchange performance from a forward since the great Billy Weepu at Manly in the ’90s?

Consistently getting over ten metres per carry, creating mayhem, and always proving a handful in his 25 to 35 minutes of game time have been among the main reasons for the Titans’ above-average season in 2016.

A few audacious offloads at the Auckland Nines led to comparisons with the late, great Artie Beetson from Ray, and Paasi’s form has continued to ignite the Titans attack in 2016.

Paasi must surely be in the mix for the Kiwi World Cup squad in 2017.

The Warriors sure know how to release potential, adding him to the likes of Peta Hiku, Sosaia Feki, Leeson Ah Mau, Elijah Taylor, Billy Tupou, Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Jethro Robson – the list is endless – who have found pastures greener and excelled.

As a coach do you flog him in the pre-season to improve his fitness, or keep him in his current role for the team? I’d get him on the pies and keep him on the bench, aiming for a Billy Weepu weight gain in 2017!

Trbojevic brothers
Ray and I could not split the pair in their influence on the Sea Eagles’ victory in Perth last Saturday.

Elder brother Jake was carting it up for 15-metre gains, and charged down a lazy, slow attempt at field goal from Shaun Johnson – a charge down which led to the match winner no less.

At the back, his fleet-footed brother Tom opened the scoring, making Blake Ayshford clutch at thin air, and kept the inexperienced back five defensively rock-solid. Manly would not have been in the contest if not for this pair’s contribution.

Brett Stewart’s career at Brookvale will come to an end if young Tommy T and the Sea Eagles continue this huge, two-game winning streak.

The two must be earmarked for Origin in 2017. On work ethic, leadership and consistency alone, they must find their way into the 17 – not as ‘development players’.

While the million-dollar man took all the credit with his fluke, left-footed field goal, the brothers were clearly the best two players on the park, just shading Tui Lolohea with his cameo impact in extra time.

Over to you readers, who made your list over the last fortnight, either bad or good?