Eight talking points from NRL Round 7

Another round of NRL is in the books, and we have finally had some of the teams at the bottom of the table pick up wins, as well as some spine-tingling traditional Anzac Day matches. Here are my talking points for Round 7.

Why would anyone fight against NRL on Anzac Day?
Anzac Day is one of the most sacred days in both Australia and New Zealand. It’s a day where we stop, reflect, remember and respect those who have, or continue to serve in the armed forces, which keep us safe, and living the life we are so privileged to lead in this great part of the world.

It’s the day where we thank those who came before us and gave us the freedom and life we have today.

It’s this freedom we are able to exercise in the afternoon of Anzac Day, after all of the official services and marches are completed, to play footy.

Sport is part of this nation’s DNA, whether you like it or not. Even during the first world war, there are stories of soldiers playing sport on the battlefield.

Further to that, the NRL – and the AFL, for that matter – do an excellent job in making the entire round about Anzac Day. From jerseys, to the rememberance services at the beginning of each game across the weekend – there is not a single thing disrespectful about it.

So to think on Thursday afternoon there were comments from some on social media outlining they didn’t believe sport of any kind should be played on April 25 came as something of a surprise to me.

Of course, if the RSL clubs were kicking a stink up and ex-soldiers didn’t like it, the idea of not playing footy on Anzac Day each year would have more merit, but they don’t, and instead, like the army, are actively involved in the games, whether it’s playing the last post, reading the ode or singing of national anthems.

The pre-match ceremony at the games in Sydney and Melbourne on Anzac Day also bring in a whole lot of other elements outside of the normal five minutes we see before the games.

Then there is the atmosphere itself. Everyone drops silent for the minute’s silence and while the ceremony is going on. If you want to teach the next generation exactly what respecting the past looks like, get them to watch the five or ten minutes before the Dragons and Roosters on Thursday.

Silent. You could hear a pin drop. Having attended the three years prior, it makes the hair on your arms stand up.

Of course, the follow-up of noise generating creates one of the best sporting atmospheres in Australia, which obviously has nothing to do with the point being raised here, but it’s still one of the biggest days on the rugby league calendar, and to see a genuine argument against it start would be hugely disappointing.

The gulf between the top teams and the rest will be larger than ever before
In terms of having a competitive competition, there are some really worrying signs evolving across the first couple of months.

If you cast the mind back to 2018 for a moment, you’ll remember that, while we had the tightest race for the top eight in history, with just a single victory separating all eight finals-bound teams, the race for the eight teams in the finals was all but over with weeks left in the season.

After just seven weeks of the new season, we have three teams who are holding a six and one record, and the top eight are already all on eight points.

Maybe of more concern is the number of teams who are either consistently, or inconsistently, just looking bog average. The bottom seven teams are all only two and five, and that’s a really poor start to the season.

Normally, you’d say a two and five start to the season is enough to just about kill off a team before the season really gets going. A minimum of ten wins, and maybe needing 11 from 17 games is a tough feat to achieve for teams who just don’t look like they have shown up to play in 2019.

The Panthers and Cowboys in particular were supposed to improve this season, the Broncos were supposed to be decent, and the Knights – despite their efforts on Sunday – look to be in a whole heap of bother.

If you look at the ladder at the same point last year, it’s actually somehow gotten worse, the gulf between the top and the bottom. Only five teams held a two and five record last year with the recurring theme in that group being Canterbury, North Queensland and Newcastle. At the top after seven weeks, there were four teams with five and two or greater.

I don’t want to write off the season too early as a competitive battle between 16 teams, but there are worrying signs for any sort of race to the top eight at the end of 2019.

(AAP Image/Daniel Pockett)

Is Siosiua Taukeiaho the best prop in the game?
Paul McGregor said it best in the post-match press conference of the first game on Anzac Day between the Dragons and Roosters at the Sydney Cricket Ground, saying words to the effect of, ‘You can’t give the Roosters 70 per cent of the ball in the first half and hope to win.’

It’s true. The Dragons were certainly not the better of the two sides on Thursday afternoon, despite the magical try from Matt Dufty in the second half, and a 40 minutes of footy they dominated.

Whether you think questionable decisions cost the Red V or not, there can be no denying a mountain of errors were a huge part of them going into the sheds 14-0 down.

Yet, they would have actually been quite happy – and as a Dragons supporter, I was amazed – that it was only 14-0.

The Dragons defence, frankly, was unbelievable during the first half. It’s defence you can build a campaign on, as they came up with try-saver after try-saver.

But, there was another reason the Roosters were going so damn well.

Siosiua Taukeiaho.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Their whole forward pack were excellent, running hard, tackling hard, and dominating those on the other side of the ground.

But Taukeiaho. As an opposition fan, you wanted to look up and not see him anywhere near the footy. Preferably, sitting on the bench having a breather, because that was the only time he didn’t dominate the Dragons on Thursday.

He has had a huge start to the season, and there is beginning to be a real case for him to be called the best prop in the game. It’s not just the raw stats from Taukeiaho either, but rather, his effort to burst through the line, gain post-contact yardage in every run, and also come up with the odd offload or pass at the line to keep defensive units on their toes.

The only two guys who look like they are challenging the big tri-colours prop at this point of the season are Paul Vaughan and Addin Fonua-Blake. It’s daylight to the rest.

(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Even Jason Taumalolo won’t save the Cowboys
Speaking of big forwards, and while he couldn’t quite get on the field against Canterbury, Jason Taumalolo will be a much-needed return for the Cowboys when they host the Gold Coast Titans in Townsville next Friday.

Now, this point isn’t a knock on Canterbury – they were absolutely fantastic on Friday night. It’s those sort of performances which should fill fans with hope that 2020 and onwards will see a much improved blue and white outfit as they continue to rebuild.

This, is a shot at the Cowboys, who just don’t seem to be prepared to take a risk in team selection or otherwise.

Paul Green has some massive decisions to make in the coming weeks, because frankly, the problems with North Queensland are not in the forward pack.

Sure, they are missing one of the best forwards in the game, but their pack has more or less held it’s own against the Bulldogs and Storm over the last fortnight.

What they don’t have is a backline or any direction.

Not only do questions and pressure start to have to go on Paul Green, but Michael Morgan as well. He had that amazing run at the end of 2017 and played excellently in the first few rounds this year, but at the moment, playing alongside the rookie backline combination of Te Maire Martin and Jake Clifford, while Jake Granville battles to get minutes at hooker, the Cowboys have looked directionless.

It’s almost like they have never met each other before in attack, and so, while Taumalolo provides them extra metres, time and space up the middle, it’s not going to help them in the slightest if they continue to play with poor decision making and the like in their attack which hampered them against Canterbury.

(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

This Warriors side can make the finals
How good were the Warriors on Thursday night?

It was never supposed to be close, and yet, with ten minutes to go, they were just about favourites. An undermanned Warriors – no Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Blake Green or Solomone Kata – were leading the Melbourne Storm in Melbourne on one of the biggest rugby league days of the year.

What was so impressive about the Warriors was their attitude, dedication and defensive pressure when defending the goal line.

Their attack was a little clunky at times, but it was always going to be with so much star power out.

The addition of Chanel Harris-Tavita into the halves has proven an excellent one, while their forwards – led by guys like Agnatius Passi and Lachlan Burr – have just ripped in and done a job, while the debut of Patrick Herbert was one to behold.

I don’t want to jump the gun on the Warriors, because we know what their consistency is like, but playing like they did on the weekend, there is no reason they can’t turn themselves into consistent winners and challenge for the top eight when the whips are cracking in August.

(AAP Image/David Rowland)

Newcastle have finally clicked
The Knights took a while, but they have finally clicked, and it’s hardly a surprise.

They have plenty of talent, this Newcastle team. Starting Kalyn Ponga in the halves to start 2019 was a mistake, but he has now moved back to fullback and settled into the job, while Connor Watson and Mitchell Pearce looked settled in the halves on Sunday.

Attack, and the structure of their attack has been a big issue early on in 2019, but it was much improved against Newcastle.

Of course, Parramatta’s sloppy start helped the red, white and blue, and it was hardly an 80-minute performance, but for the first time this season, the Knights looked like the improved team we all expected they would be.

One who might go close to challenging for a spot in the finals on the back of a revamped forward pack, solid kicking game, and the brilliance of Ponga.

(AAP Image/Brendon Thorne)

Can we take anything from Brisbane’s win?
From a Brisbane fans perspective, getting their second win of the season on Saturday night at home was an absolute must.

It would have just about been curtains for Anthony Seibold’s side if they didn’t.

However, they did, and more impressively, they did it in style by running straight over the top of the Sharks forward pack.

Where they had previously been at the bottom of the competition for tackle efficiency and possession, those numbers improved greatly. They completed at 80 per cent, had 58 per cent of possession, had over 500 post contact metres and missed just 16 tackles in 80 minutes, compared to the Sharks 50.

We have seen performances like that from the Broncos rarely this year, and it just goes to show, that will consistency is lacking, once this young forward pack gets on a roll, they are going to be hard to peg back.

It makes the Broncos dangerous, and more impressively, Anthony Milford and Kodi Nikorima finally looked to be showing some control of the side.

In even better news for the Broncos, Jamayne Isaako finally got out of his funk, looking dangerous in attack, making over 100 metres and kicking goals strongly for what feels like the first time this year.

It seemed to be a little bit of an attitude adjustment for the Broncos, who also benefited greatly from having Matt Lodge back.

They have a mountain of work to do after their sloppy start to 2019, but it finally doesn’t look to be all downhill for Brisbane.

(AAP Image/Dan Peled)

What would a Daly Cherry-Evans injury mean to Manly?
You’d think, a huge amount.

But then, when Daly Cherry-Evans went down on Sunday afternoon against the Raiders with nearly half an hour to go, joining other stars Addin Fonua-Blake (suspended) and Tom Trbojevic (injured), you would have thought the green machine might have jumped away with the win.

The woes of Canberra on Sunday are for another day, because it’d be harsh to call them out for one half of footy when they have been so good, but Des Hasler has obviously built a serious culture at Manly.

One where they know they are going to be outplayed some days, but will keep turning up for one another, defend their line, and make the most of their opportunities.

However, there are going to be issues with Cherry-Evans out.

It’s all good and well to defend a lead with him off the park, and to step it up for half an hour, but to do it for full games, week in and week out. That will be a problem.

Cherry-Evans has an excellent ability to manage games, and puts together one of the best short-range kicking games in the competition, all of which has been brilliant for Manly this year as they solidified their spot in the top eight on Sunday.

Lachlan Croker was superb in his absence, but taking control of the side would be a different beast.

Essentially, it’s hard to see Manly winning without Cherry-Evans. But then, we said that when Tom Trbojevic was injured, so who knows.

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