The 2020 competition is gradually drawing to a close and it has been an eventful year, to say the least.
Here are some good, bad and ugly moments for each club in the bottom eight to ponder.
Brisbane Broncos
The Good: Despite having a season to forget (if possible), the continued development of Payne Haas, Patrick Carrigan and Kotoni Staggs, together with the emergence of players like Herbie Farnworth and Xavier Coates, promise better days ahead for the Broncos.
The Bad: Is this the worst Broncos team in history? Well, not on paper anyway, but their performances this year can best be described as pathetic, leaving their supporters lost for words and the team at the bottom of the table.
Interestingly, the departure of coach Anthony Seibold hasn’t led to any noticeable improvement.
The Ugly: Seibold never lived up to expectations as a coach and he did the right thing by leaving the club. But did he leave purely for professional reasons, or was the vile online troll attack on him and his family the real reason?
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Gold Coast Titans
The Good: The best news that the Titans had this year was the arrival of Justin Holbrook as coach and the positive influence he has had in turning the team around, from easy beats at the beginning of the year to a side that has now won four games on the trot.
The Bad: I can’t go past Kevin Proctor’s Hannibal Lecter impersonation in the Round 14 match against Cronulla, when he took a fancy to Shaun Johnson’s arm. Not a good look Kev.
The Ugly: I’ve seen a lot of bad haircuts over the years but Jai Arrow’s head takes the prize. When I first saw it I mistook him for an Ork from Lord of the Rings.
Manly Sea Eagles
The Good: Every cloud has a silver lining and the club’s high injury toll has lead to the emergence of some very promising playing talent, including Morgan Harper, Albert Hopoate and Taniela Paseka.
The Bad: Tom Trbojevic is clearly one of the best players in the NRL, and his serious injury in Round 6 effectively ended any hope the Manly team had of making a noise in this year’s competition. Some guys just can’t be replaced.
The Ugly: Addin Fonua-Blake has, let’s say, a chequered history of behaviour, but he reached a new low with his Round 8 tirade against referee Grant Atkins. Pathetic. Probably a positive for Manly that he’s moving on after this season.
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
The Good: At the time of writing the Dogs have just crept off the bottom of the table and now have a chance to avoid the wooden spoon that appeared to have their name on it for much of the competition.
The Bad: Dean Pay was handed a poisoned chalice when he took up the club coaching role in 2018. He inherited a poor roster and a massive salary cap problem, and was ultimately shafted by the club in July. That’s no way to treat a club legend but not surprising given the club infighting and power struggles.
The Ugly: The standing down of players Jayden Okunbor and Corey Harawira-Naera as a result of the school girl sex scandal was just what the both the club and the NRL didn’t want as it emerged from the Covid lock down.
North Queensland Cowboys
The Good: Despite just winning four games to date, Jason Taumalolo continues to be the game’s premier middle forward, and averages over 200 run metres in his 15 games this year. For the 14th placed Cowboys, he continues to be a lone diamond in a pile of gravel.
The Bad: The Cowboys have not been competitive since the 2017 season when they just snuck into the top eight. Since then they’ve won just 32 per cent of their games and now need some major surgery in order to climb back up the ladder. I feel it will take much more than replacing coach Paul Green with the untested Todd Payten.
The Ugly: Josh McGuire, no further explanation is required.
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Wests Tigers
The Good: Despite playing in a consistently beaten team, David Nofoaluma continues to impress, scoring 17 tries in 19 games and running at an average of over 180 metres per game. Arguably the competition’s best winger at the moment.
The Bad: Having one of your best players on loan like a book from the library is going to be a problem when it’s time to send him home, and the Tigers will struggle without Harry Grant when he heads back to Melbourne next season.
The Ugly: Benji Marshall is a club legend, making his debut for the club in 2003, and playing over 260 games for the Tigers. So how did he find out that his services were no longer required after this season? In the paper of course. This says everything about the poor culture at Wests.
St George Illawarra Dragons
The Good: After a fruitless seven-year (that’s right, seven!) coaching stint, Paul McGregor finally fell on his sword and left the Dragons.
Hopefully, his long overdue departure and the appointment of replacement Anthony Griffin, heralds a new dawn for this once mighty club.
The Bad: Corey Norman. Where do I begin?
The Ugly: The Jack De Belin issue has now been hanging around the club’s neck for nearly two years. Many believe it’s been a significant distraction, and he has been taking up nearly $600K of the club’s salary cap each year.
Hopefully, for both his sake and that of the club, he gets some good news at his upcoming day in court.
Jack De Belin continues to cast a long shadow over the Dragons. (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)
New Zealand Warriors
The Good: The Covid shutdown has put more pressure on the Warriors than any other club, and the way they have responded has not only been an absolute credit to them, but also vital for the ongoing success of the game.
Despite their hardships, and the loss of coach Stephen Kearney, they have been very competitive in recent weeks and done themselves proud.
The Bad: The Warriors have been arguably the worst team in the NRL in recent years having made the finals only once in the last nine years, and are currently sitting in 11th place.
Given the quality of the players that have represented the club during this time it’s hard to reconcile their continuing poor results.
The Ugly: New coach Nathan Brown has not yet moved into the role but it is reported that he will be “assisted” by Phil Gould. What could go wrong?
Rob
Guest
The Cowboys and Broncos have suffered a similar fate. Started the year full of expectations then Covid brought a loss of momentum and injuries greatly effected the teams coming out the other side. I’m wondering what effect 6 again has had on the less experienced rosters? What benefit the less travel for Sydney teams as apposed to interstate teams? The Panthers are going great but they have had little injuries to positions 1,6,7,9. Off the top of my head the Cowboys have had 3 different 9’s, 3 different 7, 4 different 6’s and 3 different 1’s, revolving door in the centres with 6 different combinations. Captain completed 5 games. Taumalolo injured 2 times playing injured. Holmes playing broken then out. The Cowboys had invested in a lot of young players possibly hoping for them to come through alongside Morgan, Taumalolo, Holmes and McLean and O’Neil. Unfortunately all of the senior players were getting hurt on a regular basis exposing the squads depth across the park. How would most clubs preform with their top 3 players or roughly 3million missing the majority of the season and a coach looking to leave? Anyway they have got some much needed experience into players like Gilbert, Hammer, Cotter, ASI and a bit more exposure to Clifford, Drinkwater, Dunn and Connelly that they can greatly improve on for next year. I had high hopes for the Cowboys after signing Holmes, Robson, Masters and starting with a fully fit Morgan after winning the 9’s. It’s been very disappointing but not wrist slashing considering things that have happened this year. At least they played some footy in the new stadium and Feldt might end the year as the NRL top try scorer.
Nat
Roar Rookie
That's a fair comment Albo. I put a lot of the woes on the coaching and that also correlates with player form and lack of fortitiude to drop them - irrespective of injuries. Recruitment wise, (IMO) Croft was a worthy risk @ $350k. Still just 23yo this yr and it's a bit unfair to say he failed to nail a spot at Melbourne. In '18 he's competeing with Jacks and Hughes and get 12 games. Last yr he played 22. He got dropped for finals but I would argue the Storm were off kilter during finals. Likely just familiarity but they did finish 6pts clear MPs with him. He came now where near that this year, beaten pack and all that but he was poor, so much so I have to come back to the coaching. Too many players were out of form not to have some focal point. But then, as has been the case this year, both Dearden and O'Sullivan have been injured. That's what has hurt them the most this year. The injuries suck but all teams get them but our injury list extended to the back ups. Half these players should never have seen a jumper let alone start and it showed. What really grinds, during the Bennett years they had a slew of quality halves in waiting all playing ISP and not all kids. Bennett stuck with Milf/Kodi, both individually very good but the results are in. Seibold takes over and Dearden gets thrown to the wolves as an 18yo. TBH, You're the last one i'd want to whinge too. I watched the Panthers have this dance over the last few years. Not as badly as ours this year but the Pennies have given confidence that when it does click it will be brilliant. Until then :boxing: :boxing: :stoked:
Albo
Roar Rookie
And with Lee Van Cleef & Eli Wallach swapping stares like Gus & Buzz at the bar !
Albo
Roar Rookie
Trouble is Nat, even if they didn't have any injuries, they still didn't have any spine ( figuratively or literally ). They may have had a better season but were not going to bother the top teams. Their major problem has been brewing for a few years within the Club management where the team roster has lacked balance and especially the key ingredient of a quality spine which lets down the whole team structure. I guess they were hoping that the likes of Millford, Croft , Boyd , Bird, McCulloch, Turpin, Deardon , & Co would eventually come together as a good spine. But through some injury, a lot of poor form, and generally wrong recruitment, it just never happened, and from what I can see, nothing looks much brighter there next season. The Broncos poor season I think was destined from a few years back when the wrong recruitment reins were being pulled. Buying in someone like Croft from the Storm was always a big risk as he couldn't even consistently nail a spot in a spine consisting of Smith, Munster & Slater ? How was he ever going to guide the Broncos one out ? And Jack Bird whilst suffering a heap of injuries was never going to be a real "spine " player . He's an overpaid utility who should have been told by Bennett that he would be going into the forwards or onto the bench only. The Broncos recruitment managers should have identified some far better spine potential over recent years that has since been uncovered at other clubs with likes of Papenhuyzen, Harry Grant, Nicho Hynes, Jerome Luai, Matt Burton, or an undoubted bunch of other talented youngsters from QLD junior competitions.
Tony
Roar Guru
I think you're on to something ND
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Pretty fair assessment Barry, however with the exception of the Cowboys where I believe it was a case of the coach just becoming stale, there is a common denominator running through all those clubs. That being board and management instability, poor recruitment and in some cases serious infighting withing the management structure. The Warriors seemed to have found owners looking to provide structure & stability but St George, the Dogs and to a degree Wests Tigers have issues at management level and I do not think the BRonco's are one big happy family either.Hopefully the Titans board have learned a thing or three over the past couple of years and at this stage seem headed in the right direction. In regard to the Cowboys the question I ask, why was the coach allowed to keep such an aging roster and why have so many highly competent players been disregarded by the coach and performing so well at other clubs, Ponga immediately springs to mind, competent boards do not allow that to happen so how solid are the cowboys really?
Tony
Roar Guru
He's like one of those punters they bring on in the NFL
TIGER
Roar Rookie
I agree about Norman. When I watch him play, he only seems to get interested when it's the 5th tackle so he can kick the ball. That is generally his contribution. Yes, he did play origin but that won't happen again.
Tony
Roar Guru
I feel your pain Hard Yards. You deserve better
Tony
Roar Guru
Perhaps you could have a music/arts appreciation show on SBS with Hard Yards as your first guest :happy:
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Very insightful wrap Barry. To push the self-interest, Manly are at their worst since 2004 when they were only marginally better than 2003 when they were one off the spoon. The Sea Eagles have done their dough on Turbo in my opinion. He should be playing AFL. I never liked the fact that AFB was signed. In my honest personal opinion people like that are below contempt and should be shunned by society - society at large, not just polite society. Des . Des played 255 games for the Boys; a team captain; two premierships as a player; Australian international; second most wins as a coach, but also second most losses as a coach; coached three grand finals, and equals most GF wins as coach along with Ron Wiley, Frank Stanton and Bozo. So what is the story Des? I wish I was a fly on the wall.
kk
Roar Pro
I agree Hard Yards. His works render me weightless, the senses alerted to pure enjoyment.
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
I bloody love Morricone’s The Mission. Can move even me to tears.
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
You hit the nail on the head. Deano was promoted above his ability. We can’t all be good at everything.
Tony
Roar Guru
Goes without saying Dexter. If he's guilty he deserves what he gets.
Dexter The Hamster
Roar Rookie
On De Belin "Hopefully, for both his sake and that of the club, he gets some good news at his upcoming day in court". Only if he is innocent of course.
kersed
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately for Dean as much as I respect him, it seems NRL coaching was out of his depth. Great guy and the players do want to play for him which is half the battle but his team selections, tactics, bench rotation and game plan were VERY poor. its funny how media all say that Dean was shafted by the club whereas they say Mary etc, all made the decision to leave. Dean was not sacked, he was just not being renewed once his contract expires and decided to walk early.
Nat
Roar Rookie
I may hold you to that one day kk. True class.
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
I won't miss Tolman's umpteen thousand fruitless charges at the tryline. Good, big hearted workhorse, but clogs up the attack.
Nat
Roar Rookie
While I didn't get to see the Manly/Titans game you make a fair point about Des' selections, especially around the forwards. Did he start with Boyle? Seems an interesting choice when he only ended up with 20minutes. It would appear that Des was thinking more about the 20min impact of Paseka/Keppie than winning the opening exchanges. Looking at the 4 tries to 1 in the opening half, he may need to reconsider that approach.