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Opinion
The first round of 2021 is in the books, with new rules, some surprises and people streaming back through the gates as COVID-normal NRL got underway. Let’s get into the first instalment of talking points for the year.
Rule changes will work again
When new rules were introduced last yea they were met with some concern but plenty of hype.
Those rules have gone to the next level this year, and they are going to work again. Sure, they didn’t completely win everyone over last year, but there should be absolutely no concerns with speeding up the game.
Rugby league is supposed to be played at a high, exhausting pace, and that is exactly what we got in Round 1, with the six-again rule being expanded to include offsides, fewer scrums and the bunker being used in the background without anyone noticing.
You can have too much of a good thing, but the NRL may have finally found the correct balance in speeding up the game while also not throwing out what makes the sport.
The wrestle has become virtually non-existent, while the offside epidemic that crept into the game has disappeared. Any advantage from taking a long-range kick into touch for a breather has also gone.
The biggest advantage is the bunker being used while the game is allowed to continue as a conversion is set up, and it makes all the difference for the viewer and player experience.
Sure, the captain’s challenge may still have a kink or two to iron out, but all in all the current iteration of NRL rules is close to spot on.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
So, it wasn’t something about Mary
While pundits far and wide were writing off the Dragons coming into the new season, they did nothing but prove them correct in the final game of the opening round.
When Paul McGregor was unceremoniously dumped last year, the attitude among Dragons fans was that it would begin to improve.
And yet it was anything but against Cronulla.
Dropped balls, slow line speed, sloppy defence and poor creativity out of the halves combination of Adam Clune and Ben Hunt left the Dragons without a leg to stand on against the Sharks, who to their credit were very solid, particularly during the first half.
The Dragons had a mini burst in the second half, but it went downhill again all too quickly.
Those trends which followed the Red V around like a bad smell last year – a lack of discipline and next to no attack – have followed them into 2021, and Anthony Griffin will have his work cut out to steer this side away from the bottom of the table.
The downcast mood and attitude in the halftime sheds summed it all up for the Saints. They were woeful.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
The Roosters and Storm will still be at the top of the tree
It might be a new year, and both the Roosters and Storm might both be missing their captains of last year, but that won’t stop either team on their quest to continue a prolonged run of dominance.
The Storm flew out of the gates in the season opener, racing away at a point per minute from the stunned Rabbitohs.
Tries to Cameron Munster, Justin Olam and Ryan Papenhuyzen had the Storm up 18-0 in 18 minutes, and it was barely a question from there despite how close the scoreline got.
While game management in big moments is still a question for the men in purple without Cameron Smith, they did hang on against a rapidly improving Bunnies outfit.
At this stage of the season two points are two points no matter how you get them. Those other questions will be answered at a later stage.
While the Storm’s final scoreline may not have been as emphatic as expected, the Roosters kicked their 2021 off with a thumping victory over the Sea Eagles.
James Tedesco’s form shows no signs of slowing down as he got going with a hat-trick in the 46-4 smashing of Manly.
Brett Morris also grabbed a bag of tries as the Roosters cruised from the first whistle to the final siren. Sure, they will face tougher opposition, but the signs are good.
It’d take a brave man to think the Roosters and Storm are going to be anywhere but the finals come September.
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
An in-form Anthony Milford could make all the difference in Brisbane
The difference between the first and second half for Brisbane on Friday in their eventual loss to the Eels was astronomical.
The key factor seemed to be the impact and influence of Anthony Milford.
Sure, the way the forwards did or didn’t dominate the game played its part, and it is impossible to put all the blame on Milford, but his lack of influence in the second half was a continuation of last season.
The Broncos realistically should be better this season, even if that isn’t good enough to make the finals, and the way they started against the Eels suggested those pundits were going to be on the money.
But then with a clumsy second half characterised by poor attacking options, weak defence and a lot of dropped ball, it was like a re-run.
The creativity and decision-making of Milford fell off a cliff, and playing around a young, inexperienced team, he must take the reins at every opportunity, as he did during an excellent first half.
(Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)
Brian To’o is Penrith’s quiet achiever
Sometimes wingers don’t get the credit they deserve, particularly when they are surrounded by superstar talent in a team likely to be in the reckoning for a trip to the grand final again.
That is exactly the case of Penrith young gun Brian To’o, who is coming on in leaps and bounds but never seems to get the credit others like Nathan Cleary, Jarome Luai, Dylan Edwards, Villame Kikau or James Fisher-Harris have heaped on them.
And yet you could argue that without the influence of To’o the Panthers wouldn’t be anywhere near what they are.
Their 24-0 shutout of the Cowboys was an excellent performance from a very well-rounded team, with each and every player doing their job, but the winger again excelled.
To’o ran for almost 190 metres throughout the game, causing constant headaches for the Cowboys defence having his way with his opposite number, also grabbing a try in the process.
As the NRL gets faster, kick returns and the battle for territory has become increasingly important, and it is a battle To’o helps his side win week in and week out.
He may not get the raps he deserves, but the Panthers wouldn’t be the same team without their quiet achiever on the wing.
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
The Bulldogs will be a work in progress but improvement is on the radar
The final scoreline may not have flattered the Bulldogs, but they will be a much-improved side in 2021.
Canterbury have become known for their hard-nosed defence in the past few years, and for the most part – with the exception of a burst each side of halftime – they were solid against the Knights.
Sure, that burst let in four tries in just 23 minutes, but a team adjusting to changes are always going to take time to find their mojo. Certainly Josh Jackson going into the middle, and Kyle Flanagan’s arrival, as well as new combinations out wide, was never going to be perfect.
But the big need for the Bulldogs in 2021 is more points, and particularly early they looked a lot better in attack.
Flanagan will eventually become an excellent addition for the Bulldogs, while Nick Cotric’s hard running gave them an edge at times. The forward pack needed to do more to keep the blue and white in the game, but that will come with time and experience.
Given a handful of other injuries, Canterbury weren’t terrible. There is a way to go, and finals may be out of the question in 2021, but Trent Barrett’s side will cause headaches.
New-look Titans hit the ground crawling
You have to give a mountain of credit to the Warriors. They have no idea when they’ll be allowed to go back home and are spending their second season located overseas.
But there must be grave concerns for the Titans.
Yes, teams with a stack of changes, youth and new players can take time to gel and flow, but they looked very, very ordinary, scoring only a single try in the 73rd minute as they wasted attacking opportunities, looked clunky at the best of times and left tipsters stunned by just how average they were.
Statistically it’s difficult to put a finger on what went wrong for the Titans, and defensively they will win most games where they only let in three tries.
However, their attack just didn’t flow. It’s a little odd given the influence AJ Brimson had on the side at the back-end of last year, but worryingly for the Titans, Ash Taylor seemed to stunt their rhythm with the footy in hand more often than he helped it.
After finishing 2020 strongly his combination with Jamal Fogarty in the halves will be all-important in the new campaign, but there is clearly a lot of work to be done, with blame unable to be shuffled elsewhere, particularly given the somewhat surprisingly good performance of Mitch Rein at hooker.
The Titans are going to be one worth following in the coming weeks. It should be top eight or bust in 2021.
Welcome back Ryan James
Once upon a time Ryan James was the next big thing.
A hard-running forward, James had all the tools to become a star of the game and future of the Titans if he could find a way to cut the errors and penalties out of his game.
But then injuries struck and we never got to see James reach his true potential.
But in the Raiders opening win over the Tigers on Sunday afternoon James made his return to the top grade from the Canberra bench and looked excellent in doing so.
Scoring a try was just the cherry on top, but James ran the ball hard every time he was called on, volunteered to do the hard yards, displayed a bit of footwork and defended solidly.
You’d almost swear he had never been away or had never been nursing potentially career-threatening injuries.
He will add plenty to the Raiders pack in 2021, and while the jury may still be out on the Green Machine, the initial signs are that they will be thereabouts come the back-end of the season once again.
Roarers, what did you make of the opening round? Let us know in the comments below.