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After two rounds, 14 of our 17 NRL teams have at least one win. Which clubs will be able to bank a crucial two points this week for cashing in at the end of the year? Here’s your round three midweek talking points.
Let’s get some big rocks out of the way first. Newcastle’s Kalyn Ponga was taken from the field within 90 seconds and took no further part in the Knights’ win over Wests Tigers.
It’s Ponga’s fourth concussion in under a year and don’t forget how his 2022 was cut short after some bad head knocks.
Roosters ‘enforcer’ Victor Radley is named this week to play against South Sydney but still recovering from his fourth concussion in the last two years, including a couple of brutal head knocks.
Radley is talking about changing his tackling style, but doing that on the fly during a season is much easier said than done.
The NRL is apparently going to introduce a mandatory concussion standout period of 11 days (the AFL’s is 12) sometime this year, to remove any temptation to run someone out again after a bad knock. I’m all for that but I can already hear the ‘bUt He LoOkS oK’ bleating from the sad sacks out there.
The last thing we want to see is someone having to take time away or retire from what they’ve dreamed of all their lives. But health and wellbeing always must come first.
So although they’re young, still fit and doing what they love, we’re really approaching a crossroads here where Ponga and Radley (and those trusted people around them) might need to ask themselves some thought questions about their careers playing rugby league.
A bad Round 1 loss to Manly had the queue to lay a boot into Canterbury stretching from Belmore to Bankstown. So many hot takes, so many players written off. So what do Cameron Ciraldo’s men do?
They head south and beat up on an (admittedly undermanned) Melbourne, blitzing them early, having some wobbles during the Storm’s inevitable counter attack but weathering the worst of it and showing maybe that first up performance was just some stage fright.
This week it’s the hapless Wests Tigers heading to Belmore and like round two, this is a game the Dogs will fancy themselves to do well in.
The hot take train has moved off the Bulldogs and is now well and truly headed their towards the Tigers. Are Tim Sheens’ crew strong enough to withstand the blizzard of bulls**t and keep their eyes on the ball?
Josh Addo-Carr runs with the ball against Melbourne. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
Last week your midweek talking points painted a somewhat grim outlook for St George Illawarra, but after trailing the Gold Coast early 12-2 they were great – working their way back into the game before leaving the Titans in their wake.
The Dragons piled on 30 points at almost a point a minute either side of halftime through fast, precise play. It was really, really enjoyable stuff to watch.
But while they’re off and racing, week three sees the Dragons head to Brisbane and a matchup with the Broncos, who are absolutely flying.
It’s a big test and the Broncs will give them a thorough examination.
All the talk will be about South Sydney and the Roosters on Friday night, but there’s plenty else around to keep us interested.
Manly return from the bye on Thursday night with a real chance to put another cut on Parramatta, who at 0-2 but with top four plans can’t really afford to drop games they’d think are winnable.
The Dolphins are favourites to go 3-0, if you can believe it, when they take on a Newcastle side that’s already on its knees with injuries and suspensions.
The Knights reportedly asked the NRL for dispensation to bring in players to round out their squad and it’s not just the number of injuries, but who is actually injured – Ponga, Adam Elliot, Tyson Frizell and Jayden Brailey are all first team selections who would make a difference.
They’re not helped by Jacob Saifiti getting himself rubbed out for five weeks for a really bad high shot on the Tigers’ Jake Simpkin.
Canberra would be welcoming a game away from Queensland’s heat, rain and humidity, but the problem is they’re hosting Cronulla on Sunday night on a hot day that hopefully cools down before kickoff.
Cronulla haven’t beaten Canberra since 2019, that’s eight in a row to Ricky Stuart’s mob. The Sharks have played pretty well to start their season for a win and a loss and they’re favoured against a Raiders side wh can defend well enough, but are struggling so badly in attack right now they’d get held out by a team of under 11’s.
– Lot of noise this week about the Roosters signing Nathan Brown, who was released by the Eels. Pretty unnecessary wailing if you ask me, cos the Eels didn’t want him and the Roosters did. End of.
– Parramatta’s Ryan Matterson sure could have been useful out there for the Eels this season, but at least he kept his money…
– Reece Walsh was unbelievable in his return to the Broncos. What a player he can be.
– New Zealand put in another honest shift against the Roosters, but it’ll be interesting to see how their matchup with the Cowboys goes on Saturday.
– It’s been in the press for days but sheesh there really is nothing in Sunday’s Jackson Hastings/Tommy Talau/David Klemmer ‘postgame drama’…
What’s got you talking ahead of Round 3, Roarers?