NRL Round 6 preview talking points: Are you fighting or quitting?

The NRL’s up-and-comers make some noise as chances and challenges abound in round six. Here are your midweek talking points.

Those who fight and those who don’t

New Zealand’s stirring two-point comeback win over Cronulla spoke volumes for the mindset Andrew Webster has instilled across the ditch.

Any other year and a New Zealand side down 20 lose by 40, but this 2023 version is something different and there was no better example of this than New Zealand’s much-maligned yet favourite son Shaun Johnson. Johnson scored a try, set up two more and kicked 6/6 in atrocious conditions, nailed the game-winning penalty at the death and produced one of the great post-game interviews.

We also saw some backbone from Melbourne, who have fought their way through injuries, suspensions and inexperience to snag three wins out of five and lay a critical platform for the rest of their year.

The Storm’s 18-10 win over the yet again disappointing Rabbitohs was a clinical, grinding performance as they just did everything they could to secure two points.

So I regret to inform you that the Storm are at it again… And as for the Bunnies, when do we start wondering if our ratings of them might be a little overcooked?

And what a performance by Canterbury, fighting out a 15-14 golden point win over the Cowboys. And what a winning play from Matt Burton, firing in the clutch field goal from near the sideline to take the points after the Dogs fought back from two scores down.

Compare these wins and this courage to the putrid displays by Canberra and the Wests Tigers, who turned it up when challenged, even so slightly. The hapless Tigers never looked like it against the undefeated Broncos, copping 28 points before troubling the scorers and then going on to a 34-point towelling.

Even worse though was Canberra. They matched a stuttering Penrith early, trailing 13-6 at halftime before allowing the premiers to walk in at a point a minute for the entire second half and a 53-12 final. Losses like that are often defining moments for sporting clubs – they coalesce and fight back, or they are broken and are never the same. Let’s see how the Raiders react.

Game of the year?

It may not have been one of the defensive purists but Newcastle and Manly put on a barnburner in Mudgee, a seesawing battle that saw us writing off the Knights before they roared back into the game, then writing off the Sea Eagles before they lifted their rating and wrestled back control.

The 32-32 drawn result was fun and somewhat fitting, and it’s again a credit to the Knights and yes, coach Adam O’Brien that the Novocastrians keep playing out all 80 minutes when there are excuses of injuries and suspensions for their prime movers.

Sneaky Roosters

After week one’s embarrassment at the hands of the Dolphins, the Roosters have beaten New Zealand, South Sydney and now Parramatta to sit in the top four, tied with the second-placed Warriors on eight competition points but third on points differential.

Much like the Storm, the chooks are slowly working their way into the season but the road ahead is strewn with hazards. How’s this for their next six – Melbourne this Thursday then Cronulla, St George Illawarra, New Zealand over there, North Queensland, and Penrith.

If they can still be hanging around the top four after that run, watch out. All those preseason predictions of a deep finals run will be looking pretty good.

 (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Good games this week

Week six is going to be fun, with games spread over five days for the Easter break.

We’ve got some potentially high-level contests sprinkled with potential bludgers but we can’t really complain, what with the fun we’ve been having so far.

It begins Thursday with the Roosters headed to Melbourne, favoured to get the win but always in for a fight against their host.

Canterbury and South Sydney face off on Good Friday afternoon in a most interesting confrontation. Are Souths what we think they are? Are the Doggies what we hope they are?

Later on Friday, the Cowboys get a chance to right their ship against the dinged and stuttering Dolphins, who got opened up by the Dragons last week.

Saturday’s matchup between Penrith and Manly could be a beaut, but the game afterwards might not excite the neutrals as the Raiders head to Brisbane to take on the flying Broncos.

Sunday has a couple of intriguing contests as the Titans host the Dragons for the second time in five weeks and New Zealand heads to Newcastle, then round six round wraps Monday with the ‘marquee’ Wests Tigers v Parramatta fixture.

In the Easter Monday fixture last year the Tigers pinched a memorable 21-20 win over the Eels. I‘m so confident in history not repeating, I’ll shout a schooner for a commenter chosen at random if the Tigers pull off the miracle…

Round six random thoughts

– Paul Kent did his best to deflect from the disaster unfolding at Canberra, but his attempt to switch ire to Penrith’s arrogance was laughable. Until someone takes the premiership from the Panthers, they can conduct themselves how they like. Don’t like it? Play better!
– I can’t be the only person wondering why Canterbury and North Queensland looked so similar in their jerseys. How does this keep happening?
– Speaking of sartorial stuff-ups, how many people in the Wests Tigers organisation signed off on their commemorative Anzac jersey featuring an image of American troops?

What’s got you talking ahead of round six, Roarers? Enjoy your long weekend if you’ve got one!