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Opinion
The changes to the rules in the six-again era and the policing of the 10 metres suits this South Sydney team down to the ground.
They’re definitely up with Penrith as the team to beat and a few of their players would not look out of place in the NSW squad when Brad Fittler picks that in a couple of weeks time.
Latrell Mitchell at left centre and Cameron Murray in the pack are certainties and Damien Cook will either be starting hooker or off the bench but Cody Walker is in fantastic form and the Blues could possibly pick Campbell Graham as their right centre.
NSW have gone with Penrith combinations with Isaah Yeo, Jarome Luai, Brian To’o and Api Koroisau, around Nathan Cleary at halfback, maybe they’ll look at getting more of a Rabbitohs flavour this time around.
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The new rules allow the Rabbitohs player to express themselves more like when Mitchell put in that kick for Walker’s try early, it was an inspired piece of play and those two guys seem to be in perfect synch at the moment.
Cody Walker celebrates scoring a try. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
They’ve got that little bit more time and space when the opposition isn’t being allowed to slow the ruck.
Isaiah Tass was also a part of that – even with Jack Wighton coming next season, I’d be trying to keep him if I was Souths.
Being in Brisbane for Magic Round, it’s plain to see this should remain an annual event at Suncorp Stadium but why not bring in another one at a different market.
The contract for Magic Round in Brisbane runs out next year and there’s no way you can take it away – the locals have voted with their feet and all three days were sold out.
I’m not sure of the logistics or how feasible it’d be but what I’d like to see is a city like Perth or Adelaide, or even Melbourne, host another Magic Round after the State of Origing period, around six weeks out from the finals.
That’d help spread the NRL gospel in a market that’s not a traditional rugby league area.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Canberra over their little four-game winning streak they’ve built up in the past month and they were far too good for Canterbury in the Magic Round opener on Friday night.
Jack Wighton is back to his best, especially now he’s got his contract negotiations done and dusted, Xavier Savage looked good in his first NRL game back from a broken jaw on the wing and I don’t think it’ll be long before he’s back in the No.1 jersey.
It’s great to see Jarrod Croker fit again and doing well in the centres after all the injuries he’s had in the past few years and Corey Horsburgh looks like he could be joining the list of redheaded forwards who have done well for the Maroons in Origin like Paul Vautin and Brad Meyers.
He’s definitely capable of doing a job if Billy Slater hands him a debut.
The scoreline flattered Canterbury with a couple of Canberra tries disallowed that shouldn’t have been.
There were bad signs from the opening set of the match when the Raiders marched downfield 70 metres and scored – it looked like a training drill, and the Dogs need to start games with a lot more intensity than that.
Brisbane didn’t have to get out of second or third gear to beat the Sea Eagles.
Selwyn Cobbo and Reece Walsh were outstanding in attack and Payne Haas tore through Manly at will through the middle – he chalked up more than 200 metres in his 58-minute stint and Kevvy Walters had the luxury of not sending him out there for a second stint because the result was in the bag.
Daly Cherry-Evans looked like he was the only Manly player having a dig at times. He ran past about five or six teammates who were jogging on a kick-chase at one stage to trap Walsh in goals.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
They clearly missed Jake Trbojevic and Tommy Turbo doesn’t look happy with himself and some of the guys around him.
Blokes like DCE and Tommy need a quality five-eighth linking with them and the sooner they get Josh Schuster fit and slotting into that role the better.
Wayne Bennett’s still got his sense of humour, throwing in a few one-liners after the game and even cracking a smile after his Dolphins savaged the Sharks in his 900th game.
The Sharks played the first half without any hunger, they’d lost their bite altogether.
But it was a stunning performance by the Dolphins who keep on proving their doubters wrong.
The Panthers reminded everyone of their premiership credentials in getting the better of the Warriors.
They brought the physicality and the class, particularly some of the touches from Dylan Edwards.
The Warriors paid the price for a lack of discipline, the rookie forward, Demitric Sifakula, who threw the punch on Nathan Cleary would like to have that time back again because that cost them dearly when he was in the sin bin.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The Wests Tigers backed up their upset win over Penrith with another strong effort against the under-pressure Dragons.
They led comfortably at one point but had to fight their way back into the game before a late try to Junior Tupou secured the win.
Two individual efforts by Jayden Sullivan were not enough to get the Dragons the two points and the loss applies even more pressure to their coach Anthony Griffin.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten was a relieved man following his team’s best defensive performance of the year in their 20-6 win over the Roosters.
Their forwards, led by Coen Hess, Jordan McLean and Reuben Cotter, did a great job to get the better of the Roosters pack.
Chad Townsend scored a try and kicked well in general play to have his best game in some time, with Reece Robson, Tom Dearden and Scott Drinkwater chiming in.
At times it looked like the Gold Coast could cough up a big lead again and lose another tight one against Parramatta in the final Magic Round game.
But they held their nerve to hang on by two points – Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was magnificent as always and Alofiana Khan-Pereira is one of the best rookies of the year.
They’re up into seventh now and Parra, hot and cold all season, are stuck down in 12th.
Michael Hagan is a former dual-premiership winning first grade player and current assistant coach of Australia's Kangaroos team. Hagan played 183 games for Canterbury and Newcastle and represented Queensland five times. He transitioned into a successful coach and took the Knights to a premiership in his first year in charge back in 2001. He went onto coach 205 NRL games and six times for Queensland in Origin.