Players and coaches may not like the rules about high contact but they have to abide by them because it can be costly when defenders get their tackles wrong.
If you are slightly off when you make contact, you are going to run the risk of being sin-binned or sent off.
The NRL makes no apologies for being focused around preventing head injuries and concussion, they’re going to lean on the side of caution.
Everyone knows the parameters around if you come in hard and high, and get it wrong, you can be sitting down quick smart.
Even the old mitigating factor of the ball carrier falling into the tackle doesn’t hold the sway that it used to. There used to be a consideration for that.
With a send-off, a referee needs to be absolutely certain of the contact and the intent and with the two on the weekend, probably a sin bin would have been sufficient.
But Nathan Brown on Thursday night for the Roosters and Moeaki Fotuaika for Gold Coast the following night both put themselves at risk of getting sent off by sailing too close to the wind.
Valentine Holmes put himself in that position for the Cowboys. He got sin-binned a couple of weeks ago, didn’t adjust his sights and the same thing happened the next game and now he’s serving a four-match ban.
Every defender runs out of the line, or should be, with intent and if I was coaching I’d be telling them to do that but when they want to put on a big shot, they’ve got to aim lower, as a ball and all tackle, lower than the chest.
They can’t be looking to make contact higher than that because if there’s any late footwork or their timing is off, the consequences could be harsh.
Tackling is all about timing and footwork. Some clubs still aren’t getting that right.
It’s hard when fatigue is high – the game is arguably too quick for players to get those adjustments right all the time.
Six-again makes the game more exciting and it allows the attacking team more time and space but it’s a lot harder for defenders to shut it down.
Especially when you have big lumbering forwards trying to stop speedy little guys around the ruck, they’re always at risk of getting it wrong because they’ve got to act quickly.
Clear top three a cut above
The three teams at the top of the ladder are there because they’ve been able to get the balance right over the course of a long season.
You’ve got to have a grinding mentality during games to stick to what you know works best but also be able to seize on the opportunities when they present themselves and not be conservative.
The game is quicker in the six-again era and you have to take advantage of a team under fatigue when you have them on the ropes after a few repeat sets.
It’s hard to see anyone preventing Penrith getting a three-peat – they have got nearly every part of the game covered in terms of how they play, their aggression, how direct they play, how organised they are when they get in the attacking part of the field.
The sequences and the combinations they run are silky smooth.
Everyone thought they’d lose a little bit in attack with Api Koroisau joining Wests Tigers this year but Mitch Kenny has been holding his hands up in that department as well as most hookers in the comp and he’s probably enhanced their defence in the middle of the field.
Even when they have someone like Izack Tago out in the centres, they slot Zac Hosking in out wide and he does a great job for them.
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
They’ve got depth and versatility and only a few serious injuries could stop them from here if they keep this form up.
Brisbane are playing with more speed and power than pretty much anyone. They were very impressive in beating the Cowboys on the road on Saturday, particularly given they were without Adam Reynolds.
Kevin Walters with the way he spoke pre-game had instilled a lot of confidence in Jock Madden and he didn’t have to overplay his hand because all of their marquee guys stepped up like Reece Walsh, Patrick Carrigan, Payne Haas and Kurt Capewell.
Carrigan seems like he’s got better, not slowed down, after Origin and Haas is arguably the same.
They look extra motivated from how their season fell apart late last season. They’ve clearly put in the hard yards in the off-season because they look fit and hungry even though they had a heavy burden during the Origin period.
Brisbane are the second-best defence in the NRL now, six points less than last year.
I saw them in a trial in the pre-season and I remember thinking then that they looked super fit and you need to be in order to make the improvements they’ve made in 2023.
The Warriors got that mix between grinding and flair right on Friday night against the Titans.
Gold Coast gave them a good run for their money, especially being down to 12 for a lot of the game, but the Warriors did the tough toil for the majority of the game and then guys like Shaun Johnson and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak cashed in late with the flash stuff.
Fringe trio falling below expectations
The Cowboys, Parramatta and Souths are expected to be up there contending again but they haven’t quite delivered on what everyone was thinking at the start of the year.
Their marquee players haven’t quite stepped up in the important moments.
Souths have been prelim finalists for five years in a row but it looks like they’ll be coming from a fair way back if they want to even get that far this time around.
I don’t think they were complacent about Cronulla but they weren’t urgent enough, maybe thinking it was just going to happen for them now that they’ve got everyone on deck.
You can’t keep waiting for it to happen, you’ve got to put in the extra work that the top three have been doing.
Parramatta have joined the Cowboys and Rabbitohs on 26 points in a three-way tie for eighth and even though they came home late to get over the Dragons, they’re still walking the tightrope.
All is not lost for those three but it’s now or never for those teams to get on a roll.
Raiders’ defence gets them out of jail
Canberra are another team that’s not where they need to be even though they’re fifth on for-and-against behind Melbourne.
They just did enough to get past the Tigers on Sunday and Canberra did well to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Newcastle.
The Tigers were unlucky not to score in the final minutes and some tremendous scramble defence by the Raiders on their try line ultimately won them the game.
(Photo by Will Russell/Getty Images)
Sharks dey dire predictions
Craig Fitzgibbon deserves a wrap for sticking solid with Nicho Hynes instead of shifting him to fullback with Will Kennedy out.
He didn’t panic after three straight losses and they scored a couple of really high-level tries putting the ball through the hands.
Connor Tracey did well at the back, Braydon Trindall was dangerous at five-eighth and it shows you can never assume anything in the NRL.
Roosters back in full flight
The Roosters were too aggressive the previous week against Brisbane but they got their discipline right on Thursday in their win over Manly, other than the send-off of course.
Their quality players stood up, Drew Hutchison looked a good option at halfback and they’re back in the finals hunt again.
They’ve jumped ahead of the Titans and Dolphins and although we won’t put a thick red texta through those two just yet, the old HB pencil is through them and one more loss and it’s all over for them.
Nat
Roar Guru
I know I get short but do you understand what you are trying to telling me? I don’t doubt I said the Panthers would come back to the pack or even as blunt as not be as good as last year. Quite simply they are not. This time last year they were 6pts clear of the rest on the table and scored 80 more points. Already they have lost more games this season than last and we are yet to finish. That is fact, they are not as good as 2022, doesn’t mean they are no good. Obviously you’ve held onto what I said last year, added your large quantity of your own mayo and now you’re telling me I said they are “not much hope” in 2023? Some how your memory is better than mine yet you refuse to go back and actually find my words in my comments section and prove your point. If you or I have an opinion on something subjective - fine. It’s an opinion. Telling me what I said supported by “you have a bad memory” is BS. This is not subjective, you are proposing a fact yet you refuse to research and support your point. So either back it up or don’t bother arguing the point.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Wont happen. By next season Melbourne or someone else will come up with a new way of slowing down each tackle . Then every club will start doing something similar.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
I wrote a comment about how forgetful you are. Yet I decided to remove it. As it’s really not worth worrying about. Have a good week.
Nat
Roar Guru
Baahahahaha, so 2 times now you are think you are going to dodge the fact you’ve stuffed and with no intention of correcting it you want to tell me again what you think. I don’t care what you think. I am not surprised nor do I care what you fail to comprehend. Every word I have written is right there in my profile. Either prove it or pi$$ off.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Panthers making the GF is not something that I am hoping against, may the best team win. Or. Panthers making the GF is not something I’m hoping against, may the best team win. Actually makes sense. Your comment made no sense. As for my original statement. You’re trying to say, that ‘I don’t remember you’ commenting that about Penrith’s chances in 2023 ? Impossible to prove . Even with your original reply, you could only say , that you ‘doubted’ what I’d commented. Not that you ‘definitely didn’t’ say it. :thumbup: I guess you’re just tapping away…
Nat
Roar Guru
Still tapping away but too lazy to search for your proof that club supporters don’t forget. I’ll wait… Since we are doing grammar lessons - 2 things. 1, Why do double negatives confuse you? In the correct context it is perfectly acceptable language. 2, In this context the sentence is not a double negative by definition. I would let you go look it up but I have a better idea that you have recently heard/read the term, thought you would throw it up. Even though it sounds simple you don’t completely understand it in a grammatical sense nor bothered to look it up.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Well sitting in the top 2. Nothing needs to be said about that . Need you doubt a negative comment that you’d make about the Panthers? Really… That’s twice that you’ve had a go at the Panthers, for Wins against the Storm. Both times a load of dung. I’m still having a laugh at the ‘ Panthers not making the GF is not something I am hoping against ‘ . Double negatives mate, you’re confusing yourself?
Nat
Roar Guru
You may be right about the Storm, I didn’t say otherwise. Funny you didn’t touch on what I said about coming back to the pack and being pushed and beaten this year. Anything? I can do whatever I like. You have the opportunity to prove it, every word I have written is in my profile, I will be right here when you’ve found those words. Or, which is by far more likely, this would be just another instance of a certain fan telling me something I said based on “club supporters don’t forget” but prefacing the original comment “ Or something to that effect.”. Which is it?
Panthers
Roar Rookie
You can doubt it, you can’t deny it. Club supporters don’t forget. I’m not wrong about the Storm / Penrith games.
Nat
Roar Guru
Panthers not making the GF is not something I am hoping against, may the best team win. There is something in their play this year that makes them far more vulnerable this year that may come to the fore in the finals. As I said many times I am most likely wrong. I very much doubt I said Penrith were “not much hope” this season but missing Kikau and Api has certainly brought them back to the pack hasn’t it? Panthers have lost more games this year than the last 2 combined as well as being pushed by far lesser teams.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
The Tigers on their best stormy night , did a good job against the Panthers.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
It’s interesting that the Panthers beat the Storm , without Cleary a few weeks ago. The Storm had Hughes. Then last week beat the Storm with Cleary & the Storm didn’t have Hughes. ( Yet I’d rate Pezet as a better halfback replacement than Cogger. ) I thought Penrith running around with a second rower at centre , did the Storm a favour. I didn’t think Penrith would be a top 4 side this season, with the continued loss of big names. Especially Api & Kikua. So another GF appearance would be a bonus! At the same time. You said last season that you’d give Penrith the GF Win in 2022, as they’re really not much hope in 2023 without the likes of Api & Kikua. Or something to that effect. So another GF appearance for the Panthers, is something you’re hoping against. :thumbup: :stoked:
Panthers
Roar Rookie
What did you think? I think 100% stripped the ball, as that’s the only thing he could do to prevent a try. It’s mostly deliberate. Other question is how did the ball go forward? Bounced behind him & one bounce straight up.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Knights have a terrible injury list for this week. Injuries haven’t been good for them , in any recent year either.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Even as a biased supporter, I wouldn’t put the Panthers up with some of those teams. My only question would be. How many of their top players did those teams lose , during their winning runs?
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Interesting about the spine. They were said to be up the creek , without a paddle. Once Api left . Kenny is a solid defender at hooker or otherwise, plus a good dummy half for passing. He’s no Grant, Cook ..Luke has done a mediocre kind of job as a change up. I thought the transition to other dummy halves would take a while. I’d love a 3peat as any supporter would. As much as most other non Panthers supporters would hate it. Not convinced that that will happen. Will just see how it plays out? Just on another note….Hosking at centre is a horrible idea! Yet, playing him there makes sense , in as much as they’d then have another player to do the job. Should injuries to the backline occur during games.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
To be honest the Storm do look poised to make a run.. no shortage of really big game players all fit going into tge last few rounds. Get Hughes and Munster on the same page and they could do anything. I just can’t see the likes of Canberra, Knights, Souths being even close. As for the rest bring on 24
The Barry
Roar Guru
Legend That’s pretty interesting and probably says a lot about the Panthers place in history should they do the three peat…
NQR
Roar Rookie
Mate he’s killing his mother. 5weeks before this he had his nose smashed requiring surgery? As his mother was lecturing him about (nose concussion injuries) and giving up his hockey for ( stupid AFL) I thought in that moment it was worth me reminding her about the Cairns Stingers hockey player who had just suffered a spinal injury. The poor bloke (Darran) with a wife and 4 daughters suffered it from a collision on the field only a month prior. I can’t help but think my son and I were thinking a similar thing as he was laying on the ground. I suppose this is why I accept players sometimes get things wrong and aren’t thinking of physical consequences especially in desperate high speed situations.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Sorry, I didn’t mean it to sound like I was calling you out I’m not sure what point you’re trying to make. I’ve never said every tackle should be treated exactly the same. I wrote immediately here that his tackle wasn’t as bad as Brown’s and Fotuaika’s, because he didn’t use the same amount of force. Burgess’ was the same. That’s the way it’s played out. Brown, Burgess and Fotuaika were charges with grade 2 careless and Luai with a grade 1 careless. How’s that inconsistent? From me or the MRC…? Luai should have been penalised and I wouldn’t have argued if he’d been sin binned. But that’s not the howling flaming inconsistency I keep hearing all about I don’t know how you can compare different tackles that have different outcomes and then complain about inconsistency