Three weeks of NRL season 2024 are in the bank and there’s no shortage of stories starting to take shape. Let’s have a look at your NRL talking points.
The Rabbitohs are rank
In their opening game of the season against Manly, South Sydney led by 8 points just after halftime before collapsing in a heap. In round two, the bunnies were held at bay comfortably by Brisbane and Friday night’s debacle against the Roosters was a team playing like they’d been introduced in the tunnel before kickoff.
Cameron Murray talks his teammates at Allianz Stadium. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
With off-field drama slowly leaching out to the press, public scrambles at selection from coach Jason Demetriou and an even fiercer focus on literally everything Latrell Mitchell does, it looks like the magnifying glass will be firmly pointed at Redfern until either they burn under it or they get themselves together.
They don’t look fit enough, their defence falls apart under rudimentary testing and their attack is light years away from what we’ve seen they’re capable of.
Demetriou called Friday night ‘the lowest point of my career’. If things don’t get right quickly, this call might have come too early.
A bit of a blowout
As you all know, your talking points always try to take it a bit easy in the first month of the season to avoid breaking the ‘don’t overreact before round 4’ rule. So this is something just to note, not to freak about.
Round 3’s average winning margin was 19.75 points. Five of the eight games of the round were decided by 20 points or more – there were 4 in total across rounds 1 and 2. Teams like the Gold Coast, St George Illawarra and South Sydney are very slow out of the defensive blocks.
Ryan Papenhuyzen is tackled by Bradman Best. (Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)
But there were some beauties…
The three close games were beauties for different reasons – Canberra and the Warriors went head to head in front of a rabid Christchurch crowd. What a venue Rugby League Park is, it looked like it was absolutely pumping on the broadcast. New Zealand earned every bit of the 18-10 win in a good quality, high tempo contest.
Newcastle’s 14-12 win over the undermanned Melbourne was important because the Knights were in all sorts if they’d started 0-3. Mind you, they didn’t score in the second half and the Storm had plenty of chances to pinch it, but only the haters would disagree justice was done when Newcastle hit the bell in front. The quality was debatable but who cares – there was a bit on the line.
The bunker babies are at it again
The game of the round was Parramatta and Manly, a 28-24 belter that had each team taking their turn to own the play until the Eels worked out just enough of what Manly were doing and finished on top.
But this is rugby league and we can’t have good things, can we?
The coverage of the game has been focused purely on the referee, courtesy of a sooking Anthony Seibold post game press conference and a media pack wanting to inflame controversy where there really isn’t any.
Junior Paulo is tackled. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The instant Jake Trbojevic stops in the Eels’ defensive line, it doesn’t matter how much ‘effort’ Luca Moretti puts into getting across because he’s been obstructed. All the wailing and moaning about ‘common sense’ from the bunker is irrelevant. The only common sense the bunker follows is the rules of the game.
Ignore the bloated megaphones out there gleefully taking yet another chance to shit on the game they pretend to love. Just remember Parramatta and Manly was a belter of a game.
Wests Tigers were great – but what’s going on, Cronulla?
The Tigers put the cleaners through the Sharks in an uplifting performance. There were flashes of positivity against Canberra last week, but this time Benji Marshall’s team grabbed their chances with two hands and did not let go on the way to a 32-6 party at Leichhardt Oval.
Api Koroisau dominated the game, even more impressively after a bout of gastro in the leadup. The forwards did as they pleased. Lachlan Galvin and Aiden Sezer matched well in the halves. The Tigers smashed Cronulla in every statistical category and kept them scoreless for 65 minutes.
If this is a sign of how they’ll approach their games, win or lose, 2024 will be a good bit of fun for Tigers fans.
Cronulla, however, are back where we thought they were. Their ineptitude reeked of a team who thought they could walk in a win, but the boys for the shire came up well short. They don’t have an easier Easter weekend either, when they’ll get a strong challenge from the Raiders.
Good games this week
Season 2024’s first month closes out with a few Easter treats – starting Thursday with the Roosters hosting Penrith. The Panthers are settling in and just doing all they need and no more at this stage of the year and while the chooks put their sworn enemy South Sydney to the sword, it’s still a bit up in the air as to just how good they are.
Friday’s games begin at Homebush for the Good Friday afternoon battle between South Sydney and Canterbury. The Dogs are a much better outfit this year and as mentioned, the Rabbitohs are a much worse one…
Friday primetime is Brisbane and North Queensland, a game meaning a lot to the Broncos because if they lose, they’re 1-3 and with a poor points differential.
The Tigers celebrate a try by Alex Seyfarth. (Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)
Only two games on Saturday’s slate as Manly head to Wollongong to play the Dragons, then the hapless Titans host the Dolphins.
Sunday looks appetising when the Knights head to Auckland to battle the Warriors, then Cronulla host Canberra in the evening kickoff.
The Easter Monday holiday is Commbank Stadium co-tenants (snort) Parramatta and Wests Tigers, and this one might be a sneaky good one.
After playing without their starting halves and more injury issues added on top, the Storm welcome the bye.
Round 3’s random thoughts
- Roosters halfback Sam Walker had his concussion grading reduced on appeal and will be ‘ok’ to play Thursday. Just your weekly reminder the NRL might not be as serious about head trauma as they say.
- Melbourne usually get kitted out pretty well, but 2024’s away jersey is a stinker.
- Was it seriously $55 for an adult ticket to Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night? That is outrageous. There’s no regular season NRL game that should cost an adult more than $30.
- A quirk of the scoring this year has seen one team kept scoreless every week. Will it be your club in round 4?
- After his Titans got rolled 32-blot by Canterbury, Des Hasler has now won just 5 of his last 20 games as head coach including his last 9 in a row (11 if you include preseason cup games). I hope the Gold Coast don’t get some buyer’s remorse, cos there’s three years left on the deal…
- Hasler’s cause isn’t helped by the horrible luck Tino Fa’asuamaleaui copped doing his ACL and sitting the rest of the season. If I was a cheeky team manager, I’d be asking David Fifita about his mythical opt-out clause again.
- The Bulldogs were well worth the win too. Are Cameron Ciraldo’s plans starting to bear fruit?
- Did you know Round 3 was the themed ‘Multicultural round’? Don’t feel bad – the NRL really doesn’t put much energy into promoting things like this, do they.
What else caught your eye this weekend, Roarers?
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Looking for excuses for a loss is just poor coaching. The focus should always be on the team and what they did or did not do over 80 minutes, not what referees did. No referees = no game.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Early Ray Warren was very good. Towards the end though, he couldn't keep Gus on his leash. That's when Gus started believing he really was a rugby league messiah and not a very naughty boy!
aerial lizard
Roar Rookie
Keep the faith dude, been harrowing but your guys on the up now.
aerial lizard
Roar Rookie
The Kiwi test cricket broadcast was vast better than ours too. Kept it interesting and showcased their regions and country.
aerial lizard
Roar Rookie
Surely there must be some way to clone Ray Warren? He even made Gus sound interesting.
aerial lizard
Roar Rookie
Plucking mobile phones etc. push my buttons regularly.
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Completely agree about the hysteria over bunker obstruction calls. While the optics aren't always great, the rule is what it is and both the referees and the bunker have been consistent in applying it. And following on from that, I noticed that while Seibold squealed about the refereeing/bunker in his presser, Bellamy was more focused on the fact that with a more consistent effort, his team wouldn't have been in that position in the first place. Both decisions were correct, but even if they weren't, good coaches focus on what they and the team can control - they don't go looking for excuses. One coach ensuring his team take responsibility for how they play and their results, one looking for a cop out.
dogs
Roar Rookie
Because bigger numbers are always better! Right?
aerial lizard
Roar Rookie
Not the greatest brain fart ever, annoys me too.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Translation of DCE’s statement “it’s a good decision for cynical pray”
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I can't, because by removing the grey and having quality officials who can make sensible discernment we end up with numbnuts who can't think for themselves it seems and are losing their confidence and skills. And still the bunker makes shockers.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Can we get rid of the 2pts for a bye? Titans are having a shocker yet they are rewarded 2 pts for not playing. Since when should you get the win points for not winning? Not even having a go? It also means that the ladder is never correct throughout the entire comp year. Soo daft an idea. There is no positive benefit for 2 pts over none and a lot of negatives. So why have it?
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Tired of hearing 'it's black and white' because rules rely on interpretation and being tied to black & white can demonstrate a limited moral foundation and imagination. 'it's the rule' is a good escape for someone to avoid thinking. Back in a day many sports had rules for 'against the spirit of the game' which allowed for refs to make calls to ensure a decent/proper/common sense outcome to a situation. Doesn't happen now, there has to be a rule... Now we have people intentionally running into others, rubbing their neck in dramatic ways after tackles, getting up on one knee refusing to play the ball and simply waiting for the adjudicators to find a reason why you are affected... So JT13 is running full pelt, 2m off the try line, 3m inland Robson, who passed the ball runs into the line and gets in the way of Sloan (who rather than try to stop Jason, runs into Robson). And it's no try because Sloan was denied the chance to stop a rampaging JT13 2M off the try line. That's what you are all agreeing with if you support the call on Sunday. Ridiculous. Rule or not there has to be common sense that identifies if someone was actually trying to get involved to make a tackle and if they could have.
Birthday Suit
Roar Rookie
Completely agreed. Walker unsuprisingly got up a bit gingerly as he was absolutely clobbered so I had no issue with the call on the ground as a grade 1. That's perfectly in line with a larger focus on head trauma and while it might have been a bit frustrating in a closer game, I'm OK with erring on the side caution at the time. That doesn't mean that they will always get it right and if he was reassesed, particularly after the video shows it was a hit to the neck and no real head involvement, then that is also fine. We should be OK with both post-game downgrades and upgrades as long as we have proper systems and controls in place. Honestly the worst thing about the whole issue is that Wighton wasn't penalised as it could have been very, very bad if that elbow was a little bit higher (or the raised knee came into play).
Slammin_Sam
Roar Rookie
did he say anything about turbo running through teddy the week before? I thought not....just swings and roundabouts....it evens up in the end....
The Barry
Roar Guru
Sorry, I didn’t mean you personally with that comment A qualified, competent doctor examining and testing a patient over days is in a far better position to assess whether a concussion has been sustained than a qualified, competent doctor watching a couple of replays in a monitor and needing to make a call within 60 seconds I’m assuming there’s some science between the gradings and subsequent stand downs…
dogs
Roar Rookie
Vossy would be the perfect "colour guy" commentator, with another as the the play-by-play. Unfortunately only ex players are given that role, so he's kind of stuck. I've said before Fox must love him, he takes the scatter gun approach to searching for drama/controversy/sensation in every game, which I assume is one of the things they ask from their staff. I like what I've seen of his shows, "Boots and all", "The fan", etc. The world cup was eye openning, the UK commentators were so much better than ours. Much more "old school" media as opposed to the "everything is a controversy" tabloid crap we have unfortunately become used to here.
astro
Roar Rookie
I thought DCE's comment after the game said it all: "...the rule is black and white so I get it, but watching that one it’s at the other end of the spectrum isn’t it. I don’t think he’s going to get there so well played to him, he’s played to the rules. Consistency is the key in the NRL… as it stands that’s the way it goes so no problems with it as it stands.” Moretti did a good job of flagging the obstruction. He even wrapped his arms around Jake at once stage! Doesnt look good, but thems the rules... Now, if we can clarify contesting the ball from a kick, that would be good!
mushi
Roar Guru
Hold on you're saying we don't know about concussion but now you're saying it's binary if you have concussion or not which impliesno differencein severity? The Cat 1 is to avoid players passing the assessment but later exhibiting symptoms, Walker has been cleared of symptoms.
mushi
Roar Guru
All they've done is say it should have been a category 2. If your taking that away then everything has to be viewed as a category 1.