Roar Guru
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Twenty-five years. It's rather a long time really. Twenty-five years. I was 11 the last time the Canberra Raiders made the grand final. Growing…
Welcome to my NRL team of the year where I take a look back at the season and select the best player in every…
Welcome to the very last Thursday Forecast of 2016. It has been great producing these all season and it's fitting that it's a meaningful…
We have a genuine high stakes battle on Thursday as the Canterbury Bulldogs host the North Queensland Cowboys in a game which could seal…
Tonight the Broncos host the Bulldogs, two teams we will preview once more each in the remaining two rounds. We will see Canterbury again…
The Roar's NRL Thursday Night Forecast series is back where this week we will look at the Bulldogs, s in the thick of the…
Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart is a polarising figure in rugby league. Actually wait, scratch that. It isn't really accurate to say that Stuart…
Welcome back to The Roar's Thursday Night Forecast series – a guaranteed Jarryd Hayne-free zone as the St George Illawarra Dragons host the Brisbane…
The Origin period is over, and after a measured re-introduction to club football with a one-sided Dragons vs Titans game, we return to elite…
Origin is over. Praise the maker. While State of Origin may be in many respects the pinnacle of rugby league it inevitably reaches a…
Welcome to The Roar's NSW State of Origin Game 3 player ratings, where the cold hard light of day intrudes despite a victory. That's…
After a week off due to travel commitments the NRL Friday Night Forecast series is back this week with a look tonight's Eels versus…
With State of Origin now in the books for another year (there is Game 3 but who is going to watch that unless Laurie…
After a valiant but ultimately doomed effort, there were some definite bright sparks for the NSW Blues but also some monumental disappointments, including from…
Welcome to Part 2 of The Roar's State of Origin key questions series. Yesterday we looked at three key questions for Queensland ahead of…
Welcome back to The Roar's State of Origin key questions series where we look at three questions for each team ahead of the Wednesday…
State of Origin is back next week so we're down to a condensed round with only four games this weekend, beginning with tonight's Rabbitohs…
After two Friday games, we're back for another Thursday Forecast - tonight it's the Brisbane Broncos vs Canberra Raiders. Yes, that's right - the…
With the dust settling on yet another State of Origin classic (note that all State of Origin games are automatically “classics” despite this one…
Welcome to the second part of The Roar's State of Origin key questions series. Yesterday we considered whether the Queensland prop rotation might be…
That’s certainly possible. As I set out this is a really close one and it’s hard to get a clear read on either team.
NRL Friday Night Forecast: Dragons vs Titans
TB I’m sure this reflects your sincere impression of the game but I’d recommend you go back and watch because it’s simply not accurate.
Early on Thaiday almost gets past him but he pulls him down. Then early in the second he does get dragged by Oates but only because moylan had to come across in cover after Fergo missed him. Honestly mate if you can find an occasion where he gives up 5m I’ll be surprised
That being said they were defending him outside the centre a lot which suggests they were worried about him
State of Origin Game 3 player ratings: New South Wales
A few people are down on Farah and on reflection I perhaps could have gone a little lower on him. Dummy half games are often hard to assess immediately after the game though as its only on re-watching that you see the little things they got right or wrong
State of Origin Game 3 player ratings: New South Wales
I disagree with this assessment. I honestly don’t think they did run over him. They certainly ran at him a lot but I didn’t think they got a lot of joy out of that tactic.
I think its a big stretch to say he was “found out in defence” which to me implies being repeatedly beaten and I don’t think that was the case.
State of Origin Game 3 player ratings: New South Wales
I tend to agree with this sentiment. Gavin Cooper is a huge dude with momentum. No half in the game is going to stop him one on one. For me Moylan was no better or worse than most halves in defence
State of Origin Game 3 player ratings: New South Wales
This whole thing just bums me out. So many interesting moves this offseason and all of them are basically for nothing. Hard to imagine anyone being remotely competitive with this team for years to come.
A Golden rivalry: Durant's 'Decision' means it's everyone vs Warriors
TB I don’t have exact numbers but if you look at the possession flow chart on NRLstats.com you’ll see that Queensland had a lot of sets either side of halftime. There’s no timings attached but you can definitely get a sense of how little ball NSW had around the time that those two were on
State of Origin Game 2 player ratings: New South Wales
Frizell was very good but he wasn’t a mile better than say Gallen or Woods or Josh Jackson. Very happy to see Frizell continue in the side (though I’d prefer him at lock I think) but lets not lose our minds over a seven carry, 20 tackle performance.
State of Origin Game 2 player ratings: New South Wales
Tamou was truly terrible, one of the worst games I’ve seen him play in recent times.
I’m no fan of Woods in general but I thought he made a good contribution this game.
State of Origin Game 2 player ratings: New South Wales
Certainly his contribution wasn’t that much different to Ferguson or Jennings who only got a point more than him but neither of them conceded a penalty. Its a matter of degree of poor performance and that’s big factor.
The penalties he conceded put his team under enormous pressure. He also kicked one ball out dead giving up a seven tackle set.
As for other players and penalties no one else for NSW gave away more than one. If I’d been doing Qld I certainly would have considered it when doing rankings for Thaiday and O’Neill and they only had two each.
State of Origin Game 2 player ratings: New South Wales
When you give away four penalties its hard to be anything other than the lowest rated player for your team.
State of Origin Game 2 player ratings: New South Wales
That is a considerable divergence and I tend to agree that if it was indeed closer to 50 than 30 than it is a much tougher call
State of Origin Game 2 player ratings: New South Wales
I think that’s a reasonable point overall but also think you’re overrating Maloney’s kicking game and underrating Reynolds a bit. Reynolds also made a lot more tackles as Queensland targeted that edge early and often. He largely stood up to that pressure.
The penalty from Reynolds was bad but Maloney gave away a silly one of his own.
State of Origin Game 2 player ratings: New South Wales
Just a tremendous exchange. Hats off to everyone.
State of Origin key questions: NSW edition
I questioned Lillyman before game three and he utterly destroyed NSW. He puts on a maroon superhero suit every time so you won’t find me doubting him
State of Origin Game 2: Why Queensland will win
You obviously didn’t read my Key Questions column yesterday with the heading “No Nate, No Problem?” Scott 🙂
State of Origin Game 2: Why Queensland will win
I will probably eat my words on this but I’m not sure that Inglis v Walker is actually a bigger concern for NSW.
Inglis was a disaster in defence in his last game for the Rabbitohs and Walker has incredible speed and footwork. If he gets a chance to run at him he will put Inglis’ lateral movement to the test
State of Origin Game 2: Why Queensland will win
Well to be honest Woods wouldn’t be in my side at all. But yeah I would definitely start Fifita and bring Woods off the bench if I had this team. Makes a lot of sense
State of Origin key questions: NSW edition
Haha Sadly i think it’s closer to when Jon Snow lined up against the Night King at Hardhome…
State of Origin key questions: NSW edition
Haha yep it’s not like that. For NSW (coming tomorrow) I could have come up with ten or twelve questions. For Qld I was struggling after the first one
State of Origin key questions: Queensland edition
George Burgess is missing at the moment but he has been terrible this season even when available, averaging 91m per game compared to over 140m back in 2014. This year Tom has been the superior of the twins.
As for Clark, extrapolating his minutes to a full 80 is ludicrous because firstly no prop plays a full 80 and secondly there is a reason he only plays 37 minutes and that’s because that’s how many the coach wants to give him. Certainly his missed tackle rate is good but few props miss a great deal of tackles because they are so often defending in concert with others whether the other prop, the hooker or the lock.
If you like Clark and feel that he contributes to your team that’s fine but my assessment is that he (and Tyrell and others) need to do more if the team is to be successful
NRL Friday Night Forecast: Rabbitohs vs Eels
Ma’u is one of my favourite players to watch at the moment, very few players run with his level of intent. The comparison to Cooper and Thurston is a pretty good one though Cooper is perhaps a more subtle player than Ma’u. Certainly agree that a lot of the freedom that Norman gets comes from having Ma’u as a constant run threat outside him.
NRL Friday Night Forecast: Rabbitohs vs Eels
Haha not a Simpsons fan I take it. Its definitely Shoe In
NRL Friday Night Forecast: Rabbitohs vs Eels
Also add that if you’re enjoying the weekly Forecast piece please do check out my weekly Good Offence, Bad Defence piece on my own site that is linked at the end of the Forecast above. I take three tries from the previous round and break down whether they were scored because of good defence or allowed because of poor defence.
NRL Thursday Night Forecast: Broncos vs Raiders
Haha yep reckon the Dogs would feel pretty good going against 12. Must have been a cut and paste issue there I’m afraid
NRL Thursday Night Forecast: Cowboys vs Bulldogs