Workhorse Watch 2015 Mid-year Review
Handing out grades like a school teacher to provide a mid-year review is fine but what if a player’s performance were a film?
I present to you, “Workhorse Watch: At The Movies” and I’m joined by renowned movie critic, Margaret Pomeranz. In the interest of fairness, all numbers are based on the opening 10 rounds.
THREE KINGS
Workhorse Watcher: First up is ‘Three Kings’. Here we have a story of three forwards who have become workhorse royalty in 2015. Aiden Tolman is the star here having emerged from the shadow of last year’s big box office draw James Graham. Tolman’s credentials include 13 workhorse tries with 4 doubles. Veteran performer Simon Mannering hasn’t put a foot wrong either with 13 workhorse tries of his own and Nathan Peats is not far off with 12 workhorses.
Margaret: All three are brilliant and when we lose stars like Sam Burgess, it’s great to know we’ve got the work of these guys to pick up the slack.
Workhorse Watcher: Yes there’s a lot of good performers that we’re seeing at the moment. Robbie Farah, Shaun Fensom the list goes on. You mentioned James Graham, he probably should have been in this but was committed to another project, ‘Anger Management’ I believe.
Margaret: Oh, Shaun Fensom, my favourite, I would have loved him in this, he’s such a talent. I’m giving this 5 stars.
Workhorse Watcher: Me too, 5 stars.
PROBLEM CHILD
Margaret: ‘Problem Child’ is the story a young man, Sam Moa, who is just short of a workhorse try, pretty much every week, which makes him a nightmare. He has been adopted by loving NRLCEOs and the laughs keep coming as the boy pushes their patience to the limits but not his work rate. Hilarity ensues as the question of will he or won’t he make it past 40 involvements from week to week gets asked. Moa beat out a number of players for the coveted role having finished with 35-39 involvements 5 times this year. Also in the running were Parramatta trio David Gower, Anthony Watmough and Joseph Paulo who have been in the 35-39 bracket 4 teams each.
Workhorse Watcher: It’s excruciating to watch, it really is. Having that player in your team each week must be so frustrating.
Margaret: Yes, especially as he’s scored three workhorse tries this year, you know if you leave him out he’s going to score.
Workhorse Watcher: Yes and of course the casting in this movie is interesting as well. For a long time Tim Mannah was attached to the project but I guess you could say he outgrew the role. A highly enjoyable watch if you don’t have him in your team. I’m giving it 4 stars.
Margaret: Well I do have him in my team so I’m only giving it 1 and half.
DOUBLE IMPACT
Workhorse Watcher: When it comes to non-stop action there’s little that beats a workhorse that can also crash over for an actual try and right now Bodene Thompson and Ethan Lowe are the best in the business. The try/workhorse try double can provide the lethal one-two punch and with Lowe also getting you with his kicking, it’s a hard combination to beat. Both of these two have three try/workhorse try games to their name and whilst it’s an act few can pull off it’s great to see it done well.
Margaret: Yes there’s this growing group of players that are really excelling in this area. I mean in the first 10 rounds you’ve had 60 try/workhorse try games with quite a few players having done it twice. Some even get a three try combination with a mixture of tries and workhorse tries.
Workhorse Watcher: Yes but we still haven’t seen the “double-double”. Two tries and a double workhorse.
Margaret: And I’m sure you’ll keep watching till we do. I’m giving this 3 and a half stars.
Workhorse Watcher: I’m giving it 3. I want to see a “double-double”!
YOUNG GUNS
Margaret: Every year the search is on for the next up and coming star. If you’re in a keeper league then snapping up someone you can hold onto for years to come is a dream scenario. The ‘Young Guns’ version of 2015 sees an assembly of talented forwards, some who have just made their debut and others finally getting a chance to shine. The challenge is on to unearth them before anyone else does.
Workhorse Watcher: Absolutely. Michael Lichaa is a perfect example of that. He was someone’s keeper in my league despite not scoring a single workhorse last year and that’s certainly paid off as he has nine so far this season.
Margaret: And Ethan Lowe, talk about a young gun! He’s leading the Cowboys in workhorse tries with 10. That’s no mean feat when you consider the internationals in that side.
Workhorse Watcher: What about the Dragons pair Tyson Frizell and Jack De Belin? Eight and nine workhorses respectively.
Margaret: Those two are great. Who would have thought? They’ve been bit players for a while now, it’s great that they’re finally flourishing. Meanwhile the Manly pair of Jake Trbojevic and Blake Leary look to have bright futures too.
Workhorse Watcher: Well they’ve only scored three workhorses each but Leary has only played four games and Trbojevic has finished with 35-39 involvements on three other occasions. I’m giving this 4 and half stars.
Margaret: I’m giving it 4 but only because I don’t have as many of these guys as I would like.
THE INCREDIBLES
Workhorse Watcher: ‘The Incredibles’ is the story of four everyday players who share a very unique power. They never miss a workhorse try. Over a ten week period, week in week out, they rack up over 40 involvements a game, proving to be absolute heroes to their NRLCEOs. We know how good Andrew McCullough can be but it’s the rest of the cast who have really stepped up. Simon Mannering has been anything but consistent in recent years and Kade Snowden is back to his best also. Meanwhile Bodene Thompson is having a break-out year.
Margaret: I’ve got to tell you, I love everyone here. Fabulous. Just Fabulous. I just think it’s a shame that Shaun Fensom wasn’t in this cast.
Workhorse Watcher: That’s because he hasn’t scored a workhorse try every week.
Margaret: Even so, I think it would have been nice to put him in anyway.
Workhorse Watcher: Well you’re an idiot then. I’m giving it 5 stars.
Margaret: I’m only giving it 4 because I love Shaun Fensom and he’s not in this.
SUPERBAD
Margaret: Finally there is ‘Superbad’. Tony Williams, Willie Mason and Frank-Paul Nuuausala are three would-be workhorses who can’t score. Each have played all 10 rounds and not one of them has scored a workhorse. Only Frank-Paul “McLovin” Nuuausala has any sort of clue having scored a try back in Round 7. All three of these guys are terrible and have no place in an NRLCEO team.
Workhorse Watcher: You’re absolutely right, how do these guys keep getting work? I mean I say work, what I really mean is contracts because they don’t do any work.
Margaret: It’s the same old stuff we’ve been seeing from these guys for years. Very unoriginal. I’m giving it 0 stars.
Workhorse Watcher: Me too, I’m also giving them 0 stars.
Margaret: That’s all for Workhorse Watch: At The Movies. We now resume normal transmission.
WORKHORSE OF THE WEEK:
Shaun Fensom. The fans demanded it and their calls were answered. Shaun Fensom played the full 80 minutes and delivered one of the performances of the year. 53 tackles, 18 hit ups and 166 metres to go with an actual try as well. Fantastic! Yet for all the heavy involvement, the Raiders lost. Just sayin…
WORKHORSE TEAM OF THE WEEK:
8. Chris Houston: 47 tackles + 11 hitups = 58
9. Michael Lichaa: 41 tackles + 10 hitups = 51
10. Kade Snowden 42 tackles + 15 hitups = 57
11. Manu Ma’u: 43 tackles + 18 hitups = 61
12. Gavin Cooper: 46 tackles + 11 hitups = 57
13. Shaun Fensom: 53 tackles + 20 hitups = 73
14. Andrew McCullough: 54 tackles + 7 hitups = 61
15. Nathan Peats: 57 tackles + 2 hitups = 59
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
After a round in the Team of the Week, Tim Mannah returns to more familiar territory.
Josh Hodgson: 32 tackles + 7 hitups = 39
Adam Blair: 23 tackles + 16 hitups = 39
Jack Sockwell: 30 tackles + 9 hitups = 39
Tariq Sims: 29 tackles + 11 hitups = 39
Tim Mannah: 26 tackles + 13 hitups = 39
Joe Ofahengaue: 32 tackles + 7 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
Tom Burgess‘ star continues to rise with the Rabbitohs prop securing his fifth workhorse try of the season. Burgess had 46 involvements in 63 minutes (0.73 SPM). Friday night was the first time Tom has outworked twin brother George who only had 37 involvements in comparison. Incidentally the only time Tom has come close to beating George in the past was also against Parramatta back in Round 4, when both players finished on 39.
The first of the bye rounds saw four players crack it for their first ever workhorse try. On Saturday night’s slugfest Sam Hoare and Ava Seumanufagai both popped their cherry. In just his second NRL game, Hoare had 40 involvements in 39 minutes (1.03 SPM) while Seumanufagai had 54 in 44 minutes (1.23 SPM). Meanwhile in Canberra, Shannon Boyd had 40 involvements for his first ever workhorse.
Chris Lawrence also scored his first workhorse after he was shifted to the back row just before kick off. Lawrence had 51 involvements in 80 minutes (0.64 SPM). Has Jason Taylor unearthed a new workhorse? Lawrence’s contribution in 2015 has been pitiful with just one try assist and one solitary line break. A move to the forwards would be a welcome one for any NRLCEO who has persevered this long in keeping him.
Dene Halatau scored his first workhorse of the season in the absence of Robbie Farah. Halatau only just snuck in with 40 involvements in 51 minutes (0.78 SPM). It was Halatau’s first workhorse since Round 23 last year and just his third in the last 2 and a half seasons.
JUST QUICKLY:
With only four NRL games I was reduced to attending a Super Rugby game over the weekend. In my defence, a friend had some free tickets and invited me along.
To the uninitiated union and league look very similar. However if you’re ever trying to teach someone the difference, it’s simple.
Rugby Union’s the one where the referee is the only person who knows what’s going on. Rugby league is where the referee is the only one who doesn’t!
Geoff Adams
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