Workhorse Watch: Rd 9
Friday night’s game between the Broncos and the Panthers proved a frustrating one for NRLCEOs. Not only was there just three measly tries scored, several players came excruciatingly close to double workhorse tries. Api Koroisau had 68 involvements but his 8 runs netted him 70 metres, 5 short of the required to get a double. Andrew McCullough also had plenty of involvements (59) but only ran for 19 metres. But perhaps the most frustrating of all was Corey Parker. Not only did Parker not register any points with the boot (the second time in three games) he fell short of getting his first workhorse double of the season by one lousy involvement!
I’m still blown away by the Canberra Raiders’ big win over the Titans. Blake Austin is in great form and Jarrod Croker’s huge 26 point haul would have been a coach killer for any NRLCEO team lining up against him. On the workhorse front there were just four scored, the most notable being Lachlan Burr who scored his maiden workhorse try. Burr came close to scoring workhorses in the opening two weeks of the season but a high number of missed tackles and the return of back rowers Dave Taylor and Greg Bird saw him relegated. Burr missed 4 tackles against the Raiders, but then again so did plenty of other Titans so NRLCEO coaches who snapped him up after Bird’s suspension should still have some confidence in him and if he’s still available in your league he’s probably worth picking up.
As much as I’m in awe of the scoreline the Green Machine posted on Saturday, I didn’t actually see the game. Proving that the Workhorse Watcher is always on the lookout, your correspondent was at Henson Park on Saturday to see Russell Packer’s return to rugby league. Well, I didn’t specifically go to see Packer, it just worked out that way. I had already planned to go to the game to take in one of the great spectacles of rugby league in Sydney. From kids running onto the ground at half and full time to the bloke who rides his bike around the perimeter waving a Jets flag every time Newtown scores, it’s fun for young and old. I think Packer went OK. To be honest I was too busy knocking back tinnies on the hill among the “8972” strong crowd and debating whether ‘Jet Man’ was really more ‘Jet Lady’ or perhaps ‘Jet Person’. Get out to a game and you’ll figure out what I mean.
Is it purely coincidence that the week Issac Luke signs with the Warriors is the same week that Thomas Leuluai registers his first workhorse try? As I discussed last week, Leuluai has been splitting the minutes at dummy half with Nathan Friend resulting in neither player getting a workhorse in the opening 8 rounds. Both players are off contract at the end of the season and whilst Friend will be 35 come the start of next season and may be forced into retirement, Leuluai is only 29 and a current New Zealand representative. He’ll be eager to show both his workhorse and utility value through till the end of the season to secure a spot behind Luke in 2016. Leuluai’s first workhorse for the season came from 35 tackles and 6 runs.
WORKHORSE OF THE WEEK:
Josh McGuire
Last weekend McGuire was playing hooker for Samoa. This week he’s providing great service in his more traditional role at prop. When McGuire gets picked to play for Queensland this year it will be a well deserved call up. There may be other props with more workhorse tries this season but he is my favourite front rower in the comp, I love his work!
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
- Josh McGuire: 49 tackles + 17 hitups = 66
- Nathan Peats: 48 tackles + 8 hitups = 56
- Aiden Tolman: 48 tackles + 15 hitups = 63
- Simon Mannering: 45 tackles + 17 hitups = 64
- Alex Glenn: 44 tackles + 16 hitups = 60
- Corey Parker: 38 tackles + 21 hitups = 59
14. Api Koroisau: 60 tackles + 8 hitups = 68
15. Michael Lichaa: 62 tackles + 5 hitups = 67
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Just two entrants this week – and wouldn’t you know it one of them is mine. Damn you Matt Scott! Not that it would have made a difference. I got smashed on the weekend. Damn you Crystal Ball Boy!
Matt Scott: 23 tackles + 16 hitups = 39
Jesse Bromwich 20 tackles + 19 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
It was good to see David Klemmer channel his aggression in a more positive way in his return from a three game suspension. You’ll recall Klemmer was sin binned in Round 5 and later charged and found guilty of contrary conduct for telling referee Gerard Sutton he was “off his f*#king face”. Klemmer scored his first workhorse try ever with 40 involvements in 49 minutes (0.82 SPM), however his days among the points will be short lived with James Graham returning from his suspension this week.
Ben Spina also registered his first ever workhorse try in the same game, getting 43 involvements in 38 minutes (1.13 SPM). The son of the Cowboys’ inaugural captain Laurie Spina has been part of the club’s system since 2008 but has spent virtually all of his career in Queensland Cup. Spina’s good form for the Northern Pride was rewarded with the captaincy of the Queensland Residents side that went on to defeat NSW during the recent Representative Round. After getting a first grade call up following that game, Spina will be wishing rep games came around more often. He had to withdraw from last year’s Residents game to play his only other NRL game to date.
Manly’s Blake Leary is proving to be a player that provides great returns considering the limited opportunities he’s seen this season. In three games he’s scored either a try or a workhorse try. He had 40 involvements in 67 min off the bench in Round 1 (0.59) and in Round 2 his SPM went up to 0.65 but he received just 20 minutes of game time. He did however cross for an actual try but suffered a back injury and had not been seen in first grade since. Sunday saw the former Cowboy in his first start for the Sea Eagles where he racked up a workhorse try in under 60 minutes and finished the match 4 involvements shy of a double workhorse (36 tackles, 20 hit ups).
So it turns out Tim Mannah hates being part of the Close But No Cigar Club as much as anyone. Listening to ABC Radio’s call of the Eels vs Storm game, sideline eye Shannon Burn reported that Mannah was fuming when he was take off with 13 minutes to go. Whether or not it had anything to do with his blow up is unknown, but he did return to the fray and finished with 41 involvements in 41 minutes (1.00 SPM).
JUST QUICKLY
How good is the Trade Doctor going? After helping Jamie Buhrer storm into some amazing form a few weeks ago, his call on Daniel Tupou was extraordinary. Just hours after declaring you should trade him, Tupou came out and scored a hat trick! Amazing!
Geoff Adams
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