Workhorse Watch: Rd 16
He started with just his team mates and now his performances are putting all of the NRL on notice. Daniel Mortimer scored a double workhorse try against the Roosters and in the process created hope for all us little guys. Although he didn’t play the entire game at dummy half, he did get through enough work to top the tackle count, finishing with 45 tackles along with 12 runs. When the next family BBQ rolls around and his dad or uncles start talking about the good old days and all those grand finals they played in with Canterbury, Daniel will be able to turn around and say
“Yeah, but did you ever score a double workhorse?”
Check and mate.
After much deliberation I have decided to withdraw my application for the top job at the Parramatta Eels. The decision was partly based on the conflict of interest they saw by being both the club CEO and the Workhorse Watcher and partly because they are an absolute rabble and who could possibly want to work there?
Parramatta’s issue of finding a replacement hooker became the least of their worries last week thanks to Cody Nelson. The former Titan made his debut for the Eels on Saturday night and finished the game leading the tackle count with 47 tackles along with 4 runs. He missed just one tackle all game and came close to a try/workhorse try double as he made a bust in the second half before being chopped down close to the line.
Last week it was goal kicking, this week it’s a huge workhorse try. What the hell has got into Feleti Mateo? The Manly backrower had 53 involvements against the Rabbitohs along with 160 metres.That takes his workhorse tally to two for the year which matches the number of workhorse tries he’s scored in the previous two seasons. What’s more, it was good enough to get him into the Workhorse Pack of the Week!
In a huge blow for Brisbane and NRLCEOs alike, Josh McGuire is out for the season. The recent Origin debutant tore his Achilles tendon in 38th minute and left the stadium on crutches knowing that his season (and perhaps the Broncos) was done. Who this benefits the most in terms of workhorses remains to be seen. Sam Thaiday started in the front row when McGuire was out in Round 10 but given Bennett’s concern over player fatigue due to the Origin schedule he may want to avoid the same thing happening to a player like Thaiday. Instead he might turn to someone like Jarrod Wallace who had 38 involvements when he started in place of McGuire in Round 11.
WORKHORSE OF THE WEEK:
Jesse Bromwich. Coming into Monday night I felt a front rower in the Bulldogs vs Storm game might grab a double workhorse. Only I thought that it would be Aiden Tolman. Tolman had a great game but the defensive workload Bromwich had to get through combined with his hit ups put him over the edge. Whilst Tolman was well supported with 5 other forwards who each made 110 metres or more, Bromwich (187 metres) was the only Storm forward to run more than 100 metres.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
- George Burgess: 38 tackles + 18 hitups = 56
- Daniel Mortimer: 45 tackles + 12 hitups = 57
- Jesse Bromwich: 49 tackles + 17 hitups = 66
- Trent Merrin: 34 tackles + 22 hitups = 56
- Feleti Mateo: 31 tackles + 22 hitups = 53
- Shaun Fensom: 62 tackles + 12 hitups = 74
14. Api Koroisau: 41 tackles + 10 hitups = 51
15. Cameron Smith: 58 tackles + 7 hitups = 65
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Here’s a new one. This week marks the first time a player has gone from Workhorse of the Week into the Close But No Cigar Club. Good job Luke Douglas…
Adam Blair: 24 tackles + 15 hitups = 39
Tim Grant: 30 tackles + 9 hitups = 39
Ryan Hoffman: 25 tackles + 14 hitups = 39
Jake Friend: 32 tackles + 7 hitups = 39
Luke Douglas: 32 tackles + 7 hitups = 39
Boyd Cordner: 24 tackles + 15 hitups = 39
Martin Taupau: 29 tackles + 10 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
David Fifita scored his first ever workhorse try on the weekend, with 44 involvements in 54 minutes (0.81 SPM). It was the kind of performance we’ve been waiting for since we found out Andrew Fifita had a twin. Despite all the success Andrew has had in the NRL and particularly from a workhorse point of view, David has languished behind. Was Saturday evening David’s coming of age?
Speaking of coming of age, how about Dave Shillington’s effort on the weekend? 32 might be a bit old to be coming of age but his 53 involvements against the Warriors was the most he’s posted since the Workhorse Watch began. The future Titan is averaging 0.90 SPM this season, up from 0.74 in 2014. That, combined with an increase in minutes, 55 compared to the 44 he usually averages, naturally resulted in an impressive display.
Still with the Raiders and Shaun Fensom managed to beat his previous best for involvements in a game this year but his lack of metres brought him undone in the Workhorse of the Week honours. Fensom had 74 involvements in 72 minutes (1.03 SPM) but “only” ran 99 metres.
JUST QUICKLY
Winger Watch: What a weekend for the Workhorse Watcher’s wingers. (Try say that three times really fast!)
It started with Semi Radradra scoring a hat trick on Saturday night and continued with David Simmons going one better against the Tigers with 4 tries!
Some may argue Simmons is lucky to be playing first grade and that may be the case but at least he’s there. Fellow 2013 top try scorer David Williams still finds himself languishing in NSW Cup.
Five Metre Gap author Hamish Neale and I were at Henson Park on Saturday afternoon in Manly’s match against the Jets and I’m sure he’ll concur when I say that the Wolfman’s biggest contribution was helping get the kids off the field after the halftime kick around.
Geoff Adams
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