Workhorse Watch Rd 17
I must admit I misread the question that NRLCEO posted on Twitter over the weekend asking if you could have any team’s front row rotation whose would it be? I initially interpreted it as if it was for your NRLCEO side and so was a little confused when people opted for answers other than the Bulldogs. Graham, Tolman and Klemmer have 49 workhorse tries between them, miles ahead of any other rotation.
If you could have one teams front row rotation in your own team, who would it be?
— NRLCEO Fantasy Footy (@Fantasy_NRLCEO) June 30, 2016
Vaughan, Boyd and Paulo were the second most favoured, but the Raiders trio only have five between them. Matulino, Lillyman and Vete have a respectable 18 between them whilst the Cowboys props were the least favoured and for good reason. Despite all being workhorse guns in the past, Scott, Tamau and Hannant have just 8 workhorse tries for the season; Scott and Hannant haven’t scored one since Round 12 and Tamou has been in the Close But No Cigar Club for the last two weeks.
Shaun Fensom received a recall on the weekend against Newcastle but just missed out on a workhorse try with 37 involvements. It was the first time in 3 years that he completed a match and didn’t have a workhorse try to show for it. 25 minutes in and looked like the Curse of Fensom was going to be alive and well as the Raiders gave the visitors an 18-0 head start before running them down in the second half. Just on that, what’s with games where one side shoots off to a huge lead before the opposition comes straight back at them in the second half? Newcastle, Parramatta, Penrith and the Roosters all got off to handy leads before being chased down.
What was I saying about Jake being the better Trbojevic? Since being named Workhorse of the Week in Round 15 after scoring his first ever double workhorse try, Jake Trbojevic has missed out on a workhorse in each of the subsequent weeks, amassing only 35 involvements in Round 16 and falling short of 40 against the Dragons by 3 involvements on Monday. No doubt he’ll bounce back but meanwhile Tom dazzled the Dragons defence, and the Manly faithful and left more than a few people asking Brett who?
Workhorse of the Week:
Aiden Tolman: Another round, another Workhorse of the Week for Aiden Tolman. Jack De Belin put in a good show with the most number of involvements but was never going to get the metres require with the Dragons only having 42% of possession. The Bulldogs front rower was the only player to score a double workhorse this round, taking his workhorse tally for the season to 19.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
- Aiden Tolman: 43 tackles + 20 hitups = 63
- Nathan Peats: 54 tackles + 4 hitups = 58
- David Klemmer: 41 tackles + 17 hitups = 58
- Elliott Whitehead: 53 tackles + 9 hitups = 62
- Jack De Belin: 62 tackles + 9 hitups = 71
- Paul Gallen: 32 tackles + 26 hitups = 58
- Bodene Thompson: 45 tackles + 13 hitups = 58
- Corey Parker: 40 tackles + 18 hitups = 58
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Jason Taumalolo: 25 tackles + 14 hitups = 39
Greg Inglis: 27 tackles + 12 hitups = 39
Ava Seumanufagai: 26 tackles + 13 hitups = 39
James Tamou: 23 tackles + 16 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
A dream opening 25 minutes turned into a tough slog for the Knights which was good news for Robbie Rochow who had 51 involvements in 71 minutes (0.72 SPM) after being promoted to the starting side. Newcastle’s backs also got amongst it with Sione Mata’utia having 43 involvements (0.51 SPM) and Jack Cogger leading his team’s tackle count making 36 tackles along with 6 runs. His SPM of 0.49 is the lowest a player has had and still achieve a workhorse, but still tough work for a halfback that’s just 18 years of age.
Are you happy now Nathan Peats owners? NRLCEOs with Peats have been calling for Nathan Friend to step aside ever since their man arrived on the sunshine strip and just a week after announcing his retirement, Friend found himself out of the side completely. That opened up an opportunity for Peats to play his first 80 minute game since arriving at the Titans. Peats had 58 involvements in 80 minutes (0.68 SPM) but missed out on a double workhorse by only running 45 metres.
Darcy Lussick scored the rarest of workhorse tries when he racked up 29 tackles and 14 runs against the Dragons on Monday night. Not only was it Lussick’s first workhorse try of the season, it was his first workhorse try since Round 5 of last year. The chances of any NRLCEO capitalising on it is pretty remote but then again he did finish with 39 and in the No Cigar Club last weekend.
Round 18 represents the final bye round of the season and the workhorse stocks will be even thinner with a couple of solid workhorses getting a call up to Origin when NRLCEOs might have been banking on them this coming weekend. Wade Graham (9 WH) comes into the NSW side and will be replaced at Cronulla by Jayson Bukuya (0.67 SPM). Meanwhile the Maroons have selected Gavin Cooper (10 WH) to make his Origin debut and he will be replaced at the Cowboys by Coen Hess who only played 14 minutes in his only game this season (Round 12) but had a SPM of 0.93.
Geoff Adams
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