Workhorse Watch: Round 4
Another strong week for workhorse tries with 60 scored this round, slightly up from 57 in round 3. The haul this week included 13 players who scored their first workhorse try for 2014. It comes the same week that some big name workhorses like Cameron Smith, Shaun Fensom and Glenn Stewart were either late withdrawals or played limited minutes.
Some players are proving you don’t have to be forwards to be workhorses. Coming off a big game the week before, it was an unhappy weekend for teams fielding James Maloney who was completely shut out which wasn’t helped by the workload he had to get through. The Origin half looked like he might get enough involvements to register a workhorse try but ended up with 31 tackles and 6 hit ups. Daly-Cherry Evans meanwhile did post workhorse like numbers with 21 tackles and 23 hit ups. His involvement continues a growing trend in NRLCEO this year with a number of halves posting similar numbers. Other halves that have put up workhorse type numbers this season include Todd Carney in round 3 (21 tackles/25 hit ups) and Josh Reynolds in round 2 (23 tackles/17 hit ups).
It’s easy to shake your head when you hear the amounts of money that players have been signing on for in recent weeks, some of the numbers are just astronomical. The moment Canterbury announced the deal with Andrew Fifita was off, Bulldogs fans were quick to say good riddance and that he wasn’t worth the money. But whatever! Cameron Smith signed on for the other week, he’s worth it. Melbourne was trounced on the weekend after the Australian skipper was a late withdrawal and NRLCEOs were no doubt left reeling as well. Smith is one of NRLCEO’s most all round players and was no doubt a huge loss for NRLCEO teams who boast him in their line up.
It was another great game from Nathan Peats on the weekend which will warm the cockles of many NRLCEOs’ hearts; unless you’re a CEO who just traded him away.
My competition had its first trade of the season which saw the Mavericks, after a somewhat questionable draft, have a string of injury and form setbacks throughout their backline with Brett Stewart, Edrick Lee and Jharal Yow Yeh injured and Luke Kelly and Sosaia Feki dropped. It prompted a call out for draft proposals before coming to terms with Alex from the Anfield Jets. In exchange for Nathan Peats and Zac Santo the Mavs have received Anthony Minichiello and Kane Linnett. Now at the risk of wading into Trade Doctor territory here I think that based on last year’s form Minichiello and Linnett are good acquisitions, especially when you look at how low the ranks were in the Maverick backline. But at the expense of Nathan Peats? This guy is going to have a massive year and so far we haven’t heard boo from Kane Linnett. Meanwhile the Jets have brought in the missing piece to their puzzle and look to be genuine contenders with the likes of Sam Burgess, Trent Merrin and Matt Gillett also up front.
WORKHORSE OF THE WEEK
Robbie Farah: Although Nate Myles had more involvements Robbie Farah did enough to register a double workhorse try with 48 tackles and 13 runs for a total of 98 metres. In addition to that, this was the third consecutive week that he’s scored a workhorse double and he leads the league in workhorse tries with 7.
Special mention to Nathan Peats who made 52 tackles and 9 hit ups but was one metre short of qualifying for a double workhorse.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK (Round 4)
8. Sam Burgess: 41 tackles + 20 hitups = 61
9. Robbie Farah: 48 tackles + 13 hitups = 61
10. Aiden Tolman: 33 tackles + 22 hitups = 55
11. Anthony Watmough: 46 tackles +14 hitups = 60
12. Trent Merrin: 45 tackles + 14 hitups = 59
13. Ashley Harrison: 50 tackles + 14 hitups =64
14. Jake Friend: 48 tackles + 11 hit ups = 59
15. Andrew McCullough: 43 tackles + 11 hit ups = 54
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Every week we also look at those who fell short by one, this week there was only one.
Adam Docker: 29 tackles + 10 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
Last week I mentioned the outstanding work rate and future potential of Shannon Boyd. If you didn’t grab him last week and he’s still available, grab him now! In round 4 Boyd had a Stat per minute work rate of 2.24! Boyd made 27 tackles and 11 hitups in just 17 minutes! That’s right folks; he was just 2 involvements off a workhorse try in less time than the pre-game warm up.
Looking at the top 20 in terms of Stats per minute and apart from Boyd there aren’t too many players I’d imagine that would be available but he who may have been overlooked or strayed back onto the free list after his try and line break in round 3 is Sione Lousi. Lousi had 30 involvements in just 28 minutes last week for an SPM of 1.11.
Finally, interpret this as you will, but of the top 20 players in terms of Stats per minute last week, 10 of them played on Monday night.
JUST QUIETLY:
A week after highlighting the plight of Tim Mannah this year, the Parramatta forward produced the goods with 32 tackles and 15 hit ups. Ryan Hinchcliffe also got his first but sadly Jared Warea-Hargreaves and Luke Douglas are still yet to get off the mark.
• But stick solid if you have Douglas, round 5 was when the Titans prop got his first workhorse try of 2013.
• I’m very much looking forward to this week’s round of football. I’m happy to say that after 4 rounds I lead my competition and have the best attack. The next best are the Anfield Jets who are headed by Alex, who just happens to be in town this week. They’re also the team I play this round which should make our catch up during Super Saturday a good one.
Geoff Adams
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