Workhorse Watch Rd 13
Roll up, roll up folks, come and see ‘The Amazing JT’.
You will be mesmerized as the Wests Tigers coach dazzles you with questionable game plans and even more questionable selection choices. Be astounded as ‘JT’ opts to rest his first choice hooker even after his second choice hooker withdraws from the game plus, see players like Elijah Taylor contort themselves from running back rowers into inexperienced dummy halves.
I read a pretty damning statistic over the weekend that stated the Wests Tigers had won only one game with Robbie Farah in their side compared to four without him. But you need to look at the context of each game to get the full picture. The Tigers started the season with wins against the Warriors and Manly. Neither side has set the world on fire this season and both were dealing with significant changes to their spine at the beginning of the year. Their other two victories are more recent including one against the woeful Knights and one against an Origin ravaged Brisbane. Hardly stuff to write home about. Meanwhile their losses with Farah in the side (save for a loss to Newcastle) were all against top 8 sides including front runners Cronulla and Melbourne and a pre-salary cap drama Parramatta. Taylor would love to make Farah disappear but with news this week that Matt Ballin faces a season ending knee injury, he might have to keep the smoke and mirrors going a little longer and keep pretending the pair still get along.
Nothing like a bout of golden point to get the workhorse numbers up with the Souths vs Titans game generating 13 workhorse tries. Six of those were on account of three players scoring double workhorse tries including last week’s Workhorse of the Week, Ryan James. But more important than that, James grabbed the rarest of NRLCEO performances, a double-double. Two workhorse tries and two actual tries. It brings his NRLCEO total for the season to 12 for the season, the most he’s ever scored in a season and we’re barely halfway.
Anyone that tells you NRL players don’t read the papers is either a fool or a liar. Immediately following Origin 1 talk turned to what NSW needed to turn the result around in Game 2. Part of that conversation included Bryce Cartwright’s name being thrown up. The back rower was named as a development player for the first game but was forced to withdraw due to a thumb injury. Up against a side that included the Queensland hooker and halfback, Cartwright played hard for the Panthers on Saturday with 14 runs for 163 metres. Cartwright also made 43 tackles and more importantly only missed one. It was his highest number of involvements in a match ever.
Workhorse of the Week:
Sam Burgess: Burgess takes his second Workhorse of the Week honour for 2016. Burgess has been a pillar of consistency this season but has not quite been racking of the numbers of say, fellow Pom James Graham. However 52 tackles and 23 runs to go with 266 metres is the single best workhorse performance of the season. Jake Friend had 79 involvements back in Round 4 but didn’t have the metres to get a double workhorse.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
- James Graham: 37 tackles + 26 hitups = 63
- Cameron McInnes: 54 tackles + 7 hitups = 61
- Ryan James: 48 tackles + 18 hitups = 66
- Bryce Cartwright: 43 tackles + 14 hitups = 57
- Trent Merrin: 39 tackles + 15 hitups = 54
- Sam Burgess: 52 tackles + 23 hitups = 75
- Paul Gallen: 40 tackles + 14 hitups = 54
- Matt Parcell: 50 tackles + 4 hitups = 54
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Nate Myles: 25 tackles + 14 hitups = 39
Jason Taumalolo: 23 tackles + 16 hitups = 39
Sam Moa: 24 tackles + 15 hitups = 39
Nathan Brown: 26 tackles + 13 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
Can someone explain to me which position Joe Ofahengaue played on Saturday? The team sheet said he moved in to start at prop but his stats and minutes reflect that of an interchange hooker. Ofahengaue played just 27 minutes (all in the first half) and had zero runs. ZERO! For a minute I thought he might have been the one that slotted in a hooker but no, he had just one possession. He had 16 tackles giving him an SPM of 0.59 but I’m at a loss as to how a front/second rower can have zero hit ups.
Nathan Cleary was a late inclusion for Penrith and the Storm made sure they sent plenty of work his way. The son of former Panthers coach Ivan Cleary ended up scoring a workhorse try with 37 tackles and 6 runs (0.53 SPM). Cleary has been biding his time for several weeks and it appears his opportunity came after Anthony Griffith decided to dump James Segeyaro. Peter Wallace has done a serviceable job in Segeyaro’s absence but if Penrith are to make the top 8 they need their first choice hooker fit and firing.
The woes of Nate Myles owners continues with the Queensland representative scoring another 39 involvements on the weekend (0.81 SPM). Myles was backing up just two days after playing Origin so 39 was a decent effort but it was his fourth entry in the No Cigar Club this season and his third in as many games. Myles played just 27 minutes on Wednesday night, the equal lowest amount from any Queensland forward.
From Blip on the Radar to Beast on the Runway, Klemmer First 6 weeks scores 0 the next 6 he comfortably breezes to a WH Try @Fantasy_NRLCEO
— Fletcher Terence (@roswellrabbitoh) June 6, 2016
Special thanks to NRLCEO player Fletcher Terence who pointed out the impact David Klemmer is having at the moment. Klemmer failed to score a workhorse try in the opening 6 weeks of the season but in his last 6 matches has scored a workhorse in every one. Klemmer’s work rate hasn’t changed, simply his minutes have gone up. Whether in the run on side or coming off the bench, Klemmer’s SPM is virtually identical (0.84 vs 0.83) but as a starter he averages 56.6 minutes per game compared to coming off the bench where he averages 51.8. It’s not a lot, but it makes a world of difference to the workhorse numbers.
(NOT SO) JUST QUICKLY:
I had a look at Channel 9’s new show The NRL Rookie on Wednesday night. I’m always extremely interested to get an insight into what it takes to be an NRL player and at first the show, hosted by Brad Fittler, had promise. But by the second half of it was already running out of gas with Freddie’s brains trust of Mark Geyer and Adrian Lam not giving too much away when it came to assessing each player.
To be fair, they’d only had a week and whilst it’s not enough time to get a great understanding of what a player has to offer, it is enough time for the producers to settle into the tropes of reality TV.
- Make out like this is their only shot at making the big time? ✓
- Have a bunch of contestants that you barely meet because they’re not going to make the cut? ✓
- Show a contestant who bursts into tears because this is their dream and someone told them this was the only way they can achieve it? ✓✓
This week it’s all about abseiling down a building and how if someone doesn’t do it they’re going home. What the hell does abseiling have to do with playing footy?
Given the current state of the game, there is a tremendous opportunity to show what really goes into being a first grade footy player, what challenges an up and comer might face and why rugby league players get such a bad wrap. But that won’t be this show.
There might be a sprinkling of psychology and a few more beep tests with players losing their lunch but they’re more likely to have an Amazing Race style challenge that sees teams go from one Sydney night spot to the next with the winner the first to get to the Coogee Beach Hotel rather than create anything that’s truly interesting, in depth or original.
Geoff Adams
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Letter to the editor.
I disagree with this Workhorse of the Week business going to Samuel Burgess. He wasn’t as good as Ryan James. No where near as good. It was such a poor effort on your behalf Mr Workhorse Man, that I spat my strawberry milk all over my little cat. My cats name is Dash. Do you want to have a foot race to settle this?! I’ll foot race you. I’m a security officer in training. I can run quick. I won’t even shave my legs so I’m less aerodynamic. Ill give you a chance Mr Man Watcher. I will also be seeking compensation for my strawberry soaked cat.