Workhorse Watch: Rd 14
First Scott Seward, then Grant Mayer. CEOs in the NRL are dropping like flies. That means new CEOs will be required. Time to dust off the old resume I think. If NRLCEO has taught me anything, it’s that we’re all experts. Even if our teams suck, we’re still “experts”. Not that I have to worry about that, my team are the defending premiers. That should at least get me an interview. The Eels are running last or close to it in just about every grade, I can’t do any worse.
Souths may have got smashed on Friday night but at least Michael Maguire doesn’t have the headache other coaches have of trying to fit three play makers into the one side. The return of Adam Reynolds saw John Sutton shift to the back row and although it wasn’t the first time he’s played there this season it was the first time this year he’s scored a workhorse try. Sutton had 38 tackles and 11 runs and was the only Souths forward to play the full 80 minutes.
A Friend in Need – Part I: When there’s only four games on points come at a premium, especially workhorse tries. Double workhorse tries become more valuable than gold! Which was why watching the Warriors/Roosters game was so frustrating. On one side you had Jake Friend Jake had 40 tackles shortly by 45 minute mark and was well on his way to a double if not for the fact that he hadn’t made a single metre. Not one! Jake easily cleared the required 50 involvements but what was infuriating was the fact he ran for 55 metres in the last 35 minutes of the game. Where was that in the first half?
A Friend in Need – Part II: Nathan Friend caused similar angst among NRLCEOs. Given that it was just his second workhorse try of the year, NRLCEOs should probably just be grateful he scored a workhorse at all, but the former Titan made 100 metres and had 45 involvements and came extremely close to a double workhorse especially when you consider he missed 5 tackles. It was easily his best workhorse performance of the year but we NRLCEOs are greedy and always want more.
At least those guys are contributing which is more than can be said for the likes of James Graham and George Burgess. Both players would have been on plenty of people’s wish list at the start of the season given their Origin ineligibility. Unfortunately neither have contributed in the club games prior to Origin 1 and 2. Graham has missed both through injury and when you consider his suspension earlier in the year it means he hasn’t scored a workhorse try since Round 5. Burgess meanwhile finished with 37 in the Rabbitohs’ game against Parramatta just before Origin 1 and finished in the Close But No Cigar Club against the Tigers on Friday.
WORKHORSE OF THE WEEK
Michael Lichaa. Lichaa was the only forward to register a double workhorse try on the weekend. Lichaa is making a habit of nabbing Workhorse of the Week honours when other forwards are out of action. He scored his first ever double workhorse in the back in Round 11 and his first Workhorse of the Week honours were back in Round 4 when no one scored a double workhorse that week.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
- Tim Mannah: 37 tackles + 15 hitups = 52
- Michael Lichaa: 43 tackles + 8 hitups = 51
- Aiden Tolman: 37 tackles + 18 hitups = 55
- Simon Mannering: 42 tackles + 11 hitups = 53
- Ben Lowe: 40 tackles + 12 hitups = 52
- Anthony Watmough: 39 tackles + 14 hitups = 53
14. Jake Friend: 52 tackles + 7 hitups = 59
15. Ryan James: 35 tackles + 14 hitups = 49
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
George has the Club all to himself this week. Selfie time?
George Burgess: 22 tackles + 17 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
What’s happened to Joseph Paulo? After scoring 16 workhorse tries in 2014, the US representative has become the victim of the log jam in the Parramatta back row and now finds himself in reserve grade. Paulo’s minutes have dropped from 61 minutes a game to 44 this year and his involvement rate has dropped from 41 per game down to 31.
It would be easy to lay the blame squarely on Anthony Watmough who last week was singled out as one the worst buys of the year. From a workhorse point of view, Watmough’s number are still good when you consider he’s only playing 56 minutes a game this season compared to 68 last year. His workrate has actually increased this season; last year he had a SPM of 0.66, this year it’s 0.8.
Paulo’s problem is the return of Manu Ma’u and Tepai Moeroa. It was this time last year that Ma’u suffered a season ending injury and Moeroa didn’t arrive on the scene until Round 18. Not only are they both playing this season, they’re averaging plenty of minute as well. Ma’u’s game time has increased from 67 minutes per game last year to 76 this year while Moeroa (59 minutes per game) is averaging roughly the same as he did in 2014. While Moeroa and Ma’u are chewing up the minutes, their stats per minute are well behind Paulo’s. Paulo is averaging 0.74 SPM while Moeroa averages 0.6 and Ma’u averages 0.56.
NRLCEOs who drafted Paulo thinking he would maintain his previous output are no doubt sorely disappointed. Some might say this log jam could have been foreseen but that didn’t stop plenty of people picking him; Paulo was the 79th most drafted player at the beginning of the season. He is the only Parramatta regular to not have a workhorse try to his name this season and now he finds himself on the outer completely!
JUST QUICKLY
Last weekend was always going to be a tough game for me to win. My opponent fielded plenty of his regulars including most of his pack including Simon Mannering, Bodene Thompson and Luke Douglas. He also had his kicker in James Maloney.
I meanwhile was missing pretty much everyone, including most of my forwards. Without the likes of Corey Parker, Robbie Farah, Matt Scott, Beau Scott, Andrew McCullough, Josh Dugan and Mitchell Pearce we were always going to do it tough.
Halfway through Saturday’s game I was looking OK. James Tedesco had given me an early lead and James Maloney was yet to score. He’s capable of scoring 20 on his day so I can cop the tally he ended up with.
I’ll even put up with Daniel Mortimer suddenly producing three try assists. The kid has had an up and down career but can play. What I can’t cop is Brad Tighe chiming in for a try against me on Sunday afternoon, which completely killed off my chances of comeback. Brad Fucking Tighe! Bloke hasn’t scored a try in 12 months and now he pops up?
Grrrr!
Geoff Adams
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