Workhorse Watch: Rd 15
So I met with the Parramatta Eels about the CEO position last week and I think it went really well. They were really impressed when I told them what I always do when I’ve gone through three hookers and don’t have money for a fourth. However with Nathan Peats’ injury not as bad as first thought that problem probably won’t be one by the time they appoint a new boss. Unfortunately they felt that being the Workhorse Watcher and the Parramatta CEO would be a conflict of interest. They didn’t say why but made it clear, if successful, I would have to choose one or the other. Ultimately I have to do what’s best for me and my family so I will wait to see if NRLCEO are prepared to upgrade my remuneration which to date has been warm feedback, a plastic horse head mask and the promise to buy me a beer when I’m next in town.
All that would have to wait though as Round 15 threw up a major problem for my NRLCEO team, resting Origin players. On Saturday it looked like my starting front row of Matt Scott, Robbie Farah and Corey Parker were all set to be rested on the weekend leaving a traditionally strong forward pack looking very light on. Fortunately Scott ended up playing and I had both Andrew McCullough and Jake Friend able to cover for Farah but covering Parker proved difficult. In addition to being my kicker, Jake Trbojevic had already played by the time it was revealed Parker might be out. I guess it’s part of the agony of NRLCEO but it would be nice if you could have an emergency sub if a player pulled out later in the weekend. Then again it wouldn’t have made any difference as Trbojevic didn’t worry the scorers with just 33 involvements.
The one upshot of not having Farah was it allowed the inclusion of Bryce Cartwright in my team this week. What else does this guy have to do to get a starting gig on a more regular basis? After scoring his first workhorse try of the season in Round 13, Cartwright fell just one involvement short against the Bulldogs. He did however score two tries to go along with a line break. He was joined by teammates Isaah Yeo and Jeremy Latimore in the Close But No Cigar Club.
There were a huge 12 workhorse tries to come out of the Melbourne vs Brisbane game with the Broncos getting through a stack of defence. Josh McGuire was the only player to score a double workhorse, finishing on exactly 60 involvements and a huge 168 metres. Andrew McCullough and Cameron Smith both smashed the required involvement rate but fell short in the metres department.
@hamishneal Great defence by Broncos today but with only 59m ran, McCullough might as well have stopped at 40 in terms of @Fantasy_NRLCEO
— Geoff Adams (@geoffadams81) June 21, 2015
WORKHORSE OF THE WEEK:
Luke Douglas. This week’s title should carry an asterisk and a footnote on how incredible a performance Douglas needed to put in to finish ahead of some massive performances by other forwards. It’s Douglas’ first double workhorse in two years and it takes his tally for the season to 12.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK:
- Luke Douglas: 56 tackles + 14 hitups = 70
- Andrew McCullough: 61 tackles + 8 hitups = 69
- Mike Cooper: 52 tackles + 9 hitups = 61
- Matt Gillett: 46 tackles + 13 hitups = 59
- Elijah Taylor: 59 tackles + 8 hitups = 67
- Shaun Fensom: 46 tackles + 11 hitups = 57
14. Josh McGuire: 45 tackles + 15 hitups = 60
15. Cameron Smith: 45 tackles + 12 hitups = 57
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
@Fantasy_NRLCEO How close was Vaughn from getting a WH. Not that it will help , Johnson smashed me last night — addman (@addman72) June 21, 2015
Not close enough sorry Addman…
Feleti Mateo: 26 tackles + 13 hitups = 39
Paul Vaughan: 34 tackles + 5 hitups = 39
Bryce Cartwright: 26 tackles + 13 hitups = 39
Isaah Yeo: 28 tackles + 11 hitups = 39
Jeremy Latimore: 26 tackles + 13 hitups = 39
Tim Glasby: 28 tackles + 11 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
Dunamis Lui scored his 5th workhorse try on Friday night which may not sound all that spectacular but considering he hadn’t scored a workhorse prior to the start of this season, he’s proving to be a fly in the ointment for NRLCEOs playing against him. Lui’s stats per minute has been consistent over the last two seasons (0.80SPM) Unfortunately Lui’s game time doesn’t have the consistency that his workrate has. When Geoff Toovey plays him for 50 minutes or more he scores a workhorse but half the time he doesn’t hit that number and in several games this year he’s seen less than 20 minutes of action.
Robbie Rochow may not have returned with a bang, but at least he returned. A favourite here at the Workhorse Watch, Rochow has been out of action since Round 3. He didn’t score a workhorse try but in his 53 minutes on the field he had 33 involvements (0.62 SPM). That’s same number of involvements he was averaging in the first three rounds only then he was playing 80 minutes a game. Hopefully he can maintain the workrate and get back to being an 80 minute player and a valuable workhorse.
Bird is the Word! Jack Bird might be be eyeing off a spot in centres following the announcement that James Maloney is headed to the Shire but his effort on Sunday could count as an audition for a spot in the forwards. Bird registered his first ever workhorse try and also crossed for two actual tries. Bird had 43 involvements in 80 minutes (0.52 SPM) although one suspects he wouldn’t be playing the full 80 minutes if he was in the forward pack..
Here at the Workhorse Watch we’re always watching. Except when we’re not. Which is why there was an oversight a few weeks back in regard to the last man standing on workhorse consistency. At the halfway mark of the NRLCEO regular season I reported that Simon Mannering, Bodene Thompson, Andrew McCullough and Kane Snowden hadn’t missed a workhorse all season. Two weeks ago I said that Thompson and McCullough had bowed out of that race leaving Mannering and Snowden. What I failed to realise was that Snowden had already missed a game in Round 12 leaving Mannering (0.78 SPM) as the only player to have scored a workhorse every week (not including byes). Congratulations Keptin. Keep up the good work.
JUST QUICKLY
No just quickly this week, I’m too mad after losing by one point this week. I keep telling myself not to feel bad after Shaun Kenny-Dowall helped run me down after I lead by 6 with Monday to play.
I have to remind myself that if not for Mitchell Moses scoring more points for me in one game than he has all season, I wouldn’t have even been in the hunt.
Talk about arsey!
Geoff Adams
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