Workhorse Watch: Rd 17
Well done to Mitch Rein who scored his first double workhorse since Round 9 of last year. It’s been a very quiet 2015 for the Kiama junior who scored 17 workhorse tries last season. Coming into Round 17, Rein was ranked equal last among regular first grade hookers for workhorse tries with just five. The arrival of Heath L’Estrange has played havoc with Rein’s minutes which have dropped from 67.2 minutes a game in 2014 down to 52.9 this year.
An error riddled second half cruelled a number of workhorse tries in the Manly vs Cronulla game with Wade Graham the only player past the 40 involvement mark at full time. Two players left stranded on 39 and pencilled into the Close But No Cigar Club were Andrew Fifita and Tom Symonds. As if two tries late in the game for Fifita weren’t enough, the Sharks front rower was upgraded to a workhorse try later in the evening whilst Tom Symonds lost an involvement and finished on 38 after going to the locker room at half-time already on 25.
In case you missed it be sure to take a read of the Fox Sports articles that take a look at past NYC teams of the year and asks ‘Where are they now?’ The contrast between forward packs from 2008 and 2009 is remarkable. The 2009 team features some of the league’s best NRLCEO workhorses. Trent Merrin and Jesse Bromwich are the props, with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Jamie Buhrer in the back row.
Compare that to the 2008 side which featured such names as Masada Iosefa and Daniel Harrison. Mind you, the 2008 team does feature the great Shaun Fensom so it’s not all bad. Meanwhile Ben Matulino must be wondering how he ended up on the bench behind Russell Packer and Sione Kite!
WORKHORSE OF THE WEEK:
Mitch Rein. Unlike last week when Daniel Mortimer was run down by Jesse Bromwich on Monday night for Workhorse of the Week honours, Mitch Rein had no such worries as the Tigers and the Eels battled it out. With the likes of Aaron Woods and Nathan Peats not playing there were no players in action that were any threat to Rein’s reign.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
- Mike Cooper: 49 tackles + 12 hitups = 61
- Mitch Rein: 55 tackles + 7 hitups = 62
- Ben Hannant: 41 tackles + 16 hitups = 57
- Ben Creagh: 43 tackles + 12 hitups = 55
- Leeson Ah Mau: 44 tackles + 10 hitups = 54
- Elijah Taylor: 53 tackles + 8 hitups = 61
14. Issac Luke: 35 tackles + 15 hitups = 50
15. George Burgess: 37 tackles + 17 hitups = 54
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR CLUB
Another one for the books, this week sees an entire team’s back row in the club. Good job Souths.
Glenn Stewart: 29 tackles + 10 hitups = 39
John Sutton: 30 tackles + 9 hitups = 39
Chris McQueen: 31 tackles + 8 hitups = 39
Luke Lewis: 35 tackles + 4 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
The rise and rise of Bryce Cartwright continued on Friday night with the Penrith back rower setting a personal best for involvements with 52 (0.65 SPM). Cartwright’s tally included 23 runs for game high 215 metres. Cartwright isn’t a shoe-in for a workhorse every week but between tries, try assists and line breaks he keeps the NRLCEO scoreboard ticking over.
Sorry Pat Politoni. The curse of the commentator was in full flight after I flagged the youngster’s late inclusion for the suspended Mick Ennis. Playing in his first NRL game of the season, Politoni had just 29 involvements (0.52 SPM) and was short of his impressive debut last season when he had 42 involvements against the Knights in Round 18.
Issac De Gois scored his first workhorse try for the season after being a late inclusion for Parramatta. De Gois, who has averaged 22 involvements at 0.69 SPM this season would have relished the absence of Nathan Peats given that he almost doubled his usual involvements (42) against the Tigers. Mind you, he didn’t do his chances of remaining in the top grade much good when he threw a pass in his own in-goal early in the match which almost cost his team a try.
JUST QUICKLY
So that’s Round 17 done and dusted; which means there’s only five weeks till NRLCEO Finals! This season is flying by!
Geoff Adams
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