Workhorse Watch: Rd 18
In case you missed it, be sure to check out the latest Moneyball featuring an interview with Shaun Fensom. As he highlights after the interview, host Phil Prior didn’t get a chance to ask Fensom about injuries, longevity and the impact his high work rate has on his body. It reminded of the point I’ve been pushing all year and that is, for a guy like Fensom, less is more. While others have howled down the idea that Fensom be a 60 minute player rather than an 80 minute player, my point is that by playing less minutes, he’ll have fewer injuries and a longer career whilst still getting workhorses every week. In an uncharacteristic game for the Raiders lock, Fensom ran for a huge 128 metres but “only” had 46 involvements.
Try scoring props. Tim Mannah is probably the one to blame. On Monday night against the Tigers, the Eels captain crashed over for his first try in years and now it seems every front rower in the comp wants a piece of the action. Josh Papalii grabbed a try in the first half of Origin 3 and then scored not one but two tries against the Knights on Friday night. Mind you, try scoring is not a new fad for Papalii with the Raiders prop now on 7 tries for the season. Between rounds 8 and 11 he scored a try every week and between tries and workhorse tries has scored at least 4 points a game on all but three occasions this year.
Sadly Papalii didn’t grab a workhorse to go with his actual tries but there were plenty of front rowers who did. Kade Snowden, Adam Blair, Sam Thaiday and Andrew Fifita all scored try/workhorse try doubles with the latter doing so for the third straight week and the fifth time this season. However, Fifita still trails Bodene Thompson who has 6 for the year including one in each of his last three games.
Meanwhile what about Fuifui Moimoi’s effort for Leigh on the weekend? Why go to all the trouble of tackles and hit ups when you can just crash over for three actual tries? Sure it was in the UK’s second tier competition but three meat pies are three meat pies.
WORKHORSE OF THE WEEK:
Michael Lichaa. The Bulldogs hooker continues to rack up honours during quiet weeks. This is Lichaa’s third Workhorse of the Week gong in 2015 and like his first time back in Round 4, it came in a week where there were no double workhorses. But take nothing away from him, every Workhorse of the Week counts.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
- Luke Douglas: 41 tackles + 10 hitups = 51
- Michael Lichaa: 61 tackles + 3 hitups = 65
- Mike Cooper: 37 tackles + 13 hitups = 50
- Joseph Tapine: 40 tackles + 12 hitups = 52
- Simon Mannering: 42 tackles + 11 hitups = 53
- Elijah Taylor: 54 tackles + 5 hitups = 59
14. Andrew McCullough 53 tackles + 7 hitups = 60
15. Api Koroisau: 48 tackles + 5 hitups = 53
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR CLUB
Jake Friend: 33 tackles + 6 hitups = 39
David Fa’alogo: 26 tackles + 13 hitups = 39
Michael Ennis: 30 tackles + 9 hitups = 39
Matt Ballin: 34 tackles + 5 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
A number of players scored some handy workhorses as late inclusions into their team’s starting side including Joseph Tapine who scored his first workhorse try on Friday night. Tapine had 42 involvements in 80 minutes (0.53 SPM). That involvement rate was down on his season average of 0.74 which is to be expected as he played the full 80 as opposed to his usual 30. His promotion came at the expense of Jeremy Smith who was making his return to first grade after a long injury lay-off and who finished with 29 involvements in 44 minutes (0.65 SPM).
Siosiua Taukeiaho scored his fifth workhorse of the season with an impressive 51 involvements against the Panthers (SPM). Taukeiaho was a late swap for Boyd Cordner who probably needed the rest after making a whole five runs in State of Origin the previous Wednesday. When given the opportunity to start, Taukeiaho rarely disappoints and on Saturday led the Roosters tackle count and was second only to Jared Waerea-Hargreaves for metres gained by a Roosters’ forward.
James Graham made a welcome return to NRLCEO with 49 involvements against the Broncos (1.07 SPM). As I highlighted a few weeks ago, it’s been a very lean year for the British Bulldog who, thanks to suspension and injury, has rarely been sighted for the last 3 months. Saturday’s performance was Graham’s first points since Round 5 and whilst NRLCEOs won’t have been happy to have missing through the crucial bye period, they’ll be grateful he’s back as the charge to the finals begins.
Unfortunately, Jake Marketo just missed out on a workhorse after being a late call up into the Dragons’ starting side. Marketo played the full 80 minutes but ended with 38 involvements (0.48 SPM) to finish just shy of his second ever workhorse. His first came just a week ago when he had 47 involvements against the Cowboys. Marketo is another player that was in the 2009 NYC team of the year that I spoke about last week and whilst he’s got a long way to go be on par with teammate and fellow 2009 alumni, Trent Merrin, Paul McGregor seems to be going to him more and more as a stop gap in Merrin’s absence. Who knows, he may look to him even more once Merrin leaves for Penrith.
JUST QUICKLY:
After seeing Fensom’s running game lift the day after speaking to the Moneyball podcast, perhaps they should have a word with some of the league’s hookers. Michael Lichaa, Andrew McCullough and Api Koroisau all had the required involvements, just not the metres.
Geoff Adams
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