Workhorse Watch Rd 18
I’ve said it all along, Ricky Stuart is a genius. A master tactician when it comes to player rotation. Stuart left Shaun Fensom on the bench in the second half just long enough to ensure the Raiders got home, but more importantly that Fensom didn’t have enough time late in the game to earn a workhorse try.
With just four games this round, the Grand Final rematch between my Castle Hill Rams and the Bass Straight Mean Machine, who are again streaking away to another Minor Premiership, was a bit of a bludger. The Machines had 13 players while the Rams had just 7. By Monday night, the Rams were trailing 17-22 with the Machines fielding Fensom and the Rams’ hopes resting in the hands of youngster Coen Hess.
Hess stormed over for a try in the 9th minute to make things interesting but the Rams now trailed by one. By halftime Hess had 24 involvements but Fensom had racked up 28 involvements, Even if Hess did get a workhorse, Fensom was a certainty to get one too. But wait, Fensom’s on the bench in the second half. He’s still on the bench. Still there. Meanwhile Hess had grabbed a workhorse, and the Rams now led 25-22. Was Fensom ever going to come back on? I prayed that he wouldn’t. Fensom accumulated some involvements quickly and with 5 minutes to play needed 5 involvements. Surely he’ll get this, or worse he’ll get to 38 or 39 and they’ll find the extra stats on review.
A late Aiden Sezar try saves the day. Fensom runs out of time to get the involvements he needs and the Rams hold on for the win. Sorry NRLCEOs with Fensom, I hate to take delight in something that has caused you grief but the Rams needed this win.
Workhorse of the Week:
Aiden Tolman: Tolman goes back to back with another powerful workhorse performance. It was a big week for props with four making the Workhorse Pack of the Week, a Workhorse Watch first. However Tolman reigned supreme with his third straight double workhorse and sixth for the season.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
- Aiden Tolman: 42 tackles + 23 hitups = 65
- Jake Friend: 56 tackles + 6 hitups = 62
- James Graham: 40 tackles + 20 hitups = 60
- Elijah Taylor: 58 tackles + 5 hitups = 63
- Trent Merrin: 44 tackles + 11 hitups = 55
- James Fisher-Harris: 41 tackles + 15 hitups = 56
- Daniel Alvaro: 41 tackles + 15 hitups = 56
- Tim Mannah: 38 tackles + 13 hitups = 51
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Going into Monday Night Footy there was no one who had finished on 39, but thankfully there were a few Cowboys to turn to club into a saloon.
Ethan Lowe: 32 tackles + 7 hitups = 39
Jake Granville: 34 tackles + 5 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
It’s been a tough week for Eels fans; Foran wants out, Semi gets injured, competition points get stripped and now more trouble for Corey Norman. But the Eels’ victory over the Rooster did provide some respite so in honour of that, here is the All-Eels edition of Stats Per Minute.
Peni Terepo got promoted to the run on side on Friday night and took full advantage, scoring his first workhorse try of the season and just the second of his career when he amassed 29 tackles and 13 tackles in 45 minutes (0.93 SPM). Terepo’s workrate is good but he normally only averages 35 minutes a game and never comes into NRLCEO calculations, let alone workhorse ones.
It was a huge return for Tim Mannah on Friday night with the Eels prop playing just his second game in 14 weeks. Mannah racked up his highest involvements in almost a year with 38 tackles and 13 hit ups (0.96 SPM). Meanwhile, fellow old stager, Beau Scott, scored his first workhorse try since Round 12 with 42 involvements in 74 minutes (0.57 SPM).
But perhaps back up prop Daniel Alvaro was the pick of the bunch, scoring his second straight workhorse try and fourth of the season. Alvaro tallied a personal best 56 involvements in 63 minutes (0.89 SPM). Alvaro’s 63 minutes was the most he’s played in a game all season and well and truly above what he’s been averaging as a starter in recent weeks and helped him to his first ever berth in the Workhorse Pack of the Week.
Meanwhile, let’s put Manu Ma’u in the centres every week. The Auckland native scored two tries to generate a sterling comeback by the blue and gold and get his highest NRLCEO tally since Round 24 last year, Unfortunately it meant he missed out on a workhorse with 34 involvements in 80 minutes (0.43 SPM).
Geoff Adams
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