Workhorse Watch Rd 22
Whenever I see that a Trbojevic has scored a try I have to pause for a moment and think which one I have. Tom is the one that is usually racking up them up but I happen to have Jake. Not that there’s anything wrong with Jake. He’s in fine form having scored a workhorse try every week for the last month. It’s just I imagine how wonderful it would be to have Jake scoring workhorses AND actual tries. Well I need not pretend any longer after the front rower crashed over for not one but two tries to go with his workhorse on Friday night. He also ran for 161 metres which was the most of any forward in the match.
The guests continue to roll through on the NRLCEO podcasts with the latest being a REAL rugby league CEO, Bears great Greg Florimo. It’s funny how when you mention the Bears so many people reveal their true (red and black) colours. Even yours truly, the Workhorse Watcher, used to follow the Bears. For about forty minutes. The first game I ever went to was Parramatta versus North Sydney. A few weeks earlier some Eels players had run a coaching clinic at our school and at the end gave us some free passes. I was wrapped and couldn’t wait to go. Happily my grandpa said he’d take me.
Pa had been a Bears man his whole life. A member of the North Sydney Leagues Club, he was long suffering like every other fan. Despite the fact he himself would have been a kid the last time Norths won a premiership I decided that because he followed the Bears so would I. Up until that point I hadn’t really picked a team but by half time my allegiances had already switched.
Parramatta were running rampant and the Bears were having a shocker. The Eels heady days of the early 80s were long gone but on this day they were triumphant. I left Parramatta Stadium waving my new Parra flag with enthusiasm and a big grin on my face, but in hindsight that flag was really a sad torch that had been passed on to me. My grandpa had spent his entire adult life having never seen his team win a premiership, and now it was my turn.
Not even Hail Mary Monday can save you when you’ve had to endure Godforsaken Sunday. Godforsaken Sunday? It’s when you’re neck and neck with your opponent over Friday and Saturday only to get so completely smashed off the park on Sunday afternoon that you know you’re no hope on Monday night. It happened to fellow NRLCEO contributor and private league rival Hamish Neale on the weekend.
Hamish’s seventh placed Mannering Park Mavericks needed to beat the fifth placed Goulburn Warriors to secure a finals berth. After Saturday night the Mavs led a low scoring game 12-8 and although they had burned through 12 players compared to the Warriors’ 5, they were still in with a shot. Unfortunately for the Mavs, on Sunday the Warriors fielded Cameron Munster, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, James Maloney and Jeremy Smith. Not to mention a few smaller contributions from the likes of Luke Douglas and Daniel Mortimer. The Mavs were gone! Not even Aaron Woods and the Green Machine combination of Austin, Croker and Waqa could save them. Unlucky mate, there’s always next year!
WORKHORSE OF THE WEEK:
Shaun Fensom. Paul Gallen was on the verge of getting Workhorse of the Week for the fourth straight week. With his high workrate and massive metres Gallen is in great form but if anyone was going to end his run it was going to be the great Shaun Fensom. Fortunately Fensom had the metres to go with his 68 involvements to grab his fourth double workhorse of the season.
Click here to listen to our chat with Shaun Fensom on the Moneyball Podcast.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
- James Graham: 41 tackles + 23 hitups = 64
- Josh Hodgson: 42 tackles + 14 hitups = 56
- Jarrod Wallace: 38 tackles + 15 hitups = 53
- Corey Parker: 36 tackles + 24 hitups = 60
- Shaun Fensom: 53 tackles + 15 hitups = 68
- Paul Gallen: 39 tackles + 25 hitups = 64
14. Nathan Peats: 54 tackles + 9 hitups = 63
15. Andrew McCullough: 52 tackles + 5 hitups = 57
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
A record number of entrants in the Close But No Cigar Club this week.
Moses Mbye: 30 tackles + 9 hitups = 39
Ben Matulino: 24 tackles + 15 hitups = 39
Mike Cooper: 24 tackles + 15 hitups = 39
David Gower: 30 tackles + 9 hitups = 39
Kevin Proctor: 31 tackles + 8 hitups = 39
Paul Vaughn: 21 tackles + 18 hitups = 39
Jake Granville: 30 tackles + 9 hitups = 39
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves: 29 tackles + 10 hitups = 39
Justin Horo: 29 tackles + 10 hitups = 39
Korbin Sims: 23 tackles + 16 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE:
Corey Parker scored his first double workhorse of the season on Friday night with the salt ‘n’ pepper second rower making 36 tackles and 24 runs (0.92 SPM). It was his first double workhorse since Round 19 last year and along with a try and two goals it was a very handy return for those who have him.
It was in this exact place, one week ago that I highlighted the forwards with over 10 games of NRL this season that were yet to get a workhorse. The one that surprised me the most was Jarrod Wallace. And then, as if right on cue, Wallace had the game of his career on Friday, scoring his first ever workhorse try with 38 tackles and 15 hit ups (1.03 SPM). His output was almost double to what he normally produces which is fair enough considering his minutes almost doubled as well.
James Graham is well and truly back! On Friday the Bulldogs front rower scored his first double workhorse try since Round 5. That match was the infamous game against the Rabbitohs and the beginning of his woes for the season. It was Graham’s best performance of the year as he finished with 64 involvements in just 58 minutes (1.10 SPM)
Well done to Josh Hodgson who had the game of his NRLCEO career on Monday night. Hodgson is not normally one to run the ball a lot but this week ran 157 metres and grabbed his first ever double workhorse. Hodgson completely smashed the 75 metres required by a hooker to get a double (he usually runs for 51 metres per game) and had 55 involvements (0.69 SPM).
JUST QUICKLY:
When is the NRL going to show some leadership? On anything. Last weekend was going to be the beginning of a crackdown on shoulder charges even though I could’ve sworn the NRL had already banned it.
Last weekend was supposed to be the return of Shaun Kenny-Dowall until he was a late withdrawal. But not because the NRL or his club insisted he stand down but because HE didn’t feel like he was ready. I understand that Kenny-Dowall has pleaded innocent but the way the Roosters are handling this situation is appalling. Hey NRL, you’re either serious about your partnership with White Ribbon or you need to stop paying it lip service.
We also saw the sanctions imposed on Andrew and David Fifita. Turns out they were guilty of abusing a referee and have been handed their punishment. So why haven’t we heard anything more on Andrew not being stood down for the Bulldogs game after the NRL sent a directive prior to the game? Instead the only follow up is that Andrew has to explain to his son why they have to stay in hiding at nana’s. Spare me!
Regardless of where you stand on the issues I’ve raised, my problem is the NRL lacks conviction. If you’re going to talk tough then you need to back it up. Otherwise players and clubs are going to continue to take the proverbial out of you.
Geoff Adams
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Champion Data suck balls. How does Houston collect 40+ on two other stats sites but only pull down 30 involvements on League Live?!?!
Clearly no one at Champion Data has Houston in their fantasy team.