Workhorse Watch Round 12
What a remarkable game of football witnessed on Saturday night between the Cowboys and the Storm. Townsville hasn’t seen that many workhorses since the days of the early settlers. In total there were 14 workhorse tries scored with Cam Smith leading the way with 54 tackles and 9 runs (although not enough metres for a double workhorse). I can’t recall a match with a higher number of workhorse tries and certainly not one this season.
Even though it would be quicker to name the forwards who didn’t get a workhorse try in the Cowboys vs Storm match it’s worth acknowledging the contributors to the record performance. From Melbourne there was the fore mentioned Smith along with Hoffman, Hinchcliffe, Norrie, Proctor, Harris and the Bromwich brothers all racking up big numbers. Meanwhile from the Cowboys, Lowe, Scott, Kostjaysn, Bolton, Taumalolo and Ashton Sims all scored. Despite playing every game this year it was Bryan Norrie’s first workhorse try of 2014.
Plenty of NRLCEOs will be reeling from the news that Nathan Peats is out for the season following an ACL tear against the Panthers on Friday night. Whilst all attention was on the absence of Jarryd Hayne and the crippling affect it had on the Eels side, the loss of Peats is far more devastating and has effectively ended Parramatta’s season. Everything good that Parra have shown this year has started with Peats including Hayne’s irresistible form, Chris Sandow’s return to first grade and the Eels positive start to 2014. With Peats on the sideline now is a good time to load up on a few Eels forwards and to start naming some of your Parramatta backs sparingly.
Whilst Peats’ season was ending, Tyrone Peachey’s season was just getting started. Peachey may have made his NRL debut last year but he’s been on the radar of some NRLCEOs for a lot longer than that. Used sparingly so far this year and in 2013 at Cronulla, Peachey has been consistently one of the best back rowers coming up through the grades so it was only a matter of time before he hit his straps in first grade. Peachey made 24 tackles and 21 runs to score his first workhorse try of the season not to mention the 2 actual tries he scored in the demolition of the Eels.
As much as I loathe seeing the Broncos playing every Friday night I think I speak for all NRLCEOs with Broncos forwards when I say forget Sunday afternoon footy and only let them play at night. Although the Broncos ran out easy winners, the forwards were clearly shaken by their daylight surroundings with only Josh McGuire and Alex Glenn mustering workhorse tries. The Broncos average 4.9 workhorse tries per game, well clear of the rest of the league so to only come up with two on Sunday is a clear indication of our beneficial playing on a Friday night is. What struck me during Channel Nine’s coverage though was Wally Lewis and Gus Gould commenting how much Brisbane fans love their Sunday afternoon footy but rarely get it. Gee, I wonder why that is?
WORKHORSE OF THE WEEK:
Cameron Smith: Is there anything this guy can’t do? Not only did he back up from State of Origin, not only was he playing injured, not only did he have the highest work rate in the biggest workhorse match of all time, he did without even playing in the forwards! Special mention to Ethan Lowe who has wasted no time, rising though the workhorse ranks and to Mitch Rein and Ryan Hoffman who both had 53 involvements but missed on Workhorse Pack of the Week honours due to Jesse Bromwich having a higher stats per minute score by only playing 47 minutes
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK (Round 12)
8. Sam Burgess: 38 tackles + 21 hitups = 59
9. Cameron Smith: 54 tackles + 9 hitups = 63
10. Matt Scott: 32 tackles + 22 hitups = 54
11. Ben Creagh: 39 tackles + 18 hitups = 57
12. Ethan Lowe: 41 tackles + 14 hitups = 55
13. Shaun Fensom: 52 tackles + 10 hitups =62
14. Nathan Friend: 50 tackles + 6 hit ups = 56
15. Jesse Bromwich: 39 tackles + 14 hitups = 53
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Again, only two players in the in the No Cigar Club this week
Jacob Lillyman: 24 tackles + 15 hitups = 39
Jarrad Kennedy: 32 tackles + 7 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
A big wrap must go to the Bromwich brothers over the weekend who were massive on the weekend with Kenny having 47 involvements in 41 minutes to have the best stats per minute of the round with 1.15. His brother Jesse was equal second with and SPM of 1.13. Equal with him was Joseph Paulo from Parramatta who had 51 involvements in 45 minutes.
Speaking of Parramatta it would be remiss of me not to mention the great effort by the much maligned (at least in this column) Tim Mannah. The Eels captain, so often falling just short of a workhorse this season had an SPM of 1.07 with a season best 49 involvements in just 46 minutes.
Still on the Eels and all eyes are now on Luke Kelly as those who had Nathan Peats now scramble to fill a huge gap in their forward pack. It’s hard to imagine a play maker like Kelly will transform into a workhorse overnight if at all and its likely Kaysa Pritchard will come in when he returns from injury.
NRLCEOs needing a short term fix at hooker might well want to snap up the Dragons’ Shane Pumipi. Pumipi who made debut off the bench on Monday night made 21 tackles and 2 runs in 24 minutes and will need to fill the void left by Mitch Rein who has been suspended for one match. Rein has been averaging 52 involvements a game this season and is a massive loss for the Dragons.
Geoff Adams
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