Workhorse Watch – Round 13
Every year, fans hope that this will be the year their team goes all the way. And whilst there are always teams who will have a better chance of winning on Grand Final day than others, everyone still hopes. It’s why we buy season memberships, Pay TV subscriptions and new jerseys. Not me though, I don’t dream of premiership trophies and victory laps. I dream of a team that will be just remotely competitive, a team whose finals hopes aren’t over in May.
The Eels are absolutely awful this season and whilst they have injury concerns at the moment, it’s no excuse. They were terrible at the start of the season when everyone was healthy too. The only thing that kept me sane looking at the Eels vs Knights result was the workhorse numbers from the Eels pack. Daniel Alvaro had 57 tackles and 17 runs along with 144 metres to score his first ever double workhorse try. That takes him to 13 workhorse tries for the season pushing him past his 2017 total and we’re only at the halfway mark!
If your workhorse stocks are looking a little thin at the moment you could do worse than David Gower right now. The Eels back rower has scored back to back workhorse tries in the last fortnight and with Tepai Moeroa set to spend some time on the sideline and the Eels playing like ‘busteds’, Gower could be set for a run of points. The veteran forward had 32 tackles and 11 hit ups against Newcastle to bring his tally to three workhorse tries for the season. In addition to his two recent workhorse tries in Rounds 12 & 13, he also fell just short in Round 11 with an appearance in the Close But No Cigar Club.
We’re getting close. NRLCEO’s first ever triple metre eater is not far away. Four weeks after Martin Taupau ran for 275 metres, Jason Taumalolo ran for a season best 276 metres against Taupau and the Manly Sea Eagles, to wrestle the mantle of best metre eating forward away from the Manly prop and while David Klemmer is away on Origin duties. Going into the round, Taupau had run 1,926 metres for the season, slightly ahead of Taumalolo with 1,922. JT’s 276 metres combined with Taupau limited to just 114 metres on the weekend, gives the Cowboy’s lock a sizable lead in the category of total metres gained (at least by a forward). What was also remarkable for Taumalolo, was that 103 of those metres came post-contact.
Workhorse of the Week:
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine; You make me happy when Eels are stinking up the joint! In a keeper league where quality front rowers are hard to come by, I was very happy to pick up Alvaro at the start of the year and with nothing else remotely positive about the Blue & Gold in 2018, at least Alvaro is there to cheer me up.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
- Daniel Alvaro: 57 tackles + 17 hitups = 74
- Api Koroisau: 61 tackles + 7 hitups = 68
- Andrew Fifita: 33 tackles + 19 hitups = 52
- Marty Taupau: 46 tackles + 13 hitups = 59
- Tepai Moeroa: 43 tackles + 15 hitups = 58
- Elijah Taylor: 51 tackles + 5 hitups =56
. - Robbie Farah: 58 tackles + 7 hitups = 65
- Jason Taumalolo: 26 tackles + 26 hitups = 52
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Daniel Saifiti: 20 tackles + 19 hitups = 39
Frank Winterstein: 33 tackles + 6 hitups = 39
Kane Linnett: 26 tackles + 130 hitups = 39
Ben Matulino: 24 tackles + 15 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
Back to the Eels for a moment and well done to Suaia Matagi who scored his first ever workhorse try on the weekend with 33 tackles and 12 hit ups. Matagi had only been averaging 31.25 minutes a game this season but against Newcastle played a season high 45 minutes (1.00 SPM).
As much as we’ve been in awe of Damien Cook this season it was great to see Robbie Farah back in first grade getting some NRLCEO relevant numbers as the Rabbitohs were too strong for the Sharks on Friday night. Farah had 58 tackles and 7 runs and played the full 80 minutes (0.81 SPM). Unfortunately Farah only ran for 54 metres which meant he missed out on a double workhorse try.
Last week I discussed a couple of options to get you through the bye week and I’m pleased to say they looked pretty good on the weekend. Corey Jensen backed up his inaugural workhorse try with another one against Manly playing 49 minutes and making 31 tackles and 14 hit ups (0.92 SPM). Playing in the same game, the fortunes of Jack Gosiewski weren’t so positive with the Manly back rower’s night getting cut short. Gosiewski already had a shoulder charge on report when he left the field after 37 minutes, suffering what would turn out to be a broken arm. With 29 involvements (0.78 SPM) to his name Gosiewski was well on his way to a workhorse and now faces a six week stint on the sideline.
Finally, special mention to Workhorse Watch favourite, Jamie Buhrer. The man who was the first player ever to score a workhorse try in the first half of a game scored his first workhorse try of the season on Saturday with 35 tackles and 6 hit ups in 61 minutes (0.67 SPM). It was a marked improvement compared to his return to the field the week before when he had just 21 involvements in 62 minutes (0.34 SPM).
Geoff Adams
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