Workhorse Watch – Round 20
Hans Gruber said it best:
“When Alexander saw the depth of his empire he wept,
for there were no more worlds to conquer.”
Or as Warren Smith would say:
“Take me now, I have seen it all!”
And so it is that I sit before my computer looking at the stats from the weekend and with Damien Cook scoring the first ever triple workhorse try, there really is nothing left for this Workhorse Watcher to watch.
In hindsight, if ever there was a match that it was going to happen, it was the red hots Souths versus the last placed Eels, where getting metres from dummy-half wouldn’t be a hindrance as it has been in past weeks. The question was whether the Eels would force Cook to do enough work in defence but that query was taken care of when Parramatta got the jump on the Bunnies in the first half. Cook had 37 involvements at half time but only 28 metres to his name.
While Parra had an 18-6 advantage after 40 minutes, the Bunnies are as good this season as the Eels are bad so you just knew a comeback was on. I even said as much in a text to my friend Hamis who, despite not being a Panthers fan, was savouring Manly’s capitulation in the earlier game. My exact words were:
“Meanwhile watch Parra lose this.”
And lose they did, conceding four second half tries as Cook made 15 tackles, 10 runs and an all important 109 metres on his way to a total of 62 involvements and 137 metres!
NRLCEO HQ received some correspondence during the week which was put through to the Workhorse Watch department. Mukesh writes:
“How many hooker DWHs (double workhorse tries) versus non-hooker DWHs have there been this season? The bar is too low for hooker DWHs and too high for non-hooker DWHs.”
Great question Mukesh; and readers, keep those questions rolling in but be sure to direct any complaints straight to the Commish!
This year there have been 23 players score at least one DWH, 12 of them are hookers and 11 of them are back rowers or front rowers. Between these 23 players, 45 DWHs have been scored, 29 from hookers and 16 from back rowers or front rowers. There is no doubt hookers are scoring a disproportionate amount this season especially when you compare them to 2017. Last year there were 30 players who scored DHWs but only 7 were hookers and 23 were back rowers or front rowers. Between those 30, there were 48 DWH in total, 10 by hookers and 38 by non-hookers.
Mukesh makes a good point, but is raising the bar for hookers the answer?
If you left the metrage where it is but lifted the standard for hookers from 50 involvements to 60, it would cut 20 of the 29 double workhorse tries that hookers scored this year. That would give you DWH ratios between hookers and non-hookers of 9 to 16 which is still massively in favour of dummy halves when compared to last year’s ratio of 10 to 38. This tells me that when it’s all said and done, hookers are just having a great year this year. Players like Cook and Cameron McInnes are simply having great seasons, they’ve made their positions their own and it’s up to us as NRLCEOs to try and predict that at the start of the season.
Furthermore, it’s also worth noting that while the number of hookers scoring DHW is on the rise, the number of non-hookers scoring DWH is on the decline. There were 38 DWHs scored by back rowers and front rowers last year but with 80% of 2018 done, there have been just 16 this year. Of the 23 back rowers and front rowers that scored DWHs last years, 15 have failed to do so this season. Workhorse mainstays like James Graham, Paul Gallen and Sam Burgess are all yet to register a double this season. Simon Mannering led the league in double workhorse tries last year with five but hasn’t scored any this year and Aiden Tolman who was runner up with four has just one this season.
Do we drop the standard just because props and second rowers aren’t reaching the mark?
If you answered ‘no’ then that’s the same answer you should give about raising the bar for hookers just because a few of them are well and truly exceeding it.
Workhorse of the Week:
The sign of true greatness is sport is when you’re so good, they have to change the rules. Remarkable!
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
Shout out to Tevita Pangai Junior who sneaks into the Pack of the Week ahead of a host of back rowers who couldn’t be squeezed in. Where are all the great props at?
- Aiden Tolman: 44 tackles + 18 hitups = 62
- Damien Cook: 49 tackles + 13 hitups = 62
- Tevita Pangai Junior: 36 tackles + 14 hitups = 50
- Josh McGuire: 51 tackles + 15 hitups = 66
- Rhyse Martin: 40 tackles + 17 hitups = 57
- Jake Trbojevic: 45 tackles + 10 hitups = 55
. - Jake Friend: 57 tackles + 6 hitups = 63
- Andrew McCullough: 50 tackles + 7 hitups = 57
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Tariq Sims: 28 tackles + 11 hitups = 39
Josh Jackson: 31 tackles + 8 hitups = 39
Jayson Bukuya: 28 tackles + 11 hitups = 39
Matt Prior: 29 tackles + 10 hitups = 39
JUST QUICKLY
No stats per minute this week, you should already have your packs settled as we head into finals mode. Besides, there’s something else more pressing on my mind at the moment.
If Wayne Bennett has to look for a job next season might I suggest Parramatta pick up the phone. He could only make things better. I honestly can’t believe the talk by those saying he’s past it and should be moved on at Brisbane. If the Broncos were struggling, fair enough, but they’re in 7th spot but just two wins off first place. Meanwhile there are only two coaches in the NRL with a better record than Bennett: Craig Bellamy, who the Broncos already tried to lure but failed. And Anthony Siebold who, whilst doing wonders in taking the team that finished 12th last year to equal first this year, is only in his first season at the Bunnies (and who, incidentally the Broncs are now chasing). I remember the last Rabbitohs coach that had a bit of success, won them their first premiership in four decades and everything. However two years later his ways were seen as out of touch and he was sacked. Who’s to say where Siebold will be in two years time as well? To say Bennett is out of touch is staggering. He may not be up to the Broncos high standards but he’d be a big step up for the Eels.
As for Brad Arthur, I never hear bad things about him but the fact is his winning percentage at Parramatta is just 46% and even when they have a win within their grasp like they did against the Rabbitohs, they cock it up. Sure he steered the club through the salary cap drama, but that was two years ago and Arthur has now been there for five seasons and where are the Eels? Stone motherless last!
Geoff Adams
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