Workhorse Watch – Round 7
When it Reins, it pours!
Sorry, it had to be done. Following the injury to Nathan Peats, Mitch Rein wasted no time reminding everyone of what a workhorse gun he really is having spent the last 18 months languishing in reserve grade or on the bench for the Titans and the Panthers. Rein scored his first double workhorse since Round 16 of 2016 with 50 tackles and 12 hit ups. He also ran for 101 metres and set up a try to be Workhorse of the Week.
Mitch might’ve taken out Workhorse of the Week honours but Damien Cook still reigns supreme setting up two tries and getting a Metre Eater to go along with his 12th workhorse try of the season.
That takes him to the most points he’s scored in a season and we’re only through Round 7!
Since moving to the Bulldogs, heck even before then, Aaron Woods has copped plenty of attention in regards to his production on the footy field, or lack thereof. Those looking to defend him will quickly point to his stats. Those attacking him will point out the quality of those numbers. And it’s true, Woods’ numbers are generally more about quantity than quality which is why here at the Workhorse Watch he’s usually been a hero, such is the nature of how workhorse tries are earned. But what of his teammate and fellow big name Bulldogs’ recruit Kieran Foran? Surely Foran is a bigger letdown. And not just this season.
Is Foran really the player we’ve been lead to believe he is all this time?
I’m not saying he’s a bad player, but perhaps he’s just an okay first grader who was in the right place at the right time when he first came into grade? Foran built his reputation at Manly and whilst he won a premiership in just his third season it was after coming into a first grade side in 2009 that had won the premiership just the previous year. At Manly Foran won 66.9% of his games. Since leaving the Silvertails, his success rate has plummeted to 40.6%. ‘But Workhorse Watcher’ I hear you say, ‘he’s played for some dud teams since leaving Manly’. Well it depends on how you look at it; Parramatta might be struggling this season but they went from 13 wins in 2016 with Foran at the club to 16 wins last season after he had left. The contrast at the Warriors though is even more telling. With Foran at the club the Warriors won just seven games. They’ve already won six this season and we’re only seven weeks in!
Workhorse of the Week:
Mitch Rein. As noted above, one of the greats is back and with Nathan Peats out for a month and a half, it could be a big six weeks for the former Dragon and Panther.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
- Andrew Fifita: 42 tackles + 19 hitups = 61
- Mitch Rein: 50 tackles + 12 hitups = 62
- Matt Prior: 41 tackles + 15 hitups = 46
- Ryan Matterson: 65 tackles + 5 hitups = 70
- Simon Mannering: 47 tackles + 12 hitups = 59
- Boyd Cordner: 46 tackles + 13 hitups = 59
- Matt Eisenhuth: 47 tackles + 9 hitups = 56
- Ryan James: 46 tackles + 13 hitups = 59
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Elliott Whitehead: 27 tackles + 12 hitups = 39
Scott Sorensen: 30 tackles + 9 hitups = 39
Lachlan Fitzgibbon: 29 tackles + 10 hitups = 39
Jake Granville: 36 tackles + 3 hitups = 39
James Fisher-Harris: 25 tackles + 14 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
He’s been threatening for a couple of weeks now and finally Viliame Kikau has broken through for the first workhorse try of his career. Kikau had 39 involvements against the Eels in Round 5 and 35 last week against the Titans. It took a full 80 minutes of game time and he only just got there with 25 tackles and 15 runs (0.50 SPM) but a workhorse is a workhorse. He also had a try and a line break to go with it.
Last week I mentioned the rising form of Kenny Bromwich. While Bromwich had an SPM of 0.89 against the Broncos, unfortunately he only played 37 minutes. Better news though for teammate Felise Kaufusi who scored his first workhorse try of the season with 31 tackles and 10 runs in 80 minutes (0.51 SPM). Not staggering numbers by any stretch of the imagination but considering Kaufusi has played the full 80 minutes in each game he’s played this year, it will be a performance welcomed by NRLCEOs who possess him.
And while Kaufusi and Kikau might be dragging the chain as far as workrate goes, at the other end of the spectrum is Ryan Matterson who had a workhorse try within 35 minutes against the Bulldogs much to the delight of onlookers and NRLCEOs. Matterson finished with 70 involvements in 80 minutes (0.88 SPM) as he scored his sixth workhorse try of the season. Unfortunately only five of those involvements were runs meaning although Matterson’s runs were effective, he was well short of what was required to register a double workhorse
@Fantasy_NRLCEO @wakeupgeoff whats the quickest WH? Matterson just got one in 35 mins
— Matt Paton (@MattPaton07) April 19, 2018
Finally, well done and commiserations to Scott Sorensen who fell one involvement short of scoring his first ever workhorse try. Coming from a family rich in rugby league talent, Scott has so far struggled to cement himself in first grade but in an injury crisis at the Sharks could be just what’s required for him to make an impact. Sorensen played the full 80 minutes and had 39 involvements (0.49 SPM).
Geoff Adams
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