NRL Round 9: The best season for ages keeps on giving!

 

 

If you don’t think that this is one of the best starts to a rugby league season for ages you’re bloody hard to please! The thrills continued in Round 8 and, after only a two day break, Round 9 features another series of intriguing match-ups. In the broader context of the game, where will the Rabbitohs slot Jack Wighton into their side in 2024, assuming his transfer goes ahead?

 

Round 8 recap: 

You couldn’t have asked for a better start to the round than the pulsating Rabbitohs v Panthers clash. One of the best games of the season to date, IMHO. Although perhaps not of the highest quality in terms of skill (put that down to the incessant high pressure nature of the game), the swings in momentum, flashes of brilliance, brick wall defence, and a result determined only in the very last minute combined to make for compelling viewing. Have the Bunnies finally got their act together after an indifferent start to the season? Are the Panthers vulnerable?

 

Then the Dolphins equalled the record for the greatest comeback in NRL history to snatch an improbable win over the Titans (who will be absolutely spewing!). 0-26 after 26 minutes is usually a good excuse for a fan to find a reason to be somewhere else. But the Phins have an indefinable something and, aided by a bit of good fortune (let alone overcoming the Jennings howler), became an irresistible force to get home in the end. Incredible!

 

The Cowboys eventually won in what is, hopefully, a good sign but now they need to back it up; Nicho Hynes (the two words I most use in these columns, just ahead of Campbell Graham) put on another show for the Sharks in conjunction with William Kennedy; the Tigers put on one of their better showings to date but the old heads of the Sea Eagles managed to get the chocolates;

 

The injury to Tom Turbo was the worrying individual moment of the weekend while the hip drop tackle continues to be the problem de jour. Ah, the perils of interpretation.

 

The Anzac Day matches were absorbing, each in its own way. I know I keep saying it, but the Roosters are one pass away from great things – but still can’t find it. Credit to them for halting the Dragons’ second half surge and then banging over the field goal. Tough for the Dragons who, in a different way, can’t find that winning play. You need to score your tries closer to the posts to help your goal-kicker. The Storm just can’t be written off but hard luck for the Warriors to go so close with no bench for half the game.

 

Round 9:

The Sharks and Cowboys get us underway tonight with all the pressure on the visitors from the north. Away from home, no Jason Taumalolo, at risk of falling uncomfortably off the pace, not yet really clicking as a unit – if the Cowboys can win this one it might prove to be the turning point of their season. Unfortunately for them, it’s not going to happen with the Sharks in good shape with pace to burn and momentum going all their way.

 

The Eels and Knights are both struggling to put it together week on week. After a good game in Round 7, the Eels fell away against the Broncos; the Knights have gone perilously close in their last two games but just can’t clinch victory when the opportunity comes along. And yet they’re both still in the mix even though they occupy 11th and 12th spots on the ladder. Just to test their nerves out a bit more, I expect this to be a cliffhanger that will hinge on a field goal or an individual piece of brilliance in the last few minutes. There is no lack of potential candidates to emerge as the hero – Moses, Gutherson, Brown, Ponga, Best, Gagai to name a few. I’ll toss a coin – Eels.

 

At full strength, the Broncos v Rabbitohs game would be an absolute classic! But with Haas and Mam suspended I can’t see the Broncos winning this one. Their best hope is that they’ll find the Rabbitohs overconfident and complacent after their great win over Penrith. Not likely! Those blokes on their bench are really keeping the pressure on the first-choice members of the pack, so there’ll be no let-up by Thomas Burgess and Co to allow the likes of Walker, AJ and Mitchell to run freely. Souths for me.

 

Saturday opens with the Raiders at home to the Dolphins. Anything could happen! Canberra will be fresh off the bye, the Dolphins on Cloud Nine after their incredible comeback against the Titans. You’d normally go with 7th against 15th but this crazy season throws convention out of the window. Canberra need this one (just like the Cowboys, Eels and a couple of others) and that should be enough but I think their pack is also coming into its own – and they’ll need to be because the Dolphins collection of cast-offs has been in good form too. The head says Canberra but who doesn’t want to see the fairytale continue? (Ricky Stuart, that’s who!)

 

The twilight game has the Sea Eagles at home to the Titans. Manly struggled to put the Tigers away and will be missing Tom Trbojevic, a major blow; the Titans will be out to redeem themselves after their capitulation on Sunday. In what should be a close encounter, I think Manly have the better 80-minute game to stay the course against the all too hot-and-cold Titans.

 

In the late game, the hurting Panthers take on the hapless Tigers. There’s only one thing to say – ‘May the football gods have mercy on the Tigers.’ Panthers by how much?

 

On Sunday the Warriors host the Roosters, both coming off Anzac Day duties and both with fatigue and injury concerns. This should be a cracker! The Warriors are the most improved team in the competition this year; the Roosters are knocking on the door of something special but can’t quite find the key to unlock their best. Will it be a battle of attrition after a 5-day turnaround? Will it be Shaun Johnson or Joey Manu who lays on the decisive play? Another toss of the coin – it’s come down Roosters.

 

Finally, the Dragons take on the Bulldogs, yet another case of two teams struggling to put it together and in danger of falling adrift of the pace as the season unfolds. At their best, both are capable of some entertaining footy; when they’re not on song they can both leak badly. Ben Hunt v Matt Burton is the key, methinks. The Dogs should be fresh after a 10-day break; the Dragons have only half of that to prepare. Something tells me that the Bulldogs might have fresher legs and a bit too much firepower.

 

Melbourne Storm have the bye.

 

So my winners this week are the Sharks, Eels, Rabbitohs, Raiders, Sea Eagles, Panthers, Roosters and Bulldogs. (I scored 4/8 last week.)

 

For the latest on player sign-ons for the coming NRLW season click here.

 

 

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