Workhorse Watch Rd 1
Don’t despair if one or more of your workhorse guns didn’t fire on the weekend.
Round 1 is notorious for a low output of workhorse tries compared to the rest of the season. Players who missed out in Round 1 last year but went on to have big seasons included Jack De Belin (who finished with 21 workhorse tries), Trent Merrin (20), Michael Lichaa (20), Josh Jackson (16) and Paul Gallen (16). Admittedly all those players came pretty close in the opening week of 2016 but some players who were well off the pace with less than 30 involvements in week 1 and still came home strong during the season included Mitch Rein, Mike Cooper and James Segeyaro. Ironically none of them (for various reasons) were part of the action this past weekend.
On a similar note, don’t worry if your NRL team lost. One swallow does not make a summer and one game doesn’t determine a season – after all the last two premiers dropped the first games of their winning year. The most recent of which were the Sharks who in Round 1 last year were beaten by the Cowboys, which brings me to the Raiders. The Green Machine might have been beaten on the weekend but they were impressive as they faced waves of North Queensland possession in the early going. All but one of their starting forwards scored a workhorse try with the only player to miss out – Clay Priest – registering 39 involvements. Luke Bateman made the most of his opportunity in the starting side with 48 involvements while Josh Papalii was tireless, leading the pack in involvements (52) and metres gained (104m).
Cronulla rake Jayden Brailey made a solid debut scoring a workhorse try on Thursday night (just), thanks to 39 tackles and one run. Brailey registered the four pointer in the 60th minute and was then immediately taken off. After the game, Sharks coach Shane Flanagan praised his rookie number 9 stating Brailey could have gone the full 80 minutes but he opted to inject some fresh legs into the match in the form of Fa’amanu Brown. NRLCEOs with the reigning Under 20s Player of the Year will be quietly chuffed with his first output but concerned about the ongoing speculation surrounding James Segeyaro (which Flanagan wouldn’t be drawn on) and Flanagan’s preference to run with two dummy halves.
It counted for naught on the NRLCEO scoreboard but Matt McIllwrick was impressive for the Wests Tigers on Friday night. McIllwrick saw just 37 minutes of action but during that time helped the Tigers run rampant over the Bunnies to put his side in the box seat early on. Unfortunately he spent most of his time on the bench after his first stint with Jack Littlejohn subbing in and racking up 30 tackles to take the lion’s share of the work. McIllwrick’s performance could create repercussions for when Matt Ballin returns as coach Jason Taylor will no doubt look to run a similar rotation with the 33 year old Ballin in his team.
Workhorse of the Week:
Mitchell Barnett. Plenty to like about the Newcastle Knights’ entire back row with all three starters getting a workhorse try but it was Mitchell Barnett who scored his first ever double workhorse try. Barnett made 64 involvements in 64 minutes. Barnett is yet to miss a workhorse since linking with the Knights midway through last year.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
- Ryan James: 33 tackles + 17 hitups = 50
- Jake Friend: 58 tackles + 3 hitups = 61
- Jarrod Wallace: 42 tackles + 18 hitups = 60
- Jamie Buhrer: 43 tackles + 12 hitups = 55
- Mitchell Barnett: 50 tackles + 14 hitups = 64
- Jake Trbojevic: 50 tackles + 7 hitups = 57
14. Josh Papalii: 42 tackles + 10 hitups = 52
15. Josh Jackson: 39 tackles + 13 hitups = 52
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
For those new to NRLCEO, this is the group of players who came SO CLOSE to a Workhorse, but just didn’t get the cigar!
Michael Lichaa: 33 tackles + 6 hitups = 39
Christian Welch: 32 tackles + 7 hitups = 39
Russell Packer: 23 tackles + 16 hitups = 39
Paul Vaughan: 21 tackles + 18 hitups = 39
Peter Wallace: 38 tackles + 1 hitups = 39
Clay Priest: 33 tackles + 6 hitups = 39
Apisai Koroisau: 37 tackles + 2 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
Those lamenting the loss of Jesse Bromwich better get onto recruiting Tim Glasby after the Queensland born prop scored a workhorse try in the Kiwi’s absence. Glasby’s 40 involvements came in just 40 minutes (1.00 SPM) which is extraordinary for a prop. Coming into this season Glasby had just two workhorses to his name (one last year and one in 2014) but that could change with Bromwich set to be out for a couple of weeks after coming off in the 10th minute with a dislocated thumb.
Sometimes I wish the Workhorse Pack of the Week was subjective, but alas, like anything workhorse related it comes down to the facts. Take for instance the fact Bryce Cartwright (0.64 SPM) almost made this week’s team. Now I’m not talking about a story that came out on Sunday concerning his personal life, I’m talking strictly footy. Should a forward that misses EIGHT tackles in a game be in contention for such honours? I guess had he not missed so many he would have been a shoo in. Meanwhile Jason Taumalolo (0.71 SPM) had one less involvement, but only missed one tackle and made a staggering 284 metres. I’m a fan of Bryce Cartwright’s play but it’s clear who was the better workhorse in this instance.
Here at the Workhorse Watch we predicted big things for Jarrod Wallace following his move to the Gold Coast and the 25 year old didn’t disappoint, scoring the first double workhorse try of the season and the first of his career. Wallace (0.87 SPM) had 18 hit ups and was forced to make 42 tackles as the Roosters ran riot over his Titans’ outfit in the early goings. Front row partner Ryan James also made the Pack of the Week; are we looking at a prop combination to rival that of Graham and Tolman?
He cops a lot of stick in this column so it’s only fair he gets a wrap when he comes up big. Tim Mannah scored a great workhorse try with 29 tackles and 18 hit ups at Brookvale Oval on Sunday. His 47 involvements came in just 50 minutes (0.94 SPM) and he was the only Eel to bag a workhorse. For Manly, Jake Trbojevic (0.81 SPM) and Marty Taupau (0.68 SPM) were strong with Curtis Sironen (0.50 SPM) just scraping in with 33 tackles and 7 hit ups, the exact stats he had in Round 1 last year before barely being sighted again for the rest of the season.
JUST QUICKLY
If at one point during the season you’re debating over which of two forwards to include in your team and one of those forwards is playing St George Illawarra, pick him. Speaking before the Panthers game, Dragons coach Paul McGregor made clear the plan for his side to go through teams rather than around them. With Tariq Sims and Leeson Ah Mau coming off the bench and the likes of Mose Masoe waiting the wings why wouldn’t you? Provided you have forwards that show a bit more fortitude than what the Panthers showed on Saturday, they’ll be in for a hell of a workhorse workout against the Red V.
Geoff Adams
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