Workhorse Watch Rd 7
Those calling for Jordan Kahu to take over the kicking duties from Corey Parker might just want to calm down for a second. Yes Kahu slotted over some terrific goals on the weekend while Parker struggled, but the New Zealand representative still has a bit of work to do to unseat his captain. Kahu is kicking at 73% for the season which, while better than Parker at the moment, is only equal to what Parker has kicked for his entire career!
Parker’s real struggles are when he’s near the left hand touchline where he is kicking at just 20%. The problem is that’s the wing of Corey Oates who has been first try scorer 3 times this season. When you add Jordan Kahu’s try in the left corner to open the scoring in Round 1, Parker rarely gets to an easy shot to find his groove at the start the of night. It’s little wonder the Broncos opt to go for a penalty right in front when they get the chance. Giving Kahu the kicking tee from the start may not be the answer either. He’s been hitting them sweetly from the right hand touchline but in his only attempt from the left hand side, he missed.
Eventually there will come a time when I am no longer the Workhorse Watcher. I’m not saying it’ll be any time soon but when it does happen I hope I will have left a legacy of workhorse appreciation. One where a man who wrestles other men to the ground 30 or 40 times then runs with the ball tucked under his arm 10 or 12 times is appreciated just as much as a playmaker or try scorer. Where kids seek to emulate Ethan Lowe and Jake Trbojevic as much as James Tedesco and Anthony Milford. (Normally I’d use Greg Inglis as an example but it goes to show just how far he has fallen).
So it warmed the cockles of my heart when a young NRLCEO by the name of Adrian wondered where was the love for Jason Clark.
@Fantasy_NRLCEO @geoffadams81 waiting to hear good things about Jason Clark during stats a minute. 4 wh in 6 matches has been impressive!
— Adrian (@Barney7070) April 12, 2016
Here was Adrian doing some workhorse watching of his own. So I decided to take a look too. Clark is the true workhorse’s workhorse. Getting it done on an almost weekly basis but not racking up the big numbers to necessarily get the plaudits in this column. Coming into round 7 he had 4 workhorse tries in 6 games which put him in 20th place and ahead of big names such as Burgess, Cooper and McCullough. Unfortunately not everyone can perform when someone is watching and Clark only managed 22 tackles and 5 runs against the Cowboys. So to those who have him, I’m sorry. I promise I won’t look next time.
Workhorse of the Week:
Ryan James: Two years ago James came out stating he wanted to be the next Andrew Fifita. It was a ballsy declaration, Fifta was coming off a career best year with 25 workhorse tries whilst James was coming off a good but not great season with 9. James’ 2014 was soured by injury and 2015 saw him get 10 workhorses for the year. Skip forward to now and after 7 rounds James has 5 workhorse tries. Throw in a few more performances like the one on Saturday and everyone else will be wanting to be him.
WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK
- Jake Trbojevic: 44 tackles + 12 hitups = 56
- Robbie Farah: 48 tackles + 10 hitups = 58
- Jack De Belin: 50 tackles + 13 hitups = 63
- Dale Finucane: 57 tackles + 14 hitups = 71
- Ryan James: 53 tackles + 20 hitups = 73
- Tohu Harris: 49 tackles + 16 hitups = 65
- Cameron McInnes: 46 tackles + 11 hitups = 57
- Jake Friend: 71 tackles + 8 hitups = 79
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Matt Prior: 29 tackles + 10 hitups = 39
Jacob Lillyman: 24 tackles + 15 hitups = 39
Korbin Sims: 31 tackles + 8 hitups = 39
STATS PER MINUTE
Round 7 was massive for workhorse tries. Usually the bench mark to make the Workhorse Team of the Week is 50 involvements; this week Simon Mannering and Bodene Thompson both had 60 or more involvements and couldn’t make the team. On average we see 2.3 performances of 60 or more involvements each week; this week we saw 7. The benchmark for involvements this season was Shaun Fensom with 70 and we saw that mark beaten not once, but three times. As I say, a huge week.
The second player to register 70 plus involvements was Dale Finucane. Finucane had a workhorse before half time becoming just the third player this year, behind Aiden Tolman (twice) and James Graham, to do it. The Melbourne backrower had 71 involvements in 68 minutes (1.04 SPM) to lead a pack that was very impressive with 6 forwards getting a workhorse. Finucane has been quietly building to a performance like this; he’s currently averaging 50 involvements a game and the only week he has missed a workhorse this season was in Round 2 when he had 39!
The third player to not only pass the 70 involvement mark but who completely smashed through it was Jake Friend with 79, count ‘em, 79 involvements (0.99 SPM). Sadly the Roosters captain only ran for 64 metres so the 79 wasn’t worth any more than a 40 by anyone else and less than hookers Robbie Farah and Cam McInnes who both scored double workhorse tries. It’s hard to imagine that just a month ago we were arguing about low numbers and what constituted a tackle. What’s interesting is that League Live actually had Friend down for just 74 involvements. They did however credit him with 81 metres which will only serve to aggravate NRLCEOs more.
After seeing limited minutes in his last NRL game, David Bhana was in the thick of it against the Broncos coming in at starting lock and playing 62 minutes against a rampant Brisbane outfit. Bhana had 53 involvements (0.85 SPM), of which 50 were tackles, the most of any player in the match.
After an amazing start against the Raiders last week, Parramatta’s Daniel Alvaro was quick out of the blocks again this week, racking up 32 involvements in his first stint against Manly on the way to his first ever workhorse try. Alvaro finished with 44 involvements in 37 minutes (1.19 SPM). I can’t recall a workhorse performance with a higher stat per minute rate than that. Eels teammate and fellow front rower, Danny Wicks, also scored his first workhorse of the season with 43 involvements in 45 minutes (0.96 SPM).
JUST QUICKLY:
If I didn’t know who Anthony Minichiello and Tom Sangster were I would’ve just assumed this SuperCoach picture was a stock image. Seriously, what’s doing with white t-shirts?
Geoff Adams
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