Rugby league fans, I hope you enjoyed this past weekend of football because both the quality and quantity of games is about to dip off again.
Yes my friends, it’s time for Origin 2.
Before we jump into the interstate series, we do get to look back on what was a brilliant weekend of NRL action.
The Panthers and Storm look to have gapped the field, while the Broncos have fallen into a shootout for the Finals.
Meanwhile, The Bunnies are back and the Tigers recorded a much needed win.
Below are 20 thoughts from an extremely newsworthy Round 15:
1. Do not be shocked to see players flinging themselves to the ground after Haumole Olakau’atu‘s try was allowed to stand on Sunday. Kyle Flanagan, who was clearly obstructed, held his feet and tried to make the tackle. If he had taken the hit and fallen to the ground, that try is scratched off. It’s a horrible precedent to set.
2. Later in that very same game, Kyle Flanagan was hit high and stayed down. This was clearly seeking a penalty, which was awarded despite minimal contact. Flanagan learned from earlier that game that to earn the penalty he had to stay down. Peter Gough and Chris Butler invited that!
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3. Speaking of the Gough and Butler duo … I daresay they’ll be “rested” this weekend. Yikes!
4. Michael Maguire has, as expected, made mass changes to his Origin 2 squad. For the record I am on board with all of them, but I cannot believe they’re entering a must win game with only two genuine props. You can’t take anything out of Origin 1 due to the early sendoff but most rep games are won in the middle. Risky business.
5. I was so close to putting the Broncos on “fraud watch” on our weekly show, only to be talked out of it. The beaten grand finalists are now in a genuine scrap to play finals. They’ve been smashed with injuries, but name one team who hasn’t? They are missing Herbie Farnworth and Thomas Flegler more than anyone could have imagined.
6. It’s hard to stomach that Jordan Riki and Latrell Mitchell suffered the same punishment on Friday night. Riki, who I maintain should have been sent off, hit a player off the ball, with his shoulder, to the head. Meanwhile Mitchell ran in and pushed Riki. These are not the same!
7. I couldn’t believe the overreaction to Nicho Hynes missing a kick from the sideline on Thursday night. Sure, it was a horror miss given the circumstances but he hadn’t missed a conversion at Shark Park all season. He’s become the NRL social media whipping boy for no reason.
8. Shocked to hear Selwyn Cobbo has been dropped for Game 2. The team was announced as I’m compiling this list so the full story hasn’t yet come out. I think the bigger story is overlooking David Fifita for Kurt Capewell. What has Fifita done to upset Billy Slater?
9. Luke Keary is supposedly considering a retirement backflip. If I had to guess which club he’s talking to, I’d be leaning toward the Dragons or the Bunnies. Imagine a retirement year back at Souths under Wayne Bennett to try and pinch hit a Premiership? The story writes itself.
10. The Tigers should play every game at Leichhardt Oval. I understand the reasons they don’t and I do not care.
11. How about Ashley Klein awarding a token six again inside the last seconds of a half rather than awarding a penalty leading to an easy penalty goal? I swear these referees have no feel for the game. It’s a tactic by defending teams that close to the break and Klein took the bait.
12. I’d like to see try assists awarded for dominant runs and play the balls leading to dummy halves diving over. Jack Wighton absolutely bossed the Brisbane defence and played the ball so quickly that it allowed Damien Cook to dive over with ease. That’s as much a try assist and a final pass to an unmarked winger.
13. Brilliant news coming out of Tiger town that Lachlan Galvin has re-committed to the club. A few seasons playing beside Jarome Luai will do Galvin’s career the world of good. I hope he meant what he said and isn’t just trying to appease fans.
14. Michael Maguire confirmed what we all knew heading into the Origin opener, that Nicho Hynes was never his choice at halfback. Madge admitted he would have picked Moses, if available, and it showed. They absolutely toasted Hynes.
15. Is it just me or is Des Hasler‘s magnificent hair already starting to thin? That Titans job seems like an absolute punish.
16. Damien Cook being linked with a move to the Dragons signals a potential change of guard at Redfern. He has been such a constant for so long, it will be strange to see a different regular number nine in red and green. It would be a good, albeit short-term solution.
17. Any denials that NSW targeted Reece Walsh in Origin 1 are futile and untruthful. He was hit earlier, after kicking the ball and then flattened by Suaalii. Targeting the opposition’s biggest attacking threat is hardy a new tactic.
18. How about Blayke Brailey‘s running for 0 metres in 80 minutes on Thursday night? That has to be some kind of record.
19. Ricky Stuart is the undisputed king of shifting attention. After seeing his team fall 34-16 to the Cowboys, at home, he was quick to deflect attention to the referees. He can’t, for a second, believe the referees had anything to do with falling 22-0 behind. Brilliant.
20. This is the last time I am going to say this before I bash my head against a wall and give myself a concussion. ANY concussion/failed HIA that is caused by foul play needs to activate the 18th man automatically. Rueben Garrick was floored and ruled out of Sunday’s game via a high shot. Manly received a penalty but can’t replace their player. It’s infuriating and such a simple fix that the NRL just flatly refuse to implement.