The 2018 Premiership opener is only just over a month away, and any visitor to Saleyards today could have been excused for doing the proverbial double take.
Why?
It was full football kit for the squad (the players must have been praying for this cooler weather!) as the blue jerseys met the challenge from the yellow jerseys. Although the numbers didn’t match the positions, the use of a numbered kit made it easier to identify the players. Mind you, it’s never difficult to spot Kane Evans, and watching him struggle to fit into his jersey today was a reminder of his sheer size.
The NRL referees, including Matt Cecchin, were in control today and from the looks of things we need to brace ourselves for another early season crackdown from the whistle blowers! More on that later.
In keeping with previous opposed work, there was some interchanging between the teams. However, the team swapping seemed to be restricted to the forwards. Instead of an interchanged forward leaving the field, they swapped teams. (There was a small surplus of players so some did leave the play).
With the players really cranking it up, there were plenty of positives to come out of this session. Here’s the notable moments from today:
Collisions
The impacts may not have been full NRL intensity, but I’d be surprised if a few of the boys weren’t icing up some bumps and bruises after that hit out. The forwards had their chance to shine this morning and the pre-season work on tackling technique appears to be paying dividends.
Away from the collisions, the coaches would have been pleased with the scramble. There were only three tries scored in the “match”, and few wasted chances. However, about three or four half chances were shut down by defenders staying in play with quick reflexes or good turn and chase efforts.
Perhaps such moments further validate the conditioning work of Lachlan Wilmot and his team. The players were certainly finding power in their scramble, ultimately making points hard to come by.
Attacking Highlights
Moment 1. – Tim Mannah runs a strong line off a superb Nathan Brown pass. Tim hits top gear over about 40 metres, before drawing the fullback and finding Mitch Moses in support for the blue try.
Moment 2. – An impressive Will Smith pass cuts out about 3 players to hit a flying George Jennings on the chest. Big impact as he dives into the corner sees the ball forced loose. Deserved a try.
Moment 3. – A massive charge by Marata Niukore – playing out wide – sees him almost break into open field. Overall his run grabs about 30 metres and leaves a few defenders in his wake. Ultimately he is brought down in a heavy collision by three chasing players (another example of the scramble)
Moment 4. – A turnover of possession sees Tepai picking up the scraps inside his own half and hitting top gear in a sprint to the line. After initially appearing to get the better of Nathan Davis, an ankle tap from a diving Davis sees Moeroa hit the turf about 10 metres out.
Moment 5. – Two tackles later, a shift to the left to Jarryd Hayne (who had chimed in on the opposite side) saw him draw two defenders in an offload to Auva’a who then found Michael Jennings for the blue try.
Moment 6. – An offload on the edge of the ruck to a barnstorming Manu Ma’u saw him take off on an unstoppable sprint for a try to the yellow jerseys.
Moment 7. – Jarryd Hayne, sporting a mowhawk, breaks the defence and accelerates towards the line. The bloke has lost very little of his pace – if any.
The chase from Will Smith, scrambling across the field, ultimately herded Hayne onto a diagonal path and assisted the winger in rounding up the “Plane”.
Referees – Look Out!
I’ve watched two opposed sessions today – NRL this morning and Wenty vs Under 20s this arvo. That’s NRL and NSWRL officials. And the whistle never stopped blowing!
Why?
It seems like another crackdown on the play the ball is on the cards. We’ve been down this path so often in the past, and you’d be forgiven for thinking it will all be forgotten after a few rounds. But given that the result is a penalty and not a scrum, we are bound to get frustrating calls at the very least. In the worst case scenario there could be a match deciding penalty.
It deserves a good vent of the spleen, but I’ll refrain.
So let’s find a positive – it’s best to get this interpretation rammed home now rather than in the opening round.
Eels forever!
Sixties
Very interesting report 60’s and a big thanks.
For me if the refs are going to have a crack down, I do not mind it if they are consistent with all sides, and teams, by consistent I mean they do it for the whole year, not a few rounds and then go back to the norm.
Nailed it Colin.
I guess its my biggest concern or dare I say fear for the year ahead.
An equal treatment of all teams in the whistle blowing is what we and for that matter all clubs all need.
Being a pessimist with a degree of optimism, at times. One can only hope that having Madge in charge of the refs may make the dream more possible.
Col that is the issue i have; they start with a big crackdown, and by round 10-15 it has gone. This does not augar well for the year as they never seem to focus on the ‘wrestle and ruck’ tactics employed by some teams.
Milo, I would love to see a complete crackdown on two things, for this year, the first is to get the game back to playing the ball correctly, old pigs had to do it even when exhausted as they did not get rests until replaced or games end, if they could do it and not really as fit as the players of today, then why can’t the modern player do it correctly?
4 man tackles to be banned, if two players cannot tackle one running player towards them, with perhaps the help of a 3rd, then there is something seriously wrong with the tackling techniques, in fact I believe the 2rd man in should also not be allowed..
That would be interesting Col; as we have seen certain teams perfect the 3-4 man tackle to hold them up; and then peel off like layers of an apple…..
To me the game went bad when it was allowed to be controlled by the ruck / and the speed of the game is determined by this and of course who is refereeing it.
I for one would go back to one referee.
cheers Milo (formerly Mitchy)
Why the change
A cup with milk as a night cap?!!
Ha will need that during season mate…
It conflicted with Mitch. He almost paid me some $$$$ in rights lol
There has always been a defensive price to pay for the wrestle/grapple type tackles. How many times do we see tacklers going for the arm grab in defence when they are one on one? It’s easily brushed off in comparison to a good solid hit. The aim of holding someone up whilst expecting others to join in has its risks. I realise that the intention is to slow up the ruck, but I think there’s been a loss in being able to execute old fashioned tackle technique.
60’s totally agree, the old style tackles that were primarily one on one were often more successful than what is seen these days, there is really nothing shown in defence techniques these days.
I do not hold to the view that the big players these days are harder to bring down than in the past especially if small players are the consist in a team. One only has to look at the many lightweights, such as those at the eels, in John Baker, Paul Taylor, Sterlo, and the like to show they did ok against the big men.
Steve Mortimer was another who had wonderful tackling techniques that were there for all to see.
Must have been an inspiring opposed session Sixties, because the report certainly was to read.
I like Col’s point about Madge. He does have a very strong presence and character who will certainly command respect from the whistle blowers in his charge. There may be more substance to the optimism than we might normally expect. Referees are animals of a different ilk, on the one hand they love the structure that comes with authority and have an instinctive respect for the discipline of it’s use both above and below the line. That’s probably why so many of them used to be policemen and ATO officials!
It was a ripper Rowdy. This is quite a restrained report!
We heard last year that players must actually touch the ball with their foot. At the time I made a quip about how they did the same thing a couple of years earlier and it was forgotten after a few weeks, as it was last year.
The year before it was the third player peeling off the tackle, then the second etc and reasonably quickly. This too lasted a couple of weeks.
Maybe coaching staff could give them a bit of stick about it?
What is penalised in round one, isn’t in round 26. Do the rules just change along the way?
That’s my gripe too Grunta. The interpretation of the rule had been that the players had to be seen to be making an attempt to play the ball with the foot. Maybe that “interpretation” has been dropped. But we all know where this is heading….
Maybe it’s time that the NRL rewrites the rule book, everything is in black and white so we can finally get rid of this, ‘interpretation of the rules’ garbage which has become a very popular cop out over recent years.
One referee adjudicates something totally different to the next ref because they interpret things differently!
Anyway, just my gripe for the day 😳
With you on this!
They all should be playing the ball properly; that is simple.
As for the rugby league part of the blog, it seemed like a good session Sixties; were there any players who did not participate? Did our halves and dummy half lead the teams around well?
Cam King played exclusively in blue 9 and is very confident in his execution. Norman and Moses haven’t been the subjects of comments in my posts simply because they are consistently good. T Rex and Vave are still not up to contact work.
Does Vave look fitter than last year. He was not in the best fitness last year and it effected his game and time on the field. He did have off season surgery last year (2016) but I was hoping for a bit more from him this year especially given that he is a big body and does possess a good offload.
He’s had a slow start to the pre-season with some weeks in rehab. Not sure of the reason, and that’s best left to the club.
I’m getting exciting now.
Sounds like the intensity of the opposed match was right up ther.
I have a good feeling about this team this season.
It was a great session to watch PM.
What is your view on Nathan Davis 60S?
Looks a big unit. How does he rate in speed and training? Dp ypu give him any chance of a spot
When Davis first started training with the NRL squad about 3 years back, I thought he could be anything. Hes a huge unit with genuine speed. He’s in the category of outside backs with pace but struggling with endurance – it’s not uncommon for explosive players.
I was concerned over the first 6 weeks of training in this pre-season, but he really seems to be putting in right now. He’s had a couple of big plays at training – playing fullback for green team. I reckon he has about 4 in front of him for a shot this year.
I see the back as follows.
Gutherson
French
Hayne
Jennings
Avau
Id guess first in was Hoffman if injury. After that seems anyones. And i do not see Auvau or Hoff that far ahead of guys like Davis or younger Jennings. But I do not see training sessions. Just the odd Wenty game. When you say 4 ahead of him I can only guess the hoff,Jenninfs,Aka and GL.
Unless your including first graders of Bevan and Auvau
If there was an injury in the backs you named then I reckon you’d see Taka, Hoffman, Smith, or George Jennings getting a run in the backs first.
Great read again mate.
What is happening with the young winger Greg L ? Whilst some in the media are calling him a smokey for a wing spot, I thought he was in Rehab training still. Is he actually doing contact work with the NRL side. I honestly cant see him forcing his way into that team. Not yet.
He has just started contact work, and his fitness levels are much better than the start of pre-season. Like many outside backs, he has explosive power rather than endurance.
In my opinion, he will be allowed to develop at Wenty this year. Remember, he’s just graduated from Under 20s.
It’s a long off season & you guys make it so much more bearable, so thanks again!
I’d love to know from what you’ve seen if you think that there’s any likelihood of Hayne playing on the wing outside of Taka or MJ?
Thanks Matt. I’ll say little chance.
The back row/bench line-ups will be very interesting if everyone’s fit.