Knights’ perfect 10 as Sharks flounder; resurrected Roosters ravaged by injuries: Talking Points
Manly superstar Tom Trbojevic joins the podcast to take a look back over his decorated journey in rugby league.The Broncos can thank Reece Walsh for giving them the confidence to match any team in the competition as they sit two games away from a drought-breaking first title since 2006.
“I thought he played tough again tonight, he was in their face, he agitated them and he just continues to dominate under huge pressure. “As well as he’s played this year, it’s been a big learning curve for the young man seeing what can happen, seeing what the other side of the game is like when people are questioning how you are to a referee, can you handle the temperament of State of Origin and being sent off.
The 26-0 rout has the Storm’s title hopes on life support as the Broncos exposed some real issues in their game ahead of their do or die semi-final. “It was so personal tonight for Brisbane. They wanted it and their forward pack completely dismantled the Storm physically. “But when I was actually watching the game, I thought they don’t have the power to match Brisbane when they are in this sort of mood.”
It was the second game the back-to-back champs didn’t have star five-eighth and Cleary’s running mate Jarome Luai, but his absence hasn’t slowed down the Panthers juggernaut. Including the Round 26 game against Parramatta where Luai left the game in the first half with a shoulder injury, Cleary has run for an average of 105 meters with 1.3 line breaks when his regular five-eighth has been out.Cleary’s co-captain Isaah Yeo credited his teammate for adapting his game in Luai’s absence.
Unfortunately, star halfback Shaun Johnson was unable to play because of a lower leg injury, meaning the side’s first choice halves pairing of Johnson and Luke Metcalf, who is out for the season with a hamstring injury, weren’t available. The Panthers were so dominant that even with Johnson, the Warriors likely wouldn’t have won, but they certainly looked much more likely in attack.“He’s been one of the best players of the comp all year. Him and Nathan are probably the two best halfbacks in the comp this year,” Harris said.“I don’t think we played how we have all year. We come and we tried to do things as individuals rather than together.
“It is a shattering performance for Craig Fitzgibbon who, it took him a long time to get over last year’s demise bowing out two weeks in a row,” Alexander said.Cooper Cronk believes the Sharks have the attack to be successful, but their defence under Fitzgibbon hasn’t improved since his first year and that let them down again in the finals.“I thought off the back of what they did last year going straight out I thought they were really set for a big year.
“That became their undoing when they needed to because if you win the comp or you miss out at this stage of the year you get what you deserve and the Sharks just didn’t improve in the area that makes you competitive if you want to win the trophy. “It does come back down to the leadership group as well and their key players. They started well, but as the game drew on there was a lot more competitiveness.“All that work that they had to do they just didn’t get where they needed to be. They were outworked again tonight and the Roosters deserved their victory. It is a psychological thing.”The stunning resurgence of the Roosters continues after Trent Robinson’s men won their sixth straight to send the Sharks packing.
Additionally, the Roosters lost two outside backs with Joseph Suaalii failing a HIA at halftime after a delayed concussion and Joey Manu leaving the game with a hamstring injury.“It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t great but it was an enthralling contest,” Cooper Cronk said on Fox League. The Roosters be will undermanned against the Storm next week, with Suaalii already ruled out due to failing a HIA and Manu extremely unlikely to play.“He wasn’t , so we got that wrong. There was no issue during the week at training,” Robinson said.
It was also just two months after O’Brien’s mother, Maree, died of a brain tumour after being diagnosed just before the start of the season. “A lot of us don’t know what goes on behind the scenes and I suppose it’s given him perspective on life. A lot of people and a lot of athletes, coaches, they draw inspiration from things like this and I think it’s been a turning point for him.Mick Ennis echoed the sentiment and said at times there is “no tougher job in the country” than coaching in the NRL.
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