NRL Notepad: Round 12 (Sunday)
From now through to October, I’ll look back at my notes from the prior round and highlight an area of each team to keep a close eye on from your couch.
Subscribe to have the full version of the NRL Notepad delivered to your inbox every Thursday.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Parramatta Eels
Bulldogs
“Four tackles around the post.”
“Wakeham dumps it off.”
“Hit up, hit up, hit up in good ball. Lewis kick.”
“Foran or nothing in good ball.”
I’ll tell you what, I can copy and paste my notes on the Bulldogs attack most weeks. It’s the same every week. Particularly the last points.
We need to see some variety. At least an effort to throw something different at the defence. Beating the Knights last week is a brilliant result, but the rain was a leveller and it played into the high-completion style that keeps the Bulldogs in games.
The forecast is for sunshine in Sydney on Sunday. Have a crack, Doggies.
Eels
Reed Mahoney getting run over on the goal line has been a bit of a thing for me since he entered first-grade. It’s not happening as often as it once was, and he’s an excellent defender overall. However, the best hookers in the competition can catch him out just as Harry Grant did here.
Grant spies him at A and directs Luciano Leilua straight at him. Given Canterbury’s limited ability in attack, along with their desperation to overuse crash balls close to the line, this might be something they target this week.
Melbourne Storm v Newcastle Knights
Storm
I’m marvelling at the ball-playing options the Storm have in the middle of the field.
This Tino Fa’asuamaleaui try really sums it up.
Cameron Smith takes possession at hooker and has Brandon Smith at first receiver. Brandon can either offer a bulldog-like run on hooker like ball-playing to shift it further.
Cameron skips him to hit Dale Finucane. He can either hit Fa’asuamaleaui or go further to another ball-player in Jahrome Hughes.
They might not have quite the same names as previous years, but the Storm attack plays with such variety that they continue to dominate close to the line.
Knights
The Knights need a strong performance here. Rather than looking at one particular area, it’s their response to a poor loss, what was probably an epic Adam O’Brien spray, and the pressure of playing the Storm that we’re keeping an eye on.
They’re ravaged by injuries while Mitchell Pearce’s form has left a lot to be desired of late. Newcastle’s attitude impressed just as much as their statistics early on. Let’s see the attitude adjustment in action against one of the best in the business.
Socials
Rugby League Writers on Twitter, Facebook & Medium
Jason Oliver on Twitter & Facebook
Oscar Pannifex on Twitter