NRL Notepad: Round 14 (Saturday)
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.
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Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v Gold Coast Titans
Sharks
If Matt Moylan can get himself fit, the Sharks attack will reach its potential. He looked far from healthy last week, though. Twice he was presented with an opportunity to wind up. Twice he barely got out of second gear.
His combination with Wade Graham is promising. Is it a coincidence Graham played one of his better games in 2020 with Moylan next to him?
We’re looking at whether or not Moylan can put his foot down this week, and if Graham can continue his form on what is hopefully a much drier track.
Titans
The Titans have finally landed on Tyrone Peachey’s best position with the 29-year-old coming off the bench in each of their last five games. Now they need to work out how to best use the utility.
He’s had some promising moments against tiring defences and does look dangerous at times. However, it often looks like he’s trying too hard to be the spark off the bench. He’s searching for opportunities that aren’t there rather than playing a more balanced role and using his ball-skills to shift the ball through the middle of the field.
Gold Coast’s Round 13 win over the Cowboys was one of their best performances of the season, but they looked their clunkiest when the ball got stuck in Peachey’s hands.
Less might be more for Peachey as they look to find a balance in his touches.
North Queensland Cowboys v South Sydney Rabbitohs
Cowboys
If Ash Taylor and the Titans can identify and expose the defensive pairing of Michael Morgan and Connelley Lemuelu, Cody Walker can have a field day on Saturday evening.
Taylor caught them out in the middle off the field…
And close to the line…
The pair will need to make significant improvements in their defence if the Cowboys are to keep a lid on this improving Rabbitohs left edge.
Rabbitohs
Like last week, I’m really focused on South Sydney’s left-edge attack. They got straight into their work against the Broncos with Latrell Mitchell straightening and holding the ball up long enough for Dane Gagai to go over in the corner.
But it’s the Broncos…
While the Cowboys right edge defence isn’t much better, seeing the Rabbitohs dominate down that side of the field will give them some confidence with the Eels and Storm coming up in back-to-back weeks in Round 16 and 17.
Canberra Raiders v Brisbane Broncos
Raiders
The Raiders were pulled apart by the Panthers last week.
Left and right, Canberra’s sliding defence couldn’t cope as Penrith had their way with them.
Given the struggles of the Broncos and their inability to string together a competent attack, Ricky Stuart will be wanting to see a strong defensive response from his side - a single-digit sort.
Canberra’s defence triggered their turnaround as a club. While one half conceding 24 points doesn’t take away all they’ve achieved over the last 18 months, it surely put a dent in their confidence. If the Raiders are to make a run through October, it will come through their defence.
Broncos
Like a car crash, we still can’t look away from the Brisbane Broncos. They were awful again last week. Anthony Seibold didn’t help matters with his post-match press conference either…
…and things went from bad to worse when he was forced to leave the NRL bubble to attend a family matter. So, we’re looking for a positive sign from the Broncos this week.
It will hopefully come in the form of a strong performance from young back-rower, Jordan Riki. He makes his first-grade debut this week after playing for the Maori All-Stars earlier in the year and captaining the Junior Kiwis in 2019.
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