NRL Notepad: Round 19 (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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Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles v Gold Coast Titans
Sea Eagles
Des Hasler says Tom Trbojevic is a “strong chance” to return from injury this week.
He scored four tries, handed out seven try assists and ran for 156 metres per game in the five and a half matches he played to start the season. While his return comes too late for the Sea Eagles to make a run at the Top 8, a promising display over the last fortnight can give the side some confidence heading into the off-season.
With so many players set to spend their summer rehabbing season-ending injuries, seeing Trbojevic at full-flight will give them something to work with in 2021.
Titans
Ash Taylor can expect a lot of traffic to come his way in this one.
While Tom Trbojevic is expected to return and turn this struggling Sea Eagles attack around, they will no doubt continue with the ol’ faithful: A Daly Cherry-Evans short-ball to Curtis Sironen.
Taylor’s turnaround in defence in 2020 is a prime example of how much it comes down to attitude and a willingness to put your body on the line. His head wasn’t in rugby league last season. Taylor has admitted as much. It showed in his defence more than anything else. But now that footy has become his focus again and Taylor is playing well, his defence has markedly improved.
The Dragons sent Tyson Frizell at him in Round 16 and Taylor continued to get his body in front until the help arrived:
Expect the Sea Eagles and Sironen to try something similar on Saturday.
Melbourne Storm v Wests Tigers
Storm
No coach is better at finding a weakness in the opposition and exploiting it than Craig Bellamy.
He will have circled David Nofoaluma in defence this week.
While Nofoaluma’s struggles defending on the goal line have been clear all season, it’s closer to halfway where Bellamy might look to target his over-eager defensive intuitions.
Josh Addo-Carr has looked dangerous playing a spot or two further in when the Storm make their way up the field.
He broke the line to get them up the field against the Sea Eagles in Round 16:
He picked up easy metres out wide against the Rabbitohs in Round 17:
Addo-Carr will be asking a lot of questions of Nofoaluma’s defence this week.
Tigers
That’s if Nofoaluma is there…
I highlighted this passage back in Round 13 when Nofoaluma went searching for a hit up on the 4th tackle on the left side. It’s something he has done a few times this season.
George Jennings ran straight at where Nofoaluma should have been on the kick-chase and went close to beating Luke Garner.
It will more than likely have a different ending of Addo-Carr is the one sprinting down the outside.
Sydney Roosters v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Roosters
We started to get a good idea of how the Roosters will use Sonny Bill Williams last week.
Oscar covered how even a simple passing game can be enough for SBW to have a big influence on how the Roosters attack.
“SBW slotted in at lock forward for immediate effect à la the injured Victor Radley, who’s ball-playing through the middle third was integral to the Roosters’ offensive structures earlier in the season.” - Take the Two: Round 18
We know so much about this Roosters team already. With two weeks to play before they really start to put their foot down and head towards a third-consecutive premiership, the focus remains on Sonny Bill and what he can add to this outrageously dangerous attack.
Sharks
“We’re a contender.” - Shaun Johnson
Hmmmmmm…..
Still without a win against a Top 8 side through 18 rounds and a week after struggling to put away the Warriors, Johnson and the Sharks look a lot like finals fodder to me at the moment.
Their attack is good enough to beat any other team on the day, but a poor defence is what tends to undo the Sharks in the end. Johnson leads the NRL in try assists and the Sharks score 24.1 points per game. Only the Roosters are more efficient inside the opposition 20-metre line.
Perhaps if they can keep the best attacking team in the competition from piling up points, we can entertain this idea of the Sharks becoming a premiership contender.
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