NRL Notepad: Round 20
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.
We won’t try to sugarcoat this round of footy. There is little to get excited about if you’re in the market for blockbusters or anything remotely meaningful. It’s the sort of round to enjoy for what it is, though.
We’re going to see players that wouldn’t otherwise be playing first-grade. In a season without reserve grade and with players that have spent the last six months doing nothing other than training, they deserve to run out onto the field this week no matter how ‘dead’ the game is for punters.
The notepad this week, obviously, isn’t much use to us. The teams, players and shapes we’ve been looking at all season won’t help here. Still, there is always something to keep an eye on.
Brisbane Broncos v North Queensland Cowboys
Broncos
I’d usually bypass the sort of commentary suggesting Kotoni Stagg’s will play well at five-eighth because “he’s going to get his hands on the ball more.”
However, against this Cowboys defence conceding 26.5 points per game - and with David Fifita not an option in attack - simply feeding Staggs the ball and letting him run might be Brisbane’s best bet at avoiding the wooden spoon on Thursday night.
Cowboys
John Asiata is off-contract after this game and is putting his case forward for a new deal elsewhere in this one.
His ball-skills for somebody of his size look perfect for the middle of the field. He can shift the ball through the middle like so many of the good teams are doing at the moment, or he can put his head down and carry it through the middle.
Josh Hannay has been reluctant to give Asiata any decent minutes of late. I’m looking for how Asiata uses whatever he is given to impress future employers this week.
Gold Coast Titans v Newcastle Knights
Titans
After talking about Tyrone Peachey being caught with the ball too often here before Round 14, I highlighted the changes to his game and how it has influenced the Titans attack in the ‘Repeat Set’ on Monday.
Rather than trying to create something himself, Peachey’s first thought now appears to be to pass the ball and shift it wide. It translated into two Titans tries last week, including this one:
We’re on the lookout for something similar on Friday evening. While his time at the Titans hasn’t been all that impressive so far, Peachey can cause some real trouble through the middle with David Fifita and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui hanging off him next season.
Knights
Bradman Best returns this week to join Edrick Lee on the left edge for the first time since Round 8. With Kalyn Ponga in stellar form in recent weeks, how this trio link up will play a big part in how far into October the Knights go.
With a week for Best to build some match fitness and to get his timing with Ponga back, we’re looking out for what could one day be known as classic Newcastle Knights try-scoring action:
South Sydney Rabbitohs v Sydney Roosters
Rabbitohs
Corey Allan keeps doing it…
Now, if the Rabbitohs could play out a full 80 minutes and rid the frustrating poor periods of their game that continue to be far too prevalent, they might be able to take the next step to meet the Raiders and Eels on the rung above them in the premiership race.
There is hope for a deep finals run if the Rabbitohs can enter October with a good win over the Roosters.
Roosters
We’ve talked about Isaac Liu and his increased ball-playing here plenty, but with Sonny Bill Williams in the side and assuming most of that role, he’s back to spending more time carting the ball up the field.
Liu does just fine as a ball-carrier with some late footwork at the line last week enough to get by Toby Rudolf before using those freshly polished ball skills to tease a pass and eventually release one to send Luke Keary over the line.
The Roosters forwards - Sio Siua Taukeiaho, in particular - do this so well and we’re looking out for more on Friday.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Penrith Panthers
Bulldogs
It wasn’t easy to hit send on this last week…
Usually desperate to avoid such tired cliches, it’s all I want out of Jake Averillo this week. He ran the ball eight times for 75 metres in Round 18 and looked like one of Canterbury’s best on the day. He managed just six runs for 45 metres in Round 19.
We’ve covered Averillo here a lot over the last few weeks. Given the state of the Bulldogs and how little there is to get excited about, he’s our focus again on Saturday.
Panthers
Daine Laurie runs out for his first start on Saturday afternoon.
He’s popped up on the bench three times this season but has played only 25 minutes across two games. This week, he has the full 80 minutes to get some valuable first-grade experience into him. Laurie, and the like, are who make a round like this worth watching.
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v Canberra Raiders
Sharks
To the frustration of some Eels fans, I highlighted the importance of dissecting the process more than the outcome when they scored 26 rather uninspiring points against the worst defence in the NRL last week.
It’s important to do the same with the Sharks on Saturday.
Dubbed ‘the worst team in finals history’ earlier in the week, the Sharks are still without a win over a Top 8 side this season. Even if they do beat the Raiders here, this isn’t a Top 8 outfit.
It’s all about the process.
Can this pack do enough damage through the middle to lay a platform for this makeshift halves pairing of Wade Graham and Connor Tracey to dominate? Does the backline not only have points in them, but are they scoring them in a fashion that can break down top tier defences?
It’s not whether or not the Sharks win, but how they win.
If they lose…well, Week 1 of the finals might not be worth playing.
Raiders
Ricky Stuart did a job on Supercoach and NRL fantasy players this week…
Who is Adam Cook, you ask? No idea. I’m keen to see him play, though.
Darby Medlyn and Jarrett Subloo are also on debut. Harley Smith-Shields and Matt Timoko will play in just their second first-grade games.
Sam Williams is back and will captain the side while Matt Frawley plays in his first NRL match since Round 25 in 2018.
It might not be pretty. It’s a fairly meaningless fixture overall at the end of the day. But these young players presented with a rare opportunity to play in the NRL will give it plenty regardless.
Wests Tigers v Parramatta Eels
Tigers
“Take a seat Tigers’ fans, ‘cause this one might get emotional.” - Take the Two - Round 20 Preview
Oscar is bang on with that call.
Benji Marshall and Chris Lawrence will both play their last game for Wests Tigers on Saturday night. For Lawrence, it’s goodbye to rugby league. It might also be the same for Marshall whether he likes it or not.
Marshall might not step through teams like he did as a young fella, but he can still throw a pass. This floater last week as a ripper:
But it’s on the defensive side of the ball that prospective clubs will be focused. Unfortunately, it’s an area of Marshall’s game that has fallen below NRL standard. He’s unlikely to lift it back up at 35-years old either. Nonetheless, while enjoying everything that is Marshall in what might be his last NRL game, we’re focusing on his defence through the eyes of potential suitors.
Eels
“To score 26 points against the worst defensive team in the competition in the way Parramatta did doesn’t do anything to suggest they can crack the likes of the Roosters, Storm, Panthers or Raiders often enough in October.” - Repeat Set: Round 19
Like the Sharks earlier in the day, the focus is on the process for the Eels this week.
Scoring tries is great, but it’s what they should be doing when playing two of the three worst defences in the competition in back-to-back weeks.
We will revisit the way in which they score their points on Monday as we continue to look out for improvements in a side that was said to be a premiership contender earlier in the season.
New Zealand Warriors v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Warriors
Isaiah Papali’i hasn’t kicked on quite like I thought he would…
Disappointing this season, he has moved in and out of the side without being able to lock down a consistent position. He has looked better in recent weeks, though. Perhaps coming to the realisation that the Warriors don’t plan on re-signing him and he is forced to look elsewhere, he’s doing everything he can to earn a contract for 2021.
I’d like to see that contract be with the Warriors. Even if only for a year. Like Adam Keighran, a good performance here might be enough to get back into the minds of the Warriors front office.
Sea Eagles
Danny Levi has been told to look elsewhere in 2020.
Do you know which club needs to add some depth at hooker and likes to sign Kiwi players?
St. George-Illawarra Dragons v Melbourne Storm
Dragons
It’s back to Rookie Watch for this one.
Jayden Sullivan.
Electric on his feet and another little bloke to go with Cody Ramsey and Matt Dufty in the side, we’re looking to see if Sullivan can apply some pressure to Corey Norman’s position at the club. A good showing here and Norman might find himself helped out the door over the summer.
Storm
Outside of Justin Olam, the Storm haven’t been able to lockdown the other centre spot all season. Is Ricky Leutele the answer?
He hasn’t played in the NRL since 2018 but Melbourne don’t sign players that can’t have an impact. Will one good game be enough for Leutele to then start in a finals match? Should the Storm go all the way, he may have only played three games for the club before playing 80 minutes to determine the 2020 premiers.
He makes an otherwise unrecognisable Storm side interesting this week.
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