First tackle: McGregor's days are numbered
St George Illawarra Dragons coach Paul McGregor is in the middle of his sixth year at the helm of the famous club. He has had mixed results, winning 64 of the 131 games played and making the finals just twice in five years. He has certainly had enough time in the role to assemble a team that can best play to his coaching style.
The Dragons started the season with three wins from five games and, on the 18th of April, McGregor's contract was extended by two years. Since that decision the Dragons have won just three of 12 games and now sit in 14th position on the ladder, two points above the struggling Bulldogs. Bulldogs coach Dean Pay is having difficulties of his own, but much of those are due to a rebuilding phase which sees the club relying on rookies and fringe first graders. The Dragons are a team full of stars and should be doing so much better.
Tellingly the Dragons have conceded more points -- 405 -- than any other team in the competition. It is a long held truism that defence is about attitude and no one controls the attitude of the team more than the coach. This week McGregor rested his million-dollar-man Ben Hunt, but refused to accept that move had anything to do with the loss.
"We had enough today, talent on that field, to win that game of footy," a solemn McGregor said after the game, when asked about Hunt.
"We didn't go close, so we've really got to own up to that performance to a man."
Melbourne Storm raised some eyebrows when they also rested Origin stars Cameron Munster, Will Chambers, Josh Addo-Carr and Felise Kaufusi on the weekend. The massive difference being that the Storm were six points clear at the top of the ladder and playing the last-placed Gold Coast Titans. The Dragons are battling to make the eight and were playing against the Panthers who are Top 4 aspirants.
It made no sense to rest their most expensive player. It is exactly the kind of move that would put any disgruntled player further offside with the way the team is being coached. It is hard to see McGregor surviving the axe much longer, despite his contract extension.
Second tackle: Murray brings Blues confidence back to Bunnies
They say good players come back from Origin with an added confidence that turns them into even better players for their club. There would be no better or more recent example of that than Rabbitohs and Blues back-rower Cameron Murray. Murray came off the bench for the Blues in all three games and increased his effectiveness in both attack and defence as the series progressed.
On Saturday night with his team down 18-12 against the Cowboys, he played a major role in the Rabbitohs' fightback. With scores level at 18, he jinked from close to the line and put Tevita Tatola over untouched with four minutes remaining. To wrap it up, he then backed up a break by James Roberts to seal the match with a try of his own.
He might be small for a back-rower, but Murray's intensity and technique make him a threat on either side of the ball. With the Burgess brothers all missing, he stepped up alongside Ethan Lowe and really led the Rabbitohs pack.
Third tackle: Chooks finally click after break
The Roosters' first half troubles with the ball were summed up in the shadows of halftime in their game against the Knights. With just over a minute on the clock and leading 6-4 they were given a scrum well inside Knights territory thanks to a play-the-ball error by Herman Ese'ese.
They swept the ball to the left where Daniel Tupou found himself in the open. Instead of stepping infield, Tupou tried to continue down the line to outpace the cover defence. When it became clear he would be bundled into touch, he threw a desperate pass inside which was knocked on by the support. The Roosters had time for three or four more tackles deep inside Knights territory and it was symptomatic of an attack that was nowhere near as sharp as it was before the Origin period.
Whatever coach Trent Robinson said at halftime worked as the premiers came out and played all over the Knights. There was a real sense of the gaping distance between a genuine premiership contender and one of the top 8 also-rans as the Roosters' attack clicked and ran up a healthy scoreline.
Fourth tackle: Did Slater precedent save Dufty?
The NRL really should have sorted out the implications of a fullback shoulder-charging an opponent into touch as a last line of defence back when Billy Slater escaped suspension in the lead up to last year's grand final. It happened again early in the Dragons clash with the Panthers and commentators, players and fans were all left scratching their heads.
Brent Naden was headed for a try in the corner when Dragons fullback Matt Dufty came screaming across in cover. With the line looming, Dufty's only hope of preventing a four-pointer was to drop his shoulder into the bigger Naden. It worked, Naden was knocked over the sideline before he could ground the ball. The referee sent the decision to the bunker where it was decided that there was no try, Dufty should be penalised and it would be play on from there.
An illegal play clearly preventing a try, but no penalty-try awarded. An illegal play preventing a try and no stint in the sin bin for Dufty. A shoulder charge, outlawed by the NRL as a dangerous act and Dufty not placed on report. Confusion reigns.
Fifth and last: Titans buck bounce back trend
Usually when a team sacks a coach mid-season you can expect a victory from them the following weekend. It seems to be the players' way of letting the club know that they are happier with the old coach out of the picture. It might also have something to do with the onus being squarely on them to perform now that their scapegoat has been shown the door.
The Titans had their chance to bounce back following the sacking of coach Garth Brennan when they hosted the ladder-leading Storm on Sunday. Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy went out of his way to make it easier for them, resting most of his Origin stars for the clash. Running up an early 12-0 lead, the Titans looked like they just might cause the stereotypical upset. It was all Storm from that point on, with the final score of 38-12 more fitting of the clash between first and last.
Perhaps the Titans should have held out for one more week before sacking Brennan. This weekend they face fellow Queensland strugglers, the Broncos.
Handover: A tango with Taufua is life-shortening
You would have to question your career choice if you're an outside back running a sweeping play against Manly's left side defence. No matter how well you execute the play, time your passes or deceive defenders with your decoys, there is always a very good chance that the move is going to end violently on one of Jorge Taufua's shoulders.
In the second half of the Sea Eagles high-scoring victory over the Eels at Brookvale, Parramatta tried a short-side move with five-eighth Dylan Brown looping around behind a decoy. Just as he received the floated pass he was absolutely knocked out of his boots by a Taufua special.
The powerfully built Taufua times his contact perfectly, hitting below the ball and driving up as he wraps both arms and completes the tackle by driving his victim back and into the turf. As often happens, Brown spilled the ball in trying to make the most of his dire situation.
It's enough to make any player recommend an inside pass when the coach is explaining how the play will be carried out against the Sea Eagles.