Today we take a look at the box of tricks Wade Egan is delving into for the Warriors, try to work out why a knock on was allowed in the lead-up to a Sea Eagles try and consider possibly the worst half of football in Roosters history.
Read on as we take a look back over the weekend at some of the biggest hits and misses.
HIT
Egan the master of dummy-half deception
The Warriors scored a try just before halftime which was a masterful display of dummy-half play. Wade Egan picked the ball up near halfway, centre field, and ran towards Tahu Harris who looked set for a simple hit-up. Damien Cook, at marker for Souths, stepped towards Harris, Egan dummied and stepped off his right foot, Cook froze and in that split second Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad appeared on Egan's right hip to charge onto a popped pass.
Cook's weight was on his right leg, the other marker was taking Egan and the defender outside Cook had taken the Harris decoy. Nichol Klokstad burst through the yawning gap on Cook's left and was off. He drew fullback Latrell Mitchell, and chose Shaun Johnson in support on the outside with a perfectly timed pass. The try once converted gave the Warriors an 18-4 halftime lead.
Nine minutes into the second half Egan was at it again, this time with a dummy, a step and an acceleration through the line, before a flick pass to Te Maire Martin who also had two support players to choose from as he charged towards Mitchell. He also chose Johnson who placed it between the posts for his double, taking the score to 24-4.
As magical as Egan's work is, it only succeeds because of the perfectly timed and abundant support play. The defence is faced with a wall of Warriors jerseys and their decisions are hurried and confused by Egan's slight of hand.
MISS
When is a knock-on not a knock-on?
With five minutes remaining in the first half the Sea Eagles scored a length of the field try against the Panthers that left everyone scratching their heads.
With the Panthers on the attack, Sea Eagles' centre Tommy Talau tried to intercept a pass. The ball went from his hands directly to ground, but because he was moving forward at the time, it bounced behind him and rolled backwards into the arms of Toluta'u Koula. Koula took off downfield on a run that everyone thought was a waste of time and energy, until the referee allowed him to cross the Panthers line and awarded him a try.
The bunker had a good look and somehow ruled it was a knock back. The call simply did not pass the pub test, as anyone who has watched any amount of rugby league knows that the ball must have travelled forward off his hands. And every other time it happens it is called a knock-on.
HIT
Timoko marks contract extension with a magic night
Has there ever been a better celebration of a contract extension than the performance put on by Matthew Timoko for the Raiders on Sunday night. The young centre inked a three-year extension during the week and proved a handful every time he touched the ball against the Eels. He scored two tries, including a miraculous effort in the corner, and a bullocking run late in the game.
He also set up two tries including a brilliant display of deception and sweet footwork, right through the heart of the Parramatta defence. I'm not sure how much extra his manager was able to squeeze out of the Green Machine, but he proved he is probably worth a bit more.
MISS
A game of two horror halves
The surface at Accor Stadium had drained well, despite the weather bomb hitting Sydney, but the ball was slick as the Roosters faced the Bulldogs on Thursday night. It was hard to believe, however, that both teams were playing with the same ball, as the Roosters seemed to find it impossible to handle.
In what might go down as the worst half of football in Roosters' history, Dominic Young not only lost the ball in the second tackle of the game, they blew their captain's challenge reviewing it. It was all downhill from there with the Bulldogs running in four tries, Sam Walker and James Tedesco both being ruled out with category 1 concussions and Young being sent off for a high shot on Blake Taaffe. All of this before oranges, as they made nine errors, gave up over 60% of possession and trailed 26-0 in front of a sparse and soggy, but largely ecstatic Bulldogs crowd.
The second half started with downpour of rain, a deluge of six again calls to the Roosters and a subsequent four tries. The Bulldogs were made to tackle almost endlessly, but when they finally saw the ball, they cracked the 12-man defence with 15 minutes remaining to take the score to 30-20. The Roosters' horror night was not over, with Victor Radley sent to the bin and placed on report for what was harshly called a hip drop tackle. \
The Roosters did score the last try of the night with six minutes remaining, to make it a very nervous finish for the Bulldogs, who had done everything they could to lose the unlosable game.
HIT
Bula inexperience allows a Hammer try
Jahream Bula is a brilliant young talent who has looked at home in the NRL since his debut for the Tigers last season. It might be a harsh judgement to make, but he probably could have stopped the try to Dolphins' flyer Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow in the 25th minute.
Dolphins forward Felise Kaufusi made a break on halfway through some feeble Tigers ruck defence. He ran straight down the middle of the field as Bula positioned himself as the last line of defence. Kaufusi was just about out of steam, he slowed down to wait for support and and even blew a hamstring as he stumbled towards the ground and popped a pass to Tabuai-Fidow. Bula had positioned himself directly in front of Kaufusi so that the pass and Tabuai-Fidow's swerve and acceleration was enough to put him out of reach. The Dolphins fullback streaking away to score.
Bula needed to realise that Tabuai-Fidow was the only player going to score that try. Even if Kaufusi had not blown a hamstring, and had held onto the ball, he was out of steam and other Tigers defenders were converging. Bula needed to line up Tabuai-Fidow and be ready to hit him as soon as the ball hit him on the chest.
It's all very easy to say from the couch of course, but the experience will help round out the skills of Bula who is no doubt a very talented player.
MISSES
King Gutho may well have the goal kicking yips
With just under 17 minutes remaining in the first half and trailing 8-0, the Eels were deep on the attack when Clint Gutherson tried to catch and pass five metres out from the Raiders' line. The ball bounced off Raiders centre Matthew Timoko's head before being picked up by Dylan Brown who put a kick through for Maika Sivo who regathered and dived over in the corner.
The referee awarded the try, but allowed the bunker to do their standard review. After far more replays than anyone really needed, the bunker advised that it would need a further look. Another replay passed and video referee Kasey Badger confirmed the knock-on.
Whilst all that was happening, Gutherson had set up his conversion from the sideline. Not one to waste an opportunity for a bit of practice, the Eels captain stepped in and nailed it, right over the black dot. It was a non-conversion for their no try.
Ironically when he was needed to kick one from a much easier angle ten minutes into the second half, he sprayed it to the right of the posts. And again, when the game was all but over with the Raiders leading 35-8, he sprayed another conversion attempt to the right. Was the ghost of the missed penalty to win the game against the Tigers still haunting him?
MISS
This is what happens when you allow players to tackle themselves
There was a strange moment during the Storm's heart-stopping victory over the Broncos on Thursday night. Broncos winger Deine Mariner leapt in the air to take a bomb five metres out from his own try line. He was untouched, but landed awkwardly on his back and lay on the turf, stunned and possibly injured.
No Storm player touched him, but the ever-alert Cameron Munster snatched the ball from his grasp before running the five metres to score what looked to be a try. Referee Ashley Klein somehow determined that Mariner was held and therefore Munster was not allowed to take the ball.
We see players every week hit the ground of their own volition, particularly to avoid being tackled into touch or back over their own try line. Because referees have put away the voluntary tackle rule, and defenders generally place a hand on them to complete the tackle anyway, this situation has evolved.
If Klein had decided that Mariner was injured and called a halt to play by blowing his whistle, no one would have been left wondering what had actually happened. As it was, by the letter of the laws, it had to be a try to Munster.