Sunday, 18 April 2021

Late Mail: NRL Round Six

 Time for my weekly look back at everything that happened in this round of the NRL...

Round Six started with a narrow win for the Panthers, after they avoided a mighty scare against Brisbane, to make it six wins from six. Newcastle picked up an important victory over the Sharks, who were playing their first match without John Morris as coach. In the big clash of the round, Melbourne Storm comfortably saw off Sydney to go level on points with the Roosters. The surprise of the round came as Manly inflicted a nilling on the Titans to record their second straight win. There was incredible drama in Sydney on Saturday as Souths and Wests took each other to golden point, despite Adam Reynolds missing two chances to win the game with the boot. Souths thought they'd won it through Tom Burgess but at first it appeared he hadn't grounded the ball, which allowed Wests to go up the other end and win the game, before the bunker reviewed the footage and concluded that Burgess had successfully got it down, making it five wins on the spin for Souths. Parramatta then produced an excellent performance to convincingly get past the Raiders on Saturday night and join Souths on ten points. Sunday saw the Dragons' run of wins snapped by an impressive away display from the Warriors, before the Cowboys came out on top in their basement battle against the Bulldogs.

Round Six Results
Brisbane Broncos 12-20 Penrith Panthers
Newcastle Knights 26-22 Cronulla Sharks
Melbourne Storm 20-4 Sydney Roosters
Manly Sea Eagles 36-0 Gold Coast Titans
South Sydney Rabbitohs 18-14 Wests Tigers
Canberra Raiders 10-35 Parramatta Eels
St George Dragons 14-20 New Zealand Warriors
North Queensland Cowboys 30-18 Canterbury Bulldogs

The Panthers remain out on top on twelve points, with Souths and Eels behind them on ten. The Storm, Roosters and Dragons are on eight, while the Titans, Warriors, Knights and Raiders all have six. Sharks, Manly and Cowboys have four points, with Broncos and Wests on two. Still occupying the wooden spoon spot though are Canterbury Bulldogs, on zero.


Top Five Players of the Round

5) Kalyn Ponga (Knights)
A magnificent performance from Ponga helped the Knights to a big win over the Sharks. Two tries and two assists from full-back - Newcastle scored four tries and Ponga was involved in all of them.

4) Nathan Cleary (Panthers)
For the first time this season, the Panthers really had their backs against the wall on Thursday. Step forward Nathan Cleary, the best half-back in the world, to see them through the challenge and make it six wins out of six.

3) Tom Trbojevic (Manly)
What a massive different Turbo made on his first appearance of the season. A try and two assists for the 24-year-old and with him back in the team, Manly are a different proposition.

2) Isaiah Papali'i (Eels)
The second rower played the full 80 minutes, and got two tries, both of which were all about his power and physicality. 156 metres too as the Eels got on top of Canberra in the forwards battle.

1) Harry Grant (Storm)
The 23-year-old was unbelievable in just his fourth appearance for the Storm. Grant got a try of his own as well as an assist, a line break and 124 metres. Replacing Cameron Smith was always going to be impossible but it looks like they've got a hooker of immense quality here.


Top Five Tries of the Round

5) Jake Granville (Cowboys)
Superb full-back play from Valentine Holmes, arriving into the line out of the back and going through a gap. He then gives Granville the easy task of taking the ball to the line.


4) Clint Gutherson (Eels)
Excellent centre play from Opacic gets him away and in sight of the line, before he sends King Gutho over for a score.


3) Jason Saab (Manly)
All about Tom Trbojevic. Picks his spot, unleashes his pace, isolates Brimson and then finds Saab on the overlap, who has the simple task of running at full pelt and touching down.


2) Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors)
Exactly what you want to see from your full-back. RTS arrives into the line, takes them on, brushes off the challenge of a Dragons defender and touches down.


1) Shaun Lane (Eels)
One of the best team tries of the year so far. Moses and Smith interplay in the halves sets Lane free to crash over the line.



Team of the Round

Full-Back: Tom Trbojevic (Manly)
Turbo's running game caused havoc for the Titans on Saturday. They just couldn't live with him. His pace and ability to find gaps in the line looked as good as ever in his first game of 2021.

Winger: Maika Sivo (Eels)
The 27-year-old got a try and a line break for the Eels in their big win over Canberra. Did the dirty work too - 114 metres and no missed tackles.

Centre: Tom Opacic (Eels)
Opacic didn't get on the scoresheet this week but was a constant thorn in the Raiders' side. He made five tackle breaks, using his strength, power and elusiveness to constantly make up grounds for the Eels.

Centre: Brodie Jones (Knights)
Came on from the interchange bench very early and lasted the full game, scoring a try, making a line break and three tackle busts, and running 106 metres.

Winger: Brian To'o (Panthers)
Just the best winger in the world right now. He didn't score a try but 113 post-contact metres is just ludicrous.

Stand-Off: Adam Doueihi (Wests)
Desperately unlucky to be on the losing side. Got an assist but it was his kicking game that caused Souths so many problems, forcing three goal line drop-outs.

Scrum-Half: Nathan Cleary (Panthers)
Such a clutch player for the Panthers. They weren't at their best but they found a way to win, like all great champions do, and it was Cleary who led them to that win.

Prop: Christian Welch (Storm)
Welch is one of the most consistent props in the competition. He never does anything flashy but can always be relied upon to give a good display, and that's what he did on Friday, making over 100 metres and missing just two tackles. 

Hooker: Harry Grant (Storm)
Just a wonderful performance. Came off the interchange bench and changed the game completely. His pace of distribution, his running game and his creative passing. Excellent.

Prop: Josh Aloai (Manly)
The Titans are usually dominant in the forward pack but Manly got on top of them on Saturday, in no small part down to Josh Aloai, who made 191 metres and didn't miss a tackle in his stint. 

Second Row: Isaiah Papali'i (Eels)
Two tries and five tackle busts for the second rower who was on fire at the weekend. Made 51 post-contact metres too and was twice in the right place to arrive onto the ball and crash over the line.

Second Row: Tevita Pangai (Broncos)
Such a versatile player, Pangai was in the second row for the Broncos, who were desperately unlucky to lose. He got a try, made three tackle breaks and 28 post-contact metres.

Loose Forward: Cameron Murray (Souths)
Consistently punched holes in the Wests defence and showed great footwork to get Souths' first try. Definitely the in-form 13 in the competition at the minute.


Next Time Out...

Round Seven kicks off with the Panthers - can they make it seven wins out of seven against the Knights? The Souths face a tricky trip to the inconsistent Gold Coast Titans on Friday, which is followed with the Eels hosting the Broncos. The Bulldogs will hope to pick up their first win of 2021 when they take on the Sharks, while the Cowboys are looking to maintain their positive recent form at home to the Raiders. Sunday sees Wests host Manly in a big game near the bottom, before the Roosters play the Dragons - two teams trying to bounce back from defeats this weekend, while the weekend finishes with the Storm at home to the Warriors.


@ALooseWire

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