Knights in shambles
The Newcastle Knights trialed their fifth halves combination in NRL Round 22.
It speaks volumes of the lack of development in key positions under Adam O’Brien in recent seasons.
The Knights have one of the best fullbacks in the game but simply need to do better in providing him positive involvements in attack.
Jackson Hastings has his doubters but he’s a genuine halfback who knows how to play a few tackles ahead of time to create genuine looks in attack.
He’s not a stats-sheet guy and the rhetoric around his poor attacking output is lazy and misguided; Hastings will never be the one throwing the try assist pass but he can organise all the little things leading up to a scoring action.
Jack Cogger earned his current contract by doing similar things for Penrith last year and while either (not both together, mind you…) profiled nicely on paper as organising first-receivers while Ponga sweeps out the back, it hasn’t translated consistently onto the field.
On the right edge, Will Pryce showed promising signs at five-eighth once making his NRL debut but was given just three games alongside Hastings (of which Newcastle won two) before being shuffled along.
Tyson Gamble is a known quantity at this point and while his effort areas are superb, he doesn’t offer the ballplaying at No.6 to complement Ponga at fullback.
Now left needing another miracle run into the finals – something that saved O’Brien’s job this time last year – we’re seemingly no closer to finding the best version of this Knights attack.
A friendly run home helps and they certainly have the talent to do it, but a lack of combinations at this point in the season may end up Newcastle’s – and potentially Adam O’Brien’s – undoing.
Dragons roar to life
Jharal Yow Yeh and I have been higher than most on St George-Illawarra this season and their drought-breaking win over Melbourne in Melbourne last week was the culmination of all the Dragons improvements under Shane Flanagan in 2024.
St George’s defence in NRL Round 22 was superb.
Tyrell Sloan was spotted up on his own line in a worryingly familiar look for the young fullback but aside from that, the Red V wall held firm.
You can cop Jahrome Hughes burning a forward down a short side or a three-pass grubber kick try providing your defence elsewhere stands up – which it did.
The Dragons forced Melbourne to produce some special plays in attack and their defensive efforts kept them in position to win it with a few special moments of their own.
Flanagan got the response he was looking for after dropping Sloan to reserve grade last week.
The kid can do things other fullbacks simply can’t (burning Ryan Papenhuyzen untouched, for example) and his speed directly led to two Dragons tries last week.
He’s still got some defensive deficiencies but Sloan can be a net-positive with these types of involvements in attack.
Numbers rarely tell the full story but the stats from last week offer some clues as to how St George went with Melbourne for 80 minutes in NRL Round 22.
All of the Dragons back five clocked 100+ running metres last week, as their productivity early in sets allowed St George to stay in the fight through the middle and fatigue a Storm outfit working off their own line.
With a forward pack that loaded up in defence to consistently win the ruck, the Dragons also prevented Melbourne from attacking in yardage as they’ve done successfully in recent weeks.
What you’ll get in this NRL Round 21 Review:
– Variation in Storm attack around halfway
– Eyes up footy
– What changed for the Roosters
– Bulldogs in yardage
– Beware of the second kickhttps://t.co/lwTEDEjbWT— Rugby League Writers (@rlwriters) July 29, 2024
The challenge now for St George-Illawarra is to back it up again this week against the Bulldogs – another team who has been comfortable in the grind all season.
Canterbury also rely on their outside backs in yardage while the boot of Matt Burton offsets what is an otherwise poor yardage game (fourth-least total run metres).
Given the productivity of the Dragons outside backs last week, they profile as a deciding factor for St George again in NRL Round 23.
Titans keeping in touch
Injuries have been a fair excuse for a number of clubs – including the Gold Coast Titans – this season.
To respond in this current fashion after dropping their first six games is a testament to new Head Coach Des Hasler and the efforts of his roster.
We knew it would take time for the Gold Coast to adjust to the ‘Mad Scientist’, and adjust they have.
The Titans have figured out their strengths and how to play towards them on the field, Kieran Foran is relishing an on-the-ball role, playing at first receiver on both sides of the ruck to direct the Titans attack.
From there, Jayden Campbell and David Fifita are forming a very likely combination on the left edge while Keano Kini goes from strength to strength on the right as a genuine triple threat (run, pass, kick) to the defence.
Unlike Newcastle (see above), the Gold Coast Titans are enjoying the benefits of team cohesion and combinations right now; on both sides of the ball.
Not only do they now have repeatable actions down either edge in attack, but defensively the Titans are unrecognisable from the opening rounds.
After conceding an average 27.8 points per game over the first 12 weeks, the Titans have cut that down to 21.5 per game since – and that number is skewed by two outlier results against South Sydney and Manly in the past two months.
It’s a very tough run home for the Titans from here but of all teams currently outside the Top Eight, the Gold Coast are arguably the most in form right now.
Even if they don’t make finals, season 2024 will go down as one of the more promising building years in the club’s short history and they already profile as major improvers for season 2025.
Written by Oscar Pannifex | rugbyleaguewriters.com