South Sydney’s Jye Gray currently sits atop the Dally M Leaderboard after playing a starring role in the Rabbitohs 3-and-1 start to the season.
Amid an injury crisis that has wiped four of Souths starting back five, Gray has been immense. Most importantly is his average 213 running metres per game (currently the best in the league) which is offsetting a Rabbitohs yardage game that ranks below average after four games played.
It’s this element of Gray’s game that demands consideration on the eve of Latrell Mitchell’s return; can South Sydney afford to lose the output of Gray in yardage?
Whilst Gray’s workrate is excellent, he’s quickly become a spot for attacking teams when filling into the front line.
Briton Nikora and Liam Martin scored very similar tries in consecutive weeks, punishing the Rabbitohs ruck defence for over chasing after protecting Gray on the inside. It’s an isolated example of how a smaller body can influence a defensive line; as willing as Gray is to get his body in front, it only counts for so much when that body weighs 78kgs.
When on the ball, Gray’s run-first style is helping Souths work down the field effectively but he’s left points out tre in all four games to start the year. Where Mitchell’s strongest attribute is his pass selection out the back of shape, Gray appears far less comfortable with the ball out in front in two hands.
It’s likely these qualities that had Wayne Bennett declare Mitchell as the Rabbitohs first-choice fullback when fit. Amidst another backline injury crisis this week however, there is merit to the idea of playing Mitchell in the centres in NRL Round 5.
Either way, I love the value in Trell Mitt to score this week against his former club.
Souths have a lovely little block-shape trick shot they like to use for Mitchell in good-ball and the spaces around Siua Wong can be a target for him here. If he’s out in the centres, he’ll have young Robert Toia in front of him who’s made some questionable defensive decisions under pressure to start the season.
Tips: South Sydney Rabbitohs win, Latrell Mitchell try
Revisiting the Raiders attack
After racking up 30+ points in their first two games, the Canberra Raiders unorthodox attack came to a shuddering halt in NRL Round 4.
With a fatiguing and leaky North Queensland defensive line in front of them (and a 10 minute period with Coen Hess sitting in the bin), the Raiders wasted multiple opportunities on the ball while chasing points.
Between poor fifth tackle options and inexplicably failing to draw and pass in the backfield, Canberra cost themselves a winnable game in Townsville last week. Their most promising passage of play in the second half was an outside backs exit set into a contestable kick for Xavier Savage; hardly a repeatable attacking action.
While the Raiders dominate in yardage and through the middle, their good-ball attack remains an issue. We saw glimpses of Ethan Strange, Sebastian Kris and Hudson Young linking up nicely last season and to begin this year, but outside of that it’s difficult to get a read on what Canberra are trying to do with the ball.
The spaces around Nicho Hynes were a target for the Bulldogs attack last week and should be again for the Raiders here.
Tips: Ethan Strange try, Hudson Young try
Canterbury’s kick chase
Sitting pretty in poll position in the 2025 NRL premiership race, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs defensive systems continue to impress.
If you’re looking for an example of the little things Canterbury do so well off the ball right now, keep an eye on their kick chase this week.
The number of bodies they get in the line and in good position to either catch a defender as they hit the ground or pin them in a corner has a flow-on effect throughout the rest of the set. It’s no coincidence that smaller bodies like Reed Mahoney, Kurt Mann or Kurtis Morrin regularly shoot out of the line to jam an opposition ball carrier; they’re able to position themselves early and make strong defensive decisions early in the tackle count thanks to the work of their kick chasers.
In attack, we saw Cameron Ciraldo make a very clever adjustment last week with two key attacking pieces (Matt Burton & Viliame Kikau) sidelined.
Bailey Hayward’s ability to straighten the attack and Jacob Preston’s timing and angles proved a winning formula on a Bulldogs new-look left edge that crossed three times in NRL Round 4. They profile nicely against a Newcastle Knights right-side defence that’s struggled under pressure to begin the year.
Look for Toby Sexton or Kurt Mann to link the ruck and the edges before Hayward, Preston and Bronson Xerri land the killer blow on the tram lines.
Tips: Under 46.5 total points, Bailey Hayward try, Jacob Preston try