It was the best of NRL Round 5 and the very blurst of the NRL round 5, and who is best qualified to sort the lamb from the mutton? We are of course, having somehow watched every minute of every game this weekend that we stayed awake for, and our weekly review is here for the very many of you that are interested.
As ever we have our debatable NRL Round 5 Team of the Week, point out the things that made us love Rugby League this weekend, some things that gave us the irits, plus a few choice things from each game.
Way too much information? Never fear, we won’t go into too much details. We’ve watched all the games so you didn’t have to. Feel free to use our review as the dot point plan for those workplace discussions over the coming week.
NRL ROUND 5 TEAM OF THE WEEK
Who were the star performers this weekend, worthy of a spot in our Team of Week. Check out our wonderful list below. It is hard some weeks with so many great performances in the same positions, but we manage to cram in the best 13 by positions, and a bench of four of the best after that.
1 – Kalyn Ponga
2 – Jordan Rapana
3 – Joey Leilua
4 – Euan Aitken
5 – David Fusitu’a
6 – Luke Keary
7 – Benji Marshall
8 – Jarrod Wallace
9 – Isaac Luke
10 – Ben Matulino
11 – Jai Arrow
12 – Joseph Tapine
13 – Nathan Brown
14 – Josh Mansour
15 – James Maloney
16 – Shaun Johnson
17 – Nene McDonald
PEACHES OF THE WEEK
As good as our Team of the Week is, some were just a little better and deserve more Player of the Year points. So here are our top 5 players for the weekend.
5 – Benji Marshall
4 – Jai Arrow
3 – Kalyn Ponga
2 – Joey Leilua
1 – Nathan Brown
TEAM OF THE YEAR – THE MARVELLOUS MAVIN MEDAL
We will keep score and unveil the leaderboard from Round 6 onward. Each player of the week gets two points, and the Top 5 get extras. Talk about sizzle…..and it’s coming after this weekend. Feel the anticipation of the masses.
BEST OF THINGS FROM NRL ROUND 5
OUR FAVOURITE THINGS OF THE WEEK
Just a few of our favourite things….unlike whiskers on kittens.
Sunday afternoon rugby league….in Gladstone.
The two winners in New Zealand in Round 5, both continuing their surprising start to the season. One could argue both should be undefeated.
WORST OF THINGS FROM NRL ROUND 5
Seeing the Cowboys struggling so badly.
Bulldogs.
Please no more Parramatta on the Sunday 4pm game.
A GAME BY GAME GUIDE of the GREAT, GRIPE, and GRAPE FROM NRL ROUND 5
RAIDERS 26 BULLDOGS 10
LOUNGE RATING (Watchable factor out of 10)
7 / 10
TALKING POINTS
1 – Is Aaron Woods the most disappointing Big Name signing for 2018? Him getting in the way of a desperately trying Josh Morris for an obstruction in the last few minutes about sums up his contribution so far in 2018.
2 – Hopefully the Leilua-Rapana Show is back for 2018, after a lean 2017.
3 – Raiders were super brave with only 14 players to choose from in the second half.
7 / 10
TALKING POINTS
1 – Is Aaron Woods the most disappointing Big Name signing for 2018? Him getting in the way of a desperately trying Josh Morris for an obstruction in the last few minutes about sums up his contribution so far in 2018.
2 – Hopefully the Leilua-Rapana Show is back for 2018, after a lean 2017.
3 – Raiders were super brave with only 14 players to choose from in the second half.
4 – Perhaps, like Hayne Cam in 2016, Fox Sports could have a Red Button Sticky Cam option to watch the Canberra mentor in action.
BEST PLAYERS
Winners- Joey Leilua
Losers – Josh Morris
Winners- Joey Leilua
Losers – Josh Morris
ROOSTERS 28 SHARKS 10
LOUNGE RATING (Watchable factor out of 10)
6 / 10 – Terrible timeslot
TALKING POINTS
1 – Sharks home form a worry.
2 – Keary v Cronk has the potential to be something special. With added Tedesco to do some real damage. When it all comes together.
3 – Surely Keary for Origin. Although, he could hardly be classed as an Origin Bolter. Nice one Rusty for getting rid of him.
6 / 10 – Terrible timeslot
TALKING POINTS
1 – Sharks home form a worry.
2 – Keary v Cronk has the potential to be something special. With added Tedesco to do some real damage. When it all comes together.
3 – Surely Keary for Origin. Although, he could hardly be classed as an Origin Bolter. Nice one Rusty for getting rid of him.
BEST PLAYERS
Winners – Luke Keary
Losers – Paul Gallen
Winners – Luke Keary
Losers – Paul Gallen
DRAGONS 16 RABBITOHS 12
LOUNGE RATING (Watchable factor out of 10)
7 / 10 – Good finish
TALKING POINTS
1 – Our favourite two players from PNG, no surprise.
2 – How did the Rabbitohs stay so close when Dragons looked so much better. Esp just a 8-2 half time lead.
3 – What to do with Greg Inglis? Moving to fullback punishes Johnston.
4 – Dragons looked super sharp, Souths way too many errors.
7 / 10 – Good finish
TALKING POINTS
1 – Our favourite two players from PNG, no surprise.
2 – How did the Rabbitohs stay so close when Dragons looked so much better. Esp just a 8-2 half time lead.
3 – What to do with Greg Inglis? Moving to fullback punishes Johnston.
4 – Dragons looked super sharp, Souths way too many errors.
BEST PLAYERS
Winners – Nene McDonald
Losers – Alex Johnston
Winners – Nene McDonald
Losers – Alex Johnston
TIGERS 11 STORM 10
LOUNGE RATING (Watchable factor out of 10)
7 / 10 – Not the greatest match, but loving seeing the Wests Tigers grind out wins.
TALKING POINTS
1 – Tigers are the ultimate Storm party pooper, wrecking milestone games for Craig Bellamy and Billy Slater.
2 – Tigers are also on target to concede less than 300 for the season. They have only scored more points this season than Parramatta, who have scored 36% of the points against the Tigers this season. And more than Melbourne in two games.
7 / 10 – Not the greatest match, but loving seeing the Wests Tigers grind out wins.
TALKING POINTS
1 – Tigers are the ultimate Storm party pooper, wrecking milestone games for Craig Bellamy and Billy Slater.
2 – Tigers are also on target to concede less than 300 for the season. They have only scored more points this season than Parramatta, who have scored 36% of the points against the Tigers this season. And more than Melbourne in two games.
3 – We were wondering who out of Marshall v Reynolds wins the starting spot. Had to be Benji.
4 – The Munster-Slater try shows that something good can come from a play from a scrum that isn’t just throwing the ball one pass wide to the biggest individual available.
4 – The Munster-Slater try shows that something good can come from a play from a scrum that isn’t just throwing the ball one pass wide to the biggest individual available.
BEST PLAYERS
Winners – Benji Marshall
Losers – Cameron Smith
Winners – Benji Marshall
Losers – Cameron Smith
WARRIORS 22 COWBOYS 12
LOUNGE RATING (Watchable factor out of 10)
8 / 10
TALKING POINTS
1 – We finally admit we got the Warriors wrong by poo-pooing their chances at the start of the year, but we’ve always enjoyed their style win or loss, so is still good to watch.
8 / 10
TALKING POINTS
1 – We finally admit we got the Warriors wrong by poo-pooing their chances at the start of the year, but we’ve always enjoyed their style win or loss, so is still good to watch.
2 – Calls that Thurston should have retired are harsh and premature. But he does look off the pace, and that injury during the game didn’t help. But he’s not alone in underwhelming.
3 – What’s the point of Te Maire Martin. Great player no doubt, but he is not a backup hooker. Better off letting a Josh Chudleigh type get that NRL exposure and put Jake Granville under pressure to maintain position.
BEST PLAYERS
Winners – Isaac Luke
Losers – Ben Hampton
Winners – Isaac Luke
Losers – Ben Hampton
KNIGHT 15 BRONCOS 10
LOUNGE RATING (Watchable factor out of 10)
7 / 10
TALKING POINTS
1 – Not even a firing Anthony Milford can save Broncos.
2 – Kalyn Ponga is something
3 – Corey Oates is a winger, as much as he wants to be a forward.
4 – Are Gillett and Maguire having the same impact in 2018, and is that as much of the problem as the halves.
7 / 10
TALKING POINTS
1 – Not even a firing Anthony Milford can save Broncos.
2 – Kalyn Ponga is something
3 – Corey Oates is a winger, as much as he wants to be a forward.
4 – Are Gillett and Maguire having the same impact in 2018, and is that as much of the problem as the halves.
5 – Mitchell Pearce is a great NRL halfback.
6 – Early field goals are s-m-r-t
6 – Early field goals are s-m-r-t
BEST PLAYERS
Winners – Kalyn Ponga
Losers – Anthony Milford
Winners – Kalyn Ponga
Losers – Anthony Milford
TITANS 32 SEA EAGLES 20
LOUNGE RATING (Watchable factor out of 10)
9 / 10
TALKING POINTS
1 – What a remarkable turn around from the Titans after getting pants pulled down in Toowoomba a few weeks ago.
2 – For all the good DCE does, it’s hard to see him in Maroon for Origin
3 – Were their glimpses of the real Bryce Cartwright returning?
4 – Given the crowd, and support the game received in Gladstone, doesn’t it makes sense to do an all Country Week round of the NRL (the Queensland Cup does it every year – here’s this year’s schedule), or perhaps set aside one game a week for 16 rounds for each team to take one game to the bush. Perhaps the early Saturday/Sunday game. Or the rubbish Friday timeslot at 6pm. Probably easier for people in Mudgee, Casino or Cairns to get to a game by 6pm, and it’s not as if NRL cares about the crowd figure for these games.
9 / 10
TALKING POINTS
1 – What a remarkable turn around from the Titans after getting pants pulled down in Toowoomba a few weeks ago.
2 – For all the good DCE does, it’s hard to see him in Maroon for Origin
3 – Were their glimpses of the real Bryce Cartwright returning?
4 – Given the crowd, and support the game received in Gladstone, doesn’t it makes sense to do an all Country Week round of the NRL (the Queensland Cup does it every year – here’s this year’s schedule), or perhaps set aside one game a week for 16 rounds for each team to take one game to the bush. Perhaps the early Saturday/Sunday game. Or the rubbish Friday timeslot at 6pm. Probably easier for people in Mudgee, Casino or Cairns to get to a game by 6pm, and it’s not as if NRL cares about the crowd figure for these games.
BEST PLAYERS
Winners – Jai Arrow
Losers – DCE
Winners – Jai Arrow
Losers – DCE
PANTHER 12 EELS 6
LOUNGE RATING (Watchable factor out of 10)
5 / 10
TALKING POINTS
1 – Is it all over for the Eels? Only Gutherson’s return looks a saviour. Thankfully this weekend is their first chance to test that.
2 – Considering Griffin was one of the most likely to get the boot as coach, things look all good at Penrith. Their 2018 season so far, has been the most underrated in comparison to hype of Warriors, Dragons and Tigers. Especially given the last two wins were without Nathan Cleary.
5 / 10
TALKING POINTS
1 – Is it all over for the Eels? Only Gutherson’s return looks a saviour. Thankfully this weekend is their first chance to test that.
2 – Considering Griffin was one of the most likely to get the boot as coach, things look all good at Penrith. Their 2018 season so far, has been the most underrated in comparison to hype of Warriors, Dragons and Tigers. Especially given the last two wins were without Nathan Cleary.
3 – Maloney is playing himself into a Blues jersey nicely. Same for Nathan Brown.
BEST PLAYERS
Winners – James Maloney
Losers – Nathan Brown
Winners – James Maloney
Losers – Nathan Brown
