Ben Hunt can lay claim to being the most irreplaceable player in the NRL.
The Dragons have now lost the last eight straight games that Hunt has missed and coach Anthony Griffin will breathe a lot easier when the final State of Origin game is done and dusted on Wednesday night.
The Dragons should have been a good chance against the Baby Broncos on Sunday but were well beaten 32-18 by a team missing 11 top-liners.
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Young halves Talatau Amone and Jayden Sullivan had a few flashes of class for the Dragons but lacked the game management skills and kicking skills of Hunt.
Overall, the Dragons were a disappointment, failing to take advantage of the Broncos’ mass changes.
A win would have been a massive step towards securing a finals berth for the Dragons – now they face a dogfight over the next month.
Staggs shines for Brisbane
Full marks to Kotoni Staggs for taking the criticism that came his way last week on board and responding in devastating style.
Staggs was barely sighted in the big loss to the Cowboys a week ago, making just six runs for 33 metres.
But with nearly a dozen players missing against the Dragons yesterday, coach Kevin Walters asked Staggs for a special effort and the powerhouse centre responded.
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Staggs bagged two fine tries and worried the Dragons’ defence every time he had a little room to move.
It was a much improved performance by the classy outside back – and shows why the Broncos have such high expectations of him.
The double ended a seven match try drought by Staggs and he’ll be a vital man in the run in to the finals in coming weeks.
Can Moses lead Eels to the promised land?
The radar right boot of Mitchell Moses shapes as the x-factor in Parramatta’s premiership challenge.
Moses has 22 try assists this season, with 13 of these coming off kicks.
Invariably every week, Moses’ kicking game plays a crucial part in the Eels’ fate on the field.
Isaiah Papali’i scored a vital try in the hard-fought 28-20 win over the Tigers from a well-placed Moses grubber while several other kicks had the home side scrambling.
If Moses can maintain his form, the Eels will be a threat to the premiership’s big guns.
Pole’s impressive debut
It’s dark times in Tiger town, with the team now at the bottom of the NRL ladder.
But amidst the ruin of the loss to the Eels, there was a shining light.
Prop Fonua Pole, aged just 20, made his starting debut yet ran for more metres than any forward on the field.
Pole made 167 metres in only 49 minutes and is one of a host of promising juniors in the Tigers’ pathways.
It would be a long time since a 20-year-old prop led the yardage in his starting debut – especially against a quality team like the Eels.
Pole has an interesting background – he was born in New Zealand, grew up in Victoria playing AFL football before switching to league, where he was spotted by astute Tigers recruitment boss Warren McDonnell.
He was playing in the SG Ball Cup last year and has had a meteoric rise to the top grade.
Walker stands tall
Mark down Friday night as the turning point of Cody Walker‘s season.
The Rabbitohs’ magician has copped plenty of flak in the first half of the season – and deservedly so.
But with seven players missing and his halfback partner Lachlan Ilias lasting just two tackles, Walker stood tall.
The classy five-eighth took a game that was in the balance by the scruff of the neck, leading the Rabbitohs to a 40-28 comeback win in Newcastle.
Walker scored two tries and laid on two more in a vintage performance that gained the Bunnies an invaluable two points.
It would have done his confidence the world of good and is a great sign for Souths coming into the finals.
Bellamy left fuming
Every year the critics say the Storm will struggle during the Origin period – and finally they may be proved correct.
In previous years, Craig Bellamy has always found a way to win – or at least be competitive – in big games with the stars missing.
But in 2022, the Storm are in a deep, dark hole.
They’ve lost four of their last seven matches, conceding over 30 points in three of those defeats and 28 in the other.
Basic errors have never been a Storm trait but two of their superstars produced absolute clangers against the Sharks.
Jahrome Hughes failed to find touch from a penalty while Brandon Smith was sin binned for abusing the referee – while in possession!
It was a performance that had Bellamy seething and there appear to be serious cracks in the previously impenetrable Storm wall.
Sharks wingers stand out again
The NRL has some exciting wing combinations in 2022 – and Cronulla’s duo of Ronaldo Mulitalo and Sione Katoa are right up there with them.
The pair each got on the scoreboard in the big 28-6 upset win over the Storm, taking their tally to 25 between them this season with plenty of football still to be played.
Both are fine finishers but more importantly, are happy to roll their sleeves up and make the hard yards when the Sharks are stuck deep in their own territory working for field position.
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