For the second straight week, the Bulldogs have mounted an incredible second-half comeback, this time stunning the Sydney Roosters with a 24-20 win.
The Dogs trailed 14-nil at the break before taking advantage of a tiring Roosters side with Matt Burton icing the game with a try inside the final five minutes.
That came after a clear frontrunner for try of the season from Mark Nawaqanitawase, who had several highlights for the game – but also several moments to forget.
Earlier, Newcastle’s miserable season continued, scoring just one try in a lacklustre 28-6 loss to the Parramatta Eels.
Zac Lomax starred with a double on his return from a foot injury, while Mitchell Moses also impressed Origin selectors with a dominant performance from start to finish.
1. Crichton’s Origin hopes OK despite high shot
Three minutes into the second half, Bulldogs skipper Stephen Crichton went to tackle Lindsay Collins, who had just cleaned up a grubber kick on the ground, collecting the Rooster high.
The moment was penalised by the officials, but not placed on report.
Crichton has subsequently been charged and faces a ban of two matches for the dangerous contact due to his poor judiciary record. But the NSW centre can avoid the suspension and be free for Origin selection if he pays a fine of $3000.
Understandably, opinion on the hit from the commentators was divided along state lines.
“I think the way that the game has moved since a couple of weeks ago, I don’t think it’s too bad, so I think he’ll be okay,” Channel Nine’s Brad Fittler said post-game.
But former Maroons halfback Johnathan Thurston disagreed.
“There’s still a duty of care when someone is on the ground. You still need a wrapping motion, which he has not done that at all,” he said.
2. The good and bad of Nawaqanitawase
It’s just the former Wallaby’s eighth game in the NRL, but he has already found himself on the eternal highlight reel with one of the greatest tries you’ll see in the game.
Running out of room on the sideline, he kicked for himself off one leg – somehow keeping his balance, then chasing through to get to the ball before it went dead. There was only a centimetre or two to spare.
He got up nodding confidently, knowing the whole time that he got there.
It was his second for the game after opening the scoring off a slick backline play.
Former state and national halfback Greg Alexander was stunned watching it in commentary.
“He was on one leg when he kicked the ball,” Brandy said, struggling for words to describe it.
“Oh he can’t. Oh my god how did he do that? What an effort from this man.
“He hopped on one leg to stay in the field of play.”
Afterwards, another great halfback, Shaun Johnson, was also full of praise.
“I wish the Roosters won so we could sit there and just talk about that try,” Johnson said on Fox League.
“That finish is up there with one of the best individual finishes that I have ever seen – the coordination and balance.”
It wasn’t his only highlight of the game. Earlier, he came up with a mouth-watering pass that nearly led to a Roosters try.
He was able to scoop up the ball and, holding the ball in his right hand, was able to flick the ball around his back to Robert Toia on the inside.
Unfortunately for the Roosters, he dropped the ball over the line while grounding and the Bunker chalked off a vital try.
But for all of his scoring and magical play, it was far from a perfect game. The winger had a nightmare under the high ball, dropping three bombs as part of his six errors for the game.
“The cost is really high of those (errors),” Roosters coach Trent Robinson said.
“He is a really good catcher, I think there is too much effort in the jump. It’s not through lack of technique … It’s an easy fix.
“But those hurt tonight. I can understand Mark is hurting in there.”
3. Why isn’t Burton being spoken about for Origin?
Bulldogs just don’t know when they are beaten, and with all the speculation over the NSW halves, it was a forgotten five-eighth, Matt Burton, who stood up to get the Dogs home.
Burton not only scored the match-winning try, but his kicking game helped get his side back in the game.
He had 14 kicks for 545 metres, three times causing headaches for rugby recruit Nawaqanitawase, who had a nervous time under his kicks.
It was the five-eighth’s first try of the season, and may not have come out of the blue as everyone thought.
“I sort of planned that throughout the week, and knew the opportunity would come in the back half, back through the middle,” Burton told Channel Nine post-game.
“It just came off the back of all the hard work we put into them in the second half. We have a lot to work on, but super proud of the effort tonight.”
Matt Burton. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
On foot, he had nine runs for 77 metres and a line break, and while Mitch Moses and Jarome Luai have been the proposed choices for the Blues’ five-eighth role, is everyone forgetting Burton?
He is coming from a winning and confident side, his kicking game is one of the best in the game and he has previous experience playing with Nathan Cleary.
4. Lomax, Moses star in Eels thumping to stake Origin claims
The Parramatta winger was making his return to the field for the first time since round 5, and quickly ensured that Laurie Daley’s selection headache would go right down to the wire.
The winger scored a double, scoring 16 of his team’s 28 points and finished with a game high 259 run metres from 29 carries.
He was showing his representative experience, dominating on the right edge against Newcastle debutant Fletcher Hunt. Not only with his strength and speed, but also his height, as Moses sent several kicks his way.
“(Lomax’s) yardage carries are outstanding but you notice he’s around opportunities. Things happen around him. It’s good to have that back in our team,” said Eels coach Jason Ryles.
Mitch Moses may also have played himself into an Origin jersey. The Eels’ half not only scored the opening try of the game, but also had some great defensive efforts. It impressed Steve Roach, who was full of praise during the commentary.
“Laurie Daley will be looking at that. Good defence for a halfback,” Roach said.
“Getting the shoulder and digging in like that.
“I had Luai there (in the Blues team) but after watching tonight (Moses) defence has been absolutely outstanding.”
Eight-time Blues representative Ryles also says the Blues are spoiled for choice, especially in the halves, and both deserved to be picked.
“The NSW team has got a lot of quality players, especially in the outside backs and in the halves,” he said.
“Being a New South Welshman, that’s great. I won’t be surprised if those two boys are named, that’s for sure.”
5. Lindsay Collins’ step closer to Maroons jersey, while Teddy hasn’t given up on Origin
In his first game back since round 5, the Roosters forward scored a try to extend his side’s lead late in the first half.
He played 36 minutes off the bench, with 82 metres and three tackle breaks and 15 tackles.
Cooper Cronk and Kevin Walters gave their endorsement of Collins during the halftime show, confident that Billy Slater would recall him.
His skipper, James Tedesco, continued his good form, playing like he hasn’t given up on an Origin recall.
The Roosters skipper played a hand in his team’s impressive first try to Nawaqanitawase, coming up with a vital assist to give his side the early lead.
He then nearly scored a try late in the first half. He dropped the ball, but intelligently used the Captain’s Challenge to get a repeat set from a high shot.
Tedesco had 28 runs for a team-high 183 metres, including three tackle breaks and two line break assists. More importantly, defensively, he came up with some big tackles and guarded the in goal to help keep the Dogs scoreless at the break.
While incumbent NSW Blues fullback Dylan Edwards is favoured to hold his spot, you can see how much Tedesco wants it back with his form in recent weeks.
The Kick: Ponga fails to spark Knights against Eels
From the Blues fullback to the proposed Maroons fullback and Kalyn Ponga is not exactly setting the world on fire with his form.
Individually, he had the most run metres for the Knights with 256 metres, with six tackle breaks and two line breaks.
But he also produced four errors, including off a big hit from Eels’ winger Josh Addo-Carr. That was a moment that summed up his team’s performance, with Newcastle never looking like troubling the Eels at home.
It’s continued a horror stretch for the Knights. With the exception of the South Sydney win in Magic Round have not looked troubling to any side since the Dolphins in round 2. The Novocastrians are now in a bit of a crisis, warming as favorites for the wooden spoon and seemingly no end to the downward spiral.
In a team game, Ponga cannot be held solely responsible for all of his team’s mistakes and lack off attacking pressure, but as a leader he needs to be showing more at a team-level before being rewarded with a Queensland jumper.
He may be the favourite to step into the role with Reece Walsh out injured, but he is going to need to lift another few gears to cope with the intensity of the Origin challenge. The lead-up games in the past few weeks have been underwhelming.
Maybe it’s not too late for Billy Slater to put a more in-form Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow at the back and rejig the backline?
– with AAP
