NRL TEAMS - 2024 Round 4
2 days ago | LeagueUnlimited Media
First of all, I'd like to apologise for not having ITS ready for your viewing delight on Thursday this week.
I know you're thinking, ‘Fair suck of the sav mate, you've ruined my long weekend.' Please forgive me and know that I'll be on time from now on*
*Probably.
Anyhoo, let's get our glad-rags on and rip into round 2 of the 2016 NRL season. Just one week into the campaign, I am close to locking in another all-Queensland decider and those that know me realise that is a painful thing to say. Now I know it's a big (and extremely early) call, but those bloody banana benders are looking pretty sharp once again. Speaking of looking sharp, Shaun Kenny Dowall responded very well indeed to the glare of the spotlight and was one of the Chooks best on the weekend. What makes his performance even more impressive is the fact that most of his team mates played like they were halfway through a really bad date… they were disinterested and wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible as they were belted by the Bunnies 42-10. Ouch.
On to my old mate Ray Warren and the news was pretty good on that front too. I challenged the big unit and he responded in style, with some of his calling harking back to his prime of the 1990's. And how good is his head of hair? Just sublime.
Who's under pressure this week? I have a couple of names to put forward.
Andrew McFadden
Fadsy. McFaddo. Andy Mac. I wouldn't have a clue if this bloke has any of these nicknames but what I do know is that a fortnight into 2016, the New Zealand Warriors coach is already feeling the heat. This is a seriously good NZ side, with a very telling two-word proviso attached; on paper. Ask the 2004, 2005 or 2006 Dragons sides how much that means in the heat of battle and they'll kindly remind you it means very, very little (not that I'm bitter or anything). The Wazzas lost a game of veritable touch footy in week one to a dangerous young Tigers side and they need to show plenty more commitment in defence if they want to push the Broncos away from home. Let's see what he comes up with and how his troops respond.
Lachlan Croker
The nephew of legendary Green Machine icon Jason Croker, who played 1,265 games for the club in a glittering 46-year career has a big weekend ahead. Just 19 years of age, the young tadpole (Get it? Croker refers to frog, Lachlan's a young frog, thus, tadpole; brilliant) is filling in at five-eighth after Blake Austin was called away to Hollywood to attend a Sons of Anarchy reunion. While Souths cooked the Chookies comfortably last week, the Roosters are still a quality side and it's shaping up as a real baptism of fire.
So I have all bases covered, I have come up with a headline which caters for either a good or not so good debut.
The positive spin: Croker the Rooster smoker (I see no innuendo possibilities here)
The not-so-positive spin: Crash Lachlan-ding for debutant as Chooks rule the roost.
See ya next time.