NRL Talking Points

Click here to become a registered member

Hey there, Welcome to Rugbyleagueforum. We hope you enjoy your visit.
This board has sections that cover domestic and international rugby league competitions, as well as games in progress, and current rugby league news.

???*•.¸¸¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•???¸.•?*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•???•*
???¦H¦A¦P¦P¦Y¦?¦N¦E ¦W¦¦?¦Y¦E¦A¦R¦¦???
*•???*•.¸¸¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•?¸.•?*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•???•«

If you don't feel like registering, you are still able to reply to any topic you choose simply by clicking on the "Add Reply" Button, but you do need to be registered to start your own topics, plus have access to the other special features on this board

Click Here To become a registered member of rugbyleagueforum.com

NRL Talking Points; round nine
Topic Started: May 9 2010, 11:31 AM (62 Views)
stacey	May 9 2010, 11:31 AM Post #1
Administrator Posts: 5,737 Group: Admins Member #1 Joined: May 22, 2009	A representative-riddled weekend of rugby league threw up some of the tries, hits and games of the season so far. We have picked six key talking points for you to discuss. KIWIS CLOSING THE GAP: Having not lost a mid-season Test against New Zealand since 1998, Australia were well backed to blow away an under-strength Kiwis side on Friday night. But while leading from start to finish, the Kangaroos struggled to kill off the visitors, who again demonstrated the type of never-say-die attitude which burned Australia in the 2008 World Cup final. Although dreary conditions, the absence of Johnathan Thurston and the mid-match injury to Cameron Smith appeared to stifle the Kangaroos' attack, the 12-8 scoreline prompted Kiwis captain Benji Marshall to declare his side believed they were becoming "equal or even better" than the Kangaroos. Are New Zealand closing the gap at Test level, or did injuries to key Aussie players and poor weather flatter the Kiwis' performance on Friday night? Tell us what you think. DUGAN'S DAZZLING REP DEBUT: The hype surrounding Canberra fullback Josh Dugan had been growing with every game he played, but the master class which the 19-year-old delivered in his first game of representative football was special. Dugan was near flawless for Country in their win over City on Friday night, making powerful linebreaks and defusing bombs on his way to man-of-the-match honours. So comprehensive was Dugan's performance that it left his teammates suggesting he is ready-made material for New South Wales selection - and it may not be out of the question. Incumbent Blues captain Kurt Gidley remains an option at five-eighth, while Parramatta superstar Jarryd Hayne has become a regular on the Blues' left wing. Should Josh Dugan be accommodated in the Blues side, and where? Tell us what you think. WHO IS CAM SMITH'S BACK-UP?: Concern reverberated around Queensland on Friday night when Maroons captain Cameron Smith succumbed to a shoulder injury in the trans-Tasman Test. The Kangaroos rake expects to miss just two weeks, but if his recovery process goes awry, Queensland selectors may be forced to look elsewhere for Origin I on May 26. Fortunately for the Maroons, they are blessed with the talents of Manly's Matt Ballin, Gold Coast Titans' Nathan Friend and North Queensland Cowboys' Aaron Payne as contenders to fill Smith's position. Which player would be best equipped to fill the Maroons No.9 jersey should Cameron Smith fail to be fit for Origin I? Tell us what you think. HASLER'S HUGE CALL: Manly coach Des Hasler described Saturday night's win over St George Illawarra as "the most courageous performance" he had seen by a Sea Eagles side. Manly had all eight of their representative players back up from Friday night's fixtures, while St George Illawarra were not as fortunate, losing Kangaroos prop Michael Weyman and Kiwis winger Jason Nightingale in the wake of the Test match. The Dragons had conceded just two tries in their last three matches heading into the Brookvale Oval match, but left looking bruised and beaten, as the representative schedule brought them crashing back to earth. Were Manly really that good, or did poor scheduling rob NRL fans of a genuine top-of-the-table blockbuster? Tell us what you think. THIRTEEN-TRY THRILLER: A Sunday afternoon special at EnergyAustralia Stadium saw Gold Coast Titans run down an erratic - albeit highly entertaining - Newcastle Knights to triumph 38-36. The home side, inspired by some exhilarating long-range tries from Kurt Gidley and Cooper Vuna, equalled Canterbury-Bankstown's NRL record for the most points scored by a losing side. But Gold Coast's potent backline was not to be outdone, as young guns Joseph Tomane and Kevin Gordon combined with veteran Clinton Toopi to ensure the Titans achieved their first victory at the venue. Was this 13-try thriller the game of the season so far? If not, what other matches spring to mind? Tell us what you think. BRONCOS CRASH STORM'S PARTY: In their last two matches, Melbourne Storm had reacted to their club's salary cap penalties with devastating back-to-back victories. But on a day in which Melbourne were looking to celebrate their new home ground, AAMI Park, in style, an equally desperate Brisbane Broncos reminded the home of the task they face in remaining competitive in this year's competition. Apart from captain Cameron Smith, all of the Storm's stars were on display. However, worryingly for Melbourne fans, the intensity they'd shown over the previous fortnight wasn't. Was Melbourne's loss to a struggling Broncos side just a hiccup, or has it signalled the start of an inevitable decline in performance for the rest of 2010? Tell us what you think. www.foxsports.com.au
	rugbyleagueforum.com


1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)

<a href='http://delivery.zetabbs.com/adserver/www/delivery/ck.php?n=a731ce40&cb=234191269' target='_blank'><img src='http://delivery.zetabbs.com/adserver/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=29&cb=234191269&n=a731ce40&ct0=INSERT_CLICKURL_HERE' border='0' alt='' /></a>
« Previous Topic · National Rugby League (NRL) · Next Topic »