Bulldogs young gun Karl Oloapu has justified his price tag and looks to be the future of the club alongside Matt Burton.
A rugby league legend has warned there is more hip-drop drama to come after more suspensions were handed out.
Meanwhile, the NRL’s most heavily criticised player delivered in an upset for the agesin Bathurst.
Read on for all of the biggest talking points out of Round 9.
Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
BULLDOGS FUTURE HALVES PAIRING EMERGES
The Bulldogs found their “identity” and coach Cameron Ciraldo found his future halves after an impressive NRL debut from teenager Karl Oloapu.
Matt Burton and veteran Josh Reynolds played the first 30 minutes in the halves before Oloapu was injected in a gutsy win against the Dragons on Sunday.
The 18-year-old didn’t look out of place and kept busy to finish with 61 run metres from eight carries, two tackle busts and a linebreak.
Ciraldo confirmed Oloapu would be back in first-grade next week, the only question that remains is whether he starts.
“I’m really happy for Karl that he got to have his debut and experience a win and a really special win at that,” Ciraldo said.
“I think he did pretty well tonight and I’m keen to keep exploring that with him, we were never going to throw him in for one week.
“He’s come here to have a journey with us and we’re excited as to where that journey can go.
“But he’s going to learn a lot out of tonight as well, we’re going to help him through that process and it’s going to be a roller coaster for him but we’ve got a good club and good people around him to support him.”
Burton switched from five-eighth to halfback two weeks ago in bid to take more ownership of the result. Ciraldo said that will only be further emphasised playing alongside a rookie in the halves.
“Burto has grown in that role more every week,” Ciraldo said.
“The way Grub (Reynolds) started the game for us and the way he set up the game for us, he knew he was only going to play that first 30 minutes in the halves and he was really unselfish about that and he understood it was his job to get the game turned into a Bulldogs sort of game for us and he definitely did things to help that.
“That’s the first time Karl and Burto have ever played together so they were a little rusty at times but they’ll get better with every game they get but I enjoyed how it went tonight.
“We found our identity a bit tonight on both sides of the ball and that’s what pleased me the most.”
Reckless Waddell BINNED v. Dragons | 00:44
NO END IN SIGHT TO HIP-DROP DRAMA
Cooper Cronk has warned there is more hip-drop drama to come as teams are slowly coached to change their tackling technique.
Cowboys winger is facing a four-game ban after he was charged for a hip-drop tackle on Braden Hamlin-Uele that has sidelined the Sharks prop for a month.
Panthers hooker Soni Luke then became the 16th player charged with the offence for his tackle on Wests Tigers forward Alex Twal.
Cronk said there was nothing new about the interpretation of the hip-drop but said the NRL is clearly cracking down on the tackle and it’s up to the clubs to stamp it out.
“The fact is there is now a punishment for a player getting a hip-drop wrong in a game,” Cronk said on Fox League.
“Ivan Cleary said ‘what do you want the player to miss?’ Well no, you need a technical change.
“At the moment that’s the issue, they brought in (the crackdown) in Round 8 with sin bins, suspensions. You’ve got to give coaches time to technically change that tackle.
“Because now they’re going to have to fall side on without trying to roll around the back and that’s going to take time to adjust and the only way you can do that is through practice.
“So with confusion and not understanding it, unfortunately this is going to be around for another couple of weeks until repetitions at training get done.”
NRL head of football was adamant last week that there is no crackdown in place but conceded the numbers were heading in the wrong direction.
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary blew up at full-time over the incident in his game which saw Luke only fined as Twal wasn’t injured.
“I hear the same questions each week and no one has got the answers,” Cleary said.
“hip-drops are a bit like crusher tackles, when they were first introduced they look a lot different to what they look now.
“Somehow we blend them all in together as the same, I don’t know how you tell a player to let go deliberately, it’s just not in any players makeup and it’s just not an instinctive thing to do.
“I feel for the referees actually and whoever is making these calls because they’ve been told and they’re doing it.”
Soni Luke in hot water over hip drop | 03:00
BROOKS’ BRILLIANCE BREAKS DROUGHT
Luke Brooks comprehensively outclassed Nathan Cleary on Saturday night — now there’s a sentence we didn’t expect to write this season.
Brooks was brilliant as the Wests Tigers sprung the biggest upset in years and the 28-year-old can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The 2018 Dally M Halfback of the Year is one of the NRL’s most heavily criticised players and has struggled in a faltering Tigers outfit in recent years.
The merger club won their first wooden spoon in 2022 and started their 2023 campaign with seven losses, looking the favourites to take home the imaginary prize.
Coming into Round 9 the Tigers were given Buckley’s chance of beating the back-to-back premiers.
But rugby league is the gift that keeps on giving and the gods had other plans.
The Tigers’ celebrations post-match were a long time coming and fans can finally celebrate two competition points, with their last win coming in Round 20 last season against the Broncos.
Brooks was excellent in Bathurst and led his forward pack around the park in impressive fashion, recording a try assist and two crucial 40/20s to go with four tackles breaks.
As the playmaker was being interviewed post-match by Fox League, English import John Bateman interjected.
“Put some respect on this guys name,” he said.
Brooks cut a relieved figure after the emphatic victory.
“Yeah it was good, it was a long time coming. I feel like we haven’t been playing too bad, we’ve been close and we were confident coming into the game today,” Brooks said.
“It was a tough one, we knew they have been the benchmark over the last few years, but it is just great to get a win.
“Especially in these conditions, that was our focus we just wanted to kick early and complete our sets then back our defence. I thought we did that throughout the whole 80.”
Skipper Apisai Koroisau also praised his halfback in the post-match press conference.
“Luke Brooks played incredible. His kicking game was A1 today,” Koroisau said
“I couldn’t be happier for him. He was really good for us, especially in that second half.”
Brooksy magic puts Tigers in to score | 00:46
MORE NRL NEWS
‘IT GOT UGLY’: Manly gun’s teammate scrap a ‘punches were exchanged’ at training
‘BULLS**T I HIT HIM’: Dogs veteran explodes at ref after controversial penalty
CASUALTY WARD: Roosters superstar hospitalised post-match; Sharks prop blow
‘NO EXCUSES’: Webster’s classy shoulder charge response after shock Bunker call
HYNES BUILDING IRRESISTIBLE ORIGIN CASE AS SHARKS SOUND WARNING
The Sharks started the year slowly, but on the back of three straight wins they are starting to his their straps and Nicho Hynes is making it very difficult for Origin selectors to ignore him.
The Sharks thrashed the Cowboys 44-6 in a replay of their first final last year and Matty Johns believes Cronulla are finally reaching their peak performance this season.
“The Sharks were terrific to start as they have been all year, but they haven’t been able to go on with the job,” Johns said.
“On what we have seen this year the Sharks were shot out of a gun. They played great early and then they conceded a try and you thought here we go again. But they went on with the job.”
Nathan Hindmarsh believes the Sharks finally put an 80-minute performance together in 2023 to sound an ominous warning to the rest of the NRL.
“The first try the Sharks scored was just off a scrum and Nicho just got outside Chad Townsend and he creates an around the corner pass for his centre there and that was it,” Hindmarsh said.
“It was like Chad Townsend didn’t know what sort of player Nicho was and didn’t give him the respect he deserved with his pace and he skipped across two players.
“It was probably the first complete game of footy I’ve seen the Sharks play all year and they stuck to their guns. But it all comes off the back of Nicho Hynes.”
Johns believes Hynes is playing so well that he has to be in the Blues’ 17 at either five-eighth or on the bench, but he would pick him to partner Cleary in the halves.
“Like you say he just skips across the ground and his cruising speed is so fast,” Johns said.
“He just did whatever he wanted. His running game is magic.
“What an advantage it is for a playmaker to have a fullback’s athleticism. It makes you a triple threat.
“The big question is at the moment it is him or Jarome Luai. Now I understand that Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai have got the great combination and I understand they are incumbents.
“But they did lose last year. Incumbency carries a lot of merit when you come off a winning series.
“Nicho Hynes if he is not No.6 he has to be No.14, but I think you pick him at No.6.”
Queensland legend Gorden Tallis knows who out of Hynes and Luai, the Maroons would rather play less.
“I wouldn’t want to play against Nicho,” Tallis said.
“He is a big body. He can beat you with his running game. He can beat you with his passing game. He has the kicking game and plus if a fullback gets injured he can slot in there.”
However, Hindmarsh believes Luai should get first crack to keep combinations strong and Hynes should debut off the bench for the Blues in game one.
“I know if he continues playing like that it is going to be very hard not to pick him,” Hindmarsh said.
“He will be in the squad somewhere no doubt. For me it is probably No.14.
“I do like combinations. I like the Luai and Cleary and Yeo combination. They have been there.”
Hynes masterclass compromises Cowboys | 02:17
‘PHENOMENAL’ EELS DUO PUT COMPETITION ON NOTICE
Dylan Brown and Mitchell Moses produced what Michael Ennis believes was one of the best performances from a halves pairing all season.
The Eels demolished the Knights in a 43-12 bloodbath at CommBank stadium after coach Brad Arthur had stressed how important it was to start well.
It took just one minute for Brown to stamp his mark on the game when he scored his first try of the season. Moses then followed eight minutes later.
The two also set up a try each and their running games tore Newcastle to shreds.
Moses finished with a try, a try assist, four linebreaks, a linebreak assist, six tackle busts, an offload and 135 running metres. He also nailed seven goals from seven attempts and slotted a field goal in the final minute.
Brown was equally impressive with a try, a try assist, two linebreaks, a linebreak assist, three tackle busts, three offloads and 148 running metres, while making 27 tackles with zero misses.
It was easily Brown’s best game of the season and he revealed afterwards it was sparked from an honest conversation with Arthur.
“It’s more of a knowing how you can play and staying to your expectations,” he told Fox League.
Brad’s been my coach for four years and he knows what works for me and knows when I’m not doing the right thing.
“A simple call into his office a couple of weeks ago and just telling me ‘you’re not where you need to be.’ He kicked me up the arse and I’ve just got to perform.”
Ennis was asked post-game if Brown and Moses had delivered the best performance from a six and seven this season and he said “absolutely.”
“The fact they were able to capitalise on the damage that was done in the middle — and that’s what great halves do,” Ennis added.
“When you’ve got momentum and the ruck speed is up and you can get flat over the advantage line in attack, that’s where the modern game is at — you need running halves that can capitalise on the momentum.
“They were phenomenal tonight the two halves from Parramatta, absolutely outstanding.”
Skipper Clint Gutherson also had a night to remember, bagging his first career hat-trick, while several of Parramatta’s forwards stepped up to cover the absence of Reagan Campbell-Gillard (groin) and Ryan Matterson (illness).
Arthur challenged Junior Paulo to lead the way and the powerful prop barged over for a try in the 69th minute.
Wiremu Greig got an opportunity to start in Campbell-Gillard’s spot and announced himself to the NRL with 128 running metres and 28 tackles with zero misses.
Bryce Cartwright replaced Matterson in the second row and Arthur called his “best” performance of the season, while bench forward Makahesi Makatoa pushed out 184 metres and 21 tackles in 39 metres.
Then there was workhorse J’maine Hopgood, who played 74 minutes. He finished with a try assist, a linebreak assist, 160 running metres, three tackle busts, four offloads and a staggering 41 tackles with zero misses.
But the scariest thing about the Eels’ performance is Arthur believes they still haven’t “found their groove.”
“I knew we were close but we were not close enough,” he said after the game.
“We didn’t want to panic and we still knew that we hadn’t lost our ability or talent we just hadn’t found our groove. I still don’t think we have but that’s the pleasing thing for us.
“We had a good discussion this week about what we look like and the boys owned it.”
Gutho bags career-first hat-trick | 00:48
CALLS FOR TRANSFER SYSTEM OVERHAUL GROW
Calls are growing louder for the NRL to revamp the transfer system in the wake of Jack Wighton’s move to the Rabbitohs in 2024.
In the middle of the 2023 season the Raiders, Ricky Stuart and Jack Wighton have been the focus of scrutiny and pressure surrounding the gun playmaker’s decision.
Three clubs were in the race for Wighton’s signature and the 30-year-old’s South Sydney contract was announced ahead of Canberra’s clash with the Dolphins.
Speaking post-match Ricky Stuart said NRL players shouldn’t be put in a position where they have to make such a big decision whilst still trying to deliver for their current clubs.
“I’m okay with the decision, there’s a lot of excuses going around about why Jack is leaving and they are all crap,” Stuart said.
“Jack wants a bit of a change, he’s been here a long time and I get that and he’s the least of my worries in regards to turning up every week and playing football.
“But he shouldn’t be put in that position, the way the system is at the moment it is hard on those players to make their decision on their futures.
“Hard for our fans, hard for players who are put into a position when you have got to make those calls.
“All the innuendo, the criticism Jack has got, it is rotten… we need to make it a better system to make it better for the teams and the players making those decisions.”
As it stands, players are free to negotiate with rival clubs when they enter the final 12 months of their contract on November 1.
If they sign with a new club, the player then has to spend a whole season with their current teammates knowing they will depart at the year’s end.
The newest CBA is yet to be announced and the transfer system was said to be a sticking point in negotiations, but Andrew Abdo has provided a huge update.
He revealed he also felt sorry for Wighton during the contract circus and said the NRL were considering a tiered approach allowing senior players to have a longer negotiation period.
“I understand that as a player you have a limited playing career and you want to try and maximise the certainty that you can get … so yes that is a major issue,” Abdo said to WWOS.
“(We’re) looking at tenure so that more senior players have a longer period of time to negotiate and contract and perhaps more junior players having a later window.”
Ricky Stuart also labelled the current system as “flawed” in a statement after Wighton’s announcement.
Abdo also shut down calls for a draft to be introduced with no central junior development system currently in place.
“We’ve been primarily focused on a transfer window and a contracting model, a draft is a complex matter, that’s more of a long-term issue because a draft only really works when you have a centralisation of pathway development,” he said.
“The way our game structurally is at the moment, a draft doesn’t work, we would need to change how pathways happen because you have some clubs structurally based on where they’re located, investing significantly in pathway programs and others not so much.”
He said a draft could be introduced in years to come, but for now changes need to be made to the transfer window.
Sydney Roosters Press Conference | 05:37
Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!
WALKER’S RETURN DELAYED
Rooster halfback Sam Walker looks set for an extended period in reserve grade based on Joseph Manu’s recent efforts in the number six jersey.
Alongside Luke Keary, Manu played a key role in keeping a gutsy Warriors side scoreless at Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday afternoon, as the Tricolours took home an important two competition points with a 14-0 win in the wet.
The victory sent the Roosters into the top four on the ladder and made something of a statement after what has been an indifferent start to the season. The ANZAC Day win against the Dragons and the victory across the Tasman all of a sudden have the Chooks back in the frame, with troops still to return and a halves combination that appears to be working well despite having only been recently formed.
Manu has clearly improved the balance. Keary steers the Rooster ship tactically and skilfully with both hands and feet and Manu plays an important supporting role, offering a decisive and effective running option.
Defensively, Manu is one of the most powerful and destructive five-eighths in the NRL; bringing his centre attributes closer to the middle of the field and adding starch on an edge that Walker has never provided.
It was a move that brought some criticism to coach Trent Robinson, yet also one that after just a short time, has paid immediate dividends. Once again, the respected Rooster mentor has been validated, with a change to the combination unlikely in the short time. outside of injury or unavailability.
It was an appalling day in Auckland for the clash and the Warriors lost no friends. They were simply ground into the dirt by a team well versed in getting the job done in less than perfect conditions. Brandon Smith played 52 strong minutes and is beginning to build into his work as a Rooster, with the coach specifically noting his involvement and influence in the win.
“He has brought a lot of energy to us, each game he has gotten better. It takes a lot to understand a new club’s system. The boys enjoy running around and playing off him, he is starting to imprint his runs and kicks into our game”, Robinson said.
Yet it was the issue of the halves, the recent dropping of Walker and what the long term plan is for a team that looks a heck of a lot better with Manu as a foil to Keary, that simply needing probing.
Robinson was coy and obviously not keen to provide a definitive response when asked to comment on Manu and his potential long term role as five-eighth for the Roosters. “He is a long term option as a player for us, but (from a positional perspective) that’s more of a week to week option. I’ve got three really good halves there, we’ll see”.
There was an awkwardness about the comment and it was a far cry from the positivity Robinson expressed in regards to the win on the road in Auckland.
“It was really satisfying, conditions dictated what style of game it was going to be. We wanted to improve our work in defence and to hold them to zero was really pleasing. It takes a good group of players to go out there and forget all the pretty stuff and dig in and do it until we get an opportunity. And that is what they did, I’m really proud of the players”, Robinson said.
Whether Robinson is totally convinced that his new halves pairing is the one to take the club forward and into the 2023 finals with a chance to compete against the might of the Panthers and Bunnies is yet to be seen. However, in the short term, it does appear that Joseph Manu may well have established himself as an NRL number six and Sam Walker may well be sniffing around for other opportunities should that form continue.
