The Roosters are still a premiership threat. There are just too many world class players in that team to write them off now, but that’s exactly their problem: they’re playing as a bunch of individuals and not a team.
It’s incredible when you look at their line-up to think only the Tigers and Cowboys have scored fewer points per game in 2023.
There’s one big area that is not working at the moment: hooker. Brandon Smith is still taking time to find his feet at the club and working on combinations with the other key playmakers.
Even Brandon would admit he’s a running dummy half. The subtlety around the ruck which is the strength of an Api Koroisau or Jeremy Marshall-King is not his style. Trent Robinson needs a dummy-half option off the bench.
The best teams I ever played with were the NSW State of Origin sides where we had a combination of Danny Buderus and Craig Wing at No.9. It was yin and yang, the running dummy half backing up a passing dummy half. It creates so many points of attack and opposition defences can never be truly comfortable with what’s coming at them.
Many teams these days are carrying two hookers because the game is so quick, and it’s extremely demanding on just one player to fill such an important role for 80 minutes.
Roosters hooker Brandon Smith and (inset) coach Trent Robinson.Credit: Getty, Brook Mitchell
There has been a lot of criticism levelled at Joseph Suaalii in recent weeks. But if you watch the game against the Cowboys, he hardly got the ball. On the other side, Billy Smith got his fair share and he looked their best player.
It’s going to take time, but I still think the Roosters are a top four team. The thing they’ve got in their favour is the right coach. He’s patient and won’t make rash decisions.
Marshall-King now among the elite No.9s
At the start of the season, I thought the Dolphins would nearly run last. I’m not surprised how they’re going this year, I’m blown away. It’s unbelievable.
Dolphins hooker Jeremy Marshall-King.Credit: Getty
We could talk forever about the genius of Wayne Bennett, we could talk about the speed of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, we could talk about the toughness of Tom Gilbert. But someone I’ve been watching closely has been Jeremy Marshall-King.
Early on I thought he was an average NRL player who was tough, willing and would compete hard. But every year he’s improved, and now Bennett has turned him into a truly elite dummy-half.
I spoke to Buderus about him during the week. He made some notes on Marshall-King. He said he’s taking pressure off his halves, he’s speeding the ruck up with his tempo and his deception, and he clearly knows where he wants to get the team to and he doesn’t miss an opportunity to run. He really tires the defensive middles of the opposition.
And I still think there’s so much more to come from him. We all know he’s the kid brother of Benji Marshall, but it won’t be longer until we’re saying Benji’s the older brother of Jeremy Marshall-King.
The Storm are hurting – so watch out
I have no doubt we’re about to witness another Craig Bellamy ambush.
From the moment I saw Cameron Smith and Billy Slater deep in discussions with Bellamy and his coaching staff in the sheds after the Magic Round loss to the Rabbitohs, I thought this week will be the one to bring a response from Melbourne.
They weren’t just beaten by the Rabbitohs last week, they were smashed. Their forwards were bullied. They just weren’t in their class. The statistics were fairly even, but Melbourne didn’t have Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell putting on a show.
So now they go from playing one form team of the competition to the other in the Broncos.
I won’t say the Broncos have got the best one-two punch in the NRL with Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan in the forwards, I want to say they’ve got the best one-two-three punch adding Tom Flegler to the mix. He’s such an underrated player.
If Haas can stay injury free, he could go down as the best forward of the NRL era. I didn’t think we’d see another like Glenn Lazarus, but Payne is on track.
The Broncos have such a well-balanced team and they’ve got half a dozen of the best players under 25 in the competition. They’ve got strike, speed, power and skill in their outside backs. Ezra Mam is showing he’s going to be a future Australian rep. They’ve got the puppet master in Adam Reynolds.
Broncos prop Payne Haas.Credit: Getty
But I think the underrated part of their side is the pairing at hooker with Billy Walters starting and Cory Paix coming off the bench. They’ve been really impressive this year.
I can’t wait to see Nelson Asofa-Solomona up against Haas and Justin Olam line up against Kotoni Staggs. And the Storm need more out of their back-rowers Trent Loiero and Eli Katoa.
On form, the Broncos should be favourites and win.
But beware of the ambush.
Joey’s tip: Storm by 6
First try-scorer: Justin Olam
Man of the match: Harry Grant
Let the magic stay in Brisbane, for now
Magic Round has to stay in Brisbane for the next three to five years. They just do it so well. The fans are all in a great mood, everyone is wearing their jerseys and the players respond to the carnival atmosphere. I thought the games on the weekend were sensational.
I’ve been thinking this week about what to do with Magic Round – and why can’t we have a second one each year?
Imagine if it was in Sydney based around Allianz Stadium, or if it was in Newcastle, a town which would be absolutely buzzing for the week. Maybe the best spot would be Auckland, which was a great host for the Nines concept.
I reckon it is worth looking into whether a second Magic Round each year, maybe about a month or six weeks out from the finals when the competition is usually a bit quieter after the Origin period, would work in the long term.
Regardless, everyone should be applauded for last week’s event.
