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NEVER knock a champion. Just when the Penrith Panthers looked like their incredible run was cactus Nathan Cleary reminds the rugby league world who the best player in the game is at Magic Round.
For the first time in five seasons Cleary’s form was rightfully questioned and analysed with his automatic selection in the NSW State of Origin side even up for debate last week.
Not anymore. Dominating and winning a State of Origin series is the final frontier for Cleary and judging by the way he flicked the switch to dismantle title heavyweights the Brisbane Broncos the Panthers no.7 is in for a huge series.
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From the 40/20 kick to the way Cleary straightened his running game on the back of fair analysis from Fox League experts Matty Johns and Cooper Cronk it was a comprehensive clinic from the Panthers no.7.
Provided they’re both fit Cleary will be the Blues no.7 for State of Origin I on May 28 with Parramatta chief playmaker Mitchell Moses to be the NSW five-eighth.
That’s tough on Blues incumbent Jarome Luai given how strong he was in last year’s winning series and the way he’s adapted to a new role at the Wests Tigers by taking greater ownership of steering the Tigers around.
But NSW coach Laurie Daley can only pick 17 players and Cleary and Moses are the best combination in the halves.
So much for the Canberra Raiders being the favourites to claim the wooden spoon.
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UNSUNG HERO BEHIND SHOCK RAIDERS RISE
The Green Machine fly under the radar because they’re not one of the big Sydney clubs so in many way they’re out of sight, out of mind.
But the job the Raiders playing group and coach Ricky Stuart are doing this season to sit inside the top four having knocked off premiership favourites Melbourne and Brisbane in the opening nine rounds has been all class.
One of the unsung quality operators at the Raiders who deserves a big rap is recruitment scout Joel Carbone.
Carbone and his right-hand man Dave Warwick might not have the profile of Frank Ponissi or Peter O’Sullivan but the work they’ve done behind-the-scenes in helping to build the Raiders roster along with coach Stuart and CEO Don Furner is a credit to the club.
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The Raiders are clearly operating on a Moneyball-style system where aside from their established big-name stars they’ve specifically gone and targeted elite emerging youth.
The latest quality examples of this are fullback Kaeo Weekes and edge English forward Matty Nicholson who both produced game-defining plays in Canberra’s upset win over the Melbourne Storm.
Nicholson’s offload and the way Weekes backed himself to take on Ryan Papenhuyzen with a chip and chase try in driving rain on a slippery surface was one of the highlights of another epic Magic Round weekend.
Then there’s also been the emergence of winger Savelio Tamale and the continued improvement of backline stars Matt Timoko, Xavier Savage, Seb Kris and Ethan Strange.
And what about the rejuvenation of front row forward Corey Horsburgh who was so off the Raiders last year he and coach Stuart didn’t speak for near on 12 months.
Storm FG chalked OFF in crucial moment | 00:58
Halfback Jamal Fogarty also deserves credit for the way he’s navigated what would have been a difficult contract negotiation yet still delivered against the Storm including kicking some pressure goals to win the game.
Halellujah the crackdown that wasn’t a crackdown was rightfully re-calibrated for Magic Round and there was minimal bunker intervention over the course of the weekend.
Instead of blow-ups about bad decisions and over-officiating the players and the results can rightfully be celebrated for the show they put on.
What were your likes or dislikes from Magic Round?
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