What happens is you then have other players trying to go outside their job or skill set to make up for Nathan not being there. The flow-on effect is it puts a lot of pressure on Isaah Yeo and Jarome Luai to run the team.
My worry for Penrith this year is their depth. I had the same fear last year, and they proved me wrong. But when you take Cleary, James Fisher-Harris and Scott Sorensen out of that starting 13, they don’t look anywhere near as formidable.
They’ve lost so many class players. I would almost say it’s unfair for them to develop that production line of young kids and turn them into stars before they’re picked off by other clubs.
I was going to tip the Roosters to beat the Panthers even if Cleary was playing, but I’m even more confident now. The Roosters don’t have as much of a drama with their depth. Lindsay Collins is out and in comes Terrell May. Sandon Smith is out and Connor Watson slides onto the bench.
Their huge advantage is the size of their outside backs. They’ve got strike all over the field and I can really see that right edge of Sam Walker, Sitili Tupouniua, Joseph Manu and Dominic Young having a lot of joy this year. Then you throw in James Tedesco sweeping around the back.
It’s a mouth-watering prospect if you’re a Roosters fan.
Joey’s tip: Roosters by 14
First try-scorer: Dominic Young
Man of the match: James Tedesco
NRL got it right on May-Walsh collision
The NRL match review committee were 100 per cent right in their decision not to charge Taylan May for his head clash with Reece Walsh, and Graham Annesley was wrong. It’s only an opinion, but I can’t be any clearer than that.
Reece Walsh after his early head clash against Penrith Panthers.Credit: Getty
Accidents happen in our game. What happened at BlueBet Stadium last week was nothing more than an accident. I hate seeing Walsh out of the game as much as anyone else, but that doesn’t mean May should have been suspended.
In fact, I would say it shouldn’t have even been a penalty on the field. It didn’t look good, but that’s rugby league sometimes.
We have so many classy fullbacks in the NRL at the moment: Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell, Kalyn Ponga, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Walsh, Scott Drinkwater.
When defences see those guys out the back of an attacking shape, all teams defend outside-in. That means the centres and wingers will race inwards to shut down the fullback. It happens at a rate of knots. If they don’t do it at speed, those fullbacks will destroy teams.
I’ve heard the argument May should have got his head position lower. Do you know what happens then? He’s risking knocking himself out by getting his head in the wrong spot and collecting Walsh’s shoulder or hip. It was an accident and nothing more.
Now to Knights forward Leo Thompson and his one-game suspension for a challenge on Storm star Papenhuyzen as he caught a high bomb. As far as I could see, Thompson was trying to make a genuine contest for the ball and had his eyes on it the whole time.
On every play in the game of rugby league, there is a challenge. Players compete so hard, especially on the 50-50 plays and effort areas. This was just another example. He should be playing this week and not on the sidelines.
Cowboys’ back row a sight to behold
For all the focus on teams who have struggled in the opening three rounds, not enough credit has been given to the table-topping Cowboys. They’re flying at the moment.
I love their attacking strike all over the park, and they are a serious team in 2024.
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I’ve said it before, but their back row is the best young combination in the competition: Reuben Cotter, Jeremiah Nanai, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki and Heilum Luki. They’re fit, fast, agile and aggressive.
With the Broncos missing Walsh, Payne Haas, Brendan Piakura and Adam Reynolds only just returning from a knee problem, this game is made for the Cowboys on a dry and fast surface. I’ve got them going four from four and beating the grand finalists by eight points.
