From The Couch 2022: Round 2, 2022

Madge Can’t Survive This: Michael Maguire was all but gone last year before the Tigers’ ineptitude prevented them from sacking a coach that most in the club and almost 100% of supporters wanted to happen. It was hoped Tim Sheens could help shave off some of his sharp edges. Whether that has happened is unclear. What is clear is that the coach named five captains, allowed a team to run out behind Ken Maumalo and then play like they have never seen a game of Rugby League before, let alone train to play one. The recruitment drive which most had already written off proved worse than first advertised, highlighted by Tyrone Peachey’s sin bin. The lack of development seen in Luke Brooks has been truly astonishing. Maguire would almost certainly get rolled at any competent club this week. He is on the death march now. Luckily it is at the Tigers and will probably take the remainder of the year. 

Goalkicking Blues Sweep NRL: Scoring is down this year. Part of that is no doubt the way the game is being officiated. One element that should not be underrated is how bad goalkicking has been this year. The opening round saw kickers land at 63.3%. That fell to 61.8% this year. Overall kickers are 72 from 115 this year at an abhorrent 62.6%. That should return to the norm soon but it is a worry through two weeks with many clubs seeming to reduce the importance of having a specialist kicker. 

Burton The Saviour: Matt Burton is shaping as one of Canterbury’s most important signings. We are two games in but he has been sensational in both. His skill and dedication is coming to the fore and he is lifting those around him. Speed in a half cannot be underrated and Burton plays fast. He works hard in defence and he genuinely cares. There isn’t a Bulldogs fan alive not in love with Matt Burton right now. Once he gets a halfback and some quality coaching, the game is his oyster. 

Lomax Should be No Mas: Zac Lomax might be the player in the NRL with the biggest differential between his reputation and his ability. He had a shocker against the Panthers. It was not a unique performance. He is a player with a low football IQ, shocking hands and rushed decision-making. The young Dragons have an impressive core to go forward with but Lomax should not be part of that. 

Dally M Disasters: Round 2 Dally M atrocities:

• Mitchell Moses getting two votes with a nothing game that had a try but just one post contact metre while Dylan Brown ran for 185m, had a try assist and five tackle breaks. Steve Roach gave this votes. 
• Adam Clune having two try assists and get 0 votes while Jake Clifford has 0 try assists (and a try) and got three. Tim Mannah did this game. 

2022 Field Goal Update – 4: Round 2 opened up with two cracking field goals. Latrell Mitchell booted a 45-metre two-point field goal to level the scores against Melbourne, sending the game to golden point. It was one of the most astonishing field goals kicked in NRL history. Ryan Papenhuyzen ensured it was in all vain though, kicking an impressive field goal himself, running forward  and evading defenders to slot the winner. 

Fun Fact #1: Ken Maumalo captained an NRL team. He made five handling errors. 

Fun Fact #2: There are 18 coaches who have coached against Craig Bellamy and never won – led by Anthony Griffin, who is 0-11 v Bellamy. 

Fun Fact #3: Craig Bellamy has a losing record against eight coaches – Arthur Kitinas, Stuart Raper, Andrew Farrar, Danny Buderus, Cameron Ciraldo, Dean Young, Daniel Anderson and Des Hasler. 

GGOA 2022: If you want to get an edge betting on the NRL this year, subscribe to my GGOA set with different packages available. This is the old Punters Guide set. There are a heap of packages available. Those subscribing in Round 2 had a fillup with four of five recommended bets landing and a huge profit on turnover with a big five-unit play on the Dragons +10.5 leading the charge. Subscribe here at Little Birdie for as little as $22. 

Betting Market of the Week: Tyrone Peachey’s immediate future is most likely to be:

$6.00: Dropped to NSW Cup
$2.10: Named skipper to lead the team out in Round 3
$1.30: Appointed captain-coach and CEO of the Wests Tigers

Rumour Mill: Mark Brentnall is reportedly being groomed as Craig Bellamy’s successor at Melbourne. Jack Bird is likely to re-sign with St George Illawarra. Jahrome Hughes is being courted by the Dolphins but is set to remain in Melbourne. Kalyn Ponga is another prime target for the Dolphins. Suliasi Vunivalu is expected to return to the NRL and sign with South Sydney. Blake Ferguson is looking for a return to the NRL but is receiving very little interest. 

The Coaching Crosshairs: Craig Bellamy is the safest coach in the NRL and could coach the Storm to 2050 if he wanted. He is 20 years into the gig and just coached his 500th game on Friday. He is zero chance of getting fired. For the first time though it seemed entirely realistic that he would step away. He has been put on deadline and it continues to drag on, as it has in the past. But there was a softness to him surrounded by family combined with a marked change in the commitment shown by the Storm that suggests it is realistic that he may step down. The Storm empire will remain as long as Bellamy remains. Once he steps back though, Goliath may fall. 

Moronic Coaching Decision of the Week: Trent Barrett’s persistence with playing Jake Averillo at halfback and Jayden Okunbor in first grade cost Canterbury the win on Sunday. Averillo is a good player who should be in the outside backs. A halfback even as poor as Kyle Flanagan would have served the Bulldogs and Matt Burton far more than a manufactured seven like Averillo. It should also come as no surprise that all three Brisbane tries came about as a result of Okunbor’s inability to jump, turn, show any effort or move at the pace expected of a top grade winger. Aaron Schoupp sat as the reserve. Isaac Lumelume played NSW Cup. Jake Averillo was playing halfback. All three are better options. The Bulldogs are notably improved this year but some holdovers are costing the Bulldogs dearly. 

 Watch It: There have been few more curious or mysterious figures during the NRL era than Newcastle one-gamer Greg Smith. He has become an almost mythological figure in the ensuing 23 years. Here he came back into the public consciousness in a fabulous interview on ‘Sterlo’. Watch it here.