3 minute read
All of the highlights and talking points of round six of the NRL season.
WHAT HAPPENED IN ROUND 6 OF THE NRL:
* QUOTE OF THE ROUND: "He may well have been (upset) but it's got nothing to do with you. The change room for me has always been a sacred place and unfortunately the game gave away a lot of our rights to those places but, in my mind and in my head, it's a place where we can go and be who we want to be and not have to answer anyone." - South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett defends Latrell Mitchell's right to privacy after he was visibly upset following Friday's win over the Warriors.
* STAT THAT MATTERS: Brisbane are on a downward trajectory after losing all four games since the competition restarted. They have not scored a second-half point in that time.
* MAGIC MOMENT: Maika Sivo's jaw-dropping try against the Roosters on Saturday night. The Fijian flyer steamrolled the best player in the game in James Tedesco to get to the line, accelerating within a few steps to reach peak power.
* TALKING POINT: The brutal axing of Warriors coach Stephen Kearney just six games into a new deal despite winning two of their past four games. The news went down like a lead balloon with the team, which has been camped on the NSW central coast away from family for close to two months.
* MAN OF THE ROUND: Nathan Cleary. With the match on the line, the 22-year-old pulled off a try-assist and field goal to seal Penrith's third win over Melbourne in 15 years.
* JUDICIARY WATCH: Eels - Nathan Brown (careless high tackle); Wests Tigers - Sam McIntyre (dangerous contact), Harry Grant (dangerous contact); Dragons - Jordan Pereira (careless high tackle); Warriors - Wayde Egan (contrary conduct); Panthers - Jarome Luai (dangerous contact); Broncos - Tom Flegler (dangerous contact), Pat Carrigan (dangerous contact).
* CASUALTY WARD: Rabbitohs - Tom Amone (knee); Titans - Corey Thompson (jaw), Phillip Sami (hamstring), Young Tonumaipea (knee); Warriors - David Fusitu'a (concussion), Lachlan Burr (concussion), Eli Katoa (ankle); Wests Tigers - Alex Twal (knee), Robert Jennings (hamstring), Zane Musgrove (foot); Roosters - James Tedesco (concussion); Sea Eagles - Dylan Walker (ankle), Tom Trbojevic (hamstring), Brad Parker (concussion).
* UNDER PRESSURE: Paul Green. The North Queensland coach is dealing with a number of injuries but they have lost three straight and conceded a whopping 34 points in the first half against Wests Tigers on Saturday. The Cowboys have just two wins for the season but have not yet played a top eight team. The next six weeks are particularly brutal, facing the top four and six of the top eight in thw Knights, Eels, Roosters, Panthers, Sea Eagles and Raiders.
