3 minute read
A snapshot of the fourth round of the 2022 NRL season where Melbourne, Penrith, Parramatta and Cronulla continued their impressive starts to the year.
QUOTE OF THE ROUND: "Teams that have been up the pointy end of the competition for a while now, or have high-profile players get the benefit of the doubt too often, and that's frustrating," Cowboys coach Todd Payten after his side's loss to the Roosters.
MAN OF THE ROUND: Siosifa Talakai has been used as a battering ram forward at Cronulla but reverted to centre on Friday and had to mark up on Newcastle's in-form Dane Gagai. Talakai had the Knights centre's number, breaking 15 tackles, running for more than 200 metres and scoring a try.
STAT THAT MATTERS: 300 - Aiden Tolman became the 43rd player in the history of the NRL to bring up a triple century of games. The Cronulla prop is now the game's only active 300-gamer and capped his milestone by becoming the first forward to score in their 300th game when he crashed over in the first half of the win over the Knights.
MAGIC MOMENT: The Wests Tigers' 8-6 loss to Gold Coast was one of the most drab games played in the history of the NRL. But the last 90 seconds were enthralling when Tigers playmaker Jock Madden dropped the ball over the line and Titans flyer AJ Brimson was on hand to dive on the loose pill and seal the winner.
TALKING POINT: Where to now for Wests Tigers? Michael Maguire's side are winless from their opening four games and don't look like breaking that run anytime soon. Maguire gave an interview in the build-up to the Titans loss as if to strengthen his hand amid growing uncertainty over his future. Halfback Luke Brooks has been linked with a move to Canterbury.
CASUALTY WARD: Rabbitohs - Mark Nicholls (knee); Broncos - Albert Kelly (foot), Pat Carrigan (knee); Warriors - Wade Egan (cut above eye); Sea Eagles - Dylan Walker (knee), Cowboys - Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (knee)
JUDICIARY WATCH: Knights - Jake Clifford (high tackle), Dominic Young (dangerous throw); Rabbitohs - Lachlan Ilias (dangerous contact); Broncos - Thomas Flegler (dangerous contact); Warriors - Jazz Tevaga (dangerous contact); Cowboys - Griffin Neame (dangerous contact), Chad Townsend (high tackle); Bulldogs - Corey Waddell (high tackle); Dragons - Francis Molo (dangerous throw), Blake Lawrie (dangerous contact)
UNDER PRESSURE: Canterbury coach Trent Barrett was brought to the club to transform their attack but they were kept scoreless by Melbourne in Sunday's 44-0 defeat. The Storm were always likely to rack up a big score but their eight-try haul laid bare the huge job ahead for Barrett in his second season. It doesn't get any easier for the Bulldogs who face last year's grand finalists, Penrith and South Sydney, in the next fortnight.
