There is a lot to cover after every round in the NRL. Throughout the 2024 season, this is a place where I’ll cover what is most important, a few little things I liked from the round, something to keep an eye on in the next one, and a try I particularly enjoyed.
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What you’ll get in this NRL Round 13 Review:
- What Moses adds to the Eels attack & how it can take them to the finals
- State of Origin: Game I
- Taumalolo turning up
- Levi’s step towards a Raiders victory
- Kennedy rewarded
The Tough Carry: What Moses adds to the Eels attack & how it can take them to the finals
Tackle 1 is often the toughest carry of the set. It can make or break it. Here, it’s my biggest talking point from the round that was.
With Mitchell Moses and Clint Gutherson back in the side, the Parramatta looked like a different team while beating the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 34-22 in Round 13.
While it’s only one game and the Sharks played without Nicho Hynes, it’s the sort of performance that gives life to the idea of finals football in 2024.
The Eels sit 15th in the NRL ladder with only four wins from 12 games. You typically need to finish the regular season with 12 wins to be in with a sniff of the finals, leaving Parra with eight to get from here.
StatsInsider is giving the Eels the third-hardest remaining schedule in the competition. They’re set for a tough month with the Warriors in Round 22 followed by the Panthers, Roosters and Broncos. Still, if they can pick up a few wins between now and then, they’ll give themselves a chance.
Without getting too excited about one game against a depleted Sharks, Moses’ return provided plenty of reasons for optimism. His mere presence on the field changes the dynamic of the Eels attack and allows them to shape up on both sides of the ruck, identify particular defenders in the line, and play to more cues.
They called Maika Sivo’s first try a “training run” in commentary, but it’s a beauty and a prime example of how Moses complements Dylan Brown.
It comes through a planned sequence off a tap start where Wiremu Greig carts the ball up and into particular defenders to generate the 6/4 split they’re after.
Moses takes a wide pass, and instead of taking a few steps forward to engage the middle defence, he quickly shovels the ball wider, putting Brown in his sweet spot outside the four-in defender.
I’m not sure Kelma Tuilagi even hits the right gap, but it doesn’t matter. With Brown able to take possession outside Briton Nikora in front of him, he’s able to straighten his run to shrink the edge defence and create the space out wide.
It’s a simple catch and pass for Gutherson by the time Brown has done his job.
Sivo’s try comes via Moses playing middle service, but Parramatta’s ability to play both sides is why they proved so dangerous in this game. It allows them to ID players in the line and play to the cues in front of them. With Moses out, they were left to play one side a lot more, following Brown and making it easier for the defence with a prominent indicator.
The lead-up to Junior Paulo’s try, and the try itself, is another prime example.
I highlight Talakai not to show that he’s doing a poor job but to show how much the Eels can make the opposition’s middle move when they’re able to play both sides.
He’s making his second consecutive tackle in this clip and there’s about to be a third.
Makahesi Makatoa picks Blayke Brailey out, which is important. Makatoa wins the contact and brings Royce Hunt into the tackle and forces Talakai into his third in a row. The result is Brailey late back into the line and Talakai desperate for a breather.
Brailey is left behind as his teammates move up outside him. With Brailey slow and not square off the line, a tiring Talakai gives Brown a split second to break through the line and further scramble the Sharks’ defence. Again, there’s Talakai flipping to the other side of the ruck on his way back.
Moses is in the background, throwing his hands up in frustration. He has a nice look with the numbers in front of him and wants the ball. His time soon comes, though.
Shortly after Brown’s line break came the points. That initial break translated into two infringements and extra tackles—tackles the Sharks couldn’t make in the end.
Shaun Lane goes close against a tiring middle, but look at Brown in the background this time. The Sharks haven’t been able to keep up and nor has their line organisation. Moses is able to isolate a Paulo onto the much smaller Braydon Trindall, and while Trindall does an admirable job to get in front of the big prop, there isn’t enough grass behind him for the defence to scramble and stop him from scoring.
By being shaped up on both sides of the ruck and ready to pull the trigger depending on what is in front of them, Parramatta put themselves into two good positions: first to break the line and second to score.
Bailey Simonsson’s try comes on the back of poor defence but highlights Moses’ impact at all times.
There’s one of those marker systems I mentioned last week. I’d be surprised if the Sharks wanted to split the markers like that while so undermanned down the short side. Still, Brendan Hands is able to engage the second marker, Moses sells the dummy to Ronaldo Mulitalo, who has three Eels attackers in front of him, and Simonsson is able to finish in the corner. The Sharks should have identified the main kicker on the last tackle here but with Brown also an option and the play-the-ball not in an ideal spot to kick from on the last, they switched off and were made to pay.
It’s Parramatta’s ability to capitalize on those moments with Moses that can be the difference as they look to make a run at the finals throughout the second half of the NRL season.
Finally, we saw a classic Brown try to finish – bang-bang off the left. We can’t understate how much Moses being on the other side sets the defence either.
There is another one of those little jersey grabs from the attacking player.
That keeps Tall Tom Hazelton in the tackle for just a little bit longer, but the key is in the numbers. Will Kennedy has put himself on Moses’ side, leaving five defenders on the Sharks right edge – a nice look for Brown with a tired middle in front of him. Hazelton’s small delay in retreating doesn’t allow him to take a step out, forcing him off the line at an angle similar to Brailey in the earlier linebreak.
Again, it’s a fine example of how having both key playmakers out for there for the Eels creates opportunities, and allows them to execute more often.
A lot needs to go right for the Eels to make a run at the NRL Finals. Their Round 14 match against an improving Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs will tell us a lot more. But as somebody who saw enough in the Sydney Roosters last year to avoid putting the red pen through them, there might yet be a similar run in the Eels.
Quick play-the-ball: Origin chatter & Taumlolo carries
We’re generating momentum through the middle of the article with a couple of quick carries.
State of Origin: Game I
I’ve had a week to simmer on the team lists, but I am no less confused.
Michael Maguire may have lucked into a better team with James Tedesco now involved, and I still anticipate Matt Burton finding his way onto the bench. If not, the New South Wales Blues’ bench construction could get them into trouble.
David Fifita not being involved with Queensland still doesn’t seem real. He’s not only the best backrower thay have available, but they’re missing key forwards through injury as it is…
One of the teams will win and their approach will be hailed a masterstroke. However, the process is going to be the thing to consider. As we’ve seen with Brad Fittler, you can pick up the odd result, but if the process is flawed, the results swing in the end and the better coach ultimately comes out on top.
I’ll have a full breakdown of the New South Wales Blues up at NRL.com on Thursday. Until then, check Oscar’s video on the deciding factors for both Queensland and New South Wales to preview State of Origin I.
Taumalolo turning up
Jason Taumalolo played a season-high 54 minutes on Sunday.
He turned it into a season-high 184 running metres and looked a lot better than he has done for a little while now.
Todd Payten has tried a few different things with Taumalolo’s minutes. It has partly been done to manage the rest of his NRL career, but likely to also be a result of niggling injuries.
The 31-year-old looked fit and fired accordingly in Round 13, though.
Power and footwork; that’s Taumalolo at his very best.
Is it a sign of things to come, or a special effort with so many first-choice players on Origin duty?
Setting up for a shot: Levi’s step towards a Raiders victory
Teams play to points with the following tackle in mind. Here, I’m touching on something to watch next week as we try to keep ahead of things happening on the field.
Rugby league is a game of big moments.
It’s a game of inches.
The big moment on Saturday night came on the back of a superb Joseph Tapine carry. With the game on the line, he produced an ideal field goal run, leaving a defender on the ground and the defensive line still finding the 10 metres when he stood to play the ball.
The inches came thanks to Danny Levi.
Officials have clamped down on field goal blockers. It’s a crackdown they’ve actually stuck with. However, Levi managed to find the tiniest of advantages when he took an extra step after his pass and into the path of Jeremy Marshall-King.
Marshall-King got a touch of Rapana’s field goal. The difference between it sailing over the posts and falling short came in the split-second Levi added to his chase by forcing him a step wider.
I’m not sure how deliberate Levi’s movements are, but placing field goal kickers behind the play-the-ball with the hooker acting as a blocker might become a typical setup around the NRL soon.
Try Time: Kennedy Rewarded
Sometimes, it’s a piece of magic. Other times, it’s a basic move made to look easy. Whatever it is, all great sets end in points, so we’re doing the same here.
Will Kennedy isn’t typically an NRL highlightreel fullback but he consistently makes the right plays and puts himself in the right spots on the field to succeed.
He does well in spotting the space here. You can’t see Makatoa in the background, but he should be in the gap between Lane (15) and Cartwright (12). As Cartwright shrinks into the space, Kennedy applies some footwork to beat him, beats an also-off-balance Will Penisini, and sends Ronaldo Mulitalo down the edge.
Mulitalo produces a nice moment of his own, but it’s Kennedy who is rewarded for starting the action by finishing it under the posts.
