Round 18 gave us two golden-point games in one day, a tribute to a living legend, the emergence of a rising star and the return of another. Here's this week's NRL Round-Up.
Here's this week's NRL Round-Up.
1. One more go for Jai Arrow
It was believed Thursday night would be Jai Arrow's last game of the 2024 season.
Surgery is looming for the former State of Origin rep, who has been battling a serious rotator cuff injury and there were reports he may be shutting it down after the clash with the Eels.
But, shortly after the siren sounded on the 32-16 win, Arrow told ABC Sport he would be playing on and taking it week by week as he manages the pain.
Captain Cameron Murray took a jab at his back-row partner, but had to admit Arrow was embodying the team effort that has the Rabbitohs on a hot streak of five straight wins.
"He carries on a bit … but he epitomises what it is to be a good teammate," Murray said.
"He always says his biggest fear is letting his teammates down. He shows that every week."
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Jack Wighton (Rabbitohs)
2. Latrell Mitchell (Rabbitohs)
1. Damien Cook (Rabbitohs)
(Votes are compiled by the ABC Sport radio commentary team after each match)
2. Nicho a marked man
Cronulla didn't get possession of the ball for the first eight minutes of its match with the Titans in Coffs Harbour.
By the 19th minute it had completed precisely one set of six compared to the Coasters' 13, made 67 running metres compared to 408, and made four times as many tackles.
The Sharks threatened every now and then when they did get the ball, even crossing the line twice and coming up centimetres short on another occasion in the first half, but near enough is nowhere near good enough for a team that was on top of the table six weeks ago facing the 15th-ranked Titans.
Since then, Cronulla has gone 1-5. At the heart of their latest loss was another poor performance from halfback Nicho Hynes, who finished with a late try, but no try assists, line breaks, line break assists or tackle breaks.
Hynes is copping a battering every week, with Titans hooker Sam Verrills admitting with almost a hint of pain in his voice that they set out to put one of the good guys in the league under the pump.
"Nicho's a great player and he's under a bit of pressure at the moment," Verrills told ABC Sport.
"As the opposition, we had to go after him and I thought we did that really well."
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Keano Kini (Titans)
2. Kieran Foran (Titans)
1. Beau Fermor (Titans)
3. Walsh in full flight is still a sight to see
Reece Walsh is arguably the biggest star the NRL has, but between State of Origin duties and the concussion he copped while on those duties, he hadn't been sighted in club football for six weeks.
Walsh's last game before Friday's 14-6 loss to Penrith was a round 12 clash with the Titans, and his form leading up to that hadn't been stellar.
Then he was knocked out in the eighth minute of Origin I and was the victim of a trampling by the Blues in Game II, so it was nice to finally see him in full stride once again.
When he caught the ball out the back and Izack Tago found himself woefully out of position in the 26th minute, Walsh didn't miss a beat, bursting through the line with a trademark fend on Paul Alamoti that he somehow accelerated out of.
Then, rather than pop a ball to Selwyn Cobbo, he simply pinned his ears back and skinned NSW fullback Dylan Edwards with pace on the outside.
While the Broncos couldn't go on with it, Walsh's try — coupled with some massive defensive plays and an all-round effort that looked like a man eager to be the rising tide to lift his teammates— was a timely reminder of what he can do.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Liam Martin (Panthers)
2. Dylan Edwards (Panthers)
1. Reece Walsh (Broncos)
4. Golden Bulldogs
Being called the Bulldogs, you're going to have to be up for a fight. And this year's iteration, battling as it is for the team's first finals berth in eight years, is certainly living up to the nominative determinism.
Last week, Canterbury went to golden point against the Sharks and came out on top. So when they came up against the Warriors on Saturday, they figured they'd go another round.
In round 17, Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton slotted his third shot in the 84th minute to seal victory. This week he was the hero once again, nailing his fourth shot in the 88th minute for the 13-12 win over the Warriors.
Mercifully, after 192 exhausting minutes in the past two weeks, the Dogs can have a well-earned break with the bye in round 19.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Dylan Walker (Warriors)
2. Matt Burton (Bulldogs)
1. Mitchell Barnett (Warriors)
5. Who? What? When? Where? Howarth
Jack Howarth has been a 'next big thing' for years. So much so that it's easy to forget he's still only 21.
The former schoolboys star was expected to tear into the NRL once he got into the Melbourne Storm system, but Craig Bellamy has been patient with the young Mackay product.
A big-bodied edge runner, Howarth was expected to move into the back row as he grew, but these days he's fitting nicely into the Storm's shuffled and reshuffled backline as an athletic and damaging centre.
On Saturday night, he had if not the best, certainly the most instructive, performance of his seven-game career as the Storm beat the Tigers 40-28.
Howarth ran for 150 metres, a third of which came after contact. He missed six tackles, but that can be somewhat excused considering he was up against a Justin Olam looking to put the hurt on his former team, and he broke out of four tackles with ball in hand.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Tyran Wishart (Storm)
2. Api Koroisau (Tigers)
1. Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm)
6. You can't lead a Cowboy to Drinkwater
When Scott Drinkwater stepped into a 45-metre field goal to level the scores at 20 in the 77th minute of the Cowboys' clash with Manly on Saturday night, it felt like he was going to be the hero.
Billy Moore described it on ABC Sport as "pure magic" and the confidence with which the Cowboys fullback delivered the monster blow suggested he would be the man for them on the night.
When Daly Cherry-Evans missed what he called a "sitter" up the other end, the stage was set for Drinkwater to get another shot and ice the game.
But, not only did he not score another point, he didn't even get another attempt. And not through lack of opportunity.
Halfback Chad Townsend missed three shots in the last two minutes of regulation, and Valentine Holmes missed twice in the first period of golden point.
Maybe Drinkwater was going to get the next shot, but we'll never know because Cherry-Evans potted his game-winner and sent thousands of fans home miserable in Townsville.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles)
2. Tolutau Koula (Sea Eagles)
1. Scott Drinkwater (Cowboys)
7. A JWH classic in his 307th Roosters outing
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has enjoyed a few milestones in the 2024 season, but perhaps none more important than his 307th game for the Roosters to become the most capped player for the foundation club.
Running onto the field last as his current teammates, former teammates and legends from the 1974 and 1975 premiership Easts teams formed a guard of honour for one of the club's all-time greats.
In true JWH fashion, the fiery prop was sin-binned for a high shot in the first half after a frank but respectful argument with referee Ashley Klein.
After returning to the field, he was immediately soaked in blood from a head clash, leaving the field smiling and to a standing ovation from the Sydney Football Stadium crowd.
Six stitches later he was back on the field and finished the game as the Roosters ran through the finish line of a 42-12 win.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Angus Crichton (Roosters)
2. Lindsay Collins (Roosters)
1. James Tedesco (Roosters)
8. Forgot about Dane
All the talk was about Bradman Best and Kalyn Ponga before the Knights' clash with the Raiders, but after the 16-12 win in Canberra, a familiar name had stormed back into the State of Origin conversation.
Queensland Origin legend Dane Gagai was something of a surprise 18th man for Game II after many assumed his Origin days were gone, but a powerful double for the Newcastle centre on Sunday evening was a timely reminder of what he can do.
The first try saw him muscle through opposite number Albert Hopoate to slam the ball down …
Before a lovely move sweeping around the back to dive in for his second cemented a strong day out for the 33-year-old …
With the ability to play anywhere in the back five, a powerful running game and 12 tries in 22 Origin games, now could be the best time to reignite the 'Origin Gagai' beacons.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Dane Gagai (Knights)
2. Kalyn Ponga (Knights)
1. Tom Starling (Raiders)
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