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Round 1 Wrap Up
Written By Peter Liaros (pcliaros)
The Stat Attack - Round 1 in Review
In a weekend that saw 334 points scored, 136 players leave their respective venues happy and an awesome display from last years’ cellar dwellers the Sydney Roosters, the NRL got a dose of some good things to come.
Please note that the following article is a statistical analysis of round 1. Some sections may sound incorrect (such as player of the match), it is all based on a points system depending on how good the players’ statistics are.
St. George Illawarra Dragons 18 def. Parramatta Eels 12
No one expected that the very first game of the season would be as action-packed as this. Each team had their fair share of stand-outs, and all supporters learnt from this game is: Wayne Bennett is a genius when it comes to the first 5 rounds of the season and that the Parramatta Eels will get better as the season goes on.
Men to keep an eye out for:
Jamie Soward – His kicking game was phenomenal and I’d be stupid if I was a Dragon’s player and didn’t play it to Soward for a last tackle option. He kicked the ball 19 times for an overwhelming 658 metres, the highest amount of kick metres by any player this round by a long way.
Jeremy Smith – His overall game was awesome, the reason why he earned his 3 Dally M points. His statistics of 1 try, 20 tackles, 4 tackle breaks, 2 offloads, 1 line break and 17 runs for 124 metres, would have made his coach smile.
Nathan Cayless – The Parramatta captain kept the Eels in the game with a total of 39 tackles in defence. He also provided the Eels with 4 offloads while in attack which eventually led on to a couple of line breaks for the men in blue and gold.
The top 8:
Brisbane Broncos 30 def. North Queensland Cowboys 24
The Cowboys begun the round of second half surges to draw level with the Broncos, but unfortunately concede a late try. This game ended a night of fantastic rugby league to start off a new season. One important thing to note from this game: The Cowboys are definitely a second half team.
Men to keep an eye out for:
Corey Parker – With a round leading 49 tackles, it was no surprise that the Broncos came out on top. He also contributed with 15 runs for 119 metres in attack that also included 4 tackle breaks, 1 offload and 1 line break and showing the rest of the NRL that he will be a handful.
Jonathan Thurston – Despite losing the game, Thurston was undoubtedly the statistical man of the match (and this was the reason he landed himself 2 Dally M points). With breathtaking statistics of 1 try, 3 try assists, 4 goals, 22 tackles, 6 tackle breaks, 2 offloads, 1 line break, 1 line break assist and 8 kicks for 151 metres, Thurston landed himself Chook Pen Man of the Round with a barnstorming 138.21 points.
The top 8:
Newcastle Knights 20 def. Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs 16
I have never seen a game where a team that looked so comfortable for so long, only managed to win by 4 points. Thus is the luck of the Bulldogs. In the 2nd game that proved that second half comebacks are definitely possible, the Knights got away with the game that should have been a comfortable win.
Men to keep an eye out for:
Cory Paterson – By far the best Knight on the paddock. Played spectacularly in attack and defence and was there for the team when he was needed. He will have a good season this year.
Josh Morris – Last year’s top try scorer sent out a statement of intent with two tries to start of season 2010. He will be hard to stop when in close proximity to the line.
The top 8:
Melbourne Storm 14 def. Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 10
The Sharks proved that Melbourne will be an easier target than most at this time of the season, with many key players missing, they proved that the Storm were vulnerable in certain positions. Another couple of points came out of the game that included the reality that we won’t stop hearing from Ricky Stuart about referees this year and that Trent Barrett isn’t a very good captain (sin binned).
Men to keep an eye out for:
Cameron Smith – Despite being out of position, Smith played a pivotal role in the win for Melbourne with his statistical highlight of 186 metres from 7 kicks of the football. Smith will definitely be much more dangerous when Cronk returns from injury.
The top 8:
Penrith Panthers 34 def. Canberra Raiders 16
My belief is that Penrith, along with the Roosters, will be hard teams to beat this season. They showed that they were a class above the Raiders and knew at which exact moment to put the foot on the pedal and it showed through Purtell’s try.
Men to keep an eye out for:
Scott Logan – Besides being on the wrong side of the scoreboard, Logan showed that he was a cut above the rest of his teammates through the amount of work he did. With 1 try, 26 tackles, 5 tackle breaks, 3 line breaks, 2 line break assists and 15 runs for 127 metres, he showed that he will be tough opposition for any team the Raider’s face.
Lachlan Coote – The Penrith fullback had a fantastic game in which he totalled 2 tries, 4 tackle breaks and 19 runs for a colossal total of 204 metres. It will be hard to contain Coote if he was making those figures every match.
The top 8:
Gold Coast Titans 24 def. New Zealand Warriors 18
Having been spending time to hype up about the upcoming Roosters match, I didn’t get a chance to see any of this game, so to look from a statistical point-of-view, it was a nail-biting game.
Men to keep an eye out for:
Lance Hohaia – The Warriors fullback had a statistically fantastic game, making a huge 10 tackle breaks, 1 offload, 2 line breaks and 16 runs for 172 metres, all but showing that he will be a handful for any defence.
Nathan Friend – The little hooker had a WOW of a game, contributing 2 try assists and a round equalling best of 49 tackles. He was wonderful in attack and defence and proved himself a handful for his opposition.
The top 8:
Sydney Roosters 34 def. South Sydney Rabbitohs 10
Well, well, well, well, well. Last year’s wooden spooner’s came out in Round 1 of 2010 and showed the best attack and best defence of any team in Round 1, scoring the most points and conceding the equal least. Todd Carney, Mitchell Pearce, Nate Myles and Shaun Kenny-Dowall put their hands up for the chookies with a very dominant display. Just a quick question, who is Sam Burgess?
Men to keep an eye out for:
Todd Carney – (WHO ELSE???) Carney showed the Rugby League world that he was never missing from Rugby League with a commanding display in front of 23,000 majority Rabbitohs supporters, and was in a class of his own. Will be a handful for all teams, including his own.
Mitchell Pearce – Showed that his kicking game is much better than everyone thought it was, all he will want to do now, is to build on it. His figures of 9 kicks for 320 metres, put his average per kick even better than Jamie Soward’s.
The top 8:
Wests Tigers 26 def. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 22
The Tigers lit the fuse for a fantastic game coming up this Sunday after a fantastic 26-22 comeback win after being down 20-4 at half time. Manly only had themselves to blame, letting Benji and Farah dictate terms.
Men to keep an eye out for:
Benji Marshall – Had a statistically fantastic game, and in particular had to thank his kicking game, 4 kicks for 202 metres (that’s over 50 metres per kick!) for receiving the Chook Pen Man of the Match Award.
Lote Tuqiri – Re-started his NRL career with a try-scoring debut for the Tigers and proved he still has it. The winger made 2 line breaks and 145 metres off 15 runs.
The top 8:
The overall top 15 players of the round:
Written By Peter Liaros (pcliaros)
The Stat Attack - Round 1 in Review
In a weekend that saw 334 points scored, 136 players leave their respective venues happy and an awesome display from last years’ cellar dwellers the Sydney Roosters, the NRL got a dose of some good things to come.
Please note that the following article is a statistical analysis of round 1. Some sections may sound incorrect (such as player of the match), it is all based on a points system depending on how good the players’ statistics are.
St. George Illawarra Dragons 18 def. Parramatta Eels 12
No one expected that the very first game of the season would be as action-packed as this. Each team had their fair share of stand-outs, and all supporters learnt from this game is: Wayne Bennett is a genius when it comes to the first 5 rounds of the season and that the Parramatta Eels will get better as the season goes on.
Men to keep an eye out for:
Jamie Soward – His kicking game was phenomenal and I’d be stupid if I was a Dragon’s player and didn’t play it to Soward for a last tackle option. He kicked the ball 19 times for an overwhelming 658 metres, the highest amount of kick metres by any player this round by a long way.
Jeremy Smith – His overall game was awesome, the reason why he earned his 3 Dally M points. His statistics of 1 try, 20 tackles, 4 tackle breaks, 2 offloads, 1 line break and 17 runs for 124 metres, would have made his coach smile.
Nathan Cayless – The Parramatta captain kept the Eels in the game with a total of 39 tackles in defence. He also provided the Eels with 4 offloads while in attack which eventually led on to a couple of line breaks for the men in blue and gold.
The top 8:
- Jamie Soward (97.88 points)
- Jeremy Smith (91.40)
- Nathan Cayless (74.80)
- Luke Burt (72.70)
- Feleti Mateo (68.10)
- Jeff Robson (67.50)
- Brett Morris (59.40)
- Eric Grothe (59.00)
Brisbane Broncos 30 def. North Queensland Cowboys 24
The Cowboys begun the round of second half surges to draw level with the Broncos, but unfortunately concede a late try. This game ended a night of fantastic rugby league to start off a new season. One important thing to note from this game: The Cowboys are definitely a second half team.
Men to keep an eye out for:
Corey Parker – With a round leading 49 tackles, it was no surprise that the Broncos came out on top. He also contributed with 15 runs for 119 metres in attack that also included 4 tackle breaks, 1 offload and 1 line break and showing the rest of the NRL that he will be a handful.
Jonathan Thurston – Despite losing the game, Thurston was undoubtedly the statistical man of the match (and this was the reason he landed himself 2 Dally M points). With breathtaking statistics of 1 try, 3 try assists, 4 goals, 22 tackles, 6 tackle breaks, 2 offloads, 1 line break, 1 line break assist and 8 kicks for 151 metres, Thurston landed himself Chook Pen Man of the Round with a barnstorming 138.21 points.
The top 8:
- Jonathan Thurston (138.21)
- Corey Parker (134.00)
- Israel Folau (90.35)
- Willie Tonga (88.50)
- Luke O’Donnell (87.30)
- Darren Lockyer (84.02)
- Matt Gillett (77.10)
- Ben Te’o (76.30)
Newcastle Knights 20 def. Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs 16
I have never seen a game where a team that looked so comfortable for so long, only managed to win by 4 points. Thus is the luck of the Bulldogs. In the 2nd game that proved that second half comebacks are definitely possible, the Knights got away with the game that should have been a comfortable win.
Men to keep an eye out for:
Cory Paterson – By far the best Knight on the paddock. Played spectacularly in attack and defence and was there for the team when he was needed. He will have a good season this year.
Josh Morris – Last year’s top try scorer sent out a statement of intent with two tries to start of season 2010. He will be hard to stop when in close proximity to the line.
The top 8:
- Cory Paterson (85.90)
- Steve Turner (72.10)
- Josh Morris (69.90)
- Ben Hannant (69.70)
- Jamal Idris (68.55)
- David Stagg (64.20)
- Brett Kimmorley (60.71)
- Ben Cross (57.90)
Melbourne Storm 14 def. Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 10
The Sharks proved that Melbourne will be an easier target than most at this time of the season, with many key players missing, they proved that the Storm were vulnerable in certain positions. Another couple of points came out of the game that included the reality that we won’t stop hearing from Ricky Stuart about referees this year and that Trent Barrett isn’t a very good captain (sin binned).
Men to keep an eye out for:
Cameron Smith – Despite being out of position, Smith played a pivotal role in the win for Melbourne with his statistical highlight of 186 metres from 7 kicks of the football. Smith will definitely be much more dangerous when Cronk returns from injury.
The top 8:
- Luke MacDougall (83.64)
- Luke Douglas (75.80)
- Cameron Smith (73.36)
- Aiden Tolman (68.40)
- Ryan Hinchcliffe (68.30)
- Paul Gallen (66.10)
- Billy Slater (60.43)
- Greg Inglis (58.91)
Penrith Panthers 34 def. Canberra Raiders 16
My belief is that Penrith, along with the Roosters, will be hard teams to beat this season. They showed that they were a class above the Raiders and knew at which exact moment to put the foot on the pedal and it showed through Purtell’s try.
Men to keep an eye out for:
Scott Logan – Besides being on the wrong side of the scoreboard, Logan showed that he was a cut above the rest of his teammates through the amount of work he did. With 1 try, 26 tackles, 5 tackle breaks, 3 line breaks, 2 line break assists and 15 runs for 127 metres, he showed that he will be tough opposition for any team the Raider’s face.
Lachlan Coote – The Penrith fullback had a fantastic game in which he totalled 2 tries, 4 tackle breaks and 19 runs for a colossal total of 204 metres. It will be hard to contain Coote if he was making those figures every match.
The top 8:
- Scott Logan (107.10)
- Lachlan Coote (84.55)
- Frank Pritchard (78.40)
- Luke Lewis (77.70)
- Joel Thompson (76.85)
- Michael Gordon (76.10)
- Kevin Kingston (68.80)
- Petero Civoniceva (62.50)
Gold Coast Titans 24 def. New Zealand Warriors 18
Having been spending time to hype up about the upcoming Roosters match, I didn’t get a chance to see any of this game, so to look from a statistical point-of-view, it was a nail-biting game.
Men to keep an eye out for:
Lance Hohaia – The Warriors fullback had a statistically fantastic game, making a huge 10 tackle breaks, 1 offload, 2 line breaks and 16 runs for 172 metres, all but showing that he will be a handful for any defence.
Nathan Friend – The little hooker had a WOW of a game, contributing 2 try assists and a round equalling best of 49 tackles. He was wonderful in attack and defence and proved himself a handful for his opposition.
The top 8:
- Lance Hohaia (85.02)
- Nathan Friend (84.96)
- Anthony Laffranchi (84.40)
- Scott Prince (83.35)
- Manu Vatuvei (81.50)
- Joseph Tomane (78.40)
- Sam Rapira (76.70)
- Mat Rogers (75.80)
Sydney Roosters 34 def. South Sydney Rabbitohs 10
Well, well, well, well, well. Last year’s wooden spooner’s came out in Round 1 of 2010 and showed the best attack and best defence of any team in Round 1, scoring the most points and conceding the equal least. Todd Carney, Mitchell Pearce, Nate Myles and Shaun Kenny-Dowall put their hands up for the chookies with a very dominant display. Just a quick question, who is Sam Burgess?
Men to keep an eye out for:
Todd Carney – (WHO ELSE???) Carney showed the Rugby League world that he was never missing from Rugby League with a commanding display in front of 23,000 majority Rabbitohs supporters, and was in a class of his own. Will be a handful for all teams, including his own.
Mitchell Pearce – Showed that his kicking game is much better than everyone thought it was, all he will want to do now, is to build on it. His figures of 9 kicks for 320 metres, put his average per kick even better than Jamie Soward’s.
The top 8:
- Todd Carney (108.90)
- Mitchell Pearce (100.40)
- Nate Myles (96.70)
- Shaun Kenny-Dowall (94.30)
- Sam Perrett (94.10)
- Chris Sandow (87.17)
- Mitchell Aubusson (77.30)
- Sam Burgess (69.75)
Wests Tigers 26 def. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 22
The Tigers lit the fuse for a fantastic game coming up this Sunday after a fantastic 26-22 comeback win after being down 20-4 at half time. Manly only had themselves to blame, letting Benji and Farah dictate terms.
Men to keep an eye out for:
Benji Marshall – Had a statistically fantastic game, and in particular had to thank his kicking game, 4 kicks for 202 metres (that’s over 50 metres per kick!) for receiving the Chook Pen Man of the Match Award.
Lote Tuqiri – Re-started his NRL career with a try-scoring debut for the Tigers and proved he still has it. The winger made 2 line breaks and 145 metres off 15 runs.
The top 8:
- Benji Marshall (111.62)
- Liam Fulton (106.30)
- Jamie Lyon (105.08)
- Chris Lawrence (94.20)
- Glenn Stewart (86.10)
- Lote Tuqiri (83.03)
- Gareth Ellis (78.60)
- Chris Heighington (73.90)
The overall top 15 players of the round:
- Jonathan Thurston (Cowboys)
- Corey Parker (Broncos)
- Benji Marshall (Tigers)
- Todd Carney (Roosters)
- Scott Logan (Raiders)
- Liam Fulton (Tigers)
- Jamie Lyon (Sea Eagles)
- Mitchell Pearce (Roosters)
- Jamie Soward (Dragons)
- Nate Myles (Roosters)
- Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Roosters)
- Chris Lawrence (Tigers)
- Sam Perrett (Roosters)
- Jeremy Smith (Dragons)
- Israel Folau (Broncos)
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