The Serve

Sonny Bill will go as Dogs crumble

On what I’ve seen of in the last fortnight, next weekend shapes as the Bulldogs last of the season.

They are making so many foolish mistakes. They’re not playing well. That was exhibited in the back end of the game against Melbourne and again against the Cowboys. Their first twenty minutes tonight was embarrassing. There is an obvious defensive weakness down their left side, which was exploited by the Cowboys.

I’ve got a fairly high suspicion that Sonny Bill Williams, and perhaps Reni Maitua are going to suffer some time out of the game.

I think Sonny Bill is in trouble. He got Thurston with the forearm, there is no doubt about it., taking Thurston on the jawbone. I don’t think the hit was late, as has been suggested, but it was certainly high, and if the review committee runs to form then Sonny Bill will get time.

Maitua has placed a hand between the hands of his victim and the victim has been lifted above the horizontal. That means Maitua is gone for a dangerous tackle.

Jim Hall, the Bulldogs defensive lawyer, is going to have a very busy week.

I’ve seen the Dogs first hand over the last two weeks. It’s the sheer pace of their opposition they can’t seem to handle. Melbourne and the Cowboys are the masters of that and exploited it beautifully. The Dogs might have produced a whirlwind finish tonight, but this is after Thurston went off.

From that point, they weren’t really playing the Cowboys anymore.

As for North Queensland, if they are going to win the premiership, they’re going to have to beat Melbourne, and I can’t see them doing that.

Melbourne plays a similar game to the Cowboys, but better. I don’t know whether the Cowboys are as good a team as Manly. I think they can beat teams like Canterbury, Souths and Brisbane. However, I don’t see a premiership in this side.

I don’t see the Cowboys as a major threat.