The Serve

The Big 5 – NRL Round 1

The wait is over and league is back. Here’s the big questions to come out of the opening round.

5. Should Sonny Bill have been sent off?

It seemed so simple. So fair. Sonny Bill whacks Andrew Johns across the chops. Johns is knocked out flush for two minutes, his involvement in match clearly over, so Sonny Bill gets similar treatment. Case closed. Or should it have been? Perhaps the careless forearm jolt warranted an instant dismissal, but referee Tony Archer was unquestionably motivated by Johns’ injury when marching Sonny Bill. That is not part of the rules. Johns was replaced. Williams was not. History will show the 12 man Bulldogs couldn’t cope. Archer also seemed to be motivated by the magnitude of the player on the deck. Disagree? Ask yourself this: if it was Jarrod Mullen face down in the turf, would Sonny Bill have been walked or put on report?

4. Is Brisbane’s defence on the ropes?

The Queensland derby turned out to be the match of the weekend, with the quality produced by Brisbane and the Cowboys far better than most. However the Broncos are 0 and 1, the same as the Eels and the Raiders. Carroll could go for anything between a month and a year, Corey Parker is gone for two months and Darren Lockyer may miss six weeks. Hmmm. With luck Lockyer will be back far sooner than May and the wheel can start to turn. Not a time for panic, but a time to adjust ones short term goals.

3. Are TV Timeouts going to hurt the game?

Those of us watching Channel Nine’s Friday night double header were unaware of artificial stoppages during the Storm/Tigers and Broncos/Cowboys. Wayne Bennett certainly knew. He launched a vicious attack against the league for letting it happen. Nine has paid an enormous amount of money in this new deal, and they’ve taken a risk. Their showpiece is now live and streamlined. No more bloated previews and half hour reviews, with three minutes of commercials in between a knock on and a scrum. The cameras roll and the match starts. Nine want a return on their investment. TV timeouts are surely not the answer. Delay the start by twenty minutes, stick in a half hour transition between the live match and the replay, have the commentators do radio style live reads, whatever. Just do not tamper with the game.

2. Now that the Titans have got over the first game, can they go week to week?

A wonderful debut but not enough to get the cash. Gold Coast proved they have some awesome talent, but they also proved they have naivety and will have to curb their excesses. Terrific ball playing was tempered by lapses in concentration. An acceptable flaw for a new club. Next Monday against the Sharks provides a perfect challenge. The Titans were far more impressive in defeat than the Sharks were in victory, but Cronulla now look like a structured and disciplined team. If the Titans go razzle dazzle again they could get killed. One thing is for sure, the Titans are going to be an entertaining unit.

1. Are the Eels already gone?

Don’t be fooled by the second half, the Eels were dreadful against the Warriors. Michael Hagan has an awesome task ahead trying to get Smith and Finch to work together, and work for the team. What chance does any team have if its 6 and 7 is its weaklink?