Uncool Dad’s Round 11 Recap
Schadenfreude – pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune.
Another round of NRL is over and it seems that the ‘haves and have nots’ are starting to reveal themselves. After Magic Round last week we didn’t actually have a theme in Round 10. I’ve thought of a few things though. First of all, it was my birthday. Sure it means nothing to everyone else but it means something to me! Of course, today it was Mother’s Day which is special to us all. However, I’d like to name this round – Schadenfreude Round. As this is the feeling the majority of the Rugby League community felt on Sunday morning.
That’s right, players, club bosses and supporters alike had a bit of a smug smile on their faces when the news hit that the outspoken Paul Kent had been charged with alleged assault. Kent, always the first to drag any club or player through the mud, has made an artform of this German term. It seems now it’s his turn…
Let’s recap Round 11 with an extended look at another fine Souths victory.
Thursday
Storm v Broncos
It seems like a lifetime ago but Melbourne hosted Brisbane on Thursday to kick off the round. This was billed as a big heavyweight clash and more or less played out that way. It was fairly even early but the Storm eventually got on top and achieved a fairly comfortable win. It was a funny game with a lot of stoppages and sin binnings. I think the referee had a bit of trouble keeping control of the match. There were a few stinks here and there and a decent showing of resentment between the two teams. Resentment only matched by me when I realised I had to share my birthday weekend with Mother’s Day yet again. All in all, a strong win from Melbourne whilst a question mark remains over Brisbane who have had trouble with the top sides so far.
Friday
Bulldogs v Warriors
The early Friday game looked a pretty close one on paper. Canterbury had been competitive despite many setbacks while the Warriors were also greatly improved from previous seasons. Both sides would have seen this as a winnable match and would have been keen to claim the two points. Turns out it was the Warriors who were far better. They were never headed in the contest and looked impressive overall. The close battles they’d had with many NRL topliners obviously set them up well for this.
The Doggies kept at it but were a fair way off the pace here and their reliance on the Matt Burton bomb is getting a little tiresome. I don’t think the Warriors had any real trouble defusing the massive kicks and without this weapon being successful Canterbury were a bit lost.
Panthers v Roosters
Off to BlueBet Stadium for the late game where two definite heavyweights lined up against each other. Penrith have had a mixed year by their standards but were still ticking along well enough. The Roosters were coming off a shock loss to the Cowboys in Magic Round and would have been keen to have an impact this week.
What transpired shocked everyone. Penrith absolutely belted the Roosters 48-4. Penrith seemed on their game with Martin being a good inclusion but the Roosters really let them run riot. I couldn’t believe how poor they were, particularly after coming off a bad loss. I think the whole Sua’ali’i situation along with issues with their halves isn’t helping their cause. As for young Joseph, I feel grateful that it’s the Roosters dealing with this as it would have been Souths if Rabbitohs management didn’t pull the pin. We would have lost Alex Johnston too.
Saturday
Rabbitohs v Tigers
A rare day game for my Bunnies and the crowd was out in force despite a bit of rain in surrounding suburbs. The Rabbitohs were of course on fire with 5 straight wins but the Tiges had also found some form with 2 wins of their own. To quote Matty Johns this was a real “bludger of a game”. For most of it not a lot happened! The Tigers focused on playing conservative, mistake free footy which resulted in a high completion rate but not too many threats. Souths matched them in this department which caused most of the game to be a bit of a stalemate.
The Bunnies kicked clear in the final 20 minutes or so with a try to Milne (to go with his one in the first half) and a dominant try to Latrell. Whilst not a thrilling contest, I’ll take a 20-0 win any day of the week. The style of this game could have easily caught Souths out but they stuck to their guns and ground it out. To the Tigers credit, they were pretty good. Their attack isn’t too scary but if they keep committed they’ll get more wins. With their format, it wouldn’t be hard to jag a few tries here and there and suddenly you’re down 12-0 and chasing a win.
An added bonus of this match was being able to get out on the field after the match. This has traditionally been a bit of an AFL thing so I enjoyed being able to do it at a Souths game. Being out there certainly gave you a perspective of what the players see and how short 10m actually is! As it was my birthday, my whole family was there and we were able to celebrate another Bunnies victory out in the middle. It became a bit of a Rabbitohs meet and greet session out there as I ran into plenty of people I know, all with big South Sydney smiles.
Cowboys v Dragons
Off to Townsville for the Cowboys/Dragons clash. The Cows were surprise winners against the Roosters and were looking for another win to get their season back on track. St George-Illawarra have been in a coaching limbo all year and they’re performances have been getting worse. Not a lot was expected of them.
This game played out exactly as planned. The Cowboys weren’t fantastic but ended up having an easy win. Any time the Dragons looked like getting back into the contest, errors and poor decisions sent them straight back out. Well done Cowboys but I’d hate to be a Dragons fan these days.
Raiders v Eels
The final Saturday match was a good one and I enjoyed watching this after I got home from Accor. Canberra’s season has been well and truly resurrected. Things looked dire when the Panthers gave them a hiding but then they came out and upset Brisbane and haven’t lost since! Parra scored first but after that the Green Machine clicked into gear. They shot off to a big lead and looked to be cruising. But as everyone knows, Canberra never, ever do anything easily and love blowing leads like I love Souths. Two late Eels tries had the Canberra faithful fearing the worst but a Timoko try sealed the deal for the home side. Another win for the rejuvenated Canberra but tough times for Eels fans.
Sunday
Knights v Titans
The opening Sunday game looked like another close one. The Titans had registered 5 wins for the year whilst the Knights had been improved but only had 3 wins and a draw to show for it. A capitulation against Parra in their last fixture had Knights fans fearing the worst. In a high scoring game, Newcastle proved to be too good in front of their home fans. They ran away with it in the end 46-26. Gold Coast led early but once Newcastle got on top that’s how it stayed. Ponga was particularly good and enjoyed the open style of play and the Titans’ sometimes optional attitude towards defence.
Sea-Eagles v Sharks
The final match of the round was the Sharkies travelling to Brookvale to take on Manly. Both sides were coming off embarrassing losses in Magic Round and were keen to make amends. It was Cronulla who came out of the blocks early, eventually working their way to a 20-2 lead. It’s rare for a Manly side to look so uninspired on their home ground but they were flat as pancakes here. Without Jake Turbo and a clearly busted Tom Turbo they don’t offer too much. Just as the Sharks were looking like scoring 40+ the home side grabbed a few late tries but it was all too late.
Join me next week for Uncool Dad’s Round 12 Recap on Bunnies TV where we get to celebrate Indigenous Round. I think this is something the NRL have always done well, particularly when you compare it the AFL. Recognising and honouring our First People is something that we absolutely love at Souths and I can’t wait to get amongst it at Trellianz next Friday!
Uncool Dad’s Round 11 Recap.
By Greg Allan for Bunnies TV.
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