NRL Wrap: Bucking Broncos, Ashes in disarray and Origin, obviously

Three, they say, is the magic number – and you only need to ask the Fainu brothers to prove it.

They did something that the Burgesses and Trbojevics could only dream of with all three brothers crossing for a try in the same game.

It was the crowning glory to a weekend of weirdness as the Wests Tigers actually won, actually beat the Sydney Roosters – and actually beat them away.

If you’re keeping score at home, it was 12 games since Wests had beaten Easts in the east, eight since they had triumphed over the Roosters anywhere and six straight defeats in the last two months for Benji Marshall’s men, before their epic victory here.

The last time the Tigers won at the Sydney Football Stadium – August 2009 – the music world was aghast as Oasis split up. Wonder if they ever got back together?

Some might say Round 18 is over, but before it slides away, let’s look back in anger at a weekend that will live forever for the Fainu family. I’ll stop now, I promise.

A good week for…

Brisbane, who might be back.

Their stunning comeback over the Bulldogs was their biggest win of the year, topping even their thrashing of the same opponent in April when both were at full strength.

The issue with Brisbane has generally been getting all the good individuals to play together while keeping the floor high through replacement level players. They’re much more Melbourne Storm in a tactical sense than a system-first collective in the Penrith/Canterbury mould.

In that sense, this victory over the Doggies was exceptional, because they took everything that the system had, found themselves 18-0 down and then overcame it without their best.

Yes, Canterbury didn’t have their best either, but they’re set up to play without them. Brisbane aren’t.

That first win over the Bulldogs was made to look like an aberration by the two defeats that preceded it and the four that followed it, but this is now four successes on the spin for the Broncos – and they run into the Titans, Eels and Souths next. Seven is far from out of the question.

A bad week for…

South Sydney, who barely fired a shot en route to a disappointing defeat at Manly.

They got three tries in the end, but only began playing once the Sea Eagles hadn’t so much put the cue in the rack as set sail en masse for Chalky’s Pool Hall in Brookvale.

Souths were down a few bodies, but had all the running for the first 20 minutes and didn’t come close to scoring.

When the momentum inevitably shifted, Manly were able to score with ease. The edge defence was non-existent and, while the Sea Eagles are strong out wide, they were made to look a lot better than they have been playing of late.

The Bunnies have now lost six straight and, after Wests’ upset win over the Roosters, are now behind the beleaguered Tigers in the ladder.

Standout…

Look no further than Kaeo Weekes, the Raiders fullback who dominated his side’s victory over the Dragons on Saturday.

He’s been one of their standouts all year, which is saying something for the side who currently top the NRL ladder, and this was the best of the lot.

Weekes arrived in the capital from Manly, who weren’t all too bothered to let him go. They had Tom Trbojevic at fullback and Lehi Hopoate coming through. Down in Canberra, they had Chevy Stewart – the next big thing – and Ethan Strange.

Nobody really knew what position Weekes was, other than that he was really, really fast. He played off the bench (and sometimes at hooker) at Manly, then began life in Canberra at five eighth.

Suffice to say, nobody expected this. Weekes showed all that speed in decimating the Dragons, but plenty of nous, too. There were three tries, but also four line break assists. His running game was first, but it was far from the only thing.

This was his best game in the NRL, but it had been coming. It takes about 50 games to work out someone’s level in the NRL. At 46, we can call it early that Weekes is a superstar.

Washout…

We can’t look past Lachlan Galvin, who looked like a fish out of water in a Canterbury side designed to help him to swim.

They shunted Matt Burton out to centre to shoehorn their new man to come into the five eighth role, but he underwhelmed.

Don’t let the stats fool you: Galvin did get a try assist, but that was from a Selwyn Cobbo howler rather than anything spectacular that the half did.

Canterbury enjoyed a significant advantage in possession (a 60:40 split) and position (35 red zone tackles to 8) for the first hour, but with ball in hand, did next to nothing. They scored from a scrum play and two kicks, both of which were more defensive errors than creative attack.

Galvin relegated himself to a passer while Toby Sexton, the 7, had a lower pass-per-run ratio.

Coach Cameron Ciraldo negated a strength, his long-term leader Burton, to get the new toy in. It didn’t work.

Everyone is talking about…

Origin, obviously.

The series is set for a decider on Wednesday night in Sydney, so all attention has been focused on that. Except, strangely, it feels lowkey.

Maybe that will ramp up when things get serious next week, once the final short round of NRL is out of the way. That has to be the hope.

It could, however, be that people are underwhelmed.

As titanic as the rivalry is, both games so far have been dreadful quality. The second was somewhat saved by the spectacle of Queensland keeping the series alive, but as an on-field product, it was awful.

The decider is likely going to be the most-watched rugby league game of all time in Australia, played in front of an already-sold out stadium with all the best talent and everything on the line.

Over to you, gents.

But nobody mentions…

The Kangaroos. Or the Pacific Championships, for that matter.

News broke in the UK that Australia are yet to book just about everything for their Ashes tour at the end of the year, but if you weren’t plugged into the British side of rugby league, you wouldn’t have known about it at all.

Brad Fittler, who has turned down the Kangaroos job, revealed on the Six Tackles with Gus podcast with Phil Gould that training pitches and accommodation were as yet confirmed. Look, it’ll be a hotel in Manchester and training at Salford, but still – get it sorted.

It’s not surprising that this lackadaisical attitude to international footy persists, because this is how Australia have treated Test footy for ages, but it was jarring that at a time when the England side were gathering for camp, their opponents don’t have a coach or anywhere to stay.

It’s reflected back home, too. There’s still zero on when the Pacific Championships will take place, no stadiums announced or fixtures scheduled.

These games will, presumably, kick off in about four months time in, again presumably, New Zealand and Australia, but if you were, say, a fan and, hey, just maybe, wanted to buy a ticket – good luck.

Forward pass

Origin is all covered midweek, so let’s look beyond that to the final Origin Round, where the best of the best will be backing up.

The highlight will be a Battle of the West at Parramatta on Sunday afternoon, where a resurgent Panthers will be doing their best to keep the ball rolling against their nearest and dearest.

Ivan Cleary rested everyone after the last Origin and won anyway, but with Wednesday until Sunday to wait, you can expect a full complement here.

The rest of the slate is a little so-so, with the standouts a Roosters v Dragons ANZAC rematch at Kogarah and a visit from the NRL’s entertainers, the Dolphins, to the flailing Sharks on Friday night.