Before we dive in…
Some of you would’ve seen reports over the last few days of an NRLW article being written entirely by AI last weekend.
It’s laughable at first glance, but in reality it’s a kick in the guts to all the people who DO put time and effort and love into their chosen field of content – often without a fraction of the reach (or return) that particular publication enjoys.
Jase has made a similar point over the years but it’s my turn today; if you enjoy consuming genuine, insightful and engaging NRL or NRLW content – content that is made with care and respect – please support those content creators through subscriptions, likes, shares, comments or recommendations.
It goes a lot further than you might think, and it could genuinely influence the working future of whichever content creators you choose to support.
To our own subscribers – paying or otherwise – I want to say thank you for your support.
Truly, thank you.
Cheers,
Oscar JP
Newcastle playing to strengths
The Newcastle Knights reminded us all why they’re the defending champs in NRLW Round 5.
Not at their best and ambushed by a confident Brisbane Broncos outfit, the Knights were dragged into an arm wrestle last weekend and came up trumps, with three late tries all involving Tamika Upton snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
Just as the Knights have found success in the NRL of late by building their attack around Kalyn Ponga, so too do the girls play towards their star fullback in the NRLW; Tamika Upton.
It’s by no means a one-man-band in Newcastle at the moment, but the NRLW Knights are learning that if they stay competitive in the yardage battle and play with their share of possession, Upton will turn field position into points more often than not.
Luckily for Newcastle, Head Coach Ronald Griffiths has built a squad perfectly designed to win the ruck and bring Upton into the game.
The NRLW Knights aren’t short of size in the pack between Caitlan Johnston, Rima Butler and Tayla Predebon but they’re enjoying wonderful service from their back-five in yardage this season.
Wingers Jasmin Strange and Sheriden Gallagher average over 200m per game between them while Shanice Parker, Abigail Roache and Upton herself aren’t shy of a tough carry.
This passage from last weekend highlights Newcastle’s effectiveness in yardage right now:
Upton is well positioned out the back and almost always beats the first tackler on her return. She can’t shurg off Romy Teitzel here but she does find her front to play the ball before the markers are set.
With a bit of momentum, the Knights wingers keep things going on plays two and three:
Both Gallagher and Strange bend the line and win their tackles here, allowing Jesse Southwell to play over the ad line on tackle four:
The Broncos have now back-tracked 50+ metres in four tackles and are under fatigue.
With both markers out of play from the Southwell tackle, Olivia Higgins takes her opportunity to isolate Kalya Romanuik onto one of those exhausted markers. The lock-forward wins that tackle to get an offload away, which is a que for Upton to push in support:
Upton doesn’t break the line her but she does compress it in towards the ball. With one tackle remaining in this set, Southwell knows where the space is and picks the right pass – albeit with a lucky bounce:
A brilliant pass from Olivia Kernick and a good finish from Strange caps off a length-of-the-field set from the Knights that utilises all their qualities with the ball; a productive back five, Higgins’ craft from dummy-half, Upton’s support play and Southwell’s vision.
Newcastle played to the same principles to begin their comeback through Shanice Parker in the second half.
There’s Higgins punishing some scattered markers before Romanuik plays over the ad-line to get Brisbane retreating on play three.
With the defensive line drawn in towards the ball, Southwell nails an overlap situation on the right edge by using Upton as a decoy.
Gayle Broughton is passive in the line while Mele Hufanga shoots on Upton, leaving Parker unmarked – although still with some work to do – on her way to the tryline.
Quick play-the-ball, Higgins scoot, Southwell vision – there it is again…
As their combinations improve, the Knights are also learning how to play for Upton from set starts or with set pieces.
The development of Georgia Roche is promising given her natural qualities as a ballplayer. She’s the perfect half to complement Upton given her ability to straighten the attack and engage the right defenders in the line:
This is just Roche’s third game in the NRLW and her third game with Upton. If she can consistently put her fullback in these areas, we’re going to see Upton set up or score a few more this season.
As it stands right now though, the Knight could do much worse than work downfield cleanly and wait for Upton to pick her moments.
This try to Gallagher in the dying minutes is a wonderful example of Upton’s ability to identify and convert half-chances in attack.
From the short kickoff, the Knights engage fill-in winger Toni Hunt (17) in the first tackle.
Hunt should’ve returned to her wing here but instead follows the ball from marker to make a second tackle in this set.. It doesn’t go unnoticed by Upton, who’s positioned directly behind the ball as Hunt races in-field.
Sure enough, Upton punishes that movement on the very next tackle, using her speed to cause havoc down the short side:
She’s so quick that Hufanga hasn’t even made it up into the line yet, while Broughton is stuck in the mud with Upton coming at her.
Neither can make a play at the ball as Upton sums things up and sends it through the hands to an unmarked Gallagher. Another good finish from a Newcastle winger and the Knights are in again.
Like I said at the top, the Knights do not have a one-man-band situation on their hands in 2023.
Instead, they’ve got a simple, repeatable and highly effective plan around which to build their game this season; complete high, kick long and put Upton into positive involvments across the field.
Head Noise – What’s living rent free in my head this week?
Jada Taylor
I mentioned last week that the Cronulla Sharks 1-and-3 record might’ve been a bit misleading.
They played the three best defensive teams in the NRLW over the first four rounds while their first-choice fullback Jada Taylor sat on the sidelines.
With Taylor back last week, the Sharks put 40 points on North Queensland in a shot across the bow to the rest of the competition.
Cronulla’s pack ranks above average in yardage and the boot of Tayla Preston is helping them win the territory battle. From there, Taylor’s involvements can help the Sharks turn field position into points as she did last week.
That acceleration and footwork is as good as I’ve seen in the NRLW. There’s a little bit of Reece Walsh about how Taylor moves across the ground, and she’s a handy ballplayer too.
We’re blessed with a host of brilliant fullbacks in the NRLW right now but Taylor might be adding her name to the list before too long.
Otesa Pule
This action from NRLW Round 5 is as much another advertisement for Tarryn Aiken as it is a celebration of Otesa Pule’s qualities.
You could say this was just the right time and place for Pule, but she’s doing it too consistently for it to be a coincidence.
With two tries from five NRLW games this year (most of those with limited minutes off the bench), Pule is proving a handy target for the Roosters attack in good-ball. She runs a lovely line and is terribly strong through contact – the perfect mix to complement Aiken’s ballplaying.
She might have a future in the front-row but for now, Pule stands out as one of the more exciting young forward prospects in the NRLW.
Julia Robinson
She’s back from injury and at a handy time for the Brisbane Broncos.
It’s been a slow start to the season but Head Coach Scott Prince seems to have figured out what works for this Broncos attack.
They’ve added a pass option in yardage to improve an already capable forward pack, and have one of the more repeatable and effective attacking options in the competition through Mele Hufanga at left centre.
Ashleigh Werner has performed fairly in her maiden NRLW season, but in her inexperience Werner has been found out in defence. Robinson, on the other hand, is one of the more experienced and confident wingers in the NRLW.
Strong in yardage, defensively sound and a good finisher, Robinson can perfectly complement a building Broncos attack.
Cassey Tohi-Tiku
With her wild hair and physical playing style, Tohi-Hikua was hard to miss in her debut NRLW season last year. I noticed her for a different reason though.
Tohi-Hiku is a smart footy player.
She’s got great vision and plays with nice deception on the ball. She disguises her intentions to the defence and uses a combination of speed and deceptive strength to regularly beat her opposite number.
This looks like a soft try but it’s far more clever than that:
With the winger at first marker, a halfback at second marker and just one defender on the short side, Tohi-Hiku identifies an opportunity and nails it.
She knows she’s got the second marker for pace so fools the first with a shimmy infield, before selling the short side defender a dummy to no one on her way to the try line.
The NRLW Parramatta Eels are struggling in 2023 but they’ve got a good one in Cassey Tohi-Hiku.