We got our first big upset of the 2023 NRLW season in Round 2, when newcomers Canberra Raiders comprehensively outplayed the Sydney Roosters for a 24-14 win.
The scoreline probably flattered the Roosters at fulltime, who didn’t have an answer to the Raiders simple gameplan and the boot of Zahara Temara.
The gong of best long-kicking game last year went to then-Eels halfback Tayla Preston, who played with an average 317.4 kicking metres per game. For reference, the next best was Rachael Pearson’s 260m/game.
Those numbers go some way to stressing the significance of Temara’s total 362 kick metres in NRLW Round 2.
She repeatedly put boot to ball and asked the Roosters to work off their own tryline in yardage. Over the course of 70 minutes, that tactic ground Sydney out of the game and allowed Canberra to pile on the points late in both halves.
Temara was afforded opportunities to influence the game with her boot thanks to the work of her forward pack. The Raiders consistently picked out Sydney’s smaller bodies in yardage, rolling downfield and buying Temara time to kick to the spaces.
From a set start here, Canberra send two hit-ups straight at Roosters halfback Jocellyn Kelleher. The Raiders generate 25+ metres in two tackles before resetting towards the middle, midway through the count:
Again the Raiders find a smaller body in the line – this time Keeley Davis – and head straight for it. Tommaya Kelly-Sines wins that tackle to generate a quick play-the-ball and Temara makes the most of the ruck speed to kick early in the set.
And so it continued.
By fulltime, Tarryn Aiken and Kelleher had 24 tackles for 17 misses between them – evidence of an effective Raiders gameplan in attack. Canberra stuck to their guns and played to a plan in yardage, pitching bigger forwards onto smaller defenders on the edges:
From there, Temara added the polish on the end of sets:
The Raiders gameplan slowly won the field position battle, and they backed up their on-the-ball efforts with some resolute and desperate goal-line defence when needed:
The Roosters stayed with them for most of the first half but as fatigue set in and the pressure told, Canberra slowly found their points.
Fittingly, those points came on the back of Temara’s kicking game.
A brilliant 40/30 attempt from Temara turned into an ever better forced drop-out when Shakiah Tungai won the chase and provided the second kick in this passage:
Another goal-line drop-out later and the Raiders finally capitalised on their field position to score first points through Grace Kemp.
The big, red haired front rower is quickly earning cult-hero status and her involvements in this passage highlight why:
A strong carry from the drop-out attracts three defenders into the tackle here; Olivia Kernick (12), Kalosipani Hopoate (15) and the diminutive Shawden Burton (14). Despite the defensive attention, Kemp still gets her arm free to release the offload and Canberra steal a few more metres on this play.
Playing the ball on the left tram-line, the Raiders send one back to the posts which might’ve been a settler – except nobody told Kemp:
Note the two main defenders Kemp beats here. Kernick and Hopoate are asked to make their second defensive effort in as many tackles, and they miss their assignment again as Kemp barges over to score.
It’s a simple try – and maybe a soft one from a Roosters perspective – but a product of Canberra’s patient approach in attack; roll downfield, kick long, chase hard and wait for your opportunities close to the line. Tries to Simaima Taufa and Monalisa Soliola came in a similar fasion late in the second half.
The women’s game is growing at a rapid rate.
Ballplaying is developing across the NRLW competition and systems are improving on both sides of the ball. Attacking shapes and structures are growing more complicated and purposeful, and defensive systems are being asked to improve as a result.
Some things will never change though. Field position wins games and the Raiders played with plenty of it in NRLW Round 2, thanks largely to the boot of Zahara Temara.
(NRL) Always Next Week For…
… the Canberra Raiders & North Queensland Cowboys
Two more fancied sides dropped winnable games in NRL Round 22 against the Newcastle Knights and Gold Coast Titans, respectively.
By the eye-test, both the Canberra Raiders and North Queensland Cowboys looked beaten for energy and intent over the weekend, and the numbers suggest the same.
The Raiders missed 42 tackles in NRL Round 22 – significantly more than their 32.7 season average.
And the Cowboys missed 47, with another 12 recorded as ineffective – also a fair jump from their 37.2 average tally.
We know defence wins premierships and we know the Panthers currently play with some of the best defence in the history of the NRL. There are a couple of clubs who can genuinely challenge them this time around, but it will start with their work off the ball.
NRLW Round 2 Shout Outs
Jayme Fressard (Roosters)
The NRLW veteran has played mostly on the wing since joining the Roosters last season but relished a move into centres in NRLW Round 2. An energetic ball carrier with a great work ethic, Fressard was one of Sydney’s best in their loss to Canberra. She made 27 tackles for just one miss and was busy in yardage too. The Roosters have plenty of highlight players in the backline but every club needs a reliable workhorse like Fressard.
Jakiya Whitfeld (Tigers)
Just four games into her NRLW career, Whitfeld is fast becoming one of my favourite players. She’s a powerful runner who hasn’t settled for just a finishing role on Wests left wing. With a total 474 running metres from two games and a ridiculous 16 tackle busts in NRLW Round 2 alone, Whitfeld is putting up Brian To’o numbers so far this season.
Tyla Nathan-Wong (Dragons)
She was quiet in her NRLW debut last week but showed us all her qualities against the Eels in NRLW Round 2. With Raecene McGregor pulling the strings from halfback, Nathan-Wong was free to pick her moments in attack.
That’s as good a cut-out as we saw in the NRL or the NRLW over the weekend.
Nathan-Wong has great vision to go with a considerable skillset. I’m looking forward to tracking her development through the 2023 season.
Jessika Elliston & Shannon Mato (Titans), Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala (Broncos), Maddison Weatherall (Dragons) & Rima Butler (Knights)
Mille Boyle has comfortably held the mantel of best prop in the NRLW over the past two seasons. Her ability to bend the line coupled with her big engine saw the Knights – and now the Roosters – roll downfield in yardage with relative ease
She’s got some competition this year though, as a number of other front-rowers dominated in NRLW Round 2.
Elliston is in a similar mould to Boyle – tall, rangy and mobile – but the big bodies of Mato, Nu’uausala, Weatherall and Butler proved just as difficult to handle over the weekend. Every club in the NRLW has a powerful prop-forward like this but the better teams are finding ways to use their big bodies effectively.
Rilee Jorgansen (Titans)
I picked her out after watching the U19s Women’s State of Origin a few weeks ago and she’s forced herself into the Gold Coast side after just one game.
Jorgansen is a natural lock-forward but played well on the right edge in NRLW Round 2, particularly in defence. She’s got a wonderful tackle technique and has already produced her first highlight reel moment in the NRLW.
Scores locked up, clock winding down, desperate for field position; Jorgansen goes BANG.
She is a genuine player of the future and will have the No.13 on her back before too long.