NRL Repeat Set: Round 9

Recap the latest round of NRL action with the Repeat Set: Talking points, highlights, lowlights and the Play of the Round.

Here’s your Repeat Set for Round 9 of the 2021 NRL season:

• Tom Trbojevic: How good?
• Things I liked…
• A round to remember for…Josh Addo-Carr
• A round to forget for…South Sydney Rabbitohs
• Play of the Round: Penrith Panthers
• Player Appreciation Post: Chanel Harris-Tavita

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Tom Trbojevic: How good?

We seem to be talking about Tom Trbojevic a lot already here at RLW, but his Round 9 performance can’t go unmentioned. The 24-year-old ripped through the Warriors defence to score two tries and hand out four try assists throughout Manly’s 38-32 win at Lottoland.

We know that the Sea Eagles are a different team with him in the side. Round 9 showed us exactly how they’re different. Trbojevic is the quintessential eye’s up footy player. He’s always actively assessing the defensive line and so often exploits just the smallest error.

He did just that to score his first try on Sunday afternoon.

With Roger Tuivasa-Sheck filling in at A on the short side, the Warriors open side is stretched. Trbojevic sees the gap between Kane Evans and Tohu Harris and runs straight into it. He is setting up out the back of shape on the short side but sees the opportunity and changes his point of attack in a split second.

Trbojevic’s second isn’t as pretty but highlights his strength as a ball carrier. Adam Pompey does well to get out of the line and shut down the shift. His effort should have been enough to shut down the play entirely. Instead, Trbojevic manages to stay on his feet, cut back inside, and carry three Warriors defenders over the line to score his second try in three minutes.

After scoring two of his own, Trbojevic soon handed out two tries to teammates in very similar fashion. He makes the first to Morgan Harper look easy before giving Jason Saab a helping hand on his 53rd-minute meat pie. You can see Trbojevic setting up this shift as Toafofoa Sipley settles on the left post. He pulls Saab back so he isn’t in front of the ball when Trbojevic takes possession out the back of the block.

They had just run a similar shape for Harper to score. Like last time, Jake Trbojevic acts as first receiver before feeding the half (Kieran Foran on the first try and Daly Cherry-Evans on the second). They add a slight variation and run the same play one wider and Tom Trbojevic once again provides the try-scoring pass with relative ease.

The Warriors installed Reece Walsh into the game at this point and the Trbojevic brothers went straight at him two tackles after the kickoff. Tom Trbojevic scoots through the line but can’t quite link up with Harper or Saab to score.

We’re going to see that shape again shortly, but not before Trbojevic throws this absolute peach to Reuben Garrick on the wing. Once again, the Warriors centre does reasonably well to apply pressure and get out to Trbojevic, but, once again, the Sea Eagles fullback is too good. He catches and completes the pass in one fluid motion to send Garrick across the line untouched.

Here they go again at Walsh. Manly set up to exactly the same spot on the field before throwing a similar shape at Walsh’s edge. Only this time, Cherry-Evans is also out the back and drags the rookie half even further away from his inside defender. Trbojevic bursts through and finishes the job for his fourth try assist of the afternoon.

You can put this play down as an unofficial fifth try assist, too. Trbojevic spots another opportunity as he sniffs around the ruck. This time the Warriors are caught short on the right edge after Jamayne Taunoa-Brown and Bunty Afoa are caught in the tackle while Tohu Harris and Josh Curran reload on the long side. Trbojevic scoots around, engages the two-in defender and sends Brad Parker down the sideline. Saab crosses over in the corner two tackles later.

Trbojevic changes the whole dynamic of the Sea Eagles attack when he’s on the field. He won’t be able to do it all every week, but his influence improves those around him. He makes Cherry-Evans a better player and it’s no coincidence that Jake Trbojevic is playing his best football now that Tom is back running beside him. If he can stay healthy for the remainder of the 2021 NRL season, we might have a new name at the top of the fullbacks list.

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Things I like…

1. If you’ve been reading everything here over the last 12 months you’ll have known this one was coming. Api Koroisau’s deception at dummy half + James Fisher-Harris scoring with a smile = good footy.

2. Michael Maguire is said to have blown up deluxe at his side for conceding this try, and for good reason. Jarrod Wallace and AJ Brimson have been linking up like this on kickoffs all year. I’m going to dig more into how they have worked on this for the Notepad on Thursday. In the meantime, it’s worth watching again.

3. Chaos. I like chaos. And sweetly-struck field goals where the kicker is already running back as it sails through the post.

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It was a round to remember for…

I don’t think Josh Addo-Carr is going to forget Round 9 of the 2021 NRL season any time soon.