😃 The good: Snubbed stars primed for Origin recalls
Their teams may have both suffered one-point losses on Saturday night but Liam Martin and Haumole Olakau’atu put forward irresistible cases for inclusion in the NSW team for the Origin decider. Olakau’atu put aside the disappointment of being left out of the Blues’ 19 in Melbourne, terrorising the Bulldogs’ left edge defence and racking up 154m and making nine tackle busts from 17 highly effective runs.
Martin was even more impressive against the Gold Coast, scoring a try, laying on a try assist and hurting in every one of the 18 tackles he made during his 68-minute stint. Every Origin team needs an “educated psychopath” – as Andrew Johns calls Martin – and the Penrith backrower will surely be called into Laurie Daley’s team for the trip to Brisbane.
Manly fans have turned on halfback Jamal Fogarty (L) after the loss to the Bulldogs while Sharks’ agitator Ronaldo Mulitalo (R) came off second best in the battle against he Roosters. Pic: Getty
(Getty)
“He has to be there in the 17 because he’s a player who Queensland fears,” Joey said. “He’s got that intensity – look at the lunatic (trampling Titans players) – and you know what you’re going to get.
“Load him up full of red drink. Liam – search and destroy. Simple. For game three we do (need a bit of psycho).”
😔 The bad: Jamal Fogarty cops blame after Manly loss
Geez, it doesn’t take too long for fans to turn on a player. Jamal Fogarty has been part of Manly’s resurrection under Kieran Foran but he’s wearing the blame for the Sea Eagles’ golden point loss to Canterbury at Accor Stadium.
The experienced playmaker failed to ice a game the visitors should have won, missing one shot at field goal from right in front in the 71st minute and failing to set up properly for another attempt in golden point. Adding to Fogarty’s misery, he also missed two crucial conversions.
It’s reignited talk the No.7 can’t get the job done in clutch situations following similar fade outs during his time as a Canberra Raider. It even had some Manly fans dreaming of old favourite DCE, who just happened to land a one- pointer for the Roosters on Sunday night.
Manly halfback Jamal Fogarty has come under fire from fans after failing to ice the game in a golden point loss to the Bulldogs. Pic: Getty
(Jason McCawley via Getty Images)
Harsh? Former Canterbury great James Graham think so. He argues Manly bought Fogarty to the club – on a modest deal by halfback standards – to fix other areas of their game, not necessarily to be their “ice man”.
“I think to pin Manly’s loss on Jamal Fogarty and to say he didn’t ice it is going too far,” Graham told Triple M. “It’s not all on his shoulders. He wears the number seven (but) he doesn’t have that number seven price tag that brings that pressure that a lot of other players do. That (being a consistent clutch player) usually comes with a price tag that Jamal Fogarty doesn’t carry with him.”
Manly co-captain Tom Trbojevic strongly defended Fogarty after a chaotic end to the match. “Jamal’s our main field goal kicker and Brooksy (Luke Brooks) can obviously kick them as well and we’ve got plans around it but managed it poorly,” he said.
“That’s on us as a playing group. When you have multiple opportunities to finish a game and you don’t, it’s going to come back to bite you. We need to reflect on that and be better.”
😡 The ugly: Ronaldo Mulitalo barbs backfire for Sharks
Goose or a Godsend? Whatever your thoughts on Ronaldo Mulitalo, you can’t deny he’s box office entertainment. The Cronulla winger renewed hostilities with Roosters rivals Mark Nawaqanitawase on Sunday night and had his pants pulled down, much to the delight of his many critics.
Nawaqanitawase scored two tries in the Roosters’ comfortable 27-6 win, completely outplaying the in-your-face Mulitalo. Fans were quick to give it to the controversial Shark, telling him to stay humble and to show some respect.
Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo lost his running battle with the Roosters in Sunday night’s defeat. Pic: Getty
(Matt King via Getty Images)
But Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon was having none of it. “They actually respect each other and get on all right,” he said. “It was a good footy battle and by my estimation it’s 2-1 Mark at the moment.
“We came out the wrong end of that tonight but Ronnie respects him and definitely rates him as a player. He’s not trying to disrespect him. We get humbled from time to time but Ronnie will back himself next time. He actually thinks (Nawaqanitawase’s) a helluva player.
“They’re in a contest – they’re going after each other – and sometimes Ronnie’s an emotional guy and it spills over. It was 1-all but not after tonight. Ronnie will eat that.”