{"id":809956,"date":"2026-07-19T10:01:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T10:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/809956\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T10:01:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T10:01:12","slug":"nrl-2026-talking-points-and-analysis-from-round-20-why-reece-walsh-change-has-to-stay-jarome-luai-contract-clause","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/809956\/","title":{"rendered":"NRL 2026: Talking points and analysis from Round 20, why Reece Walsh change has to stay, Jarome Luai contract clause"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Tigers\u2019 spiral has continued and it has prompted some uncomfortable questions in the wake of Jarome Luai\u2019s impending exit.<\/p>\n<p>Watch every game of every round of the NRL Premiership LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kayosports.com.au\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere, a big Broncos move sparked a stunning victory \u2014 and it has to stay.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"i-amphtml-fill-content i-amphtml-replaced-content\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/poster-fallback.png\"\/><\/p>\n<p>WHAT&#8217;S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, even in defeat one of South Sydney\u2019s stars of the future emerged in a big way.<\/p>\n<p>Read on for all of the talking points out of Round 20!<\/p>\n<p>WALSH SWITCH THAT COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING<\/p>\n<p>The Brisbane Broncos may have stumbled upon the formula to ignite a late-season surge towards the finals, with Reece Walsh handed the keys in attack.<\/p>\n<p>Upsetting the first-place Penrith Panthers on Thursday night, the Broncos kept their finals hopes alive, climbing to 13th on the NRL ladder and slowly inching towards striking distance of the top-eight.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019re a Brisbane Broncos fan, you\u2019d be wondering where this has been all year,\u201d Bryan Fletcher said on The Late Night Show with Matty Johns.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe team they had tonight was probably the best roster they\u2019ve had on the field and from the opening whistle they had intent when they ran, intent when they tackled. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was the Broncos that we saw last year that were premiers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Needing to win their remaining seven matches &#8211; Cowboys, Knights, Dolphins, Warriors, Raiders, Storm and Bulldogs &#8211; the Broncos may have found the blueprint.<\/p>\n<p>That is to put the ball in the hands of superstar fullback Reece Walsh.<\/p>\n<p>Walsh &#8216;DEMANDING&#8217; the ball in comeback | 00:31<\/p>\n<p>And the numbers backed up that approach.<\/p>\n<p>Walsh finished the contest with 86 possessions. This was thirteen more than dummy-half Cory Paix and almost as many as halves Ezra Mam and Adam Reynolds combined (96). <\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor (the) Broncos to go deep, I think he has to have another display like he did tonight. I thought he was on the ball a bit more,\u201d Parramatta Eels legend Nathan Hindmarsh added.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt looked like he took control of the game (and) control of the side when Reynolds took a bit more of a back seat and Ezra was a bit more on the edges.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt looked like it was his game to run tonight. He looked a bit more frustrated with some passes he didn\u2019t get as well and threw his hands in the air a bit which I thought \u2018Let\u2019s not sulk here, you\u2019ve missed a few opportunities\u2019 but he was everywhere tonight. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was impressive and I thought their middle was outstanding. They\u2019ve beaten the top of the table.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Walsh starred in the win. Picture: NRL PhotosSource: The Courier Mail<\/p>\n<p>The dominant performance by the reigning Clive Churchill Medallist prompted former NRL playmakers Luke Keary and Matthew Johns to suggest that Brisbane should lean into Walsh as their chief playmaker.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was the chief playmaker and when he\u2019s the chief playmaker, they open the game up,\u201d Johns said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you saw him play in Origin III you knew he\u2019s got a purple patch coming.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf he gets going and he starts bleeding through that football side. You can see the way he played in Origin III and he could transform this season.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Keary went a step further, likening Walsh\u2019s evolution to that of Broncos legend Darren Lockyer, who made the transition from fullback to five-eighth in the latter stages of his career.<\/p>\n<p>It was not just Walsh\u2019s constant involvement with the ball that caught his eye, with the rugby league superstar finishing with three try assists, one line break, three line break assists and 467 kicking metres.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt looks like he\u2019s playing halfback for them and I reckon he\u2019ll transition into a five-eighth like Darren Lockyer just up in the front line,\u201d Keary, who won premierships with the Rabbitohs and Roosters, continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJust get out of his way now and I can see him going for eight weeks. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is perfect for Madge. He would\u2019ve locked this up off a bye, eight weeks. It\u2019s almost like a rep campaign for him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Madge &amp; Reynolds praise GUTSY win | 04:56<\/p>\n<p>KEVVIE UNLOADS ON TIGERS FOR \u2018WRONG\u2019 LUAI DECISION<\/p>\n<p>Australian Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters has taken aim at the Wests Tigers handling of Jarome Luai\u2019s contract situation, insisting that the club has \u201conly got themselves to blame\u201d for the disruption caused by the ongoing saga.<\/p>\n<p>Although it was only confirmed last week that the Tigers had granted Luai permission to depart the club at the end of the season, speculation surrounding the star\u2019s future has lingered throughout the entire 2026 campaign.<\/p>\n<p>The uncertainty stemmed from him having originally agreed to player options in the final three years of the five-year contract he originally signed with the Tigers after departing the Penrith Panthers.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking on Fox League\u2019s Super Saturday, Walters questioned why the decision was allowed to become a mid-season distraction, arguing the situation should have been resolved before the start of the season.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019ve only got themselves to blame because the clause in Jarome\u2019s contract when he had to recommit to the Tigers ten weeks into the season. That\u2019s the wrong time to make that decision,\u201d Walters said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf he stays, it\u2019s great, but you\u2019ve always got to look at worst-case situations and that decision should\u2019ve been made at the end of the year or the start of the year but not when it was. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt in my mind that it\u2019s been a big disruption for the Tigers, but they\u2019ve only got themselves to blame for allowing that clause. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know he was a big signing for the Tigers and there were certain clauses in his contract to get that signing across the line, but that shouldn\u2019t have been one.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As the Tigers slumped to their fifth consecutive defeat over the weekend, the former Brisbane Broncos coach highlighted how important Luai was to the club\u2019s rebuild &#8211; a rebuild he will now no longer be a part of.<\/p>\n<p>While he didn\u2019t blame the five-eighth for deciding to decline the multi-year option with the Tigers and sign with the PNG Chiefs for the 2028 season, Walters once again shifted the focus back onto the club and questioned their decision to include the clause when Luai first signed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s rare (that a player signs with a team mid-year). Payne Haas left the Broncos, but they pinned their hopes on Jarome Luai and he decided to go to the Chiefs,\u201d Walters added.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not going to have a crack about him going to do that. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe has the right to do that, he\u2019s only allowing what the club has allowed him and his management to do which is wrong. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe timing is not right and that\u2019s what they got wrong and they\u2019re paying a huge price of it now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA &#8211; JULY 18: Jarome Luai of the Tigers looks on during the round 20 NRL match between Canterbury Bulldogs and Wests Tigers at Accor Stadium, on July 18, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>Former NRL enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves also weighed in on the impact that Luai\u2019s future had on the Tigers.<\/p>\n<p>This is where he suggested that his future and decision to sign with the Eels and leave the Tigers created an unwanted distraction among the playing group.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt carries so much weight, no matter who you are, it is pressure,\u201d the former premiership winner said on Fox League Super Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo matter what it is, externally, you\u2019re still going to come in thinking about it. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot wanting to talk about it, but you carry so much weight and it definitely showed (against the Bulldogs).\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Benji reacts to Tigers&#8217; late meltdown | 04:22<\/p>\n<p>ROOSTERS HALVES OFFER MIXED SIGNS AMID ORIGIN HANGOVER<\/p>\n<p>Sydney Roosters playmakers Sam Walker and Daly Cherry-Evans weren\u2019t exactly filling their fans with confidence with the attack they put on against the Storm on Friday night.<\/p>\n<p>In an execution performance that coach Trent Robinson described as \u2018poor\u2019, the Roosters looked a pale imitation of their best in the slippery and low-scoring affair.<\/p>\n<p>Former Roosters halves coach Cooper Cronk said the halves performance was a combination of the annual Origin hangover \u2013 particularly in the wake of Walkers\u2019 impressive input for Queensland \u2013 as well as the absence of James Tedesco.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is a concern and I think it shows the importance of Tedesco because Tedesco does a lot of work through the middle of the field as a first receiver and then he\u2019s the link guy that sets up the tries on the edges,\u201d Cronk told Fox League.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere should have been more cohesion between Walker and Cherry-Evans tonight. With the amount of forward momentum that Naufahu Whyte was delivering, yes they should have. On the other side of the field there was some good defence from the Melbourne Storm. But if you call it as you see they should have scored more points. \u201c<\/p>\n<p>Asked by Fox League host Braith Anasta whether the Roosters looked like the sort of team that could win a premiership on Friday night, Cronk \u2013 a two-time premiership winner with the tricolours \u2013 offered a mixed assessment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s really hard to judge what the Roosters did tonight. It\u2019s off the back of Origin\u2026 I think they missed Tedesco hugely,\u201d he said. \u201cThey are set for September, but that\u2019s not the performance that gives you confidence. I think they had enough field possession to score double the amount of points.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sam Walker. (Photo by Brendon Thorne\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>Michael Ennis remained convinced the Roosters can go deep into September despite the mixed performance against the Storm.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think the Roosters can win a premiership,\u201d he declared. \u201cI said the same thing about the Panthers last night, they\u2019ve had seven players in and out of the Origin series \u2013 no Tedesco, no Rob Toia \u2013 they\u2019ve had minimal reps together,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cConditions were tough in Sydney this weekend weather-wise. They were no-where near their best but I still think they can win a competition.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Robinson was otherwise satisfied with his side\u2019s performance against the Roosters, ruing their at-times poor attacking options, but praising their defence.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe execution of our attack was poor. I\u2019ll take that out of Origin just with different guys coming in and out in the wet. Of course I would have liked to have better combinations and increase that, because I thought we had enough field position,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut there are some really good signs there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Roosters&#8217; Wet-Weather WIN | 04:47<\/p>\n<p>SHARKS KEEP THEIR FOOT ON THE GAS AMID CONTINUED WINNING STREAK<\/p>\n<p>You could forgive Cronulla for partially taking their foot off the accelerator following a resounding 66-nil dismantling of the Dolphins two weeks ago.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, the in-form side pressed firmly against the firewall with a resilient 20-18 win against the Knights on Friday night.<\/p>\n<p>The Sharks are firmly in the NRL\u2019s top four with the weeks counting down towards the NRL finals, and captain Cam McInnes said the side was eager to avoid complacency after winning seven from their past eight matches.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe knew coming off the game last week that it\u2019s easy to rest on your laurels but we don\u2019t want to be like that this year. We\u2019ve changed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe grit and toughness that we showed, that\u2019s what we\u2019re about this year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon is happy with what he\u2019s seeing from the third-placed outfit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFirst half we didn\u2019t quite get going but the way we addressed it and got it back was really good,\u201d was Fitzgibbon\u2019s summary of the match.<\/p>\n<p>Sharks hold off determined Knights | 03:58<\/p>\n<p>For Fox League\u2019s Michael Ennis, it was the Sharks defence that proved the biggest difference on a night where Kalyn Ponga\u2019s stray boot was costly for the visitors, with one conversion from four attempts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was a tough win at home in tough conditions. Some wonderful try saves, one from Mawene Hiroti on Bradman Best in the closing stages of the game, another one from Sione Katoa was absolutely outstanding,\u201d said Ennis.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a big win for Cronulla. Defensively they\u2019re the second-best team in the comp over the past month, just behind the Roosters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cooper Cronk was impressed at the way the Shark\u2019s backline covered for one another in the big moments, and believes it will hold the side in good stead during some big match-ups in the final games of the regular season.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was defence in crucial moments that got them this win. Sione Katoa doesn\u2019t have to do this, he is on the other side of the field in a moment when his team is sort of ahead. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe never gives up, tracks the football and it ends up being the play that gives the scoreboard pressure in favour of the Sharks,\u201d Cronk said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen the game was in the balance the Sharks defence was the strongest thing for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It was a crucial win for the Sharks. (Photo by Jeremy Ng\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>Cronulla score an eight-day turnaround for their next match against the Sea Eagles in Round 21, where they are set to welcome back Jesse Ramien (illness), Jess Colquhoun (knee) and Toby Rudolf (knee).<\/p>\n<p>Fitzgibbon was also confident enforcer Addin Fonua-Blake would recover in time for Manly after a minor pec strain against the Knights, which took him from the field at one point before he gave the home side a big surge in the final quarter of the match.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a low grade pec strain but you don\u2019t want to make it a high grade pec strain. I though he shifted energy pretty quick when he came back on,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The Sharks boast an impressive record at home this year, but with four of the remaining seven games being played outside the Shire, the side will need to improve their away record to remain inside the top four.<\/p>\n<p>McInnes &amp; Fitz praise Sharks&#8217; fight! | 05:53<\/p>\n<p>WHY NEXT WEEK IS \u2018DO OR DIE\u2019 FOR STORM AS FINALS FIRST LOOMS<\/p>\n<p>Craig Bellamy could not have been prouder after his understrength Storm side fell just short of a monumental upset against the Roosters on Friday night.<\/p>\n<p>But the unfortunate reality for the Storm is that every loss is another missed opportunity as the club inches closer to missing the finals for the first time under Bellamy, with the exception of the 2010 salary-cap breach season.<\/p>\n<p>Manly\u2019s surprise loss helped Melbourne\u2019s cause, while it also was handy that the Cowboys lost given they have a far inferior for-and-against to the Dolphins.<\/p>\n<p>But the Storm are up against it in the race for a finals spot, still sitting four points outside of the eight and also without both Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster.<\/p>\n<p>Hughes should be back soon but Munster could miss the entire regular season and while Harry Grant\u2019s class was almost enough against the Roosters, the Storm were crying out for more direction in the halves after being gifted multiple sets on the opposition try-line.<\/p>\n<p>For Michael Ennis, this may end up being a lost season for the Storm and it is hard not to wonder what could have been if they were at full-strength. <\/p>\n<p>However, the typical mark of a Bellamy team in previous seasons has been performing regardless of who is available and at the moment the depth just isn\u2019t there according to Ennis.<\/p>\n<p>It has been a tough season. (Photo by Brendon Thorne\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThree of their better players in the run to the grand final last year haven\u2019t featured this year,\u201d Ennis said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEli Katoa, Shawn Blore then you throw in Ryan Papenhuyzen. As good as Fa\u2019alogo has been, Papenhuyzen was so good for them. And then Coates. That Papenhuyzen, Coates, Warbrick back three combination took a lot of pressure off the spine. They created momentum. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe depth isn\u2019t there at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ennis called next week\u2019s game against South Sydney as \u201cdo-or-die\u201d, with the Bulldogs and Manly to come in the following weeks.<\/p>\n<p>It is a crucial stretch for the Storm given those games are against teams just above them on the ladder.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTheir season is in the balance next week,\u201d added former Melbourne premiership-winner Cooper Cronk. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou beat Souths, you give yourself an opportunity but I have my doubts though. The start of the season crushed their chances big time.<\/p>\n<p>They fought hard and tonight showed they have the character to fight but they just don\u2019t have the class at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019ve missed Eli Katoa and there are a few others they\u2019ve missed. You take Xavier Coates out for the season; other guys are moving around in other positions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey haven\u2019t found consistency on the edges and their inexperienced players haven\u2019t had the minutes to stop the biggest and best teams.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bellamy praises Storm effort in defeat | 08:54<\/p>\n<p>HARRY GRANT 2.0 EMERGES IN THE NATION\u2019S CAPITAL<\/p>\n<p>The Canberra Raiders remain a slim chance of making the finals after a dramatic turnaround in recent weeks following an inconsistent start to this year\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Winning their past three matches, the Raiders need to clinch at least five victories from their final six games to have any chance of keeping their season alive.<\/p>\n<p>One of the key players behind their resurgence has been rookie dummy-half Owen Pattie, who has taken his game to another level and emerged as one of the NRL\u2019s most promising No.9s.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe has a little bit of Harry Grant about him,\u201d Fox League analyst Luke Keary said on Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve loved that they\u2019ve held him back a little bit and we\u2019re seeing the best of him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Owen Pattie drew big praise. (Photo by Mark Nolan\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>The emergence of Pattie has come at a crucial time for the Raiders who have been searching for consistency around the ruck.<\/p>\n<p>It also comes after he spent the opening months of the season honing his craft in NSW Cup before being recalled to the first-grade line-up with coach Ricky Stuart taking a patient approach with the young hooker.<\/p>\n<p>That patience has now paid off with Pattie producing stellar back-to-back showings against the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think Ricky has done a magnificent job with him,\u201d Balmain Tigers icon Steve Roach added.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cObviously, he knows the talent he\u2019s got but he needed to be able to play 80 minutes, so he needed to be able to play more minutes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe got out of reserve-grade, comes in and makes an impact. All of sudden\u2026he\u2019s awesome. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI really like his service out of dummy-half and he\u2019s going to be there for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ethan Strange added, \u201cSando and Pattie are getting more and more games and they\u2019re killing it. I thought they were both outstanding today so put it down to those two.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Young suffers suspected achilles rupture | 00:36<\/p>\n<p>With Pattie thriving in the starting role alongside the halves\u2019 combination of Strange and Ethan Sanders, the trio have helped the Raiders rediscover the style of football that helped them claim the minor premiership in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was a fantastic performance in the first-half, they were just everywhere. They keep their season alive,\u201d Keary continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt looks like the Canberra Raiders side that we came to know the season before. They\u2019ve been inconsistent this year. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cRicky said he\u2019s been searching for a switch and they\u2019ve found it. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor me, if Kaeo Weekes, Ethan Strange, Ethan Sanders can get that combination with Owen Pattie now they are a chance (for the finals).\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hudson Young goes down with an Achilles injury.Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n<p>However, they will have to do it without star representative back-rower Hudson Young, who sustained a season-ending Achilles injury.<\/p>\n<p>A massive blow for the Green Machine on both ends of the field, Young\u2019s absence opens up the door for either Corey Horsburgh, Matty Nicholson or Morgan Smithies to step into the starting side.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Simi Sasagi &#8211; who has recently been playing in the centres &#8211; is another option to shift into the starting forward pack.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s shattering for Hudson but also shattering for the Raiders. I think Hudson Young is eight points for the Raiders,\u201d Cooper Cronk said on Fox League\u2019s Super Saturday post-match show.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe saves tries, he scores tries and they\u2019re going to miss one of their best players with five wins from six games to finish the season to get into the finals. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt just got a lot harder with no Hudson Young.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ricky reacts to heartbreaking Young news | 10:31<\/p>\n<p>HAVE SOUTHS FOUND THEIR LONG-TERM NO.7?<\/p>\n<p>Wayne Bennett may not have been in the mood for too much praise after his side\u2019s 10-point loss to Canberra on Saturday, but recent interviews have failed to hide the soft spot appears to have for up-and-coming half Ashton Ward, who this week agreed to another two seasons at the Burrow.<\/p>\n<p>And Ward showed why throughout the match in the nation\u2019s capital, with a composure that a 22-year-old halfback perhaps should not be showing at this stage of his career.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019d expect that play from a more experienced player,\u201d Tigers\u2019 legend Steve Roach remarked in commentary after the primary school teacher took the space on offer close to the line to post first points for Souths, capitalising with a show-and-go and breaking the line.<\/p>\n<p>He then dug into the line to draw the defence and set up the two tries, early in the second half, which put the Rabbitohs back in the contest. He was also four from four, converting with the boot.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to Fox League prior to the clash, Bennett described him as his \u2018type of player\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe tries really hard, he does his best. He\u2019s not a big guy, but he\u2019s courageous,\u201d Bennett said. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s been very good around the players, they all really like him. (He is getting the players) to do what he wants them to do, and the players have the confidence in him and respect him enough to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ashton Ward is the answer. (Photo by Mark Nolan\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>Without him, the Raiders may well have run away with a match which finished 34-24, harpooning the for-and-against critical for teams like Souths in the bottom half of the eight.<\/p>\n<p>His performance even earned the praise of one of the best number sevens to lace up a boot, the opposing coach Ricky Stuart, adding further merit to Souths\u2019 recruitment decision.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat young half Ward, he did a really good job tonight,\u201d Stuart said post-match. \u201cHe ignited a lot of their attack.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite the loss, Ward may have arrived as the Rabbitohs number seven from which they can build the team of the future. <\/p>\n<p>And who knows? <\/p>\n<p>The super coach may have uncovered another little bloke to work wonders at halfback for him, like a certain player from Ipswich that helped him to four titles.<\/p>\n<p>But for nothing else, the affection he has for Ashton as a player is quite similar.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 David Gavin (NCA NewsWire)<\/p>\n<p>Wayne quizzed on finals after defeat | 03:21<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Tigers\u2019 spiral has continued and it has prompted some uncomfortable questions in the wake of Jarome Luai\u2019s&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":809957,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-809956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/809956","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=809956"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/809956\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/809957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=809956"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=809956"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=809956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}