Statman previews NRL Round 12
Statman previews NRL Round 12
By Statman
Statman is back again, with another serving of tasty stats morsels featuring; the Sharks and Eels stalemate, no win at WIN for the mountain men, Manu versus Taniela will have the ground rocking, no experience in the halves and when NSW were kings.
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If their results this season are anything to go by the Parramatta v Sharks match on Saturday night could well be nil-all at half time. Of the 20 combined games both sides have played this season, only once (Parramatta v Cowboys in round 8) have either of them led at half time. The Sharks have had real problems scoring early in their matches - since their round one win over Penrith they have scored only two tries in total in the opening 20 minutes of their next nine matches. Statman can recall much happier times for these teams when they figured in their only finals match against each other?the year was 1979, the venue was the SCG, the crowd numbered 28,335 and the Eels were victorious 24-4?ah the good old days.
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While Matt Cooper will be disappointed with missing Origin selection, the timing for St George Illawarra could not have been better. Cooper has scored an imposing 12 tries in 11 games against the Panthers and 7 tries in three games against them at WIN Stadium. As happy as Dragons fans are, Penrith fans will be ruing the loss of Michael Jennings for this match. The Dragons have the best defence in the competition, and without their leading try scorer in Jennings a win at WIN will be a tough ask for the mountain men.
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Statman is appealing to the rugby league nerds out there with this week?s Manu Vatuvei v Taniela Tuiaki clash when Wests Tigers meet the Warriors in Auckland. Tuiaki, the 105kg wrecking ball, has made the most line breaks of any player this season with 13 and has crossed for 9 tries in his 10 games. He also has a great record against the Warriors crossing for 6 tries in 4 games against them. Manu ?The Beast? Vatuvei tips the scales at 112kg and has found the try line 11 times in his last 12 games. He needs only one try for his 50th career four-pointer. Sure it?s a great matchup, but why would nerds be excited? Simply because of what they can call this game: The Lord of the Wings ? The Two Towers.
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Everyone knows that halves are the lynchpins their rugby league teams revolve around, so this Monday night there will be an incredible amount of pressure on four very inexperienced players. South Sydney halves Chris Sandow and Jamie Simpson have a combined experience of only 40 games, with Simpson starting in the halves only once in his short career. Not to be outdone Canberra are fielding what must surely be one of the most inexperienced halves combinations in premiership history when Marc Herbert (13 games) and Josh McCrone (2 games) line up in the 6 and 7 for the green machine. While the young guys will no doubt put up a good performance it?s a far cry from Coleman and Blake lining up against Stuart and Daley?. But who knows, in 20 years time we may be arguing if McCrone or Daley was the better 6.
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And on Origin? brought up on the annual carve-up of Queensland sides by New South Wales during the 1960s and ?70s, during which time the Maroons never won one series, Statman struggles with Queensland?s current domination of the interstate rivalry. However don?t be tricked into thinking that Statman lives in the past, he remains the sharpest tool in the stats shed!
Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au
