Yes, just three rounds into the NRL season, it would be absurd to draw too many conclusions of who’s hot, who’s not, who’s shot, and who’s rot.
Luckily, I’m an absurdist.
As one who has watched more league than is good for me since the first round opened in ... Las Vegas, I think it was? ... I reckon this is what we know right now:
League’s hot. Despite the ludicrously overblown hype of the Las Vegas thing, if you can ignore the fact that it has made no more waves in the USA than a small American pebble thrown into the waters off Bondi Beach ... the reflected buzz seems to have pumped up the tyres of NRL. Lots of stadia are sold out, ratings are high, and the standard of play has been excellent.
Nathan Cleary is red-hot. If the Penrith halfback is not the best football player, pound-for-pound, of any football code in the country right now, I don’t know who is. To watch him in action against the Broncos last week was to watch Picasso painting, Dame Nellie singing, Bradman batting and Muhammad Ali dancing, all in one. It wasn’t just what Cleary did – the passing, jinking, orchestrating, deft kicking – it was that he did it all so seemingly effortlessly, despite the Broncos putting three men on him every time! Shame he’s injured and out this week.
Nathan Cleary started the season in fine form.Credit: Getty
Nearly as impressive in this first part of the season have been Manly Sea Eagles, where Luke Brooks looks like he has been reborn since leaving the Tigers and having quality players around him. He, and they, are a pleasure to watch.
Souths are not hot. Look, we’ve all seen sicker dogs get well, but ... not many. Despite a strong roster, a devoted mob of supporters, a very fine chair and a competent coach, it just ain’t working, and is clearly not going to work. They will struggle on the best they can, but you only have to see the way they played against the Roosters last week – losing 48-6 – to know they lack heart, soul, rock and roll. They got nothin’ and short of major surgery won’t be contenders for at least three yonks.
Latrell Mitchell hasn’t been at his best so far in 2024.Credit: Getty
Who’s hot, who’s not, who’s shot and who’s rot in the NRL
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27.03.2024
Yes, just three rounds into the NRL season, it would be absurd to draw too many conclusions of who’s hot, who’s not, who’s shot, and who’s rot.
Luckily, I’m an absurdist.
As one who has watched more league than is good for me since the first round opened in ... Las Vegas, I think it was? ... I reckon this is what we know right now:
League’s hot. Despite the ludicrously overblown hype of the Las Vegas thing, if you can ignore the fact that it has made no more waves in the USA than a small American pebble thrown........
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