Round 2

Eric

Eric

Staff

NRLW round 2: Biggest questions yet to be answered​

The Broncos look strong again, the Roosters are under pressure - these are the big questions for round two of the NRLW season.​

It was an exhilarating start to the NRLW season last week, capped off with Parramatta’s thrilling one-point win over Newcastle, with attention now turning to week two.
Any concerns surrounding fitness were brushed aside as all six clubs battled it out in the triple-header at McDonald Jones Stadium.

The competition now shifts to WIN Stadium in Woollongong for another triple header – with Newcastle taking on Brisbane, the Roosters looking to bounce back against the Titans and the Dragons and Eels to do battle. Here are the big questions ahead of Round 2.

CAN ANYONE BEAT THE BRONCOS?
The three-time premiership winners cast aside any doubts of complacency with a clinical 20-4 win over the Roosters last weekend - and they managed to get it done with six debutants in their team.

Winger Emily Bass (two tries) and backrower Roxette Murdoch (one try) both scored on debut while Nakita Sao, Jada Ferguson, Kaitlyn Phillips and Sara Sautia had some nice touches in their first match in Brisbane colours. It was an ominous sign to the rest of the competition that the premiers just keep on getting better.

WHO IS THE BEST FULLBACK IN THE COMPETITION?​

Every No. 1 put their hand up in the opening round of the competition with some scintillating performances. Parramatta’s Botille Vette-Welsh produced a wonderful 75-metre linebreak off her tryline to get the Eels out of trouble in the 23rd minute. The elusive Rockhampton rocket Tamika Upton pierced through the Roosters defence with her speed to set up a Millie Boyle try under the posts.

Meanwhile, the two Rugby Sevens gold medallists Emma Tonegato (Dragons) and Evania Pelite (Titans) both lit up the field in the opening game of the day. Sunday’s clash will see Vette-Welsh come up against Tonegato while Newcastle No. 1 Romy Teizel will face off against her former teammate Upton in the opening game of the round.
 
Morgan

Morgan

SGI NSW Cup
I get the feeling St George are going to run away with this. Clearly the better team thus far.
 
GCRV

GCRV

SGI NSW Cup
Scrappy last 15min. Probably should be further ahead. A good balance of speed and power.
 
Chris M

Chris M

SGI NSW Cup
I'm impressed with the back 3, Fuimanon made a few mistakes when the storm hit but in the first half she controlled the game very well. And the PNG prop got better as the game went on. When they play Brisbane, it'll be a good indicator of how good they really are.
 
Morgan

Morgan

SGI NSW Cup
Chris M said:
I'm impressed with the back 3, Fuimanon made a few mistakes when the storm hit but in the first half she controlled the game very well. And the PNG prop got better as the game went on. When they play Brisbane, it'll be a good indicator of how good they really are.
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Pearson was also a standout.
 
Eric

Eric

Staff

Pearson star grows as St George Illawarra Dragons edge Eels in rain​

Dragons halfback Rachael Pearson has done her State of Origin hopes no harm after she helped guide St George Illawarra to a tough 10-0 win over the Eels in torrential conditions at WIN Stadium. Talking rep footy in March is usually a sin, but it’s quite topical right now with Pearson’s teammates calling for her to make her NSW debut later in the year after a strong start to her NRLW career.

To get the No.7 jersey she must first unseat incumbent halfback Maddie Studdon, and she took the first step with another strong showing to help beat her rival on Sunday. Pearson scored the only try of the first half and then converted from a tricky position as she even cracked a smile with the two black eyes she picked up from her NRLW debut last week.

Studdon had her own moment from the kick-off when she used the wind to find touch, but she didn’t take advantage of the gale at her back in the second half. This was not a game suited to playmakers as the players had to contend with some of the most violent weather ever seen on a footy field with plenty of kicks stopping dead in pools of water. With points at a premium, Pearson waded through the puddles to knock over two late penalties to put the result beyond doubt with 10 minutes to go.

HOUSE IN TROUBLE​

St George Illawarra Dragons forward Kody House is facing a nervous wait for the charge sheet to drop after she was placed on report for a late shot that also doubled as a shoulder charge.

A suspension is the last thing the Dragons need after they headed into Sunday’s game without three injured stars, including skipper Kezie Apps who was ruled out with a hand injury. “It’s a bit of a brain snap,” Sam Bremner said in the half-time show.
I didn't see the game but glad they got the win.
 
RedV01

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
Eric said:

Pearson star grows as St George Illawarra Dragons edge Eels in rain​

Dragons halfback Rachael Pearson has done her State of Origin hopes no harm after she helped guide St George Illawarra to a tough 10-0 win over the Eels in torrential conditions at WIN Stadium. Talking rep footy in March is usually a sin, but it’s quite topical right now with Pearson’s teammates calling for her to make her NSW debut later in the year after a strong start to her NRLW career.

To get the No.7 jersey she must first unseat incumbent halfback Maddie Studdon, and she took the first step with another strong showing to help beat her rival on Sunday. Pearson scored the only try of the first half and then converted from a tricky position as she even cracked a smile with the two black eyes she picked up from her NRLW debut last week.

Studdon had her own moment from the kick-off when she used the wind to find touch, but she didn’t take advantage of the gale at her back in the second half. This was not a game suited to playmakers as the players had to contend with some of the most violent weather ever seen on a footy field with plenty of kicks stopping dead in pools of water. With points at a premium, Pearson waded through the puddles to knock over two late penalties to put the result beyond doubt with 10 minutes to go.

HOUSE IN TROUBLE​

St George Illawarra Dragons forward Kody House is facing a nervous wait for the charge sheet to drop after she was placed on report for a late shot that also doubled as a shoulder charge.

A suspension is the last thing the Dragons need after they headed into Sunday’s game without three injured stars, including skipper Kezie Apps who was ruled out with a hand injury. “It’s a bit of a brain snap,” Sam Bremner said in the half-time show.
I didn't see the game but glad they got the win.
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Should have watched. Parra did well to hang in there and St George Illawarra should have put them out of their misery sooner. Weather played a major role. Fuimaono was a little overly optimistic about doing certain things in that weather. I would tell Sowie to work on a plan for weather like that but unlikely to see such weather again anytime soon.

I haven't been following NRLW closely but a lot of people who do are starting to take St George Illawarra very seriously.
 
Eric

Eric

Staff
RedV01 said:
Should have watched. Parra did well to hang in there and St George Illawarra should have put them out of their misery sooner. Weather played a major role. Fuimaono was a little overly optimistic about doing certain things in that weather. I would tell Sowie to work on a plan for weather like that but unlikely to see such weather again anytime soon.

I haven't been following NRLW closely but a lot of people who do are starting to take St George Illawarra very seriously.
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I defiantly would have if I wasn't busy.

Some bad news:

St George Illawarra winger Madison Bartlett to answer biting charge at judiciary​

High-flying St George Illawarra Dragons have been brought back to earth after a key part of their backline was slapped with a biting charge that could spell big trouble at the judiciary.​

St George Illawarra NRLW winger Madison Bartlett has been charged with biting a Parramatta player during Sunday’s Round 2 clash. The 27-year-old will face the judiciary this week after being slapped with a dangerous contact (biting) charge by the match review committee following their 10-0 win over the Eels.

The incident occurred in the 38th minute of the game when Bartlett returned the ball from a goal-line dropout, running straight into Eels five-eighth Sereana Naitokatoka. Naitokatoka was charged with dangerous contact to the head/neck, which occurred in the same tackle, but has escaped with just a warning from the judiciary.

Dragons utility player Kody House is also facing a one-game suspension for a shoulder charge on Naitokatoka in the 20th minute of the match, which could become a two-week ban if she decides to fight the charge. Bartlett faces a lengthy ban, considering the history of biting charges in the NRL.

Titans forward Kevin Proctor is the most recent NRL player to be found guilty of the same charge when the NRL judiciary handed him a four-game suspension for biting then-Cronulla player Shaun Johnson in 2020. It was a far lesser suspension than the one handed down on Bulldogs forward James Graham for biting then-Storm fullback Billy Slater during the 2012 NRL Grand Final, when he was banned for 12 matches.

Gold Coast fullback William Zillman has also been banned because of biting, sitting out four games in 2009 while former Bulldog Brad Morrin was suspended for eight games in 2007 for the same charge. With just three regular season games remaining in this year’s delayed 2021 NRLW competition, Bartlett could miss the remainder of the season.
 
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