MUDGEE, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 27: Cody Ramsey of the Dragons is tackled by Alex Johnston of the Rabbitohs during the Charity Shield & NRL Trial Match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the St George Illawarra Dragons at Glen Willow Regional Sports Stadium on February 27, 2021 in Mudgee, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
All 16 teams for Round 11 are in, and there are plenty of intriguing selections around the competition.
From Anthony Milford being parachuted straight into the halves for the Knights, to Anthony Griffin chopping and changing yet again, or Ricky Start making a big call on Brad Schneider, there are plenty of directions to turn in.
Nicho Hynes has also been shuffled to the halves, while there is no room for Chanel Harris-Tavita at the Warriors.
Let’s get into the big talking points ahead of Roud 11 after Tuesday’s team selections.
RELATED: NRL teams – Round 11
Milford straight in for Knights
Adam O’Brien flagged after last Friday’s victory over the Canterbury Bulldogs that there was every chance Anthony Milford would be brought straight into the 17 for Round 11.
It was unclear where at that point, but the Knights’ victory over Canterbury did little to alleviate concerns over their attack, which have followed the club around since the beginning of 2021.
Milford will undoubtedly bring a level of X-Factor that the Knights simply don’t have though if he can get to anywhere near the talent he showed early in his career.
Partnered with Adam Clune this week as Jake Clifford finds himself left out again, Knights’ fans will be expecting a quick start to his career in the Hunter, and Milford will be needing one as he attempts to lock him down to a contract for 2023.
The Broncos – his old club – are the perfect way to get things going.
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 19: Anthony Milford of the Broncos looks dejected during the round two NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the Brisbane Broncos at Cbus Super Stadium on March 19, 2021, in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
Griffin chops and changes again at Dragons
It’s a case of one and done for Tyrell Sloan for the time being, with Anthony Griffin dropping the young fullback out of his 17 for this week’s clash with the Warriors.
Sloan made some costly mistakes last week both leading up to, and during, the golden point period against the Titans – of that there can be no doubt.
But should it have cost him his spot in the side?
That is really the ultimate question, and one which I’d suggest is split between fans fairly evenly.
But confidence is a brutal thing, and being dropped will do it no favours. Nor, it could be suggested, is Cody Ramsey a major upgrade on Sloan.
Ramsey has speed to burn, but has often struggled defensively and on his work rate, so his performance on the weekend, with Moses Mbye still named at hooker, will be an intriguing one to follow, given Mbye could well slot back into fullback the following week when Andrew McCullough returns from injury.
Schneider chopped from Raiders as Wighton returns alongside Frawley
The Canberra Raiders looked like a different football team on Sunday afternoon as they took apart the Cronulla Sharks in the weekend’s biggest upset.
And with Jack Wighton returning this week, that was always going to ask questions.
It had been thought Matt Frawley would find himself coming off the bench or as the back up dummy half, but instead, Zac Woolford’s excellent performance means he stays in the side and Frawley joins Jack Wighton in the side as the halves, with Schneider in the reserves list.
It’s not necessarily a knock on Schneider, who has done a job as an inexperienced half this year, but it does show where Ricky Stuart’s head is at on the youngster.
With Jamal Fogarty just weeks away from a return, Frawley now has an opportunity to put pressure on to retain a spot and pose Stuart with yet another big question.
QUEANBEYAN, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 27: Matt Frawley of the Raiders passes during the NRL trial Match between the Sydney Roosters and the Canberra Raiders at Seiffert Oval on February 27, 2021 in Queanbeyan, Australia. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
Nicho to the halves as Lachlan Miller prepares for debut
Nicho Hynes will line up in the halves this week after that shock move to fullback to last week, which also brings Lachlan Miller into the side for his debut.
The move of Hynes to the back indisputably didn’t work.
Hynes didn’t have a total stinker of a game, but Braydon Trindall did, putting on a horror display in attack for Cronulla.
The has led Craig Fitzgibbon to bite the bullet and bring Miller – a former Australian rugby 7s star who has been playing strongly for Newtown at NSW Cup level – into the side with Hynes moving back to his regular position.
William Kennedy is only a week away from returning from suspension, but this is as smart of a move as Fitzgibbon, who is an inexperienced coach, could have made.
Madden to five eighth and Naden to the Tigers
Jock Madden will get another chance to keep pushing his market value up this week when he takes on the Bulldogs at five-eighth.
Luke Brooks’ injury – likely to see him spend at least a few weeks on the sideline – has seen Madden called back into the side to play alongside Jackson Hastings, after playing alongside Brooks earlier in the year when Hastings was out suspended.
The Tigers are known to want Madden to re-commit to the club, but he is refusing to do so while there are no guarantees or assurances over his playing time, and with both Brooks and Hastings tied in at the club, it’s hard to see Madden being there this time next year.
When Madden played earlier in the year, he was among the Tigers’ best in a well-beaten side, and has had some decent involvement of the bench in the meantime. A crucial couple of games coming up for the five-eighth.
And if that’s crucial, then the sudden switch of Brent Naden across to the Tigers is intriguing.
Without so much as an announcement from either club, he showed up on the Tigers reserves list on Tuesday, and with a bundle of players out, leaving Junior Tupou, Asu Kepaoa and Tyrone Peachey in the side, there is every chance he plays come Friday evening.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 09: Jock Madden passes during a Wests Tigers NRL training session at St Luke’s Parrk North on March 09, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Matterson pushes Brown to the bench
Ryan Matterson has finally made his way into the Eels’ starting 13 after a stunning couple of performances off the bench.
Predominantly an edge forward, Matterson has been anything but in recent times, moving into the middle third and dominating.
He has been arguably the competition’s strongest bench player, churning out big minutes and enormous levels of production, while also playing a part in plenty of scoring opportunities for the blue and gold.
It means he has pushed consistent work horse Nathan Brown back to the bench this week, with Matterson to don the number 13 jersey and hopefully continue his incredible run of form.
It’s a big call from Brad Arthur given how long Brown has owned the 13 jumper, but a clever one.
No room for Chanel Harris-Tavita as Daejarn Asi holds spot
Nathan Brown had a sizeable question to answer over the make up of his halves heading into this week’s clash with the Dragons.
Chanel Harris-Tavita returning from injury, or the in-form Daejarn Asi? Or maybe even both with the out of sorts Shaun Johnson dropped out of the side.
Instead though, Asi retains his place, with the returning Harris-Tavita, who is off-contract at the end of the year and testing the open market, but not only that, seeking assurances about his playing time should he re-commit to the Warriors, in the reserves list.
It’s something of a bold statement from Brown, with Asi arguably the dominant half over the last fortnight.
It’s also a show of faith and trust in Asi to get the job done, and potentially a warning shot to Johnson over his current form.
GOSFORD, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 13: Chanel Harris-Tavita of the Warriors during the round one NRL match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Gold Coast Titans at Central Coast Stadium, on March 13, 2021, in Gosford, Australia. (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)
How long does Dufty have at number one?
There was heavy speculation floating around on Tuesday morning that Trent Barrett’s exit from the Bulldogs could have seen Matt Dufty dumped out of the side along with him.
That, granted, hasn’t happened at this stage, with Dufty retaining his spot at fullback for another week ahead of this Friday’s trip to Leichhardt.
But that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.
Josh Addo-Carr has previously stated he would like to try his hand at fullback, and there is more than a small train of thought which suggests the New South Wales Origin representative needs to get his hands on the ball more often than he currently does.
It could have been a case of not having a coach in place to make changes this week, but don’t be surprised if, unless Dufty lights it up this week, there is a change brewing for next week at the back, even with the loss of Brent Naden potentially overall damaging their backline.
That said, the Bulldogs will be desperate to find a way to work Jacob Kiraz into the side now that we are at Round 11 and he is eligible to play.
Source:: ZeroTackle
