#KiwiNRL Encyclopedia: Round Toru
Broncos vs Eels
Broncos
Jamayne Isaako, Jesse Arthars, Alex Glenn.
Eels
Dylan Brown, Marata Niukore, Brad Takairangi, Peni Terepo.
Doc's Word
Two wins for Parramatta Eels so far this season, although the Eels did play Bulldogs and Titans to ease their way in. The balance of play between Dylan Brown and Mitchell Moses is something for #KiwiNRL fans to tap into, especially against better teams like the Broncos who may do a bit more to shut down Moses. Moses was in charge of kicking with 33 kicks in two games, while Brown only had 4 kicks it is his running ability that benefits from this and Brown returns to NRL footy as one of the leading players in linebreaks and tackle breaks. Remember that Brown is Aotearoa's best halves prospect and coming off two easier games to start the season, how Brown flows into the grind of the NRL season will be insightful.
No Nathan Brown for the Eels allows for Mangere East Hawks junior Marata Niukore an apparent starting gig in the middle; Niukore is one of, if not the most undercover Kiwis prospct in the NRL.
Christchurch's Jamayne Isaako has shown all sorts of impressive signs early in his NRL career and there's is an opening for him to nail down the fullback spot in the absence of Jack Bird. With various assists, tackle breaks and offloads, Isaako has immense play-making potential and behind a beastly Broncos forward pack we could see Isaako signal his intentions for 2020.
Cowboys vs Titans
Cowboys
Esan Marsters, Jason Taumalolo.
Titans
Moeaki Fotuaika, Sam Lisone, Kevin Proctor, Erin Clark.
Doc's Word
Jason Taumalolo hit a nek level as far as South Auckland Rhino antics go in the first two games of the season, while his Tongan comrade Moeaki Fotuaika was easily the Titans best player in the one game he played (big loss to Eels). All the buzz will be around Taumalolo, do not overlook the emergence of young Tongan forwards like Fotuaika though; 9 runs for 97m @ 10.77m/run with 29pcm in just 37 minutes vs Eels was a lovely taste of Fotuaika's abilities.
There is also the selection of Manurewa Marlins junior Erin Clark who is named on the bench. Clark joined the Titans for summer training, earning a deal and greater opportunities after taking some time off professional footy and now he's named to play his second career game; first game since his debut in 2017. Whether Clark gets on the field will be interesting as Mitch Rein is on the extended bench and Nathan Peats starting, both of whom are the senior dummy halves.
Roosters vs Rabbitohs
Roosters
Joseph Manu, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Isaac Liu, Sitili Tupouniua, Siosiua Taukeiaho, Poasa Fa'amausili.
Rabbitohs
Bryson Goodwin.
Doc's Word
All about this Roosters middle, which takes on a funky twist with Siosiua Taukeiaho named on an extended bench to allow Isaac Liu a starting role. Taukeiaho and Poasa Fa'aumausili are both on the extended bench, while Marist Saints junior Sitili Tupouniua (another young Tongan prospect) returns after missing round two. Other than Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, all the Roosters forwards named are from Auckland; Tupouniua (Marist), Taukeiaho (Otara Scorpions), Isaac Liu (Otahuhu Leopards), Fa'aumausili (Glenora Bears).
Warriors v Dragons
Warriors
All but Blake Green, Lachlan Burr, Jamayne Taunoa-Brown, Karl Lawton, Josh Curran, Jack Murchie.
Dragons
Jordan Pereira.
Doc's Word
Not a whole lot of #KiwiNRL interest in this game, especially with Issac Luke not named.
Sharks v Tigers
Sharks
Ronaldo Mulitalo, Shaun Johnson, Briton Nikora, Braden Hamlin-Uele.
Tigers
Benji Marshall, Josh Aloiai, Zane Musgrove, Michael Chee-Kam.
Doc's Word
There is some drama around Sharks centre Bronson Xerri and while that hasn't opened up an immediate spot for Manawatu's Jackson Ferris, I am intrigued about Ferris' chances for an NRL debut this season. Ferris is a dynamic runner, who would be a great fit on one edge with Jesse Ramien on the other edge.
Otherwise, I'm fizzing to see Braden Hamlin-Uele in action again. The Glenora Bears junior had 10 runs for 101m in round one vs Rabbitohs and that is exactly what I've come to expect from Hamlin-Uele, the work that saw him earn an Aotearoa Kiwis debut. Round two vs Melbourne Storm wasn't quite at that level (8 runs for 59m) and that's a logical dip when a Storm group may have done their prep in limiting the impact of Hamlin-Uele off the bench. Against the Tigers, I'd expect Hamlin-Uele to go beyond that 10m/run mark. Both Hamlin-Uele and Josh Aloiai are Glenora Bears juniors, so keep an eye on those two through the middle.
Storm vs Raiders
Storm
Jahrome Hughes, Jesse Bromwich, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Kenny Bromwich, Brandon Smith.
Raiders
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Bailey Simonsson, Joseph Tapine, Siliva Havili, Iosia Soliola, Jordan Rapana.
Doc's Word
This is definitely the best #KiwiNRL match up of the round, not only two teams with deep #KiwiNRL rosters but also involving lovely quality. To boil this down, the single funkiest thing about this game and in similar fashion to the Hamilin-Uele vs Aloiai match up above, this game will see Nelson Asofa-Solomona face off against his Wellington homie Joseph Tapine. Remember these two had a wee scrap last season and this is Asofa-Solomona's first start of the season after coming off the bench in the first two games, only playing 27 and 26 minutes.
Waiheke Rams junior Brandon Smith slides into his first NRL game of the season, allowing for a lovely case study of hookers playing as nimble forwards as Siliva Havili is in his usual spot on the Raiders bench. Manurewa Marlins junior Havili isn't quite as mobile or energetic as Smith, yet he doesn't have to be as Ponsoby Ponies junior Iosia Soliola does that perfectly for the Raiders and Havili can use his power around the ruck; Havili averaged 10m/run and 11.62m/run in the first two games.
Panthers vs Knights
Panthers
Caleb Aekins, Dean Whare, James Fisher-Harris, Zane Tetevano, Moses Leota.
Knights
Herman Ese'ese, Mason Lino.
Doc's Word
If you're from north of Auckland, consider making Penrith Panthers your team because it appears as though Caleb Aekins and James Fisher-Harris are going to be playing a fair amount of footy together this season. Aekins gets another crack at fullback and I'll be paying close attention to how he's used by coach Ivan Cleary given that Aekins played 63 and 55mins in the first two games, replaced by Stephen Crichton twice.
Aekins had two different performances to start the season. Round one saw him only have 71 running metres from 14 runs, with 12pcm an offload vs Roosters then against the Dragons Aekins settled into his normal groove with 19 runs for 194m, 2 tackle busts and an offload along with 43pcm. Aekins eats up running metres and while he's not exceptional fast or dynamic, nor is he big, I'm interested in the value of Aekins at fullback.
Sea Eagles vs Bulldogs
Sea Eagles
Danny Levi, Martin Taupau, Taniela Paseka.
Bulldogs
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Reimis Smith, Jeremy Marshall-King, Renouf To'omaga, Raymond Faitala-Mariner, Ofahiki Ogden, Sione Katoa.
Doc's Word
Danny Levi changed clubs and immediately put himself in the top-10 for dummy half runs with Manly Sea Eagles after two rounds. This presents a low key #KiwiNRL dummy half battle between Levi and Jeremy Marshall-King, with Marshall-King lacking the zip of Levi but making up for it by being a steady, reliable option who played 80 minutes in both of the first two games.
More of Reimis Smith starting at centre is always good, while the Bulldogs have named Renouf To'omaga, Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Ofahiki Ogden on the bench together for the first time this season - Ogden is yet to play in 2020. I'm not going to pump up the Bulldogs as an interesting team, yet the mobility and power that To'omaga (Porirua), Faitala-Marina (Otahuhu) and Ogden (Mangere East) could be a simmering aspect of the Bulldogs play.
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