Brits in the NRL

[NRLandSL]

Lewis Dodd with a great NSW cup performance, 1 try and 2 assists. Feel bad for the fella, he is good enough and deserves to be starting at 7 for the bunnies. Though Humphries has been very impressive as well so I understand the decision.

[NRLandSL]

Ugo Tison (Though French) will be making QLD cup debut tomorrow for Wynnum Manly.

Tom Nisbet also playing in Q cup tomorrow for Townsville.

[NRLandSL]

Nicholson starts at 13, Smithies drops to the bench.

[NRLandSL]

Nicholson scores a great try 8 minutes in, only he’s second touch of the ball. 

[langpark]

 

 

[NRLandSL]

Goes in for his second, with a fantasic finish. In line for MOTM.

[bratman]

Great debut for Nicholson!

[langpark]

Dream debut!!

 

 

[StandOffHalf]

Nice pirouette from Nicholson and strength to muscle through and ground. A fantastic bit of class for his second. A dream club debut for the 21-year-old so far.

[WN83]

Loves scoring trys on debut Nicholson. He got 2 on his Wigan debut at Huddersfield, 1 on his Wire debut at Magic and now this. Chuffed for him. 

[hunsletgreenandgold]

The tries obviously impressive but his defence has been great too. Smithies solid as always. 

[hunsletgreenandgold]

2 hours ago, NRLandSL said:

Lewis Dodd with a great NSW cup performance, 1 try and 2 assists. Feel bad for the fella, he is good enough and deserves to be starting at 7 for the bunnies. Though Humphries has been very impressive as well so I understand the decision.

That’s all he can do - impress in NSW cup and hope for a chance. Humphrey’s knocking over the winning drop goal is indirectly not great for Dodd’s cause 

[Copa]

3 hours ago, bratman said:

Great debut for Nicholson!

I was there and the crowd loved him.

[Welshleaguelover]

5 hours ago, NRLandSL said:

Lewis Dodd with a great NSW cup performance, 1 try and 2 assists. Feel bad for the fella, he is good enough and deserves to be starting at 7 for the bunnies. Though Humphries has been very impressive as well so I understand the decision.

In what way does he deserve to be the starting 7 if the man in front of him has been instrumental in them winning their opening games?

[Exiled Wiganer]

Matty Peet is usually polite and restrained when he speaks publicly. Pretty much the only occasion I can recall his anger boiling over was when commenting on Warrington having signed Nicholson. Not that they did anything wrong, more that he knew what we had lost. Different league from Smithies, who is basically an Ian Potter 40 years on. 

[langpark]

Beyond the tries, Matty Nicholson's stats today were:

65 mins played
8 runs
59 metres gained
33 tackles (4th highest Canberra player)

Smithies only played 36 minutes.  So I wonder if Nicholson has already leapfrogged him in the pecking order.

 

[NRLandSL]

17 hours ago, Welshleaguelover said:

In what way does he deserve to be the starting 7 if the man in front of him has been instrumental in them winning their opening games?

He’s better than Humphries IMO, though Humphries is very good i still think Dodd is better.

[NRLandSL]

9 hours ago, langpark said:

Beyond the tries, Matty Nicholson's stats today were:

65 mins played
8 runs
59 metres gained
33 tackles (4th highest Canberra player)

Smithies only played 36 minutes.  So I wonder if Nicholson has already leapfrogged him in the pecking order.

 

Smithies was playing as a prop, Nicholson was playing second row, though listed at 13. It was Hosking who played 13.

[StandOffHalf]

I actually think Smithies might be better at prop. He's a toiler and quite strong for his size. He doesn't really have the ball-playing of someone like O'Loughlin or Greg Bird. I thought he had a few good carries yesterday.

[Welshleaguelover]

7 hours ago, NRLandSL said:

He’s better than Humphries IMO, though Humphries is very good i still think Dodd is better.

Based on what? He's been poor since his injury a few years ago.

I think there's a good player still in there but we haven't seen it in a long time.

[NRLandSL]

28 minutes ago, Welshleaguelover said:

Based on what? He's been poor since his injury a few years ago.

I think there's a good player still in there but we haven't seen it in a long time.

Humphries has only played 3 games of first grade, I just think Dodd is still a better player at this point in time. Of course Humphries is in great form but we’re yet to see if it will continue.

[Sports Prophet]

I would have thought someone as remarkable as Wayne Bennet would be the one best placed to decide if Dodd deserves the half spot more than Humphries.

If Wayne thinks otherwise, how could anyone argue that?

[Father Gascoigne]

11 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

I would have thought someone as remarkable as Wayne Bennet would be the one best placed to decide if Dodd deserves the half spot more than Humphries.

If Wayne thinks otherwise, how could anyone argue that?

He's a human being with shortcomings, biases, and self-doubts. People make bad decisions all the time. Fans are within their right to question coaches, even very successful ones. 

I'm not saying Bennett is wrong here, or that he isn't in a better position to judge than an outsider looking in. I just don't believe in putting people up on some pedestal as if they're untouchable and can do no wrong, and by inference implying that fans are stupid for holding differing opinions to those involved in the game. 

[Cumbrian Fanatic]

On 15/03/2025 at 12:33, Copa said:

I was there and the crowd loved him.

Was talking to a bunch of Canberra fans in Vegas who asked what I thought of him, I told them that I thought he would be very good for them once he got a chance. Glad to see he started well

[Farmduck]

Warriors assistant coach Richard Agar has been suspended for three matches after clashing with a journalist in Las Vegas.

Agar was also hit with a $10,000 fine, half of which will be suspended, for allegedly grabbing the journalist by the throat.

What's next?

Agar will be unable to serve on Andrew Webster's staff for upcoming clashes against the Roosters, Wests Tigers and Storm and will not travel for the final two of the three matches.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-17/nrl-bans-and-fines-warriors-richard-agar-for-journalist-clash/105063460