Another round in the competition, another week of drama to keep the NRL news cycle in full swing.
We're officially past the halfway point in the NRL regular season and with the way things have so far played out the remainder of the year could throw up just about anything.
Round 10 saw a couple of premiership contenders snap their form slumps in impressive style, with Canberra and Manly claiming emphatic wins over two of the competition's high-flyers in the Roosters and Eels respectively.
While it was also a weekend in which struggling sides like the Bulldogs, Warriors and Cowboys continued to suffer.
MONDAYS BIG STORIES: Paul Green departs Cowboys with immediate effect | Gould urges Seibold to give Boyd fullback ultimatum | Bulldogs nab international centre from Dragons for remainder of 2020
A mouth-watering encounter between the Tigers and Eels kicks off Round 11 on Thursday, with a bit of spite thrown in there for good measure, but there's still plenty of talking points to address before then.
Read below for all of Tuesday's bite-sized news from around the clubs.
JOHN MORRIS GLAD TO HAVE ANOTHER CRACK AT 'IMPRESSIVE' DRAGONS
Being only six weeks ago, Cronulla coach John Morris admits the heavy 30-16 loss to local rivals St. George Illawarra in round five is still very fresh in his and his players' memories.
The Sharks get an opportunity to right those wrongs again on Saturday afternoon, in what will be a rare opportunity where they'll play host at the Dragons' sacred Kogarah Oval.
"Just thinking back to round five and they got us out there at Campbelltown in the first local derby of the year," Morris said on SEN's Joel & Jimmy.
"We were off the pace that day, that wasn't that long ago so it's good now to get another crack at them.
"They've started to really improve, their last month has been really impressive as well.
"They're getting some good value out of their big men up front in [Paul] Vaughan, [Tyson] Frizzell, and Ben Hunt and Cameron McInnes have been playing really well as well.
"It shapes as a big challenge, it's going to be a bit weird playing the Dragons at Kogarah Oval as our home game - but really looking forward to the game."
- Ed Chisholm
ANTHONY SEIBOLD IS THE BRONCOS COACH, BUT THAT END OF SEASON REVIEW SOUNDS OMINOUS
Broncos chairman Karl Morris is sticking by his man for the immmediate future, with Anthony Seibold given until the end of the season to turn the Broncos around.
"Everyone at the club has a performance review and Anthony is an employee of the Broncos and will have a review like everyone else," Morris told reporters on Tuesday.
"He has got a long-term contract at the Broncos so we will wait until the end of the season."
Most significantly of all, Morris confirmed that there are no performance clauses in Seibold's contract, with the club having to foot a hefty bill should they terminate Seibold's five-year contract.
Broncos board statement after Annual General Meeting #NRL pic.twitter.com/NjzWmiM16n
— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) July 21, 2020
- Chris Danks
BLAKE FERGUSON'S DRY STRETCH HASN'T GONE UNNOTICED IN EELS CAMP
Blake Ferguson hasn’t crossed for a try yet in season 2020 and, according to centre Waqa Blake, the stat isn’t lost on the towering winger.
“He has been [in my ear],” Blake said Tuesday. “He hasn’t shut up yet. It’s all the left edge; they’ve been scoring all the tries so why go away from it. Hopefully he gets over soon, I feel bad because George [Jennings, Ferguson’s replacement] went over for his first try in his first game, but it won’t be long hopefully.”
With Mitch Moses back this week, the right edge of Ryan Matterson, Blake and Ferguson should have ample opportunity to cross the stripe. “Jai [Field] has been tremendous for us, he provides a lot of spark, but a big in for us is Mitch’s kicking game and the way he controls the game. He’ll settle us down a lot of hopefully get a bit of traffic down our side.”
- Chris Danks
BATTLE OF THE HOOKERS SET TO KICK OFF ROUND 11
Short of relocating him back to Melbourne, it seems no team has managed to shut down Dally M leader Harry Grant yet and the Eels aren’t keen on showing their hand just yet.
“We just can’t give him any space and time for him to create and be dangerous out of dummy half,” Eels prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard said Tuesday.
Opposite Grant, the Eels have the recently re-signed Reed Mahoney on a two-year deal, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2022 season.
"How do you shut Harry Grant down?"
— Sporting News Australia (@sportingnewsau) July 21, 2020
RCG: "Probably send him back to Melbourne."
Absolute 🦗🦗🦗🦗😬😬😬😬 pic.twitter.com/OybBEDSLac
The 22-year old has been a standout for the Eels in the past two seasons, and was off-contract heading into next year.
“Reed’s really good and has stepped up into the role really comfortably,” Campbell-Gillard said. “It’s his position now and for him to sign for another two years, it’s great for the club and for himself as well. He’s also in really good form, so two young hookers going at each is going to be a good battle.”
- Chris Danks
