Rugby league - the game that keeps on giving!
Thursday's incredible 59-0 drubbing of the Broncos by the Roosters left plenty to talk about.
In case that hasn't taken the wind out of your sails, there are seven more games to come over what's shaping up as a bumper-to-bumper Queen's Birthday weekend of NRL action.
Coaches and players took to Zoom today for the latest updates ahead of their games this weekend - but not everything said is breaking news.
Below, we’ve accumulated the tastiest titbits from press conferences that were interesting – but not interesting enough to warrant their own stories.
JOHN MORRIS REVEALS WHY ANDREW FIFITA WON’T PLAY AGAINST THE COWBOYS
Andrew Fifita was ruled out on the day of the Wests Tigers clash, but Sharks coach John Morris is certain that the big man will be back for the round 5 local derby. “He was close [this week]; he’s been knocking down my door all week to play,” Morris said.
“He’s really keen to play and ready to go but he just didn’t get enough training in with the team this week, but he’ll definitely be right next week.
“Even though it’s a shortened year, it’s long in the sense of no rest period with back-to-back games, so we didn’t want to bring him back a little bit underdone and cause him grief.
“He’ll have a full week’s training next week and bounce into our game.”
Fifita managed just 39 minutes in the season opener against South Sydney and 37 minutes in the round 2 loss to Melbourne, yet it’s not his troublesome knee that is keeping him out of action.
“He had a calf complaint; that’s what the doctors were worried about,” Morris revealed. “The knee is feeling good and we’re hopeful that the [coronavirus] break has been helpful, but he had a calf complaint before we resumed the season and we didn’t want to risk him.”
As for half Chad Townsend, Morris said the no.7 could have played this weekend, but wanted to be cautious, considering the fickle nature of hamstring injuries. "He was shattered and I think he had 108 consecutive games - he hadn't missed a game since 2015," Morris said. "If you know Chad, the way he goes about his preparation and how professional is he about looking after his body, this one really hurt him. He was shattered to be ruled out, but in good news it'll only be for one week."
- Chris Danks
DISCIPLINE DRIVING EELS TOWARDS ENDING PREMIERSHIP DROUGHT
Discipline has been a core focus for Parramatta in its quest to end a 32-year premiership drought, coach Brad Arthur says.
It's become even more important since the introduction of the new six-again rule, which has already proven how quickly it can flip a game upside down.
"We've focused extremely hard the last 18 months on our discipline," the Eels' coach said ahead of their blockbuster clash against Manly.
"If we can keep our discipline like I thought we did against the Broncos - I think we only gave away one penalty and had two six-to-go's - if we remain disciplined it shouldn't hurt us.
"When you do give away a six-to-go it's about making sure you're nice and tight through the middle.
"That's how every team's trying to expose you is back-to-back plays through the middle of the field.
"So you've just got to be nice and tight in the middle and make sure they've got to through a few passes to get around you."
- Ed Chisholm
SHARKS' INTERCHANGE WRECKING BALL READY TO MAKE HIS CLUB DEBUT
Sifa Talakai will make his Sharks debut off the bench after spending the last two seasons lighting up Henson Park for the Jets. He’s hardly an unknown quantity for Sharks coach John Morris, though.
“In 2015 we played the SG Ball grand final and Sifa was captain for the South Sydney team, which featured Cam Murray,” Morris said Friday. “In our team we had Billy Magoulias, Will Kennedy and Blayke Brailey – even Curtis Scott was in that team. Sifa was a highly-rated junior coming through and he debuted for Souths in 2016, bounced around a little bit and fell off the radar.
“Since then he’s come back through our feeder club Newtown and just been super impressive. He’s a powerful, very skilful edge backrower. He’s versatile: he can play in the middle or the edge, he played in the centres for a few of his NRL games and he’s really earned the jumper. He’s hungry, has trained really well and performed strongly in the pre-season so I have no doubt that he’ll have an impact.”
- Chris Danks
McGREGOR SHOCKED BY YOUNG GUN'S SUDDEN ATTEMPT TO JUMP SHIP
Paul McGregor was stunned to learn of up-and-coming gun Jason Saab's recent attempt to gain a release from the Dragons on Friday.
A 199cm 101kg winger, Saab is viewed as one of the game's brightest young prospects but has struggled to earn selection in McGregor's team so far this year.
The Dragons confirmed on Friday morning he'd applied for a release this week which was denied.
McGregor said it's the tough reality of the lack of a reserve grade competition this year, but insisted there wasn't a broken relationship between he and Saab.
"It's quite surprising, I've got a good relationship with Jase, I gave him his debut at 18 and he played the three games," McGregor said.
"Unfortunately, he needed the shoulder reconstruction and he had a broken foot [last year]. He was on the mend and he had a really good pre-season.
"He wasn't quite right for selection in round two otherwise he would've been selected, he knows that, and we've only had the one game since.
"Now I've heard this morning that he wants a release. He's got a great future in the game and we want him to be at this club."
- Ed Chisholm
RAIDERS HOPEFUL OF BATEMAN RETURN AFTER SUCCESSFUL SURGERY
John Bateman has come through his shoulder surgery relatively unscathed, with the backrower to begin rehab immediately
“I spoke to our doctor, Greg McLeod, this morning,” Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said Friday. “He was happy with the outcome of the operation yesterday. It’s important now that we get John back into rehab and do what we have to do to get him back to fully fit.
While the Raiders have shown they can win without Bateman, and Joe Tapine a more than capable replacement option, Stuart is confident he can get Bateman back before the end of the season.
“We hope and expect him to return,” he said. “The doctor said it’s more important to work with the player rather than set a date in the calendar, but we’ve still got 14-15 games to go, so he’ll definitely be back this season.
“It’s just important to get the shoulder right: there’s been some complications with it, hence the two operations, and John’s very frustrated with it because he’s very much a competitor; he doesn’t like to be sitting in the rehab group or running around the oval while the other boys are training.”
As for his contract situation, Stuart wouldn’t be drawn on speculation the English International will return home. “I don’t know about that,” Stuart said. “Ask his manager.”
- Chris Danks