RLWC 2026

78 - 4 - they scores again in the last seconds

  • Deine Mariner 2'
  • Benaiah Ioelu 5'
  • Jermaine McEwen 7'
  • Sualauvi Fa'alogo 13'
  • Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 17'
  • Sualauvi Fa'alogo 36'
  • Stephen Crichton 42'
  • Shawn Blore 55'
  • Sualauvi Fa'alogo 63'
  • Sualauvi Fa'alogo 67'
  • Chanel Harris-Tavita 70'
  • Izack Tago 74'
  • Francis Molo 77'
  • Benaiah Ioelu 80'
 
Celticman98 said:
Watching last night's game, was actually impressed with Trent Robinson's commentary. Talked with sense and brought actual analysis rather than the usual one eyed waffle or glazing we see with commentators.
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Thought the whole broadcast was pretty good, better than anything 9 puts together.
 
I know it was against the French who are no where near as strong, but I really liked what I saw from Manuleleua tonight at lock

There are a few things he will need to work on still, which is understandable given he, to my knowledge, has predominantly just played left second row. Give him the offseason to focus on lock and he will be fine, in my opinion

Lets see how he goes against the stronger sides in Australia, New Zealand and Tonga, but the signs are promising

Given how well McEwen finished the season and played tonight, I’d prefer he stayed on the right

A back row of;
Lucas left,
Manuleleua lock,
McEwen right
 
The fact that Francis finished stronger than he started is the best sign, but the French barely saw the ball, so it wasn't an energy sapping game.
Jermaine topped the tackle count with 22 and Francis only made 16.

However you look at it though, Francis was full of running for 80 minutes and went harder in the second half than the first.
 
Going to take a performance against semi-pro players with a grain of salt but I have no doubt Manuleleua CAN be a good lock, I just think he will be an even better second-rower. Has all the explosiveness, footwork and IQ to be the best hole runner in the game, and we still haven’t really seen him pick apart a short side with his passing yet which was one of his biggest strengths in lower grades and something I’m sure we’ll see more of at some point.

Having three elite second-rowers is a great problem to have but I truly have no idea which direction they’re going to go. If it’s anything like the spine conundrum of last preseason we might not find out until round one, either.
 
mullenmagic said:
Going to take a performance against semi-pro players with a grain of salt but I have no doubt Manuleleua CAN be a good lock, I just think he will be an even better second-rower. Has all the explosiveness, footwork and IQ to be the best hole runner in the game, and we still haven’t really seen him pick apart a short side with his passing yet which was one of his biggest strengths in lower grades and something I’m sure we’ll see more of at some point.

Having three elite second-rowers is a great problem to have but I truly have no idea which direction they’re going to go. If it’s anything like the spine conundrum of last preseason we might not find out until round one, either.
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It's genuinely such a tough decision to make, i'm glad i'm not the coach. Truely spoilt for riches in the second row, we have 3 of the best line running backrowers in the comp. My head says "why would you change the combo of Sharpe and Manuleleua, it was getting better with each game", then you realise we have an Origin backrower returning into the team. I could also make the case that McEwen was a top 2 player in our finals series, if he wasn't he was damn close. In the top handful of players for this season for us. Either way, Sharpe and Brown ballplaying to each of these guns is as good as it gets.
 
The young half for Lebanon conti got player of the year for the doggies and I can see ok parts to his game but gee he just needs to let the ball go sometimes. You've got a 2 metres tall speedster in Saab. Use him.
 
PNG are really the only country who are improving every year by developing the game in their own country.
Every other rising country is just developing off the back of the NRL.
 
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