{"id":418859,"date":"2024-08-25T20:42:47","date_gmt":"2024-08-25T20:42:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=418859"},"modified":"2024-08-25T23:09:39","modified_gmt":"2024-08-25T23:09:39","slug":"unlikely-record-looms-for-tongan-torpedo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=418859","title":{"rendered":"Unlikely record looms for 'Tongan torpedo'"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eli Katoa is shaping as the most dangerous forward coming into the finals series.<\/p>\n

The Storm<\/a> colossus has scored 11 tries this year and is on track for a slice of history by becoming the first forward to lead the club in tryscoring in a season.<\/p>\n

The Tongan tornado was in dynamic form on the edges against Dolphins on Saturday night, scoring a try and running for 214 metres – the most of any player on the field.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Carlton scrapes in as AFL finals week one confirmed<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Murray facing big ban after bizarre sin bin wait<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Verstappen stunned in Dutch GP boilover\ufeff<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Katoa loves running off the Storm's brilliant playmakers Jahrome Hughes and Cam Munster and his power game will worry every team he faces in the big matches to come.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

THE TEAM PREMIERSHIP GIANTS MUST FEAR\ufeff<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Roosters have served notice that they are the team big guns Storm and Panthers most have to fear in the lead-up to the finals.<\/p>\n

Trent Robinson's globetrotters cruised to a 48-22 win over the unpredictable Titans<\/a> on Sunday afternoon, scoring some spectacular tries in the process.<\/p>\n

And they did it despite setbacks.<\/p>\n

Sin bin king Jared Waerea-Hargreaves again spent time in the naughty corner.<\/p>\n

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii went off early with an arm injury and his centre partner Joey Manu could barely get into the game – the pair making just 10 runs between them.<\/p>\n

Watch the 2024 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and<\/strong><\/em> 9Now<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"Sitili<\/p>\n

Despite the problems, the Roosters were superb.<\/p>\n

Angus Crichton, in career-best form, bagged a hat trick and Sam Walker's scheming created try after try.<\/p>\n

It was a clear shot across the bows of Penrith and Melbourne – and you can bet they took notice.<\/p>\n

THE MAN WHO COULD DELIVER UNLIKELY FINALS BERTH\ufeff<\/strong><\/p>\n

Is Patrick Carrigan becoming the most consistent forward in the game?<\/p>\n

There are flashier big men and those who get more headlines – but this bloke carries the Broncos on his back week after week.<\/p>\n

\"NRL<\/p>\n

On Friday night, he led the fightback from 16-0 down against the Eels, topping both the tackle count and the run metres for his team yet again.<\/p>\n

To do the double so often takes a very special player – especially in a team full of stars like the Broncos.<\/p>\n

It was Carrigan who led the comeback after the Broncos' dreadful start – and he was still going strong as the final siren sounded.<\/p>\n

RAIDERS STAR'S UNDERRATED ASSET\ufeff<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jamal Fogarty has emerged as one of the most intelligent general play kickers in the NRL.<\/p>\n

\"Jamal<\/p>\n

The underrated halfback steered the Raiders to their shock 22-18 win over premiers Penrith in the national capital on Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n

Fogarty doesn't have the blinding speed or evasive skills of some of his fellow No.7s.<\/p>\n

But what he does have is one of the best kicking games and he tormented the Panthers with a combination of towering bombs, fine long kicks downfield and well-placed grubbers.<\/p>\n

With such a variety of kicks in his arsenal, Fogarty shapes as a key man for the Raiders for years to come.<\/p>\n

BUNKER ERROR THAT SOURED SJ'S FAREWELL\ufeff<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bunker has had many shockers down the years, but definitely hit rock bottom in the 24 hour period from Thursday to Friday nights.<\/p>\n

After three Manly players were sin binned at Leichhardt for high shots, another blitz appeared to be coming on dangerous tackles.<\/p>\n

\"Crichton<\/p>\n

But the following night, Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton knocked Warriors favourite Roger Tuivasa-Sheck senseless<\/a> – and stayed on the field.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

Because the referee and Bunker deemed there were "mitigating circumstances".<\/p>\n

RTS, who was hit so hard he failed his HIA, would love to know what those circumstances were\u2026 as would the three Manly players.<\/p>\n

With the Warriors losing their other centre Adam Pompey earlier in the game, it proved a turning point and the Bulldogs cruised to a 34-18 win.<\/p>\n

\"'I<\/p>\n

The Wahs were actually leading 18-16 at the time, but failed to score another point as the Dogs steamed home.<\/p>\n

The incident soured Shaun Johnson's last game in front of his home crowd – and the NRL will have some explaining to do this week.<\/p>\n

CONTROVERSIAL RECRUITMENT GURU'S LEGACY\ufeff<\/strong><\/p>\n

Scott Fulton is long gone from the Tigers – a controversial figure who had a short, eventful career as recruitment manager.<\/p>\n

But his legacy lives on in the three Fainu brothers, who shone in Thursday night's stunning upset win over the Sea Eagles.<\/p>\n

\"NRL<\/p>\n

The trio, ironically pinched by Fulton from Manly, were outstanding in the shock victory over their former club.<\/p>\n

Latu and Samuela both scored tries in the second half charge to the finish line, while Sione added power and thrust from the bench.<\/p>\n

All three have a heap of talent and along with the likes of Lachlan Galvin, Fonua Pole and Jahream Bula, are the future of the Tigers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Eli Katoa is shaping as the most dangerous forward coming into the finals series. The Storm colossus has scored 11 tries this year and is […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":418863,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418859"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=418859"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418859\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":418877,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418859\/revisions\/418877"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/418863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=418859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=418859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=418859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}