{"id":75129,"date":"2021-05-23T22:29:34","date_gmt":"2021-05-23T22:29:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=75129"},"modified":"2021-05-24T00:03:03","modified_gmt":"2021-05-24T00:03:03","slug":"cowboys-breakout-beast-puts-nrl-on-notice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=75129","title":{"rendered":"Cowboys' breakout beast puts NRL on notice"},"content":{"rendered":"

COWBOYS WINGER STEPS IT UP<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Mark down Cowboys winger Murray Taulagi as one of the big improvers of the 2021 season.<\/p>\n

After just two tries in the past two seasons, the big flanker now has eight tries in nine games this year.<\/p>\n

The flyer is proving a weapon for Todd Payten and bagged his first career hat-trick in the hard-fought win over the Knights<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The 22-year-old also ran for 195 metres and came up with some timely saves in defence, in what may be remembered as his breakthrough game in the NRL.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

TITANS PROP EARNS ANOTHER ORIGIN CRACK<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Kiwi-born Gold Coast prop Mo Fotuaika broke into the Queensland Origin team for one game last season – and he's playing better now than when he won his Maroon jumper.<\/p>\n

The 21-year-old was the most damaging forward on the field and sealed the Titans' win over a stubborn Bulldogs side with a dynamic late burst to put fullback AJ Brimson over on Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n

A wrecking ball in attack and defence, Fotuaika ran for 178 metres – more than any forward on the field – and terrorised the tackle-shy Bulldogs defence all afternoon.<\/p>\n

Not a big name – but a key man in the Titans' make-up and set to figure in Origin yet again next month.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

WALSH IS GOING TO BE A SUPERSTAR<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Last week, Warriors coach Nathan Brown admitted he didn't quite know what to do with teen sensation Reece Walsh<\/a>, who he had been using from the bench.<\/p>\n

I wrote two words in response on Twitter: "START HIM".<\/p>\n

Now I'm not suggesting for one minute that Brown listened to my tip, but start him he did – and what's more he did so in Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's fullback spot, in a move that earned plenty of criticism in Kiwi-land.<\/p>\n

But Walsh – who I have to point out again was let go by the Broncos a few weeks into the season – produced a dazzling display in the gutsy win over the Tigers.<\/p>\n

The 18-year-old created three tries, scored another, ran for 118 metres and set up four line break assists, as well as saving several tries with last-ditch defence.<\/p>\n

With RTS going to the dark side in 2022, the Warriors may well have found their fullback for the next decade and more on Friday night.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

TOWNSEND JUSTIFIES BIG NEW DEAL<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Cowboys raised some eyebrows by throwing massive dollars to secure cool-headed Sharks playmaker Chad Townsend for the next three seasons a couple of weeks ago.<\/p>\n

But in the last-gasp win over the Dragons in the local derby at Kogarah on Friday night, Townsend showed exactly why he justified the big pay packet.<\/p>\n

The veteran half didn't have his best game in the regulation 80 minutes, making three handling errors and fluffing a couple of kicks.<\/p>\n

But in extra time, Townsend came into his own in a match the Dragons should have won.<\/p>\n

Early in the golden point period, the Dragons were in perfect position to land the killer blow field goal but inexplicably, ran the ball wide on the final tackle.<\/p>\n

From there, Townsend took control, steering an injury-depleted Sharks team downfield and then landing a precision field goal to give his team a much-needed win.<\/p>\n

Throw his experience into the talented young Cowboys team and Todd Payten may well have a potent combination in 2022 and beyond.<\/p>\n

\"Chad<\/p>\n

MILESTONES IN BIG BRONCOS BOUNCE-BACK<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Lost in all the drama of Victor Radley's night of mayhem on Saturday night at the SCG were a host of milestones set by the Broncos.<\/p>\n

The Broncos – paying $11 in a two-horse race with many bookies – produced the upset of the season against a stunned Roosters side.<\/p>\n

It was a landmark win for the Broncos – their 500th victory since joining the NRL back in 1988.<\/p>\n

It was also their first win at the famous SCG – and their first win anywhere in Sydney for nearly two years.<\/p>\n

The club has been going through some lean times of late but if they continue to show the spirit they displayed against the injury-ravaged Roosters, they will win plenty more games before the year is out.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

BELLAMY'S MAGIC WORKS AGAIN ON SMITH<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Craig Bellamy continues to work his magic trick of turning fair players into very good ones, with Reimis Smith his latest project.<\/p>\n

The former Bulldogs centre already has 34 tackle breaks for Melbourne this season – the most of his career – after a mere 11 games.<\/p>\n

In his four seasons at Canterbury, his highest try haul was 12 – he is now on seven less than halfway through this year and should beat that tally easily.<\/p>\n

Smith's solo try against Canberra, where he slashed through four would-be defenders out wide – was pure grace and power and the tall centre is developing into yet another strike weapon for the Storm.<\/p>\n

\"NRL<\/p>\n

For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0clicking here!<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

COWBOYS WINGER STEPS IT UP Mark down Cowboys winger Murray Taulagi as one of the big improvers of the 2021 season. After just two tries […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"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\/75129"}],"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=75129"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75131,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75129\/revisions\/75131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=75129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=75129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=75129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}