NRL Round Three Talking Points

Round Three of the 2016 NRL premiership will long be remembered as one of the strangest in the competition’s history … and we still have a game yet to be played.

We saw it all over the past four days, and I can only imagine what will take place tonight at Brookvale Oval.

Below are just a few of the incredible talking points to come out of a ridiculous weekend of football to date:

What was Greg Inglis thinking?

The big question on everyone’s mind right now is what was Greg Inglis thinking attempting a field goal on the siren in yesterday’s game against the Dragons?

With the siren about to sound, Inglis incredibly took a shot at drop goal, which if successful would have seen his side lose by one point instead of the two they trailed.

When the ball was passed to Inglis, it looked almost certain that he would bomb the ball, giving his chasers a shot at a late try, especially considering the conditions that would have made such a contest a real lottery.

Instead he took a half-hearted shot at goal as his teammates through their hands out in shock.

Inglis must have thought the score was six-all at the time, despite it being eight six for the duration of the half.

Either that or he was trying to disguise a cross field kick and caught it too well.

Upsets a-plenty

The Eel’s Friday Night win over the Dogs seemed to set the stage for a weekend of upsets, as the Broncos, Bunnies and Tigers all dropped games they were expected to win.

The Raiders also failed to beat the Knights after playing out the season’s first, and likely only draw.

Although the bookies had the Warriors as favourites, the Storm’s win shouldn’t be considered an upset, while the Cowboys slaughtered the Roosters, bucking the trend.

The Sharks have only beaten the Sea Eagles five times in the club’s history at Brookvale Oval, but if they’re ever going to end their hoodoo, it’s in this round.

Anyone who tips a perfect round this weekend is either lying or has travelled back from the future.

The Bunker is not perfect

Although I believe the correct decision was made after ‘THAT’ incident on Friday Night, the storm of controversy that resulted proved that the bunker is not perfect.

To be honest I don’t believe the bunker was responsible for the confusing, after correctly ruling on what they were asked, but plenty will disagree.

The real litmus test came on Saturday night as the Titans were awarded a try despite the fact we never saw a clear grounding of the ball.

The referee, who was literally two metres away sent it up as a try, although no camera angle could 100% confirm his decision.

Due to the fact that it was more than likely that the ball crossed the line, and that it couldn’t be proven that it didn’t, the decision of try was upheld.

The Roosters look like shot ducks

I have never seen a minor premier battered in the opening three games of the following season like those the Roosters have copped in 2016.

Plenty of sides will be outplayed in Townsville this season, however the 40-nil score-line was nothing more than the Roosters deserved.

I know they are missing some serious cattle, but I don’t know that JWH, Mitchell Pearce and Boyd Cordner would have stopped those 40 points being conceded.

Dale Copley’s injury certainly didn’t help, but that incident hardly changed the game.

There’s a LONG way to go and it’s ridiculous to write anyone off after just three rounds but this Roosters side look like a shell of their 2015 counterparts.

I don’t know where the NRL gets their information

New NRL CEO Todd Greenberg has come out and proclaimed that the majority of fans want games to be played at big stadiums, moving them away from traditional home grounds.

Although I believe this comment was aimed toward the Dragons and Tigers, who use multiple home grounds, I’m yet to see evidence that supports this.

The Daily Telegraph ran a poll last season where 88% of those who replied said they didn’t want to see suburban grounds shut down, and social media is HEAVILY weighted toward agreeing with that result.

Given the rain and the fact it’s Monday Night, tonight’s crowd will be lucky to top 12,000.

Can you imagine if the game was played at Allianz on a Monday evening. They’d be lucky to get half that.

Fans don’t want to travel for an hour, and given the traffic in the area, the drive from either Cronulla or Manly to Allianz would be just that.

When was the last time a regular season Roosters (full time tenants of Allianz) home-game sold out?

I guess there’s results to secret polls we, the fans, are not yet privy to.

Stop blaming Fox

Furious viewers took to social media to launch an assault on Fox Sports for showing Julie Burgess in the stands crying following an injury to her son Sam.

For those who aren’t aware, Fox simulcast the exact same footages as shown, and controlled, by channel nine, and just provide better commentary.

It’s natural for crowd reactions to be shown after such injuries, however surely they could have avoided the close-ups of a mother in obvious distress.

Warriors linked to Daley

Reports have linked current NSW coach Laurie Daley to the Warrior’s coaching role despite a statement just last week that McFadden would see out the 2016 season regardless of results.

The reports are likely to be rubbished by Daley, who has done so many times in the past when linked to a club coaching position, but if there is any truth to it, I’d be very surprised.

I guess Daley, who continues to overlook form players to continue to pick Mitchell Pearce would be a natural fit, replacing a coach who continues to pick ‘safe’ fringe first graders over more attacking and exciting internationals.

If McFadden is relieved of his position, given the off the cuff talent at the Warriors, surely the Walker brothers would be a match made in heaven.