Are Souths headed for an Adam Reynolds-type catastrophe by letting veteran hooker Damien Cook go to the Dragons in 2025?
The Rabbitohs are still being haunted by the decision to allow Reynolds – a club icon – to head north to Brisbane at the start of 2022.
Cook is held in similarly high esteem at Redfern – a man who will play over 200 games for the club and is a great role model.
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At 32, Cook is probably slightly past his best but was top shelf in the 14-0 win over Manly on Saturday night, producing two try assists and topping the tackle count.
Damien Cook’s exit from South Sydney could mirror Adam Reynolds’ departure. Getty
The Rabbitohs have a good up-and-coming hooker in Peter Mamouzelos but he lacks Cook’s experience and game control.
Whether this all comes back to bite Souths, time will tell.
FROM ARGUING TO PRAISE FOR TIGERS
Only days ago Wests Tigers staffers and ex staffers were arguing about who was to blame for the club’s recruitment.
Suddenly, the Tigers’ roster doesn’t look so bad after back to back wins lifted the club off the bottom of the ladder.
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Back-rower Samuela Fainu, luckless centre Adam Doueihi and rookie winger Luke Laulilii have all added to the Tigers’ strike power and were superb in the big win over the Raiders yesterday.
Doueihi, regarded as the game’s unluckiest player after four knee reconstructions, made a stunning return the top grade after over a year, running for more than 200 metres and scoring an 80 metre try.
His comeback rates as one of the feel-good stories of the year.
STILL A LONG WAY TO GO FOR SMITH
Brandon Smith may have played the most important game of his career as the Roosters downed the Bulldogs on Saturday night.
Smith reacted superbly to his standing down by the Roosters with a man-of-the-match display – and it was exactly the attitude adjustment the club was hoping for.
So much so that the Roosters are now committed to helping Smith get his life back on track, whereas a couple of weeks ago they were ready to cut him loose.
Club officials haven’t been happy with Smith’s attitude but his gritty display against the Bulldogs has won them back over.
Rather than kicking stones, he took his punishment like a man and is now back in favour with the Bondi boys – although there is still a long way to go.
HUGHES ECLPISES CLEARY FOR TOP TITLE
Move over Nathan Cleary – Jahrome Hughes has become the most influential player in the NRL.
Hughes is a brilliant playmaker and superb tactical kicker whose skills have propelled the Storm to the top of the premiership ladder.
With Hughes in their side, the Storm have won 10 of 11 games this season. Without him, they have played three games and lost two.
The Panthers can still win without Cleary on deck – the Storm find it tougher to do so when Hughes is missing.
Hughes was the difference between the Storm and a very gutsy Dolphins outfit in a five-star game on Friday night in Brisbane.
The Dolphins – as is their trademark – refused to lay down but Hughes kept edging the Storm ahead in a genuine thriller.
The Kiwi star is in career-best form and with him at the helm, they pose the greatest danger to Penrith’s chances of a four-peat.
FUTURE TITANS CAPTAIN ARRIVES
Jayden Campbell put up his hand as a future Titans skipper with his remarkable performance in his team’s thrashing of the Warriors on Saturday afternoon.
In one of the greatest displays in the history of Gold Coast rugby league, the Titans scored a record 66-6 win.
And leading the way was Campbell, who broke the record for most points in a game by a Titan with 26 from a try and 11 goals.
He also combined superbly with current skipper Kieran Foran, with the pair laying on a stunning seven tries between them.
Campbell is all class, cool under pressure and a real team man – all the things you want in your captain.
When Foran finally hangs up his boots, Campbell is pushing his claims to succeed him with the ‘c’ next to his name.
‘REAL DILEMMA’ FACING WARRIORS OVER STAR
What has happened to the Warriors is the big question out of last weekend following their shock 66-6 defeat to last-placed Gold Coast?
But perhaps the other question that needs asking is just what has happened to Shaun Johnson?
The star of the Warriors’ top four charge in 2023, Johnson has hit the wall in recent weeks.
He’s produced just one try assist in his last four games and, while he had plenty of mates, was well off the pace against the Titans.
Johnson came up with zero try assists, six missed tackles and two errors in a forgettable display.
Against the Storm a week earlier, he was also poor.
Prior to that, he missed several games through injury and the Kiwi outfit actually looked better with Te Maire Martin steering them around the paddock at halfback.
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Johnson has been the face of the Kiwi franchise for many years and won them more games than I can remember.
But he’s now 33, unsigned for next season, and the Warriors face a real dilemma as to what to do with him from here.
REMARKABLE DOLPHINS PROVE THEIR WORTH … AGAIN
You’ve got to hand it to the Dolphins – even when they lose, they go down fighting.
Without their two Origin stars – Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Felise Kaufusi – the Dolphins took it to the premiership leaders Melbourne, giving them an almighty scare.
It was the seventh game in a row that the Dolphins had scored 20 plus points. Of those seven, the Dolphins won four and lost three, showing that even when they lose, they put up a strong fight.
For a new team to the NRL, they have developed a remarkable culture quick time and look great things for their first finals appearance in 2024.