Injured Eagles, wrestling and desperate Tigers: The set restart

There isn't a week that goes by in the NRL that doesn't give you reasons to watch on the weekend, other than the games themselves. Whether it's injuries, scandals, or the NRL bosses making broad claims or historical nuances, there is always something to watch for beyond the game. Here are six things, questions and nuances to watch for as you sit down to watch the footy this weekend. Can the injured Eagles soar? [caption id="attachment_37248" align="alignnone" width="1024"] AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 27: Brothers Tom and Jake Trbojevic of the Sea Eagles celebrate after winning the round 25 NRL match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Manly Sea Eagles at Mt Smart Stadium on August 27, 2017, in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)[/caption] The Manly Sea Eagles will be without Tom Trbojevic for at least a month. Seeing that he is the best reigning Dally M Player of the Year, the Eagles are set to struggle to fill the gaping hole he leaves. Facing the Newcastle Knights this week, the Sea Eagles have a chance to show they aren't as much of a one-man band in 2022. Without Tom Trbojevic last year, the Sea Eagles had one win and five losses. With him, Manly lost three regular-season games to the Panthers, Knights and Storm. With the introduction of Tolutau Koula, Manly will be much better equipped to deal with Turbo's absence. That isn't to say Koula replaces Trbojevic, and he won't either after being a late withdrawal, but he (and now Christian Tuipulotu) allows both Brad Parker and Morgan Harper to stay in position, while Reuben Garrick moves to Fullback. It isn't only about who plays where. The Manly halves and forwards need to do their job. Tommy Turbo isn't going to be there to make up for every mistake - they need to win as a team. Raiders - Storm rivalry [caption id="attachment_42190" align="alignnone" width="1024"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 28: Cameron Munster of the Melbourne Storm scores a try during the round 20 NRL match between the Melbourne Storm and the Canberra Raiders at AAMI Park on July 28, 2018, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)[/caption] I wrote the heading, and then I looked at the recent results and thought I was losing my mind. While the Storm has dominated the Raiders in their most recent meetings, there was a time not too long ago when Craig Bellamy said the Raiders had "got the wood on us". Completely ignoring the fact the Storm have dominated their last two meetings and just working off brainpower and what the contest feels like, it is always a special occasion when these teams meet. Even with the Raiders looking less than palatable and the Storm looking like world-beaters, this will be one to watch. Despite sitting at twelfth on the ladder, the Raiders haven't been too far off the pace in 2022. In what is potentially a statement game for the Raiders, I wouldn't pen this down as yet another showing of Melbourne dominance just yet. 'Gutherino' revengerino [caption id="attachment_103868" align="alignnone" width="2560"] SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 01: Clint Gutherson of the Eels is on his way to a try during the round eight NRL match between the Canterbury Bulldogs and the Parramatta Eels at Stadium Australia, on May 01, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)[/caption] When the Parramatta Eels met the Gold Coast Titans in round one, the result was about as high-scoring and high-drama as it gets. With nine tries in the first half and only one in the second, it was a strange affair. The conversation afterwards had nothing to do with the game though. All anyone could talk about was Phillip Sami performing the "Gutherino" in the face of Clint Gutherson after he powered through him to score. https://twitter.com/NRL/status/1502896530277031941?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1502896530277031941%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.news.com.au%2Fsport%2Fnrl%2Fphillip-sami-gives-clint-gutherson-dose-of-his-own-medicine-with-cheeky-try-celebration%2Fnews-story%2F30ef52e664ec7e89509d562ee0c55642 While Gutherson was happy to laugh at the moment, he knew exactly when they would face off next. “Four weeks (we play them again) – I’ve already looked, we’re already back into it," he told Big Sports Breakfast. After their round one performance, this game is sure to be a try-scoring masterclass. Whether it's just the Eels who will be taking part, is yet to be seen. I'm taking bets for the celebration Gutherson pulls out if he scores. Wrestle and refereeing [caption id="attachment_47722" align="alignnone" width="1024"] SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 04: Referee Ashley Klein gives a penalty during the round 20 NRL match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Parramatta Eels at WIN Jubilee Stadium on August 04, 2019, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)[/caption] Peter V'Landys and the NRL have made headlines this week after V'Landys made comments about wrestling creeping back into the game. Billy Slater even spoke up, pleading for V'Landys to leave the game alone. With that being said, there it is almost a guarantee that we see a mind-boggling decision surrounding players being too slow in the ruck this weekend. Before Magic Round 2021, which saw a whopping 14 sin-bins and three send-offs the NRL announced a "crackdown" on high-contact seemingly out of nowhere. Today, there is absolutely no issue with the speed of the ruck or the amount of wrestling in the game. That doesn't mean the NRL won't implement changes with no regard for the game. If they do, we could see a whistle-fest this weekend. Tigers looking to avoid an 0-5 start [caption id="attachment_114963" align="alignnone" width="1024"] GOSFORD, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 25: Luke Brooks of the Tigers gestures during the NRL Trial match between the Sydney Roosters and the Wests Tigers at Central Coast Stadium on February 25, 2022, in Gosford, Australia. (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)[/caption] In the last decade, only three teams have started a season winless after round five. Both the 2021 Canterbury Bulldogs and 2018 Parramatta Eels got their first win in round seven. While the Sydney Roosters of 2016 were victorious in round six. The Wests Tigers will be desperately wanting to avoid joining those teams in the bowels of history. Only one of them didn't win the wooden spoon. The Roosters finished 15th with six wins; hardly something to aim for. The Tigers are in trouble. That much is obvious. And, unlike some other teams at the bottom of the table, it isn't easy to put your finger on the issue. If the Tigers are to turn their season around, why not do it in style against one of the competition's best teams looking for their own historical omen? Wouldn't that be the most Tigers thing ever? Sharks look to hold onto their top-four spot [caption id="attachment_115855" align="alignnone" width="1024"] SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 01: Sione Katoa of the Sharks and Blayke Brailey of the Sharks react after a tackle during the round four NRL match between the Cronulla Sharks and the Newcastle Knights at PointsBet Stadium on April 01, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)[/caption] Unfortunately for the Tigers, the Sharks have their own reason to win... Apart from, you know, winning. The Sharks currently sit fourth on the ladder, two points ahead of the six to twelve spots. Early in the season, the difference between being fourth or fifth is minuscule. But, for the 2022 Sharks, sitting in the top four after round five could be a sign of further success. You see, the Sharks haven't been in the top-four after round five since 2008, in which they made it to the preliminary final. If the Sharks want to follow in the footsteps of their past selves, they must defeat the Tigers on Sunday afternoon. With the way they have started the season, it is almost unfathomable that they lose, even if the Tigers are known to play well sporadically. With two dominant wins under their belt and a tightly-contested victory over the Parramatta Eels, the new-look Nicho Hynes-led Cronulla Sharks look to be the real deal. If they can align themselves with the 2008 Sharks, you can book them in for a prelim.