Round One over, tips stuffed, but what did we learn? Personally, I felt that round one showed that the early rounds are great for rookies but in the end it is experience that shows their worth.

Friday night saw a fantastic Queensland derby between the Broncos and the Cowboys.

The Broncos showed off their production line for the umpteenth time as Corey Norman played a headline catching debut. Some went for the easy option and likened him to a debuting Karmichael Hunt, but I was taken back to 1991, watching a young Julian O’Neill rip them up.

Hopefully Norman avoids as much controversy off the field.

But after the Broncos unraveled due to the guile of Jonathan Thurston, it was Mr Reliable Darren Lockyer who got them over the line.

I’ll predict that match could be a mini-version of the Broncos season: some sensational highlights and when the young guns click, some great footy, but they’ll wilt when under the blow torch and surely Lockyer can’t do it every week.

Can he?

Another side already missing their veteran is the Bulldogs. A truly woeful performance saw them humbled by the Knights.

At the end of last year, all the headlines were about boom rookie Jamal Idris. He was to be the face of the game in Western Sydney in the future, and big Dell even said he’d be better than Inglis and Folau.

Well, young Jamal is only a few years younger than those two, so he’d better get a move on.

A hundred drop balls, a turning circle of a battle ship and a brain explosion when the match was suddenly there to be won and suddenly Idris looks like a classic case of second year syndrome.

How the Bulldogs remedy it will be Kevin Moore’s first big challenge of the year, maybe even his career, given last year’s dream run.

But how the Dogs miss El Masri not just for the goal kicking but his mistake-free professional play on the wing. Play the game long enough and you pick things up.

Look at match winners Jamie Soward and Benji Marshall, derided early in their careers for being all-flashy, but with no grit. Just look at how they have matured. The Roosters’ Mitchell Pearce is another set to join the group, if he continues his development.

The season is long and hard and it will be the veterans that help balance the winner’s conundrum of not getting carried away but keeping the momentum going. It also puts the wind back in the loser’s sails.

No losing team looks forward to the return of an untried rookie. The answers always lie in blokes who have been there and done that.

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Bird made five errors with the ball and missed three tackles according to the NRL’s match stats and he was furious with himself even though the Titans won 24-18 over the Warriors on Sunday in his first competition match for the club.

Bird — who’s had a harrowing 18 months on and off the field — refused all interview requests after the match and he was still not talking to the media on Monday at the team’s recovery session as Cartwright sprung to his defence.

“You pretty well couldn’t talk to him after the game,” said Cartwright who was delighted by Bird’s reaction to his game.

“It was a sign he wasn’t happy with himself, but I was smiling.

“What he brought to us was something we haven’t had in three years here.

“Every time he did make a mistake he more than made up for it with his aggression and just that will to win.

“He wants to win every little battle he’s in and I could see that rubbing off on other players yesterday, and that quite excited me actually.”

Cartwright felt Bird may have been the victim of some extra attention from the referees.

“No doubt. They’ll do their reviews this morning and I think they’ll see he got penalised once when he shouldn’t have been. He got done for a dropped ball which he should have received a penalty for and he also got put into a dangerous situation.

“They do their homework on players and sometimes they go in there with some preconceived ideas.”

Of more immediate concern was the health of livewire fullback Preston Campbell who copped a knee to the top of his head in the closing minutes.

Doctors will decide in the next 24 hours if Campbell, who has a history of head knocks, is passed fit to play against Souths at ANZ Stadium on Friday night.

The little dynamo was still a touch groggy after an early morning swim in the surf with teammates on Monday.

“I’m still feeling a bit out of sorts, I had a pretty restless sleep last night and I didn’t know whether I was going to be sick or not,” he said.

“I’m just hoping to get home today and have a bit of a sleep and wake up a bit better tomorrow.

“There’s no need for scans, the doc’s checked me out and he says I’m fine but it’s his decision, whatever he says goes, I’m not going to argue with him.

“I take these things seriously, I’ve had trouble in the past with head knocks and I know what it can end up like.”

Last year’s wooden spooners were all over the much-hyped Rabbitohs in Sunday’s 36-10 win and Ryles said you couldn’t expect so many big names to fire together immediately.

The former NSW frontrower said his previous experience at St George Illawarra showed having a team full of superstars didn’t automatically mean success.

While it seemed a line-up featuring Dave Taylor, Sam Burgess and Roy Asotasi would be difficult to topple, Ryles warned that having so many dominant players all wanting the ball must have teething problems.

Taylor declared last week that Souths were fielding the best pack in the competition, but they found out against their arch-rivals that there’s plenty of work to be done.

“They’ll take a bit of time to gel obviously, because there’s so many dominant players in the team,” said Ryles.

“But once they do they’re a very good team. Once they gel they’re going to be even better.

“Probably looking back on it (Dragons years) we had a few dominant players who all wanted the footy.

“But we tended to sort it out after a couple of games and got into it so I’d say Souths will do the same.”

Souths elder Luke Stuart agrees with Ryles that Taylor and Burgess may take time to find their groove.

Stuart said it wasn’t just the forwards, but the entire side that must learn to bind.

“We’ve got some good players here, we just have to make sure we play together and play good as a team and hopefully we’ll reach some of that potential,” he said.

“There’s been a lot of talk about the forward pack but we’ve got a pretty simple job to do.

“It’s not just about the forward pack, it’s about the whole team getting together and playing their best and supporting each other. If we all do that we’ll definitely improve.

“I think it’s great that Sam and Dave have come to the club and they’ll see what works for them and work out combinations with the halves and the players around them.

“They’ll definitely get better and we’ll get better as a team as well.”

Stuart revealed he never felt comfortable with the pre-season excitement that followed the team and said all the players were “disappointed with our effort and our performance.”

He hopes the embarrassing loss means the hype and pressure will now dissipate.

“I never expected anything to come easy, the hype surrounding the club is definitely not my go,” Stuart said.

Hooker Issac Luke lamented the fact they weren’t able to walk the walk.

“It’s the start of our journey, and hopefully we can pick it up,” he said.

“We can’t just go under pressure and talk rubbish and then not back it up.

“If you talk like that you’ve got to back it up, and we didn’t back it up.

“I don’t know if we bring it upon ourselves … but hopefully all this hype goes away now and we can concentrate on what we are here to do instead of who we are.”

The Tigers looked gone when trailing 20-4 just before the hour mark, but four tries in 16 minutes – including Gareth Ellis’ first for the club five minutes from fulltime – capped a stunning comeback after Tuqiri had scored with his first touch in the NRL in more than seven years.

While the cheap shots and late hits looked like something from the 1970s – with three Manly players put on report for high shots and George Rose finishing the game in the sin bin – the Tigers’ skill and razzamatazz looked like something from the future.

The Sea Eagles seemed home and hosed when leading by 16 points, but on the back of a mounting penalty count and two tries within two minutes to Blake Ayshford and Liam Fulton, the Tigers were back in the hunt.

Manly regathered their composure and their discipline to halt the Tigers charge, with Chris Heighington giving away his third penalty of the night to gift Jamie Lyon an easy two points and the Sea Eagles an eight-point lead.

But the Tigers weren’t done with yet – Benji Marshall brilliant in putting Chris Lawrence over eight minutes from time before a deft Robbie Farah kick – with his non-preferred right foot – set up Ellis for the match-winner.

Tuqiri, after more than seven years in rugby union, touched down after just four minutes to give the 18,421-strong crowd hopes of a rout, but it was the opposition who soon started piling on the points.

Michael Robertson got the Sea Eagles’ first points when he reeled in a Jamie Lyon bomb on 25 minutes before Glenn Stewart and then George Rose – who defied his ample build with a deft left foot step – scored tries within five minutes of each other to all but bury the home side.

Manly discipline went out the window after the break with Keiran Foran and Brent Kite both put on report for high tackles, while Tony Williams was lucky not to find himself in the sin bin for a late hit on Fulton in the lead up to Ayshford’s try.

The Tigers comeback stunned the visitors before Manly’s frustrations boiled over when Rose was binned for a high tackle which sparked a melee on the fulltime siren.

Tuqiri admitted he was blowing pretty hard by the end of the game, while also showing concern for Manly fullback Brett Stewart who is set to miss two to six weeks with a knee injury after putting his body on the line to tackle the dual international late in the game.

As for the try, Tuqiri was still in shock.

“A dream start – I couldn’t have asked to anything more,” Tuqiri said.

“I couldn’t believe it – we called the play to go short side off the scrum, we practiced it all week, and it came off. I don’t know if I would have caught that in the 80th minute but luckily I was still fresh.”

While Tuqiri claimed he was nervous before the game, Marshall said his new teammate was more than ready for is return.

“He was jumping around telling me what to do, telling me what he wanted, telling me to make him look good, he’s just like Wendell (Sailor),” Marshall said.

“It’s like Wendell’s come back with dreads and not that big an arse.

“Every chance he got he was calling for it – I’ve got a sore left ear from him out wide.”

Coach Tim Sheens praised his side’s commitment in sticking to the gameplan.

“We came back and we started to play a bit of Wests Tigers footy which is moving the ball, even in our own half,” he said.

“We worried Manly’s edges and we got back-to-back tries and that really turned it.”

Manly coach Des Hasler admitted the game was one that got away.

“Credit to this side they clawed their way back in but at 20-4 at halftime, you don’t lose the game of footy,” Hasler said.

“But they scored some pretty spectacular tries.”

The pint-sized dynamo flew onto a short-ranged Nathan Friend grubber kick in the 70th minute for the match-winning try in the Titans 24-18 comeback win after they had trailed the Warriors 12-0 after 22 minutes.

But it was Campbell’s clever short kick off after Warriors winger Kevin Locke’s second try in the 26th minute that was a defining moment of the match.

Campbell’s kick travelled 11 metres before he swooped on the ball as the stunned Warriors watched.

The ploy rattled the defence enough for Friend to cash in with a short pass to rampaging young giant Joseph Tomane who crashed through big Kiwi winger Manu Vatuvei to score.

Marquee signing Greg Bird failed to fire for his new club, turning in a nightmare debut in a game he would rather forget.

The Warriors led 12-0 after tries to wingers Manu Vatuvei and Locke off perfectly weighted kicks from five-eighth James Maloney in the left corner and halfback Brett Seymour in the right corner in the seventh and 22nd minutes.

Vatuvei leapt high over the back of young David Mead while Locke had an easier task with his opposite Kevin Gordon too far infield to defend the kick.

Gordon redeemed himself last in the game when Warriors fullback Lance Hohaia broke clear and kicked ahead.

Gordon came across field in time kick to ball out of play before Hohaia arrived on the scene.

The Warriors led 18-12 at half time after Titan’s forward Anthony Laffranchi was rewarded for a tireless first half with a try one minute before the break.

They could have so easily been down 24-6 but for some desperate defence a minute before Laffranchi crossed.

Warriors halves Brett Seymour and James Maloney played strongly in the first half before the Titans worked their way back into the game in the second half through their efforts of Friend, Prince, Ashley Harrison, Laffranchi and Brad Meyers.

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Playing his first game in the tri-colours and his first match at fullback, Carney looked like he’d never left the competition as he joined halfback Mitchell Pearce in toying with the much-vaunted Rabbitohs side at ANZ Stadium.

The 26-point hiding no doubt brought down the Rabbitohs’ pre-season expectations a peg or two.

But in Carney and Pearce, there is real hope in Roosterland that the wooden spoon performance of last season will be a distant memory.

Carney capped his man-of-the match performance when he brilliantly tapped back his kick that was headed over dead ball line for Sam Perrett to score and make it 20-6 just after the break.

“That’s him – he’s freakish,” enthused chuffed coach Brian Smith, who was also in his first game with the Roosters.

“He never gives up – he sees things that certainly I wouldn’t have seen.

“Not too many players (could do that). You are talking Inglis and Slater and those sort of guys.”

Carney admitted to a few nerves before the game but was delighted in his first game since July 2008, when he was cut adrift by Canberra and deregistered by the NRL following a string of off-field incidents.

“There were a bit of nerves and I think a lot of that comes with playing a new position,” Carney said.

“Hopefully I just keep bettering myself in that position.

“It (the Perrett try) was a bit of a fluke in the end. That’s the luxury of the way the ball is shaped, it can do anything.

“I didn’t give up and it popped up and I hit it as hard as I could and it ended up in our player’s hands.”

South Sydney coach John Lang expected the loss would bring his side back to earth and perhaps cool the expectations that had bubbled on the back of the acquisition of big forwards Sam Burgess and Dave Taylor.

While Nathan Merritt scored his first try just before the break to halve the deficit created by four-pointers from Pearce and Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Lang pointed to the flying winger’s inexplicable drop with the line wide open just after Perrett’s second half try as the story of South Sydney’s day.

“He was away and he’s dropped the ball,” Lang said of the crucial moment, on the back of which Carney engineered the match-clinching try for Aiden Guerra moments later.

“It reinforced how well you have to play to win games in this competition and it was a real reality check for us I think.

“We’ve got to aim up as team – we bought Dave Taylor and Sam Burgess – they’re not going to be the magic elixir for us.

“We’ve got a stronger squad with the inclusion of those two players but you can’t buy two big young forwards and sit back and think it’s all going to happen.

“We’ve got the same challenges with those guys in that we had before.”

NRL Round one snapshot

THEY SAID IT: “When they scored after half time I felt they were ready to surrender,” Brocnos skipper Darren Lockyer after Brisbane survived a mighty Cowboys comeback from 24-0 to win 24-28.

STAT THAT MATTERS: StGeorge Dragons 94 per cent completion rate in round one of the compeititon was typical Wayne Bennett coaching.

MAN OF THE ROUND: Pint-size Titans fullback Preston Campbell who produced three pieces of magic in the Gold Coast’s 24-18 comeback win against the Warriors and didn’t remember any of them after being concussed five minutes from full-time after scoring the match-winning try.

MAGIC MOMENT: 18 year-old rookie fullback Corey Norman’s head-on tackle on 112kg Cowboy Scott Bolton to save a try — one of three for the night — in his arrival as Karmichael Hunt’s successor with Brisbane.

TALKING POINT: South Sydney’s limp performance against the Roosters after all the hype about their pack dominating with the additions of boom prop Dave Taylor and English superstar Sam Burgess.

JUDICIARY WATCH: Judiciary: Parramatta: Timana Tahu (on report for high tackle); Storm: Anthony Quinn (on report for elbow to the throat of Paul Gallen).

KEY INJURIES:

Parramatta: Shane Shackleton (hamstring), Dragons: Nathan Fien (broken leg) Sharks: Nathan Stapleton (ankle). Storm: Ryan Hoffman (knee). Roosters: James Aubusson (quad), Tom Symonds (knee). Broncos: Israel Folau (A/C joint), Antonio Winterstein (hamstring tightness). Cowboys: Willie Tonga (neck), Aaron Payne (ribs). Titans: Preston Campbell (concussion). Warriors: Sione Lousi (concussion).

UNDER PRESSURE: Comeback coach John Lang whose new super pack was stood over by the Roosters. Lang let rip, saying all the Souths players had to aim up and not expect Dave Taylor and Sam Burgess to to be a magic elixir.

Speaking extensively on the issue for the first time, one of the NRL’s elder statesman said he even had a list of names for the eight member commission he would be more than happy to pass on – not that he was holding his breath.

“Absolutely, I’d love them to ring me up and ask me but they won’t do that,” Bennett told ABC Radio of those responsible for the setting up of the commission, which received in-principle support last week when the ARL backed the exit strategy proposed by the co-owners of the NRL – News Limited.

“They won’t ring because that’s not the way they operate.

“I’ve been pleasantly surprised about three or four people that are very well-credentialled people that I know that have expressed an interest to me.

Both the ARL and News Limited will propose four members of the commission and NRL chief executive David Gallop said he would be happy hear Bennett’s thoughts.

“If we wants to throw up some names to me, I’d be willing to hear them,” Gallop said.

The veteran St George Illawarra coach said it was vital not to ignore the grassroots in the set-up and transparency was required to help those involved with the game to make informed decisions.

“I think the game’s extremely well managed, I think it’s very poorly led. We need real leadership and we need it at the top,” Bennett said.

“I’m a long way from being convinced that the formula’s right and like most of the people in the game … (we) have very little information about the make-up of this.

“If it’s more of what we already had dressed up in another outfit, then I’d prefer to be with the devil that we know than the devil we don’t know.”

Bennett also question the cost of the “baggage from the people that are exiting the game whether it’s the ARL or New Corp.”

“Why do they want to exit the game? What’s the price we’ve got to pay for that? Nobody knows that right now, with the exception of one or two people.”

Gold Coast managing director Michael Searle, who is a key protagonist behind the push for the commission, hit out at Bennett’s call for transparency.

“We provided (information to) all coaches, captains and officials at a meeting on January 18 about the Independent Commission – Wayne chose not to turn up to it.”

While the 21-year-old showed enough to suggest he will more than hold his own in the NRL, Burgess admitted the match had provided a healthy dose of reality following a Hollywood-style build-up more commonly associated with the man who recruited him – Souths co-owner Russell Crowe.

“NRL’s a tough game and I found that out tonight I think,” Burgess said.

“We’ve got a lot to work on, we’ll go back to the drawing board and I think we all know that.”

Asked if the round one loss would provide a reality check after a pre-season which hailed the Souths pack the best in the competition thanks to the recruitment of himself and Dave Taylor, Burgess said: “Yeah and I probably think it’s the best time we could have got it, round one.

“There’s been a lot of talk and hype in the media over our team and our forward pack and I’m not a big believer in what’s been said.

“I’ve got faith in our team but I’d rather let our play dictate what’s said in the paper.

“The good thing for us as well is we play on Friday (against Gold Coast) so we haven’t got a week, just four or five days before we get back on the horse.”

Rabbitohs coach John Lang said Burgess and Taylor had had mixed first-up performances.

“They showed flashes of what they can do but they also came up with some bad errors,” Lang said.

“Dave came up with a poor pass in a lead-up to a try and I think Sam lost two or three balls.

“Their efforts were probably symptomatic of the side, they showed a bit of potential but the reality was we weren’t anywhere near good enough.”

But he has vowed to right those wrongs ahead of next weekend’s NRL meeting with Newcastle.

Deputising for the injured Cronk in the No.7 jumper, Test hooker Smith struggled with his short kicking game as the Storm made hard work of getting past Cronulla 14-10 on Saturday night.

With Cronk not expected back from groin surgery for at least another week, Smith said he needed to lift his training in order to get the attack firing again.

“It’s a bit of a new thing for me – I’ll take the rap for that,” Smith said of kicking close to the line from first receiver.

“I haven’t done as much work as I should have there and we were lucky that Finchy (five-eighth Brett Finch) took control there in the second half, he showed his experience with his kicking game around their tryline.”

Storm coach Craig Bellamy conceded they were missing Cronk, but praised Smith for his adaptability.

“It’s pretty hard playing in a foreign position – he’s going from a key position to another key position, but it’s a whole different role,” Bellamy said.

“It’s been pretty hard for him and I know he’s been a little bit frustrated at times and I’ve been a little bit frustrated, but overall I think he’s done a tremendous job for us.”

Cronk was expected to miss the opening month of competition but is now rated some chance of returning in a fortnight for the round three match against Penrith.

Bellamy however warned against expecting normal service to resume on Cronk’s return.

“He hasn’t done a whole heap of pre-season either so he’s going to be a bit rusty as well,” Bellamy said.

“So how we bring him back is going to be the issue.”

Backrower Ryan Hoffman could be facing his own stint on the sidelines after damaging his medial ligament in the narrow win.

Hoffman had just returned to the field after having a needle to help settle a AC joint injury in his shoulder when he was soon back in the sheds.

“Someone just landed on the side of my knee and they think my medial might have went on me,” Hoffman said.

“It’s definitely a medial but how bad it is we won’t know until the scans.”

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The scheming skipper was the spark behind North Queensland’s second-half revival coming from 24-0 down to be tied 24-24 with 10 minutes to play before Broncos flash Denan Kemp scorched 30 metres for the match-clinching try in the 75th minute.

While Thurston rued the fact his side gave Brisbane such a big head start he was full of praise for the way they came back so hard late in the game.

“The team showed a lot of character and mental strength,” said Thurston, whose second-half performance was blistering so early in the season.

“Broncos put 24 points on us and it was pretty hard to come back.

“I don’t think too many teams would come back but we showed character and mental strength to come back like we did.

“They flicked a few (balls) out the back and took their opportunities, we didn’t take ours in the first half.”

Thurston confessed he never contemplated a shot at field goal after getting into Brisbane’s 30 metres at 24-24.

He tried a pin point chip kick with five minutes left when he probably should have grubbered the ball in goal to force a repeat set.

“You think about those things before the game, but in the heat of the moment you sort of, if you like, have a brain explosion.

“You’ve just got to be better than that.”

Coach Neil Henry, meanwhile, questioned how Israel Folau was given a benefit on the doubt try on “obstruction” early in the game and was also puzzled by other obstruction decisions during the game.

“There was no doubt Israel Folau put the ball down so I don’t know if the benefit of the doubt was on obstruction, I didn’t know we had benefit of the doubt on obstruction, it’s either obstruction or it’s not,” he said.

“It was disappointing to get that decision against us.

“But the spark is there and there’s enough there for us to work with that’s for sure.”

Henry was happy enough with Willie Mason’s effort when he came into the game at 24-0 down to the boos of the 48,000-strong crowd.

“It took three or four men to put him down and they certainly committed numbers to the tackle.

“He’ll be much better for the run.”

Centre Willie Tonga (neck) who was a major threat on the left side and hooker Aaron Payne, who’ll be checked for rib damage, were the Cowboys major injury concerns.

In the past 12 months, RL Russia has dramatically reduced its international activities. It did not sent a team to the Military World Cup 2008 in Australia, did not send a side to Serbia as intended, and did not participate in the European Nations Cup of 2009.

Outlining his plans, he wants Russia to field a side in the following tournaments: the 2010 Euro Shield, 2011 World Cup Qualification Games, 2012 Women’s World Cup in England and the International 9s in Samoa.

At the meeting, Baitieri is quoted as saying, “You all are responsible for the way the game is played and progresses in Russia and unless we work together to achieve this, it will surely disappear. The sport is too good a game for the many participants that play and wonderful to watch.”

This may be fine for the international scene but there are horrible events in Russia itself which could cause the game to implode. There were dramatic implications for the game in Russia when Rugby Sevens was admitted to the Olympic Games and saw several clubs, including the champions for the past eight years, Locomotive, and the highly rated Kazan Arrows switch to rugby union.

Alexander Denisov, director of the FRLR, announced that in an order dated 20 January 2010, the Ministry of Sport excluded league from the state register of sports in Russia. This is a huge setback to the code.

Now, a problem from within has arisen. In 1991, Edgard Taturian, coach of the Soviet Rugby team, with his journalist son, Igor, split from the established rugby union game and took some teams to found the Russian rugby league. The game grew and became entrenched as the Russian Rugby League Federation.

After the turmoil of the FRLR losing clubs and players this year, the same Edgard Taturian has again caused a split, this time with the Rugby League Federation, to form an Association of Rugby League Clubs. He has already indicated that the following clubs have joined his association: Nevsky Gate, Vereyskaya Bears, Thrashers, North Moscow, Nara, Otradnoe and Spartak-Losinka.

His aim is to get his the sport re-registered by the sports ministry and his association as the controlling body.

So far, the FRLR has not announced the teams that will be playing in their 2010 season.

A Russian once said to me “that when you have one Russian, you have peace, but with two, you have revolution”.

It appears this is the case at the moment with rugby league in Russia but there are a group who are fighting to stop the total collapse of the game.

What a difference 12 months can make.

After a horrendous 2009 season which culminated in the Roosters receiving the wooden spoon for the first time since 1966, the Bondi Junction club went through a massive transition faze which coincidently saw figures Brad Fittler, Craig Fitzgibbon, Willie Mason, Iosia Soliola and Mark O Meley leave the club.

Former Newcastle Knights boss Brian Smith was chosen to replace Fittler as coach, while Todd Carney, Phil Graham, Daniel Conn and Jared Wearea Hargreaves were recruited to help the chooks rebuild from arguably their most disastrous year both on and off the field.

Although some NRL teams predicted the Roosters to be one of the dark horses in season 2010, no one would have thought that last year’s wooden spooners could comprehensively beat a Rabbitohs side many predict to be top four material.

But upsets have been ripe for the picking so far this weekend, and yesterday’s tussle at ANZ stadium saw a revitalised Roosters outfit play some of their most impressive football in years to defeat the Rabbitohs 36-10.

Indeed not many clubs can attest to having so many playmakers in the one side, but the Roosters will no doubt be an exception after Todd Carney, Braith Anasta and Mitchell Pearce shone in unison to provide the chooks with an attacking edge not seen since Brad Fittler was playing for the chooks early in the millennium.

Pearce and Carney seemed to have the football on a string on occasions, provided quality service to a Roosters backline that looked dangerous with the ball in hand.

Whilst Anthony Minichiello and Sam Perrett both produced very solid performances, centre Shaun Kenny Dowall could hardly put a foot wrong in probably his best performance for the tri-colours.

The Kiwi Test player scored two tries, including a dazzling four pointer which saw him leave Rabbitohs players Rhys Wesser, Fetuli Talanoa and Colin Best in his wake while sprinting near the touchline in the second half.

Although he was solid on the wing last year, Kenn Dowall’s performance against the Rabbitohs yesterday demonstrated enough potential to suggest he could become one of the feared no.3’s in the NRL.

He has a great mixture of speed and strength, not to mention he is a dangerous presence for opposition under the high ball.

In the forwards, Queensland Origin player Nate Myles showcased why he has not missed a game for the Maroons since debuting for Mal Meninga’s men back in 2006.

One only has to look at the way Myles nearly rounded up Nathan Merritt in the second half to demonstrate how committed he was to leaving his mark against a Rabbitohs side with the so called best pack in the NRL.

Myles ended up making the most tackles out of any player on the park with 34 next to his name. Not to mention he also made 16 hit-ups for 134 metres in an inspirational performance.

It seems filling the shoes of club stalwart Craig Fitzgibbon may not be as difficult as first thought judging by Myles performance.

Indeed all of the seventeen Roosters who took to the field against the more fancied Bunnies yesterday performed their tasks with aplomb.

It was a win befitting of the club’s ‘new attitude, new beginning’ approach – a beginning that could not have started any brighter for a side which finished in Rugby League’s darkest corner last season.

They were already stars but they looked different, played different and wow, what an improvement.

When our professional athletes are all looking for an edge, that one per center, giving up alcohol could start to rub off on more players. Slowly but surely they are starting to see some of their team mates have had their careers ruined by drinking and that it is not worth it, oh, and the added bonus, is they recover quicker and player better.

Nat Myles has gone from an over weight prop and back rower to a slim lock forward who after topping the tackle count was still able to pace it with nippy opposition backs with speed I had no idea he had.

His cleaning up in the middle third of the ground was the key reason why the Roosters were so successful against and leaderless Rabbitohs.

Roosters coach Brian Smith implemented a masterful game plan using his little men with dummy half runs at the big Souths pack, who were without any direction from their quiet 6 and 7. They are desperate for Croker to come back so they will have a talker.

The media and even the great Wayne Bennett have labeled Rabbitohs half back Chris Sandow as the “next Thurston”. For mine, the red and greens will struggle until they find a half who can organise and implement a consistent kicking game.

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Trailing 16-0 at halftime, Canterbury scored four second half tries, two each to Josh Morris and Steve Turner, to get back into the contest, but they felt the absence of El Masri on Saturday night.

New kicker Michael Ennis missed all four attempts, including one from the sideline with five minutes to go that would have brought the Bulldogs back within a converted try.

The home side also looked certain to pull off a remarkable victory with just over a minute to go when young centre Jamal Idris broke away down the right side.

He had Turner catching up in support on his inside and will regret his decision to kick ahead, with Knights fullback Shannon McDonnell showing great desperation to get back to his in-goal and cover up.

They might have gone to sleep in the second half, but it was a courageous win for a Newcastle side who endured a harrowing off-season of controversy.

Most expected last year’s Preliminary Finalist to win the round one clash comfortably, with the Knights still coming to grips with the criminal charges that rocked their pre-season.

Prop Danny Wicks was charged with drug supply and possession and stood down back in December, while star second rower Chris Houston will also face drug supply charges next month and quit the club just two weeks ago.

With inspirational captain Kurt Gidley and dynamic hooker Isaac De Gois also sidelined with injury, beating one of 2009’s golden teams seemed a tall order.

A 60-metre runaway try to prop-turned-lock Mark Taufua, who scooped up a loose Brett Kimmorley ball in the 53rd minute, eventually proved the match-winner for the visitors who just managed to hold off the fast-finishing Bulldogs.

But Newcastle did all their damage in the opening 40, scoring three first-half tries to outside backs Cooper Vuna, Akuila Uate and Junior Sau, to totally dominate the home side.

Led by halves Scott Dureau and Jarrod Mullen, and powered by forwards Cory Paterson, Evarn Tuimavave, Newcastle controlled play.

Newcastle coach Rick Stone said he always expected his side to come out firing, despite the hits his club have copped off the field and in the casualty ward.

“I was always confident of that, I didn’t have any doubts to be honest,” he said.

“We spoke about resolve the whole week and what statement we wanted to make to ourselves, our fans and the league and I think there was plenty of resolve in that performance there tonight, even though it wasn’t the prettiest one you’ll ever see.”

Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore was disappointed his team didn’t turn up with the right attitude on the day.

Moore said Canterbury lost the game in areas other than Ennis’ missed goal-kicks.

“Simple plain fact is Hazem has retired,” Moore said.

“I’ve got every confidence in Michael.

“He works really hard on his game and I think everyone would agree, pretty tough conditions today and just about every kick was from out wide and the first three didn’t miss by much.

“You’re talking about a foot either way on three kicks that if they happen to go through well everyone is saying, Hazem who?

“It was just one of those things where individually we sub-consciously turned up expecting something to happen instead of making it happen.”

Newcastle were left without any interchanges for the final 10 minutes with Junior Sau, Cooper Vuna and Ben Cross suffering injuries.

Cross (head-knock) and Vuna (cramps) should be fine, but there is concern over Sau who suffered rib damage.

Stand-in winger Heka Nanai was the Bulldogs’ only worry, with a damaged fibia.

Just as they did against Leeds in winning the World Club Challenge earlier this month, the Storm looked a long way from the well-oiled machine which won last year’s title, with the absence of injured halfback Cooper Cronk particular telling.

The Storm scored tries either side of the halftime break to Greg Inglis and former Shark Luke MacDougall.

The double touchdowns were more than enough for a Sharks side which only came into the game late when Luke Douglas barged over from short range nine minutes from time following some clever work from new hooker Paul Aiton.

The 11,820-strong crowd tried their best to lift the home side, but their last throw of the dice ended with debutant Albert Kelly – who was playing against older cousin Inglis – kicking the ball straight to the opposition from a scrum win.

Cronulla’s cause wasn’t helped by their own ill-discipline, with Inglis’ 35th minute try coming moments after skipper Trent Barrett was sinbinned for one ruck indiscretion too many, that penalty one of 20 blown throughout a game which failed to find any rhythm.

The Sharks’ only points of the first half came via a pair of penalty goals, the second of which came after Storm winger Anthony Quinn was placed on report on the stroke of halftime for an elbow to the throat of Sharks lock Paul Gallen.

Cronulla started the second stanza still playing with 12 men, but had their full quota when Melbourne’s Dane Neilsen popped a ball for Billy Slater who put MacDougall over in the south-western corner.

The match began with a minute’s silence following the death of Sharks halfback Scott Porter’s sister overnight, Porter showing great courage to play in the round one match despite the tragedy.

“We thought it was going to be a little bit like the Leeds game, especially when we heard there might be a bit or rain around and that’s how we prepared,” Storm coach Craig Bellamy said.

“It certainly wasn’t a great spectacle but we did what we needed to do and we got the points.

“Our attack in the first half was particularly poor and it’s something that we’ll need to work on.”

Sharks coach Ricky Stuart was proud of how his side hung in against the premiers, but was livid over Barrett’s sin-binning and said he would be seeking clarification from referees boss Robert Finch over the incident.

“It cost us the game in the end,” Stuart said.

“They scored off the next set down the edge where Trent defends.

“I just want to know that whatever Trent was sin-binned for, is that going to happen for the next 25 games?

“I’ll answer that now – no.”

The Panthers should have had the match in the bag after they led 22-0 at halftime but the Raiders threatened to turn the tables with the first three tries of the second half to trail 22-16 after 58 minutes.

But ex-Raider Purtell, released from a long-term deal at Canberra to join the Panthers this year, intercepted a Terry Campese pass and ran the length of the field to make the score 26-16.

Purtell might have doubled the blow but was controversially disallowed a second four-pointer in the 71st minute, judged to have been held up after video angles proved inconclusive.

Panthers fullback Lachlan Coote added to the visitors’ misery and the joy of the crowd of 11,133, with a classy 75th minute try.

A flurry of penalties and cheap possession in Penrith’s 22 had the Raiders believing they could get out of jail early in the second half.

Panthers winger Shane Elford was penalised in possession near his own line in the 44th minute and big Canberra prop Scott Logan barged over a minute later.

Winger Daniel Vidot crossed out wide just four minutes later before centre Joel Thompson forced his way over in the 58th.

Earlier, recruit Kevin Kingston, rampaging forward Frank Pritchard and smart half Luke Walsh had destroyed the error-prone Raiders in the first half.

The home side scored four tries in the first 40, through Elford, Luke Lewis, Kingston and Coote to hand the Raiders a massive task for the second half.

Purtell was pleased to get one over his old club in his first NRL match for the Panthers.

“It felt very rewarding but I guess against any team when the game’s in the balance, if I scored a 100-metre try I’d be very happy with it,” he said.

“Hopefully there’s not too many of them, hopefully next time I’m only 20 out when I get that, not 100.”

Panthers coach Matt Elliott was also relieved after a pleasing first half.

“I was pretty happy that Purts took that intercept, I can tell you,” he said.

“We were probably a little unlucky to have the amount of possession against us in the second half and we were probably a little lucky to get that intercept, so it was a bit of a balancing act.”

Canberra coach David Furner lamented a woeful first half.

“I thought our second half, especially that first 20 minutes, was what we’d planned to do in our first half,” he said.

Canberra forward Josh Miller suffered a shoulder injury and will have scans on Monday.

But the dual international hadn’t set the timer on his IQ so he could rush home and keep an eye on how his ex-team-mates had fared.

“No, I think rugby now is in the past for me,” he said after Parramatta’s 18-12 season opening loss to St George Illawarra.

“This is my job, it’s my passion.”

The big centre had been warmly welcomed by the the 18,293 at Parramatta Stadium, and not so warmly by opposite centre Beau Scott as the pair niggled each other all night.

Tahu, who in the past had told the league world he’d never leave for “boring” rugby and then the union world he was staying there as well, felt completely at home.

“It was good to be back, good playing with my mates again, good to be back in the blue and gold,” he said.

“It was easy for me to slip into the culture when I decided to come back to rugby league.

“I got those nerves back, those good nerves, those butterflies in my guts which I thought I would never get back but I did get them and for me that’s the sign that I want to come back and play my best footy.”

The 29-year-old said the plan had been blow out the cobwebs early after two years largely spent sitting on the bench in the 15-man game.

“Getting the first run out of the way, that was the plan, getting in early, get some ball, get a run in, feel what the hits are like,” he said.

“I did get in early and it felt good to get hit hard.

“I thought I was going to be a target because I’d been away for two years and playing in the centres it’s a lot different than playing in rugby, you’re closer to the action when you’re playing 12 (union’s inside centre) whereas you’re out wide and you’ve got pressure put on you (in league).”

Another former Wallaby and Waratah, Lote Tuqiri, is likely to make his return to league after seven years in rugby when the Wests Tigers play Manly on Monday night.

“I’ll probably back him playing, he’s just one of those boys that wouldn’t want to sit back and watch, it’s just not like Lote,” Tahu said.

Tuqiri can expect a message of support from his fellow code-jumper.

“I’ll probably just say good luck but that’s about it,” Tahu said.

“There’s nothing much I need to tell him, he’s a veteran, he can hold his own.”

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It comes in the form of talented teenager Corey Norman, who displayed the silky skills of a five-eighth in his man-of-the-match arrival against North Queensland at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

Norman produced one of rugby league’s great debuts as Brisbane survived a Johnathan Thurston inspired fightback from 24-0 to win 30-24 with a last-ditch try to speedster Denan Kemp.

Stepping into the sizeable boots of fullback Karmichael Hunt, 18 year-old Norman not only filled the difficult role with flying colours, but also gave coach Ivan Henjak a look into the future when the time comes to replace Lockyer.

Henjak is blessed with a cupboard full of fullbacks, including another classy youngster in Josh Hoffman, who’d been pencilled in as Hunt’s replacement before rolling his ankle a few weeks ago.

With the skills and composure he displayed on Friday night, Norman could make the positional switch to No.6 when the time comes and if he progresses as most observers believe he will.

It would see him repeat Lockyer’s bold move from fullback to five-eighth early in his career.

Hunt was a more aggressive and direct ball runner but Norman showed he had the same fearlessness in defence, stopping three Cowboys tries in the first half.

In attack he proved in time he could match Hunt, combining in some promising out-the-back plays with Lockyer and throwing the final pass for three of Brisbane five tries, combining speed, footwork and some moments of magic.

Norman’s performance was full of maturity — similar to a few other teenagers — Hunt and Lockyer — who’ve gone into better things after making impressive NRL debuts in the No.1 jumper.

“He did a tremendous job. There was no more telling play than holding up (Scott) Bolton, a big guy, 109 or 110 kilos.

“I wouldn’t say we were expecting that from him, but he stepped up to the mark and he looked pretty confident with the ball.”

Norman thoroughly enjoyed playing in front of his family, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and 48,000 other fans, but admitted there were a few moments in the game that brought him back to reality.

One such moment was the 53rd-minute fumble of a Johnathan Thurston grubber kick coming that triggered the visitor’s amazing comeback from 24-0 down.

“I’m not getting carried away, it’s only one game,” said Norman.

“I had a hand in a few tries but I also made the mistake that let them back in (the game).”

Henjak knew he’d taken a calculated gamble on youth thrusting Mitchell Dodds into the starting pack and picking Norman and Matt Gillett for their debuts.

They all delivered magnificently on the night.

“It was a bit of a shock to Doddsie, tossing him out there,” admitted Henjak.

“He does rip and tear, he doesn’t really know who the opposition are, he’s not into footy that much … he doesn’t know who they are he just runs hard and tackles hard.

“Gillett, he was good, he was very good.”

Henjak confessed to some anxious moments as the Cowboys rode Thurston’s genius to level the scored 24-all with 10 minutes left.

“It got a bit hairy there at the end but it would have been a tragedy if we had have lost that game,” said Henjak said.

Fien underwent an operation in Sydney on Saturday after it was revealed he had fractured his fibula when his leg became caught under the weight of several defenders as he made a charge towards the Eels line just before halftime in the Dragons’ 18-12 win at Parramatta Stadium.

Doctors set the recovery period at five months, meaning Fien should return in late August.

It was a disappointing end to what had started out as a day of great joy after he joined his wife in hospital in Wollongong to witness the birth of his fourth child, a little boy.

Fien himself finished the day in the care of medical staff, the 30-year-old saying he knew immediately that he was in some trouble.

“I knew something was wrong straight away, I heard a crack but was wondering how I was going to get up and play the ball quickly because we were so close to the line,” Fien said on Saturday.

“When I was back in the sheds and they cut the tape off, it was bit numb and I thought I might be okay here, but when the doc had a look and moved it a bit, I realised it was pretty serious and they took me off to hospital.

“I was feeling really good out there, on top of the world.

“It was probably a combination of seeing my son being born and the back off we had in training last week.

“I was really enjoying the game, I was happy with my defence and we were getting some good shake in attack and then it was all over.”

The Dragons attack was noticeable more laboured after Fien left the field as Dean Young, who had been playing well at lock, moved into dummy half.

Young now looms as a likely long-term fill-in at No.9, though Dragons coach Wayne Bennett also has the luxury of calling on former premiership-winning hooker Luke Priddis.

Fien however said he was determined to return for the business end of the season.

“It’s just one of those things that happens in footy, not playing isn’t going to be fun, but I’m pleased that I can have the operation so soon to allow me to get back as quickly as possible,” Fien said.

“I will now just have to wait a little longer and enjoy some extra time with my wife and four kids.”

Fien is due to leave hospital on Sunday when he hopes to return to Wollongong to be with his family.

Porter’s sister Lisa, 38, died of a heart attack on Friday night, the tragedy coming just nine months after the death of his mother.

Stuart said football was the furthest thing from his mind when he went to see Porter on Saturday morning, yet left the conversation convinced the 24-year-old was ready to play against the Storm later that night, a game the Sharks went on to lose 14-10.

“I didn’t expect him to play, I went and sat down with him this morning at his (place) and with his father … I already had someone else pencilled in for the position last night when I found out the news,” Stuart said.

“But this morning when I saw the look in his eye, saw that he had a number of hours sleep and he was very committed to the cause – that he wanted to play because he thought that both his mother and sister would want that, I wasn’t going to stand in the way of that decision.

“It was always going to be Scotty’s decision.

“What that boy’s gone through over the last nine months, I hope that no-one has to go through.”

Storm skipper Cameron Smith also praised Porter’s effort in playing, saying every Melbourne player made sure they passed on their condolences after the match.

“We were a little bit unsure as to whether he was going to play – we were probably leaning towards the side of him not playing,” Smith said.

“But it was a great effort by him to turn up and it obviously shows how much this club means to him and his passion for his jersey and his teammates.

“It was a tremendous effort to turn up tonight.”

With key players Danny Wicks and Chris Housten exiting the club in humiliating fashion, the Knights also faced the prospect of being without captain Kurt Gidley for the rest of the season due to a knee injury he suffered in the NRL All Stars match in February.

Although the eventual diagnosis on Gidley’s injury brought relief to Knights fans, it will be a month before the Knights regain the services of their representative fullback.

Indeed his absence against the Bulldogs yesterday would have been enough of a reason to predict a comfortable victory for the home side.

It seemed the Bulldogs themselves felt a little too comfortable against a Knights team that are among the most courageous and determined sides in the NRL.

Kevin Moore’s men must have also forgotten the fact that Newcastle are one of the most skilful sides in the premiership with the ball in hand.

In a devastating first half, The Bulldogs were dealt a brutal reminder of the dangers that come with underestimating an opponent as valiant as Newcastle.

With halfback Jarred Mullen pulling the strings, The Knights found themselves 16 nil up in the first half thanks to tries by Cooper Vuna, Junior Sau and Akuila Uate.

The backline trio of Vuna, Sau and Uate constantly tormented the Bulldogs on the edges, thanks to their mixture of speed, footwork and power.

Newcastle may in fact boost the strongest backline in the NRL in terms of pound for pound strength.

Vuna, Sau and Uate all have the physicality necessary to play in the forwards, yet their speed and footwork also rival some of the fastest and mobile backline players in the NRL.

Sau’s try in particular was made possible thanks to a terrific left foot step near the touchline that left Bulldogs winger Heka Nanai for dead.

Nanai’s missed tackle in defence was just one of many worrying signs from a Bulldogs side that was being torn to shreds up the middle of the park.

Newcastle forwards Ben Cross, Daniel Tolar, Zeb Taia and Cory Paterson each made solid yardage every time they touched the ball.

Paterson proved to be the hardest forward to contain for the Bulldogs, with the Newcastle second rower making six offloads – the most out of any player on the park.

Whilst the Bulldogs managed to fight back in the second half, they were largely helped by four questionable penalties which helped the home side wrestle back momentum from Rick Stone’s men.

Indeed the final 20-16 score line ended up flattering the Bulldogs, and that is certainly not a good sign from a team many expect to be Premiership material by season’s end.

Although Newcastle could have easily won the game comfortably, they will be mightily proud of attaining the two competition points, thus silencing some doubters.

No doubt after that performance, the Knights would have certainly gained new admirers in a time of great difficulty for the club off the field.

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Up against the side that helped bundle them out of the 2009 finals, the Dragons were relentless as they clinically took care of an Eels side that failed to find the magic which propelled them to last year’s grand final.

Leading by six at the break, the Dragons twice opted against pushing for a killer blow in the second period as they handed the ball to Jamie Soward to extend the lead to 16-6 via a pair of penalty goals.

The negativity looked like coming back to haunt the Dragons when reigning Dally M medallist Jarryd Hayne ignited the 18,293 pro-Eels crowd with a deft cut-out for Luke Burt to score out wide.

Burt’s second sideline conversion of the game cut the margin to four with 17 minutes remaining, but Parramatta’s momentum was destroyed minutes later when a thumping hit by Jarrod Saffy and Dan Hunt knocked the ball loose from Nathan Cayless’s grasp from the kick-off.

The Dragons let that opportunity pass but they were again given a leg-up by the Eels five minutes from time, Fuifui Moimoi penalised for a strip on Michael Weyman with Soward slotting his third penalty of the night from point blank range.

Both sides played the best part of half a game down one player, Shane Shackleton suffering a hamstring tear while Dragons hooker Nathan Fien – who started the day celebrating the birth of his fourth child – was carried off with a suspected broken ankle.

The Dragons were deserved 12-6 leaders at the break, though they would have gone to the sheds ruing the fact they hadn’t turned their positional dominance over the opening stanza into a greater advantage.

Prop-cum-centre Matt Prior was twice stopped just centimetres from the line in the opening minutes before Fien grubbered for Ben Hornby to score just inside the dead ball line.

Hayne reminded everyone he was human as he kicked out on the full from inside his own half, the Dragons making him pay as Jeremy Smith bounced out of a pair of feeble tackles for a 12-0 advantage.

The Eels had played most of the game in their own half and it was from there they eventually got on the board, unlikely protagonist Jeff Robson dummying through and finding Hayne in support before Eric Grothe went over untouched on the next play.

Soward missed a chance to put the visitors out by eight when he pushed a penalty wide before Fien’s fateful dart was cut short, just like the rest of his night.

Dragons coach Wayne Bennett confirmed Fien’s ankle was broken and praised the side’s ability to adapt to the high casualty ward.

“We lost Nathan Fien which is a blow for us, Ben (Hornby) was in doubt right up to the match and we’ve got three centres out injured,” Bennett said.

“Our stocks are depleted in a couple of key positions.

“(Fien) was playing great tonight, he’s a really important part of the team.”

As for the ploy of kicking dead to avoid handing the ball to Hayne, Bennett said: “You want to kick to where the seagulls are … that was the idea.

“We don’t want to kick the ball to him on the full, that’s just making it too easy.”

Eels coach Daniel Anderson said the difference between the two sides was Soward’s brilliant kicking game and the Dragons’ stunning 94 per cent completion rate.

“They were very clinical and disciplined and buried us in field position,” Anderson said.

“They made one error for 80 minutes in the first game of the year so they’ve had a very good start.

“We just didn’t kick well.”

Asked about the loss had brought his side back to earth following the hype of their pre-season, Anderson said.

“No-one here was buying into the hype and I don’t think we played to the hype.

“We played a tough style and we played against a tough team … I think that’s an unfair statement.”

Brisbane banked the two premiership points but not before Cowboys genius Johnathan Thurston threatened to inspire one of rugby league’s great comebacks in front of almost 49,000 delirious fans kept on the edge of their seats for the last 20 minutes.

The night belonged to 18-year-old debutant Norman, but only after the Broncos resisted a stirring Cowboys fightback.

Thurston inspired an amazing Cowboys onslaught that hauled them back from 24-0 down until fullback Ty Williams scored their first points in the 53rd minute.

But just when the Cowboys seemed likely to pull off a miracle win, Brisbane skipper Darren Lockyer put Kemp away down the left touchline and he dived over the line for the match winner.

In arguably one of the best debuts in Brisbane’s proud 21-year history, Norman stopped three tries and gave the final pass for the Broncos’ opening two four pointers.

“I loved it,” Norman said of his dream debut.

“It was surreal playing with guys like Darren Lockyer and that.

“I just went out there and tried to enjoy the experience.”

Norman’s effort to deny Cowboys forward Scott Bolton a try in the opening minutes was just the start of an amazing arrival for the teenager.

“I just wanted to put my body on the line and do it for the boys,” he said.

Playing in the No.1 jumper vacated by another teenage prodigy Karmichael Hunt, the youngster however showed he was human in the 53rd minute when he fumbled a Thurston inside grubber which Williams toed across the line to score the Cowboys’ first points.

The Cowboys launched a full throttle assault on Brisbane’s line in the opening 20 minutes but Norman was magnificent.

After holding up a charging Bolton, who looked odds-on to score after steaming onto a short Thurston pass in the fifth minute, Norman cut down winger Michael Bani, who reached over his head but came up centimetres short in the 15th minute.

Norman was on the spot yet again to knock over Cowboys lock Luke O’Donnell with a try begging.

Having done the job defensively, Norman served up the final pass to centre Israel Folau who crashed over for Brisbane’s first try of 2010 in the 19th minute.

Better was to come from the young whiz kid when he flicked a ball out the back to winger Antonio Winterstein in the left corner and backed up on the inside to deliver Lockyer a try and Brisbane a 12-0 lead.

It was almost like a debutants ball as coach Ivan Henjak’s infants stood tall, including 20-year-old prop Mitchell Dodds who ripped into the Cowboys pack after being promoted to a starting job alongside Nick Kenny.

Teenage centre Gerard Beale looked dangerous a number of times with the ball in hand while back-rower Matt Gillett lived up to expectations scoring a try after backing up breakaway winger Winterstein in the 28th minute.

Gillett’s workload was vital at stages and he looked every bit a NRL class player after starring for Norths in last year’s Queensland Cup.

Hooker Andrew McCullough was outstanding in defence along with halfback Peter Wallace.

Willie Mason was booed onto Suncorp Stadium in his debut for the Cowboys but trucked the ball into the teeth of Brisbane’s defence.

Cowboys centre Willie Tonga was dangerous in attack but Thurston again was a standout.

Tahu, whose Eels lost 18-12 on his return to league after two years playing rugby union with the NSW Waratahs and Wallabies, was engaged in a running battle with big defensive centre Scott all night.

The former Newcastle star made his presence most felt with some bruising defence, absolutely smashing Dragons fullback Darius Boyd in the 32nd minute and shaking the ball loose in the process.

But the match flared up in the 37th minute when a Tahu high shot on Scott brought players running from all over the park to enjoy a bit of push and shove.

He never quite found himself in the clear and the frustration brought more niggle with Scott.

There was more push and shove in the 70th minute and plenty of gesticulating and verbals two minutes later after Scott had appeared to slap Tahu in a tackle.

“There was a few cheap shots I got and I gave a few cheap shots back so I think we ended up being even at the end of the day but it didn’t show on the scoreboard,” Tahu told reporters.

“League’s a confrontational sport.

“It was good to let out a bit of steam, that’s something you can do in league, run out of the line and do your best.

“I think it’s just my nature … players try and put a bit of stick into you and you give it back and at the end of the day we’re all mates.”

Eels coach Daniel Anderson was pleased with Tahu’s return after much of his two-year stint in the 15-man game was spent sitting on the Waratahs’ bench.

“It was a solid return, he did really well for us, he was positive in the whole game I thought,” he said.

Down two forwards with Danny Wicks and Chris Houston terminating their own contracts after being charged with drug offences, the Knights’ premiership stocks have plunged before a ball has been kicked in 2010.

And with no one guaranteeing more players are not involved, just how the remaining Knights front up to 2009 premiership high-flyers Canterbury at ANZ Stadium is anyone’s guess.

Coach Rick Stone concedes the distractions have been real but is hopeful his players’ focus can turn to football.

“For the majority, I’d say they’ve been really good, somewhat distracted at times obviously after certain events,” he said.

“This week we’ve had a good talk about our particular focus and concentrating on what we can control and that’s something that we’re fairly comfortable with.

“We understand what we’ve got to do and what processes to put in place for us to play on the weekend and I think all the boys understand where we’re heading.”

While Newcastle’s forward depth will be tested in 2010, early season injuries to NSW representative backs Kurt Gidley and James McManus also won’t help.

Talented hooker Isaac De Gois is also on the comeback trail from a knee injury and not yet ready for first grade.

Veteran forward Steve Simpson will captain the Knights in Gidley’s absence.

Tellingly, Newcastle have won only four from 12 games without Gidley since 2007, while they also need to improve on a three-from-12 away record last year.

The Bulldogs have had a relatively smooth pre-season, but only 12 months ago they were on the rebound from a stint as the NRL’s crisis club.

Five-eighth Ben Roberts was there through some of the Dogs’ darkest days and predicts the Knights will be a danger as they air their frustration.

“I actually think it is (a danger game),” he told AAP.

“I suppose they’d probably look at it as more of a drive for them with all this stuff that’s going on, they would rather put it behind them and what better way than to go out there and play good football.

“They’ve got something to prove, obviously, to themselves and to the fans and I’m sure they’d be expecting a tough game from us so they’d all be telling each other to make sure that they’re on their game.

“I’m not expecting anything less than a hard game from them.”

Both sides return to the scene of their qualifying final clash last September, when the Dogs eliminated the Knights with a 26-12 victory.

Bulldogs winger Bryson Goodwin, who bagged 20 tries in 2009, will be given until game day to prove he has overcome a toe injury, with Heka Nanai and Junior Tia Kilifi on standby.

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The Dragons came out of the blocks running and controlled possession, outscoring the Eels 18 points to 12. Given the amount of possession the Dragons had, it is amazing that the Eels were able to get so close and in fact score two tries – the same amount as the Eels. It was Sowards kicking game that made the difference on the scoreboard.

Why did Anderson not start the world’s best prop Moimoi? The Dragons had a far superior attack.

Bennett’s well-drilled Dragons only made two errors compared to the Eels’ 16, and had the ball for an incredible 15 more completions.

The concern for the Dragons is that they cannot play any better and only just won with two tries all, while the Eels kept turning over the ball and never really got going. They cannot play any worse, the only consoling feature for local fans.

Next week the Dragons are at home against the Bulldogs and the Eels take on Manly.

Forwards Dan Hunt and Michael Weyman were instrumental in carving up the Eels defence barely minutes into the new season, and it undoubtedly set the platform for another dominant showing upfront from the Dragons.

Playing against an Eels pack that now contains former Dragons prop Justin Poore, Wayne Bennett’s men muscled their way to an 18-12 victory against last year’s Grand Finalists.

The Dragons dominated for the vast majority of the first half, wrecking havoc in the middle of the ruck thanks to the sublime service provided by Kiwi hooker Nathan Fien.

Fien was involved in everything early on, setting up a try for captain Ben Hornby with a delicate grubber in the goal area.

The Dragons no.9 also produced a nice short ball for forward Jeremy Smith to run on to and score near the posts to set up a commanding 12 nil lead for the Red V.

Indeed it was very unfortunate to see Fien suffer a broken ankle while being tackled close to the Eels line, thus ending a good night on a very sour note.

Despite the setback, the Dragons already had a ready made replacement, with Dean Young taking over at hooker with ease.

Whilst the Eels showed glimpses of the attacking form that wowed NRL audiences alike in their run to the 2009 Grand Final, the home side never found themselves dominating the Dragons forward pack, often starting a set of six barely outside their own in goal area.

Eels big men Fui Fui Moi Moi, Nathan Cayless and Justin Poore found themselves in a constant struggle to make any valuable metres against a disciplined and hard hitting Dragons defence.

Dragons forward Jarred Saffy was responsible for some big hits, in particular one on Nathan Cayless in the second half which halted the momentum the Eels had gained after winger Luke Burt scored a great try for the home side.

Saffy was just one of many forwards that played their part in the Dragons solid opening to the season.

Prop Dan Hunt proved that there is indeed life after Justin Poore, making 22 tackles to go along with his 16 hit-ups for 137 metres.

Jeremy Smith was also instrumental upfront, scoring a try and making 124 metres.

However, it was NSW Origin forward Michael Weyman who really set the tone upfront for the Dragons, making 15 hitups for 147 metres in a dominant display against his former partner in crime Justin Poore.

There is no question that the Dragons strengths lie in their hardworking forward pack, and it proved to be the key difference once again.

For all their muscle upfront however, the Dragons continue to show complacency in attack, in particular in the second half when things got tight.

Five-eighth Jamie Soward kicked three penalty goals in the second half instead of opting to go for more in critical stages of the game.

Whilst the decisions did not cost him the away side two competition points, one feels such complacency in attack will come back to bite the Dragons later in the season.

The Dragons only have to look at what happened last year to know why going for goal can prove to be more beneficial to the opposition rather than the team gaining the two points.

With a dominant forward pack at their disposal, the Dragons should be looking to spread their wings more in attack and make the most of the foundations set by their big men.

It could prove the difference between the Dragons winning a premiership or falling short once again.

There is an odd peace about the final day before the season begins. Your team is undefeated, you’re buoyed by the talk of the toughest preseason ever and heartened by that young player you’ve admired for a while getting a start while the big new signing claims he is loving it and is raring to go.

On a personal note, you stand equal first in the tipping, your fantasy league team still looks like world beaters and you are yet to have a single argument around regarding your team’s playing schedule and the social engagements your partner wants to attend as a couple.

Enjoy the peace while it lasts, most clubs outside of Newcastle have enjoyed a fairly incident free off-season as clubs went on a community driven charm offensive. If you live in the same area as a rugby league team the only danger the players posed was snatching your kids for yet another photo for the club newsletter.

No wonder Tony Abbott has styled himself as a fitness fanatic, he’ll need to be to match all the NRL players shaking hands and kissing babies at shopping centres this season.

But no matter what happens this weekend, the complaints on Monday will mark the start of the season proper.

The referees will not be up to scratch, an early penalty will have turn the game before a side is belted by 30 points. Fans will demand his head.

Crowds will infuriate fans who are forced to queue with other members of public while a particularly upset Souths fan will complain that they were not able to simply stroll into the Rabbitohs game five minutes before kick off unlike the glory days of George Piggins. This is the fault of Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court.

Meanwhile, a working father will bitterly resent the cost of buying five pies for his morbidly obese 10 year old. SPOILER ALERT: Food purchased at sporting grounds tends to be more expensive than similar products sold at supermarkets, it is also unlikely to be award winning in terms of quality. Fans should also be aware that it is not compulsory to purchase said items.

Some fans may also resent the new ‘form hugging’ replica jerseys for not showing more sympathy for their sedentary lifestyle.

Constant complaining is indeed the life blood for so many fans. The routine is for the matches to provide cherished escape and enjoyment while they are on, and when they aren’t it is your duty to moan about the moronic mercenaries wearing your club’s colours and the boofheads running the game.

Listening to talkback radio, I welcome the first caller proclaiming he’ll “never attend another match” like some welcome the first day of spring.

It means the rugby league season has well and truly arrived. Bring it on.

The board of the Australian Rugby League has agreed in principle to a model proposed by its 50 per cent partner in the NRL, News Limited, for the last fragments of the Super League war of the 1990s to be buried.

The Queensland Rugby League had expressed reservations about the ARL relinquishing its 50 per cent voting rights but the board – comprising four NSW members, four from Queensland, chief executive Geoff Carr and chairman Colin Love – backed the move on Thursday.

Insisting relationships between NSW and Queensland “are fine”, Carr said the results of the vote would not be made public.

The commission, largely the brainchild of Gold Coast chief executive Michael Searle, received near unanimous support from NRL club chairmen, chief executives, coaches and players at a meeting in January.

An ARL statement on Thursday said it would be a not-for-profit entity that will include the NSW and Queensland Rugby Leagues as well as the 16 NRL clubs.

The eight commissioners will also be members of the not-for-profit entity.

The 16 NRL clubs, NSWRL and QRL will each have one vote in elections for the commissioners.

NRL chief executive David Gallop is expected to retain his position under the new structure.

“I think the point is there’s a hell of a lot of work to be done and it will be time to celebrate after all that work’s done because it’s going to be quite complex, the detail of this,” Carr said.

“But it certainly was a big step in the right direction.”

Carr said a timeframe was impossible to predict.

“There can’t be, everyone wants to get it right. No one wants to be left with a legacy of a failed structure,” he said.

“We’ve agreed in principle on a model, it’s very important that it takes us (into) the next hundred years so the detail has to be right.”

The next step, Carr said, would be a continuation of the regular meetings between News Limited and the ARL, who assumed joint control of the NRL when the divided leagues came together again in 1998.

“That’s a continuation of the current steps,” Carr said.

“We’ve committed to meet with them regularly to keep it moving.”

Love said the agreement represented a major step forward.

“The ARL believes that the in-principle agreement arrived at today will deliver a truly independent commission to run rugby league,” he said in the statement.

“There is still a huge amount of detail to be worked through but today’s agreement is a major step in the process.

“Both partners have committed to regular meetings to work through each of the points that will need to be discussed and the complex legal agreements that are involved.

“People need to understand there is still a lot of work ahead.”

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FRIDAY

PARRAMATTA v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA at Parramatta Stadium, 7.35pm

Head to head: Eels 11, Dragons 8, drawn 1

Last clash: Eels 25-12 at WIN Jubilee Stadium (Qualifying finals, 2009)

TAB Sportsbet: Eels $1.70, Dragons $2.10

FootyTAB: Dragons +2.5

What a cracker to kick things off in 2010. Who’ll ever forget the last time these two played in round one of the finals last year, when Jarryd Hayne danced around eight defenders to score the try of the year as the Eels upset the minor premiers? Hayne claims he will be even more dangerous this year, and with Timana Tahu and Justin Poore on board, the Eels should be too. The loss of Matt Cooper leaves the Dragons lacking strikepower out wide, but with six props in his squad, it is doubtful Wayne Bennett was planning on being too expansive anyway.

Key: Can Jarryd Hayne pick up where he left off in 2009, when he was regarded the best player in the game?

Tip: EELS

BRISBANE v NORTH QUEENSLAND at Suncorp Stadium, 8:35pm

Head to head: Broncos 21, Cowboys 4, drawn 2

Last clash: Broncos 16-10 at Dairy Farmers Stadium (Rd 25, 2009)

TAB Sportsbet: Broncos $1.80, Cowboys $2

FootyTAB: Cowboys +1.5

Season-openers don’t usually mean too much by the time you get to September, but this all-Queensland derby could give a fair indication of just what will be expected of these two sides in 2010. The Broncos squad – in particular the backline – lacks the talent of previous campaigns, and that’s even with Darren Lockyer, Israel Folau and Peter Wallace still on board. Nobody knows what to make of the Cowboys, with question marks still lingering over their ability to perform with Johnathan Thurston missing injured sidekick Matt Bowen. Their pack looks menacing, but can Thurston find enough help to capitalise on that platform?

Key: Any side featuring Darren Lockyer is a chance of winning, but minus the likes of Karmichael Hunt, Justin Hodges, are the Broncos putting too much pressure on their 32-year-old skipper to carry them?

Tip: COWBOYS

SATURDAY

CANTERBURY v NEWCASTLE at ANZ Stadium, 5:30pm

Head to head: Bulldogs 17, Knights 14, drawn 1

Last clash: Bulldogs 26-12 at ANZ Stadium (Qualifying final, 2009)

TAB Sportsbet: Bulldogs $1.22, Knights $4.10

FootyTAB: Knights +11.5

Has anyone had a worse off-season in the history of the game than the Knights? Danny Wicks – gone. Chris Houston – gone. Kurt Gidley – sidelined. No wonder they are most peoples early favourites to get the wooden spoon. Their cause isn’t helped against the Bulldogs with Isaac De Gois sidelined as well, leaving a lot on the plate of former NSW halfback Jarrod Mullen. The Bulldogs have plugged their gaps nicely over the off-season, and there seems to be no reason why they shouldn’t pick up where they left off last year, when they finished one game away from a grand final berth.

Key: Michael Ennis and Brett Kimmorley – the Knights just don’t have anyone who can match the consistency of the Bulldogs pair, who should have the visitors pinned on their own line for much of the game.

Tip: BULLDOGS

PENRITH v CANBERRA at CUA Stadium, 7:30pm

Head to head: Panthers 27, Raiders 27 drawn 1

Last clash: Panthers 27-14 at CUA Stadium (Rd 19, 2009)

TAB Sportsbet: Panthers $1.40, Raiders $2.90

FootyTAB: Raiders +7.5

Traditionally a side that gives the Panthers some trouble, Canberra need to address their road woes if they are to return to the finals in 2010. They’ve tried everything over the years – from travelling by bus to travelling on game day, nothing seems to have worked. Maybe coach David Furner should get them to walk up the Hume Highway to away games – now there’s an incentive to start winning. The loss of Joel Monaghan hurts, but there is plenty of excitement about his replacement, young gun Joel Thompson. Penrith’s pack is as good as any in the comp, while Michael Jennings out wide should ensure the points flow freely.

Key: Luke Walsh – with a powerful pack and speed to burn out wide, can the Panthers No.7 impose himself enough to give the ball to the right people at the right time?

Tip: PANTHERS

CRONULLA v MELBOURNE at Toyota Stadium, 7:30pm

Head to head: Sharks 8, Storm 12

Last clash: Storm 30-10 at Olympic Park (Rd 20, 2009)

TAB Sportsbet: Sharks $2.50, Storm $1.50

FootyTAB: Sharks +5.5

There’s two ways to look at a first-up match-up with the reigning premiers for Sharks fans – either it’s a nightmare way to start what could be another year to forget or a great opportunity for the club to show it has turned the corner. Not many will give the home side a chance of causing an upset, but the trip to England for the World Club Challenge and the unavailability of halfback Cooper Cronk could leave the Storm slightly vulnerable. A highlight will be the match-up between Greg Inglis and younger cousin Albert Kelly, who will make his debut off the bench for the Sharks.

Key: Greg Inglis and Billy Slater. With the Sharks lacking speed in the centres, the Storm duo could be in for a field day on the edge of the rucks up against the likes of Ben Pomeroy and Dean Collis.

Tip: STORM

SUNDAY

GOLD COAST v WARRIORS at Skilled Park, 2pm

Head to head: Titans 3, Warriors 2

Last clash: Titans 30-10 at Mt Smart Stadium (Rd 22, 2009)

TAB Sportsbet: Titans $1.25, Warriors $3.80

FootyTAB: Warriors +10.5

The Titans have become many pundits’ premiership fancy, thanks largely to the addition of former Test five-eighth Greg Bird to play alongside skipper Scott Prince in the halves. Throw in the likes of Preston Campbell and Mat Rogers, and the Titans suddenly have creativity across the park. If only the same could said of the Warriors, who will run out recycled playmaker Brett Seymour in the No.7. The inclusion of Lance Hohaia at fullback gives the Warriors a bit more flair, but they will sorely miss the metres and leadership of the injured Steve Price in this one.

Key: Stopping Scott Prince. The Titans halfback is at the peak of his powers, and with Greg Bird as a running mate, Prince should have even more room to operate this season.

Tip: TITANS

SOUTH SYDNEY v SYDNEY ROOSTERS at ANZ Stadium, 3pm

Head to head: Rabbitohs 105, Roosters 89, drawn 5

Last clash: Rabbitohs 40-20 at ANZ Stadium (Rd 20, 2009)

TAB Sportsbet: Souths $1.50, Roosters $2.50

FootyTAB: Roosters +5.5

The NRL’s two oldest combatants have both been given a facelift ahead of their now traditional season-opener, with both under the tutelage of new coaches and featuring a host of new faces. Souths have already laid claim to having the best pack in the NRL, and with Dave Taylor and Englishman Sam Burgess joining the likes of Roy Asotasi, who could argue. All eyes will be on Brian Smith’s experiment of playing Todd Carney at fullback, while Braith Anasta will also be under pressure to perform in his first game since June last year when he broke his ankle.

Key: Chris Sandow. The Souths halfback now has a monster pack to work behind, so the pressure is on the young playmaker to hold up his end of the bargain.

Tip: RABBITOHS

MONDAY

WESTS TIGERS v MANLY at Sydney Football Stadium, 7pm

Head to head: Tigers 5, Sea Eagles 8

Last clash: Tigers 19-18 at SFS (Rd 21, 2009)

TAB Sportsbet: Tigers $1.75, Sea Eagles $2.05

FootyTAB: Sea Eagles +1.5

Apparently the Tigers are going to trot out a 30-year-old winger for his first match in the NRL in more than seven years, and amazingly many Tigers fans are pinning their hopes on him helping return the club to the finals for the first time since 2005. It may seem a lot to ask, but Lote Tuqiri says he’s ready to deliver. While he’s likely to be underdone against the Sea Eagles, there’s no doubt Tuqiri gives the Tigers a more potent look. Manly will finally get a chance to embark on life without former skipper Matt Orford.

Key: Kieran Foran. The Kiwi youngster has been entrusted to replace Matt Orford in the No.7, and with minimal playmaking support from halves partner Jamie Lyon, there’s plenty of pressure to perform.

Tip: TIGERS