Why Jason Ryles and Michael Maguire are under pressure, Parramatta Eels roster, recruitment, Paul Crawley column

And whatever it was that Horsburgh was doing with his left hand positioned around the centre of Gagai’s buttock’s region, the optics certainly didn’t look good.

Even the over-the-top reaction from Gagai’s Newcastle teammate Sandon Smith didn’t make sense at first.

Eagle-eyed fans on social media have since drawn their own conclusions.

I’m not about to throw in my two bob’s worth without knowing exactly what it was that got under Gagai’s skin.

It could well have been nothing more sinister than a squirrel grip — or even that Horsburgh would not let Gagai up to play the ball.

Whatever the case, it still goes to the heart of why the Raiders’ season has gone so pear-shaped after winning last year’s minor premiership.

The lack of discipline from certain individuals throughout the entire season has just been awful.

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And that has cost the Raiders any hope of playing finals.

It also explains why the Raiders have given Horsburgh permission to negotiate with rival clubs next season.

Despite his obvious talent, Horsburgh has been a mistake waiting to happen for far too long.

And you can argue all you like about the process that led to Ashley Klein overturning his initial decision to award the Raiders a penalty on this occasion.

You can’t argue with the end result.

This wasn’t some isolated brain snap.

Horsburgh has been pushing the boundaries as long as I remember.

And until he learns there’s a difference between aggression and stupidity, he’ll continue to be as dangerous to his own team as he is to the opposition.

FORAN NEEDS TO CLEAN OUT MANLY DEAD WOOD

The honeymoon is well and truly over for Kieran Foran.

One of the bravest players of his era is about to discover you don’t earn your money coaching in the NRL without making some tough decisions.

It’s becoming increasingly obvious this roster assembled under Anthony Seibold is in desperate need a major clean-out.

With their season on the line, the Sea Eagles had every reason to aim up against the Storm.

Instead, Sua Faalogo cut them to shreds after Manly butchered a 14-point lead.

Rookie halfback Hayden Watson was also outstanding for the Storm.

But the big story coming out of this game was again what the hell has happened to Fozball.

Foran needs to work out quick smart which players he wants to keep and which ones need to go.

It won’t make him popular, but it could be the making of him as a head coach.

YOUNG RIGHT TO TALK UP STEWART’S KANGAROO CREDENTIALS

I love the way Dean Young is talking up Hamish Stewart to be considered for Australia at the end-of-season World Cup.

Some might think it is putting unfair pressure on this outstanding backrower too early in his career.

But given everything St George Illawarra has been through this season, surely a little bit of hope and positive feedback is long overdue.

Just think back to where this club was under Shane Flanagan.

Now look at them under Young.

It’s dead-set chalk and cheese.

There is a spirit about this team now that simply wasn’t there earlier in the season.

Stewart and Ryan Couchman were outstanding leading a pack that refused to be intimidated against a team coming off five straight wins and led by the imposing presence of Addin Fonua-Blake.

This performance showed exactly why there is so much excitement about where the Dragons could be in 12 months from now.

And if Young ends up getting Stewart a start at the World Cup, it will only benefit the Dragons going forward.

TIME FOR DRAGONS TO RETHINK SLOAN EXIT

Amid all the praise the young Dragons forwards have been getting, I reckon there’s another question worth asking:

Is this really the right time to let Tyrell Sloan go?

Sloan has already signed to join Castleford in the Super League next season under former Dragons assistant Ryan Carr.

But with the uncertainty surrounding Carr’s position that has exploded over the last week, maybe the Dragons should at least have a rethink.

We have always known this guy can score tries.

But suddenly even his carries out of the backfield have aggression we haven’t seen from Sloan before.

And Sloan is still 24.

Put this version of him into a backline next year featuring Luke Metcalf, Kodi Nikorima, Scott Drinkwater, Phillip Sami, Val Holmes and Setu Tu and suddenly the Dragons have strike power everywhere.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON FOR DOLPHINS SUPER SUB

Max Plath might not have the profile of Isaiya Katoa, Herbie Farnworth or Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.

But he is every bit as important to the Dolphins’ charge towards a historic finals appearance.

There was something wonderfully ironic about the fact the son of the Broncos’ original super sub John came off the bench and helped turn the game as the Dolphins stormed back from 24-0 down.

Plath was already a very good player before making his Origin debut this year.

But he has returned even better, with this uncanny knack of changing a game through sheer effort and toughness.

BRONCOS PLAYERS NEED TO TAKE OWNERSHIP

It’s a pity some of Brisbane’s premiership winning stars haven’t played with the same passion and desperation this year.

It sums up the Broncos’ miserable season that the defending premiers butchered such a huge lead to slump to their 11th loss in 12 games.

For all the heat Michael Maguire has constantly copped, surely it’s time for the players to take some ownership of their performances.

This roster has far too much talent to be sitting second last on the ladder, now below even the Wests Tigers.

They can say until they’re blue in the face that Maguire has their support.

But until they start showing it through actions, questions surrounding the coach’s future aren’t going away.

The Broncos still have four games remaining against the Warriors, Raiders, Storm and Bulldogs.

Judging by Maguire’s post-match press conference, he has absolutely no intention of walking away.

But if the Broncos limp through the final month playing the way they have for most of this season, who knows what happens when the post-mortem begins.

WHY IS PARRA LETTING VOLKMAN GO FOR LUAI?

Here’s a hypothetical for Parramatta fans.

If Ronald Volkman and Jarome Luai were competing for the same No 6 jumper this week, who would you pick?

For the life of me, I can’t work out why Jason Ryles is even contemplating letting Volkman go to make way for Luai.

Volkman is only 24 and given how much football he’s missed through injury throughout his stop-start career, you’d think his best years are still way ahead of him with some good coaching and a bit of belief.

Meanwhile, Luai will arrive on a one-year deal before heading to the PNG Chiefs in 2028.

I know Wests Tigers are reportedly chipping in $500,000 of Luai’s salary next year.

But surely Parramatta can still find a way to keep Volkman, especially with Jonah Pezet heading to Brisbane.

I’d bet Volkman is earning nowhere near the $700,000 the Eels will reportedly pay Luai next year.

I know Luai has partnered Mitchell Moses in the halves for NSW previously, and he may well prove a terrific short-term solution.

But Volkman could be a long-term investment.

Ryles said after the game “you never say never” about keeping Volkman.

For mine it’s a no brainer.

GOOD COACHING BRINGS OUT BEST IN WARRIORS

In contrast, look at how the Warriors have built a conga line of halves options without feeling the need to fork out huge money chasing the quick fix.

Luke Metcalf, Tanah Boyd and Te Maire Martin all arrived on relatively modest salaries.

But good coaching from Andrew Webster and his staff has brought the best out of them.

It doesn’t seem to matter who goes down.

The next bloke just steps up and gets the job done.

Metcalf’s return against Penrith after Martin’s unfortunate hamstring injury at training last week was the perfect example.

Playing his first NRL game in more than 400 days, what a response.

What I also loved was Webster refusing to get dragged into a debate after the game about what happens when Martin returns.

Anything could happen in the next month, so why worry about it now.

Maybe there’s a lesson in that for Parramatta.

Sometimes the answer isn’t buying the biggest name available.

It’s identifying talent and backing your own coaching to get the best out of it.

D-DAY HAS ARRIVED FOR ROOSTERS

I know we’re still a month out from the finals, but D-Day has arrived for the Roosters.

If the now co-competition favourites genuinely believe they can win this premiership, it’s time to prove they can beat Penrith on Thursday night.

One win from their past 13 clashes against the Panthers is a psychological hurdle they simply must overcome before the finals.

And with Isaah Yeo potentially gone for the season, they won’t ever get a better opportunity.

The Roosters were nowhere near their best in their 20-18 win over the Bulldogs.

And if someone from the Bulldogs had of put their hand up to catch that Sam Walker bomb, who knows what could have eventuated on Friday night.

Coming off that extraordinary 82-12 demolition of the Cowboys, perhaps the Roosters already had one eye on playing the Panthers.

Either way, they will need to go to another level in this one.

The expected return of James Tedesco will be enormous.

It’s easy to forget Teddy was the best player on the field in the first half against the Cowboys before suffering his injury.

I reckon it’s fair to say he is worth at least three tries to this Roosters team through what he creates and saves.

It’s also shaping as a massive night for Walker.

He again came up with some crucial plays against the Bulldogs without being anywhere near his best.

But going head-to-head with Nathan Cleary is exactly the type of game where Walker needs to show he can take charge.

We’ve seen him do it for Queensland this year.

But a huge performance here would surely put to bed any lingering questions about whether he’s worth the money the Roosters are talking about paying him for his next deal.

DON’T EXPECT PANTHERS TO WAVE WHITE FLAG

You could see the moment Yeo came reeling out of that attempted tackle on Jacob Laban that this wasn’t good.

But anyone writing off Penrith because of it hasn’t been paying attention to what this champion team has overcome in recent years.

Don’t forget Dylan Edwards is expected back this week, so you can guarantee the Panthers won’t be waving the white flag just yet.

But there’s also no sugar-coating the loss of Yeo and the added strain it will put on their middles who struggled to contain the Warriors.

Now they have to aim up against a Naufahu Whyte-inspired Roosters pack.

You hate seeing any player struck down by injury at this time of the season.

But especially a bloke who plays every minute of every game in exactly the spirit rugby league was always intended to be played.

VICTOR UP WITH BEST HITMEN GAME HAS SEEN

Victor Radley rates alongside the best rugby league hitmen of the past 50 years.

Think Trevor Gillmeister, David Gillespie, Ian Roberts, Solomon Haumono, Tonie Carroll, Sonny Bill Williams, Ruben Wiki and Steve Matai.

Every one of them would have been proud of Radley’s shot on Enari Tuala.

The way Radley had to chase after Tuala but still generated enough force to absolutely fold him was extraordinary.

Even watching the slow-motion replay, it somehow looked like it was happening in fast forward.

BUNNIES LOOK READY TO IMPLODE

The Rabbitohs should be absolutely filthy with themselves.

After exploding to a 28-0 halftime lead against Parramatta, they somehow turned what should have been a comfortable victory into another nervous finish.

It is just so unlike a Wayne Bennett-coached team to keep inviting opponents back into games through errors and poor discipline.

Now the stakes get even higher against the Bulldogs on Friday night.

Ashton Ward’s hamstring injury couldn’t have come at a worse time.

The sight of the young half sitting on the sideline with ice strapped to his leg didn’t look encouraging.

As I mentioned previously about Isaah Yeo, you hate seeing anyone injured at this time of the year.

But especially a young bloke like Ward who plays well above his weight and never shirks his workload.