Mad Dog Game

Sam Allardyce refused to commit his future to West Brom after suffering his first relegation from the Premier League following defeat at Arsenal.

West Brom are the eighth club Allardyce has managed in the competition but a 3-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium saw them condemned to the drop.

The writing had been on the wall for some time and, despite a good start in London, goals from Emile Smith Rowe and Nicolas Pepe had them on the ropes.

Matheus Pereira reduced the arrears with a memorable strike but Willian’s first Arsenal goal from a late free-kick sealed West Brom’s fate.

Allardyce has 12 months remaining on his deal but has yet to reveal whether he will look to lead the promotion charge next season after confirming last month relegation would mean both he and the club now have the option of a break clause.

‘Too early to talk about future’

Speaking at his post-match press conference, the 66-year-old said: “I am not going to answer a question on whether I am staying or going – it will just be a waste of time because I won’t be saying whether I am going or staying.

“It’s too early to consider or talk about. It’s about the disappointment. Tonight it’s about having a day or two off and getting ready for Liverpool.

“The most important thing for me and the players is to give everything we have got to try and finish the season with pride in your own performance and your own professionalism.

“The big challenge for us is can we lift ourselves like we have done throughout the season.”

‘Words cannot describe it’

Asked how much his first Premier League relegation was feeling, the former England boss added: “Words cannot describe it.

“It’s not sunk in yet, but I’m sure I’ll wake up tomorrow and realise the situation. I’m bitterly disappointed we’re not still in the fight.

“I’m not saying we would have avoided relegation but we should have been closer, we should have taken it down to the last three games, based on how we performed. The creating of chances has been there but the converting has not.

“We had [enough] time to pull it round.

“Our real problem was not beating the bottom-six sides when we came up against them. That would have given us a better chance of survival. The results against Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City should have been bonus points.”

Arteta: Out attitude is non-negotiable

For the hosts, this was a positive response to their Europa League semi-final exit at the hands of Villarreal on Thursday night and just about kept alive their hopes of securing European football in some guise next season.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said: “It is always the best way to put a remedy to the pain that we had – to win the game, to score the three beautiful goals that we have done.

“We created so many more chances and, as well, I think when we conceded the goal we looked nervy for a period – but overall, not going through to the final, it is always very important to win.

“I think we have a huge responsibility to win every game that we play when we represent this football club.

“And as well, if anybody can question anything – our level, our ability, whatever it is – they can, but our attitude is a non-negotiable and right up to the end we have to try win our matches and see what happens.”

Rugby league great Peter Sterling said Bulldogs halfback Kyle Flanagan’s NRL career is at a crossroads after he was hooked at half-time in yesterday’s loss to the Dragons.

With the game still in the balance at 6-0, Trent Barrett opted to take Flanagan from the field and insert Lachlan Lewis into the game.

Watch Sterlo’s Wrap on demand via 9Now every Monday from 5pm AEST!

“Word from the Bulldogs’ bench is that Kyle Flanagan isn’t injured,” Nine’s sideline reporter Danika Mason said.

“He has been pulled, which is pretty disappointing for his dad Shane Flanagan, who has come to watch him today.”

“It’s harsh, but the very fact that you’re taken out of this contest when the game was still winnable is not a great sign,” Sterling said on Wide World of Sports’ Sterlo’s Wrap.

“I still think he’s probably going to be their best option, but they’ve got to get more out of him.”

Sterling said Flanagan’s knowledge of the game had to improve, and that he needed to attack the line more.

“They had a couple of forwards who dented the line – Kyle has got to be in their slipstream, then who knows what can come from that.”

NRL Highlights: Dragons produce electrifying second half to beat the Bulldogs – Round 9

While Flanagan isn’t the only halfback that can be accused of playing too structured, it was accentuated in a struggling team – the Bulldogs sit bottom, having won just one game this season.

“It’s not easy at his age, and he is an inexperienced halfback – but he did have pretty much a full season at the Roosters, so he should have learned plenty there,” Sterling said.

“He’s just got to work out where he can be more effective for his football team.”

And while father Shane was in the stands as a parent, Sterling said it would be a good idea for the young halfback to lean on the 2016 grand final-winning coach for advice on how to lift his own game.

“He’s got a nice sounding board there,” he said.

“I don’t know if that happens or not, but I think if I was Kyle, I’d be going to Dad and saying ‘take your hat off as my father and give me some advice as to what you think I should be doing better’.

“It’s a tough situation.”

Sterling said although he was never hooked, he was dropped to reserve grade a couple of times.

“It dents your confidence, but you’ve just got to come back stronger.”

The Bulldogs will play the Raiders at this weekend’s Magic Round.

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NRL great PAUL GALLEN will appear on Nine’s 100% FOOTY on Monday night, debating rugby league’s hottest topics alongside Brad Fittler and James Bracey. Tune in from 9.50pm AEST, following all the action of Round Nine!

It’s a total surprise to me that the Canberra Raiders are where they are on the NRL ladder – currently in 12th spot.

Winning three of their first four games is the only reason they’re not right at the bottom, after losing their past five in a row. They’re definitely in a hole at the moment.

Ricky Stuart, I’m sure, knows all the issues in his team. He’s pretty across all his players, Ricky, and I don’t think there’d be anything untoward going on there; backstabbing, or things going on in the background that he doesn’t know about.

Knowing Ricky, all the cards would be on the table, from the Josh Hodgson situation to all the others. He’s very upfront and honest, as he likes his players to be as well.

One thing I know about Ricky: if you’re upfront and honest with him, no matter what’s going on in your life and no matter where you’re at, he’ll support you. But if you lie to him, your relationship can end pretty quickly.

There’s no doubt that Ricky is the man to turn it around. I don’t see any issues in that respect. The Raiders have been highly successful under him in recent seasons and it’s still only nine rounds into this year.

The crack at Ricky and his coaching staff from Kirsten Tapine was a bit out there. It was just frustration, I suppose, setting in even beyond the playing group. At least there’s a bit of care there.

It wasn’t the ideal thing to do, for the Tapines or for the club. I’m sure that they’ve paid the price, copped some backlash, with the way that social media works. And that’s where the comment was made, on social media. It just goes to show how dangerous it can be when misused.

Hopefully now, everyone can move on. Knowing Ricky, he may have been a bit annoyed at it at first. It may even have shocked him a bit, as it did everyone.

But I don’t think that it would be an issue with him going forward, or for Tapine. It’s not as though he’s not going to pick Tapine because of that, it won’t affect his future at the club. He’ll get over it pretty quickly.

Ricky would have fast addressed it. I reckon he would have had Tapine in the office to talk through it – if not the missus, as well! I reckon there’s a fair chance he would have got both of them in there to nut it out. He may not have even gotten them in the office, he probably would have taken them out to breakfast or something.

That’s what Ricky’s like. He would have seen it, it would have shocked him, then he would have addressed it straight away to make sure everything’s OK going forward.

While it’s a regrettable situation, especially for Tapine’s wife, you’ve just got to learn a lesson and move on.

Tapine is a player who can be one of the best back-rowers in the competition some weeks but then others, he has quiet games. That’s been his whole career.

I think he’s a fantastic player, I really do. But it’s not unusual for me to see him be the best player on the field one week, then not really see him much at all the next.

That’s been the history of his career, in my opinion, though he’s certainly not the only Canberra player who’s underperformed so far this season.

I thought Josh Papalii was much better on the weekend after a tough start to the season, where he’s been benched and even rested. Jack Wighton has shocked me a bit, he’s just not in form at the moment.

Wighton is a guy who I never thought dipped in and out of form, he was always just a great player. Yet he was one player who missed a tackle that led to a try on the weekend against Newcastle.

It’s all very un-Canberra-like. Very unlike these players who aren’t at their best.

George Williams is a really hard one. The way that Canberra have invested in English players has worked really well for them but now, those guys can’t even go home in the off-season to see their families.

You couldn’t plan for COVID. No one in the world could. Yet here we are with another difficult impact, homesickness, at a club with multiple English players.

It’s a professional sport. These guys are getting paid big money to be professional sportsmen and do the job for the team. I imagine that’s the attitude that Ricky would have, while also supporting his player.

Perhaps Williams won’t be here past the end of this season but for now, he’s got to play his part in turning the team around.

As a whole, the Raiders are in a rut and these are the hard ones to get out of, when everyone’s on your back.

Everyone needs to improve individually but it’s not an individual sport, it’s a team sport. This is where coaching comes into it, plus how much each player wants to do it for the team. How much every person in the group wants to turn it around.

Are they just cooked from a few big seasons? Have they just had enough for now? They’ve had pretty much the same roster for a while, so are they hitting the wall? They’re big questions that need to be answered.

As individuals, they all need to improve. They’re great players and there’s too much talent in that side to be struggling like this. But you can’t go on the field worrying about yourself, or you don’t do the right thing by the team and the result doesn’t go your way.

This is where you really need to break things down. Focus on getting little wins at training through the week. Really concentrate on your individual role within the team. Then when you get to game day, execute. Break the game down to 10 or 20 minute lots, even, then try to win those periods and move on to the next.

At the moment, they seem to be winning the first half and then capitulating in the second. It’s very noticeable that they’re falling apart at the back end of the game. The old ‘Faders’ nickname is getting a run again.

Now it’s been happening for a month and everyone’s talking about it, it gets in your head. You might be winning by 18-20 points, yet all of a sudden the opposition score in the second half and a little voice says, ‘Here we go again’.

That’s probably really putting them off at the moment. That’s where you just have to worry about your next five or 10 minutes. Forget about everything else.

If you win two or three games in this comp, you rise pretty quickly. Before the weekend, second-last place was one win off eighth spot and last place was only two wins back. From seventh spot down now, every team has a negative for-and-against.

String some wins together and it’s wide open. And one thing about this Raiders team is that they have plenty of talent in that side to click at some stage.

Gus said last week on 100% Footy that the competition was already down to two teams, Melbourne and Penrith. I questioned him on it – it’s a big call, when a week is such a long time in rugby league.

But at this point in time, there’s no one else, seriously. They are just leaps and bounds in front of everyone else, especially with the terrible injuries that the Roosters have had.

We’re only coming into Round 10, so there’s a long, long way to go. The Storm and Panthers have both still got to get though an Origin period; some or their biggest stars will be in both sides, without a doubt.

We absolutely would have expected Canberra to be a finals team before the season began. They still can be if they follow Ricky and sort out their problems.

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Sam Allardyce refused to commit his future to West Brom after suffering his first relegation from the Premier League following defeat at Arsenal.

West Brom are the eighth club Allardyce has managed in the competition but a 3-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium saw them condemned to the drop.

The writing had been on the wall for some time and, despite a good start in London, goals from Emile Smith Rowe and Nicolas Pepe had them on the ropes.

Matheus Pereira reduced the arrears with a memorable strike but Willian’s first Arsenal goal from a late free-kick sealed West Brom’s fate.

Allardyce has 12 months remaining on his deal but has yet to reveal whether he will look to lead the promotion charge next season after confirming last month relegation would mean both he and the club now have the option of a break clause.

‘Too early to talk about future’

Speaking at his post-match press conference, the 66-year-old said: “I am not going to answer a question on whether I am staying or going – it will just be a waste of time because I won’t be saying whether I am going or staying.

“It’s too early to consider or talk about. It’s about the disappointment. Tonight it’s about having a day or two off and getting ready for Liverpool.

“The most important thing for me and the players is to give everything we have got to try and finish the season with pride in your own performance and your own professionalism.

“The big challenge for us is can we lift ourselves like we have done throughout the season.”

‘Words cannot describe it’

Asked how much his first Premier League relegation was feeling, the former England boss added: “Words cannot describe it.

“It’s not sunk in yet, but I’m sure I’ll wake up tomorrow and realise the situation. I’m bitterly disappointed we’re not still in the fight.

“I’m not saying we would have avoided relegation but we should have been closer, we should have taken it down to the last three games, based on how we performed. The creating of chances has been there but the converting has not.

“We had [enough] time to pull it round.

“Our real problem was not beating the bottom-six sides when we came up against them. That would have given us a better chance of survival. The results against Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City should have been bonus points.”

Arteta: Out attitude is non-negotiable

For the hosts, this was a positive response to their Europa League semi-final exit at the hands of Villarreal on Thursday night and just about kept alive their hopes of securing European football in some guise next season.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said: “It is always the best way to put a remedy to the pain that we had – to win the game, to score the three beautiful goals that we have done.

“We created so many more chances and, as well, I think when we conceded the goal we looked nervy for a period – but overall, not going through to the final, it is always very important to win.

“I think we have a huge responsibility to win every game that we play when we represent this football club.

“And as well, if anybody can question anything – our level, our ability, whatever it is – they can, but our attitude is a non-negotiable and right up to the end we have to try win our matches and see what happens.”

Broncos lock Pat Carrigan has been ruled out of the rest of the season, with scans confirming a ruptured ACL.

The young gun was taken from the field on Saturday night in Brisbane’s loss to North Queensland, and had scans yesterday on his knee.

“I haven’t had chance to speak to the doctor but he’s not in great shape,” coach Kevin Walters said at the time.

“Unfortunately our worst fears were confirmed by the scan in that Pat has a ruptured ACL,” said Broncos Head Of Performance Andrew Croll.

“Pat will see a surgeon this week to confirm the next course of action which will be surgery.

“He will miss the remainder of the 2021 season and the Club is providing Pat with all the support he needs.”

It’s been a rough couple of days at Red Hill, Carrigan’s injury coming less than 24 hours after it was confirmed that Xavier Coates would be leaving the club to sign with the Melbourne Storm.

“It’s very disappointing. Everyone is really aware of his talents as a young guy that’s been in our system for three or four years now,” Walters said on The Sunday Footy Show.

“To lose him, it’s not great, I’ve got to say for the Broncos. But we wish Xavier … we respect his decision to move on.”

Brisbane will look to shake off these setbacks in a Magic Round showdown with the Manly Sea Eagles on Friday night.

For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!

NRL great PAUL GALLEN will appear on Nine’s 100% FOOTY on Monday night, debating rugby league’s hottest topics alongside Brad Fittler and James Bracey. Tune in from 9.50pm AEST, following all the action of Round Nine!

It’s a total surprise to me that the Canberra Raiders are where they are on the NRL ladder – currently in 12th spot.

Winning three of their first four games is the only reason they’re not right at the bottom, after losing their past five in a row. They’re definitely in a hole at the moment.

Ricky Stuart, I’m sure, knows all the issues in his team. He’s pretty across all his players, Ricky, and I don’t think there’d be anything untoward going on there; backstabbing, or things going on in the background that he doesn’t know about.

Knowing Ricky, all the cards would be on the table, from the Josh Hodgson situation to all the others. He’s very upfront and honest, as he likes his players to be as well.

One thing I know about Ricky: if you’re upfront and honest with him, no matter what’s going on in your life and no matter where you’re at, he’ll support you. But if you lie to him, your relationship can end pretty quickly.

There’s no doubt that Ricky is the man to turn it around. I don’t see any issues in that respect. The Raiders have been highly successful under him in recent seasons and it’s still only nine rounds into this year.

The crack at Ricky and his coaching staff from Kirsten Tapine was a bit out there. It was just frustration, I suppose, setting in even beyond the playing group. At least there’s a bit of care there.

It wasn’t the ideal thing to do, for the Tapines or for the club. I’m sure that they’ve paid the price, copped some backlash, with the way that social media works. And that’s where the comment was made, on social media. It just goes to show how dangerous it can be when misused.

Hopefully now, everyone can move on. Knowing Ricky, he may have been a bit annoyed at it at first. It may even have shocked him a bit, as it did everyone.

But I don’t think that it would be an issue with him going forward, or for Tapine. It’s not as though he’s not going to pick Tapine because of that, it won’t affect his future at the club. He’ll get over it pretty quickly.

Ricky would have fast addressed it. I reckon he would have had Tapine in the office to talk through it – if not the missus, as well! I reckon there’s a fair chance he would have got both of them in there to nut it out. He may not have even gotten them in the office, he probably would have taken them out to breakfast or something.

That’s what Ricky’s like. He would have seen it, it would have shocked him, then he would have addressed it straight away to make sure everything’s OK going forward.

While it’s a regrettable situation, especially for Tapine’s wife, you’ve just got to learn a lesson and move on.

Tapine is a player who can be one of the best back-rowers in the competition some weeks but then others, he has quiet games. That’s been his whole career.

I think he’s a fantastic player, I really do. But it’s not unusual for me to see him be the best player on the field one week, then not really see him much at all the next.

That’s been the history of his career, in my opinion, though he’s certainly not the only Canberra player who’s underperformed so far this season.

I thought Josh Papalii was much better on the weekend after a tough start to the season, where he’s been benched and even rested. Jack Wighton has shocked me a bit, he’s just not in form at the moment.

Wighton is a guy who I never thought dipped in and out of form, he was always just a great player. Yet he was one player who missed a tackle that led to a try on the weekend against Newcastle.

It’s all very un-Canberra-like. Very unlike these players who aren’t at their best.

George Williams is a really hard one. The way that Canberra have invested in English players has worked really well for them but now, those guys can’t even go home in the off-season to see their families.

You couldn’t plan for COVID. No one in the world could. Yet here we are with another difficult impact, homesickness, at a club with multiple English players.

It’s a professional sport. These guys are getting paid big money to be professional sportsmen and do the job for the team. I imagine that’s the attitude that Ricky would have, while also supporting his player.

Perhaps Williams won’t be here past the end of this season but for now, he’s got to play his part in turning the team around.

As a whole, the Raiders are in a rut and these are the hard ones to get out of, when everyone’s on your back.

Everyone needs to improve individually but it’s not an individual sport, it’s a team sport. This is where coaching comes into it, plus how much each player wants to do it for the team. How much every person in the group wants to turn it around.

Are they just cooked from a few big seasons? Have they just had enough for now? They’ve had pretty much the same roster for a while, so are they hitting the wall? They’re big questions that need to be answered.

As individuals, they all need to improve. They’re great players and there’s too much talent in that side to be struggling like this. But you can’t go on the field worrying about yourself, or you don’t do the right thing by the team and the result doesn’t go your way.

This is where you really need to break things down. Focus on getting little wins at training through the week. Really concentrate on your individual role within the team. Then when you get to game day, execute. Break the game down to 10 or 20 minute lots, even, then try to win those periods and move on to the next.

At the moment, they seem to be winning the first half and then capitulating in the second. It’s very noticeable that they’re falling apart at the back end of the game. The old ‘Faders’ nickname is getting a run again.

Now it’s been happening for a month and everyone’s talking about it, it gets in your head. You might be winning by 18-20 points, yet all of a sudden the opposition score in the second half and a little voice says, ‘Here we go again’.

That’s probably really putting them off at the moment. That’s where you just have to worry about your next five or 10 minutes. Forget about everything else.

If you win two or three games in this comp, you rise pretty quickly. Before the weekend, second-last place was one win off eighth spot and last place was only two wins back. From seventh spot down now, every team has a negative for-and-against.

String some wins together and it’s wide open. And one thing about this Raiders team is that they have plenty of talent in that side to click at some stage.

Gus said last week on 100% Footy that the competition was already down to two teams, Melbourne and Penrith. I questioned him on it – it’s a big call, when a week is such a long time in rugby league.

But at this point in time, there’s no one else, seriously. They are just leaps and bounds in front of everyone else, especially with the terrible injuries that the Roosters have had.

We’re only coming into Round 10, so there’s a long, long way to go. The Storm and Panthers have both still got to get though an Origin period; some or their biggest stars will be in both sides, without a doubt.

We absolutely would have expected Canberra to be a finals team before the season began. They still can be if they follow Ricky and sort out their problems.

For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!

Sam Allardyce refused to commit his future to West Brom after suffering his first relegation from the Premier League following defeat at Arsenal.

West Brom are the eighth club Allardyce has managed in the competition but a 3-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium saw them condemned to the drop.

The writing had been on the wall for some time and, despite a good start in London, goals from Emile Smith Rowe and Nicolas Pepe had them on the ropes.

Matheus Pereira reduced the arrears with a memorable strike but Willian’s first Arsenal goal from a late free-kick sealed West Brom’s fate.

Allardyce has 12 months remaining on his deal but has yet to reveal whether he will look to lead the promotion charge next season after confirming last month relegation would mean both he and the club now have the option of a break clause.

‘Too early to talk about future’

Speaking at his post-match press conference, the 66-year-old said: “I am not going to answer a question on whether I am staying or going – it will just be a waste of time because I won’t be saying whether I am going or staying.

“It’s too early to consider or talk about. It’s about the disappointment. Tonight it’s about having a day or two off and getting ready for Liverpool.

“The most important thing for me and the players is to give everything we have got to try and finish the season with pride in your own performance and your own professionalism.

“The big challenge for us is can we lift ourselves like we have done throughout the season.”

‘Words cannot describe it’

Asked how much his first Premier League relegation was feeling, the former England boss added: “Words cannot describe it.

“It’s not sunk in yet, but I’m sure I’ll wake up tomorrow and realise the situation. I’m bitterly disappointed we’re not still in the fight.

“I’m not saying we would have avoided relegation but we should have been closer, we should have taken it down to the last three games, based on how we performed. The creating of chances has been there but the converting has not.

“We had [enough] time to pull it round.

“Our real problem was not beating the bottom-six sides when we came up against them. That would have given us a better chance of survival. The results against Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City should have been bonus points.”

Arteta: Out attitude is non-negotiable

For the hosts, this was a positive response to their Europa League semi-final exit at the hands of Villarreal on Thursday night and just about kept alive their hopes of securing European football in some guise next season.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said: “It is always the best way to put a remedy to the pain that we had – to win the game, to score the three beautiful goals that we have done.

“We created so many more chances and, as well, I think when we conceded the goal we looked nervy for a period – but overall, not going through to the final, it is always very important to win.

“I think we have a huge responsibility to win every game that we play when we represent this football club.

“And as well, if anybody can question anything – our level, our ability, whatever it is – they can, but our attitude is a non-negotiable and right up to the end we have to try win our matches and see what happens.”

Daniel Ricciardo’s best weekend of the year can’t hide the fact that his McLaren team faces increasing pressure from a resurgent Ferrari, according to the Australian’s teammate Lando Norris.

Ricciardo finished the Spanish Grand Prix in sixth place, two spots ahead of Norris, but of concern will be the fact that McLaren had only the fourth fastest car this weekend.

McLaren remains third in the championship, but only five points ahead of Ferrari, who finished fourth (Charles Leclerc) and seventh (Carlos Sainz) in Spain.

Ricciardo was nearly 20 seconds behind Leclerc at the finish, and less than a second clear of Sainz, who likely would have passed the Australian had the circuit been more conducive to overtaking.

“The Ferrari’s have been good all year, I don’t know why people underestimate them so much,” Norris said.

“They’ve been one of the quickest cars in terms of cornering all season, when you come to this track then they’re quick.

Norris admitted McLaren were in a fight with Ferrari even before the weekend started.

“We knew they were going to be particularly good here. We probably could have matched them yesterday (in qualifying) even though they probably had a slightly better car.

“But today, in the long run, when you needed a bit more rear (grip), when you had to rely on the car a bit more, then we struggled.

“We know the weaknesses of the car … we have a plan of what we still need to improve upon, but it’s not easy.”

Ferrari’s improvement is a welcome sign for Formula One, after the sport’s most iconic team endured a nightmare 2020.

Leclerc and then-teammate Sebastian Vettel could only manage one podium finish each during a horror season, but the Monegasque driver told Sky Sports this year’s car is a big step forward.

“We have more power, more downforce, more grip,” he explained.

“Especially for the race it seems to help us a lot, last year, the balance during the race was very difficult, whenever you put high fuel, you feel the weaknesses of the car a lot more.

“This year it feels a lot better.”

It means extra pressure on Ricciardo and Norris as McLaren fights to retain the third place it secured in 2020, with every position in the championship worth millions of dollars in prizemoney to the teams.

Ricciardo spent much of the Spanish race defending his position, firstly from the Red Bull of Sergio Perez, who eventually go by, and then from Sainz.

“I had some good problems,” Ricciardo told Sky Sports.

“The start was good and that got me in front of a couple of faster cars, therefore that meant I had to defend pretty much the whole race.

“Obviously we didn’t have the pace today, but it was nice to hold off a faster car.”

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ROUTED RABBITOHS NEED REYNOLDS

The one and only positive out of Souths’ 50-0 thrashing from the Storm is that it showed one thing: the Rabbitohs MUST re-sign popular halfback Adam Reynolds.

Without Reynolds calling the shots, the Rabbitohs were clueless in attack – lucky to score nought.

Souths have been umming and erring about giving Reynolds more than a one-year deal, with several rival clubs ready to pounce on the little general.

Surely after the inept performance handed in by the Rabbitohs against Melbourne, officials will relent and give Reynolds the second year he craves.

CAN STORM KEEP UP SCORING SPREE?

The Storm are in awesome form to start the season, scoring points like they are going out of style.

Rival coaches are scratching their heads as to how to stop the Purple People juggernaut, with the Storm running 50 points to nil – including a remarkable six tries to Josh Addo-Carr – past master coach Wayne Bennett and his Bunnies on Thursday night.

About the only question that can be posed about the Storm is: are they peaking too early?

Craig Bellamy’s boys have scored 40 or more points in five of their last six games – a remarkable feat considering they have been without strike weapon Ryan Papenhuyzen for much of that time.

It’s a long season and Origin is coming up – could the Storm run out of steam by September?

The Fox makes history against the Rabbitohs

SPARE PARTS PANTHERS RUN RIOT

Best performance of the week – without doubt – came from Penrith’s NSW Cup team.

Due to the last-minute COVID clampdown, the Panthers lost 12 of their 17 players – and coach Peter Wallace – the day before the game.

They had to beg, borrow and steal players – nine from St Marys’ Ron Massey Cup team and eight kids from their own Jersey Flegg team.

Without a training run, they ran out against the Newtown Jets and trailed by 14 points early, with a massacre looking on the cards.

But then the spare parts Panthers found their mojo – and finished 46-18 winners in a stunning performance!

MOSES BREAKS DUCK AGAINST ROOSTERS

There was no more relieved man after the Eels downed the Roosters than Parra halfback Mitchell Moses.

In his eight seasons in the NRL, Moses had never beaten the Roosters prior to last Friday night.

The talented halfback had to reach deep into his bag of tricks to end his long hoodoo, playing a leading hand in the Eels’ win over a wounded but brave Roosters outfit.

Missing a host of key players, the Roosters pushed the Eels all the way – but will struggle to make the top four with so many key players missing.

RICKY’S RAIDERS HAVE TURNED FADERS

It’s a safe bet that Ricky Stuart will be sending his underperforming Raiders troops for a few extra laps of the oval this week.

The Raiders have become the Faders, putting in some shocking second half performances in the past few weeks as they spiral out of finals contention.

Over the past month, Canberra have been diabolical in the second half, conceding 93 point to just eight.

They were at it again against the Knights, holding a commanding 16-0 lead at the break before going down 24-16.

Although missing some key players, the Raiders still have enough talent to be going better than they are.

TURBO’S MILESTONE MAGIC STRIKES AGAIN

Tom Trbojevic certainly knows how to celebrate his milestone games.

The Turbo Man scored two tries on his NRL debut for Manly, another two in his 50th game and two more in his 100th against the Warriors yesterday.

Trbojevic has played many great games for Manly – but few better than against the Warriors.

As well as his two tries, he had four try assists and a couple of try-saving tackles that would have earned him a rare ’10’ in the old Rugby League Week player ratings.

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Sam Allardyce refused to commit his future to West Brom after suffering his first relegation from the Premier League following defeat at Arsenal.

West Brom are the eighth club Allardyce has managed in the competition but a 3-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium saw them condemned to the drop.

The writing had been on the wall for some time and, despite a good start in London, goals from Emile Smith Rowe and Nicolas Pepe had them on the ropes.

Matheus Pereira reduced the arrears with a memorable strike but Willian’s first Arsenal goal from a late free-kick sealed West Brom’s fate.

Allardyce has 12 months remaining on his deal but has yet to reveal whether he will look to lead the promotion charge next season after confirming last month relegation would mean both he and the club now have the option of a break clause.

‘Too early to talk about future’

Speaking at his post-match press conference, the 66-year-old said: “I am not going to answer a question on whether I am staying or going – it will just be a waste of time because I won’t be saying whether I am going or staying.

“It’s too early to consider or talk about. It’s about the disappointment. Tonight it’s about having a day or two off and getting ready for Liverpool.

“The most important thing for me and the players is to give everything we have got to try and finish the season with pride in your own performance and your own professionalism.

“The big challenge for us is can we lift ourselves like we have done throughout the season.”

‘Words cannot describe it’

Asked how much his first Premier League relegation was feeling, the former England boss added: “Words cannot describe it.

“It’s not sunk in yet, but I’m sure I’ll wake up tomorrow and realise the situation. I’m bitterly disappointed we’re not still in the fight.

“I’m not saying we would have avoided relegation but we should have been closer, we should have taken it down to the last three games, based on how we performed. The creating of chances has been there but the converting has not.

“We had [enough] time to pull it round.

“Our real problem was not beating the bottom-six sides when we came up against them. That would have given us a better chance of survival. The results against Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City should have been bonus points.”

Arteta: Out attitude is non-negotiable

For the hosts, this was a positive response to their Europa League semi-final exit at the hands of Villarreal on Thursday night and just about kept alive their hopes of securing European football in some guise next season.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said: “It is always the best way to put a remedy to the pain that we had – to win the game, to score the three beautiful goals that we have done.

“We created so many more chances and, as well, I think when we conceded the goal we looked nervy for a period – but overall, not going through to the final, it is always very important to win.

“I think we have a huge responsibility to win every game that we play when we represent this football club.

“And as well, if anybody can question anything – our level, our ability, whatever it is – they can, but our attitude is a non-negotiable and right up to the end we have to try win our matches and see what happens.”