NRL Round 13 Review: Fa'alogo In Defence, Young Down The Shortside & The Footy People Want

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NRL Film Room - Round 13 Highlights

Quick Hits

The Feature Reel: Try of the Week

There are more highlight-reel-worthy tries from Round 13, but the design and execution of this one by the Sydney Roosters had me watching it over and over.

None of what happens is an accident.

Daly Cherry-Evans and Nat Butcher trigger the action by swinging around to the long side late. Having forced the Melbourne Storm to set their numbers for them down the short side, the pair flip to create an extra one on the long side.

They know Alec Macdonald will want to apply pressure on Sam Walker at first reciever, but with Butcher hanging off his hip on the inside, the Storm middle can’t afford to go too early.

With Macdonald accounted for, Walker is able to get into his target with a lead inside the four-man.

Cherry-Evans swinging puts the edge under pressure and forces a difficult decision from the three- and two-man. Note Cherry-Evans’ early pass. Rather than digging in deep and making the decision to jam easier for the defence, he quickly puts Tedesco into three.

Jahrome Hughes holds his nerve. He starts to slide across, but as he does, Manaia Waitere jams on the overlap. It’s not really the wrong decision. Waitere is close to shutting the play down only for the hands of James Tedesco to beat him.

Hugo Savala backs up Tedesco’s brilliance with some of his own to beat Will Warbrick jamming, and the Roosters are over in the corner.

Round 13 NRL Notes

Sharks v Sea Eagles

Fogarty’s Boot: Jamal Fogarty’s boot is irreplaceable in this Manly Warringah Sea Eagles side. The Cronulla Sutherland Sharks did an excellent job themselves, returning the ball well from yardage and working hard in chasing kicks of their own, but Fogarty’s boot kept the Sea Eagles in the game when it could have otherwise got away from them.

He repeatedly kicked it deep, landing it inside the opposition 10 metre line from inside his own half to save the Sea Eagles in yardage sets they had lost up to that point.

Manly played with only three tackles inside the opposition half for the first 20 minutes of this match. Without Fogarty’s boot, it’s quite likely we’d have ended up chalking this match up to another fatigue-fuelled thrashing.

Storm v Roosters

Super Sua: It’s fair to say that Sua Fa’alogo has exceeded my expectations as the week-to-week fullback at the Melbourne Storm. No doubt an excitement machine, my concerns came around his style not aligning well with what I’d consider a Craig Bellamy fullback. It still doesn’t, but it’s working for the Storm nonetheless.

In a season they’ve struggled for consistency, not had the production from the forwards and therefore, not made the most of the Jahrome Hughes, Cameron Munster and Harry Grant combination, Fa’alogo has been the consistent threat.

He’s good for a long kick return every week. His footwork is a nightmare for scrambled defensive lines and he’s improving as a facilitator out the back of shape. In attack, he’s filling the fullback role well despite it not looking the same as what they played with Ryan Papenhuyzen at the back.

But it’s in defence that he has put the most focus, and it’s paying dividends. He made a number of big plays and try saving tackles, but it’s the back-to-back efforts that are the mark of a good fullback defensively.

As the Storm edge jams, it’s up to Fa’alogo to sweep to the sideline in cover. He’s in the right spot at the right time here, slows his feet to make the tackle without getting stepped back inside, and gets out of it at speed.

You can see Harry Grant tap him to communicate he will fill in at marker. With the defensive line scrambled following the linebreak, Sam Walker spots some space through the middle…

It isn’t there for long. From the corner after making a tackle, Fa’alogo doesn’t stop moving, continues tracking across the field, and is in position to make the most of a friendly bounce to save the day.

Broncos v Dragons

The Recipe: While I wasn’t brave enough to tip the St George Illawarra Dragons in the familiy tipping comp, Premium subscribers weren’t too surprised to see them make a game of it against the Brisbane Broncos:

The Broncos rank dead last in the NRL in possession this season. We know they don’t need a lot to pile up points, but the recipe for an improved performances is there for the Dragons.

Keep hold of the ball, get into an arm wrestle, and put a team that has a habit of compiling errors under pressure.

The Dragons, while not winning, have been producing improved periods throughout games. Against the Broncos, they were able to take their promising start against the Warriors a week prior and extended it for a longer period, putting pressure on a team that, as we know, can put it on themselves when forced to chance their arm.

Raiders v Cowboys

What Is Hudson Seeing? Some players just see the game differently to others. They notice cues some players miss, or don’t assess the risk and reward in anywhere near the same way. Hudson Young is the prime example among fowards.

He managed to orchestrate two tries down the shortside against the North Queensland Cowboys.

Young is always taking on the shortside in the first. He only has eyes for the single defender down the narrow passage and waits for Savelio Tamale to notice the same while engaging both markers and offloading the football.

It takes a bit of luck from the defelection for the Raiders to turn it into points, but it’s not the last time Young made a play from dummy half.

Who knows what he is seeing in this one…

The Cowboys have numbered up. Perhaps it’s Scott Drinkwater at second marker that interests Young given the likelihood he tries to cheat across the field on the last tackle.

Still, Young makes something out of nothing, taking Drinkwater out of the action at marker which allows Ethan Strange to apply his left foot step into the available space in behind.

No matter where you are on the field or what tackle the referee is yelling, you can’t assume anything with Young on the ball.

Panthers v Warriors

This Is The Footy The People Want: Fittingly, the RLPA released their expected findings from a player survey shortly after the Penrith Panthers and New Zealand Warriors played out a tight, high-intensity, arm wrestle-dominant 80 minutes (nearly 60 minutes in-play) and one of the best games of the season.

Unsurprisingly: The Rugby League Players Association will push for the NRL’s contentious 2026 rule changes to be wound back after 84 per cent of leading players said they believe referees are having a greater impact on results and two-thirds fear they are more susceptible to injury in the high-octane modern game.

Player Spotlight - Clayton Faulalo, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

Clayton Faulalo is quickly becoming one of the most valuable players in the NRL.

As rules change, injuries impact teams and the new bench rotation adds more opportunities, his versatility and ability to chime in across the field has been crucial in how the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles have navigated a few injury-outs already this season.

He once again slotted in for Tom Trbojevic at the back in Round 13 and produced another impressive performance.

This comes after spells in the centres and on the win already this season.

Injuries to outside backs during games - especially early - have played a big part in results across recent seasons. Regardless of where he starts a game, having Faulalo in the 19 helps Kieran Foran cover a number of positions.

Don’t expect to see him fall out of the 19-man game day squad any time soon.

The Pipeline - Solomone Saukuru, Wests Magpies

Looking beyond the bright lights of the NRL to the lower grades, one player caught my eye this week.

Luke Laulilii is off to the Perth Bears next season, but the Wests Tigers have another winger waiting to take his spot.

Solomone Saukuru scored four tries for the Wests Magpies in Round 13 of the New South Wales Cup competition and showcased his skilset throughout the lot.

The 21-year-old produced a strong finish through traffic to score his first before showing great speed to break through two would-be defenders with ease for his second.

He was the beneficiary of a poor Newtown Jets kick defuse for his third and produced a clutch defensive play with the game in the balance, returning an interception to the house for his fourth.

The 185cm and 115kg outside back dominated this one from the wing, but has experience in the centres. His versatility could soon see him in the mix for an NRL debut if the opportunity arises.

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