Buy of the year is Ennis, not Austin



A leader amongst a group once lost in the headlights, Michael Ennis.

Blake Austin has produced some stunning individual performances for the Canberra Raiders this season and rightfully, they have earnt him plenty of praise amongst league commentators as ‘buy of the year’. His efforts have contributed to some fantastic Raiders wins and seen him endorsed for representative selection with New South Wales, but while Austin has stood out in the lime-green, from a perspective of who added more value to a team, it’s hard to go past Cronulla custodian Michael Ennis.

Ennis’ contribution has been much bigger than Austin’s exploits on the field. His presence has had an effect on the mind frame of the team. His actions are directly influencing others. Arguably one of the most consistent hooker’s this year, Ennis competes on every play. He doesn’t just do his job or go through the motions; there is a real emotional sting in the way he competes. It means something to him. And you can see that rubbing off on the rest of the Sharks team.

“No longer is Gallen the sole engine-train trying to pull the carriages of Cronulla out of the valley of mediocracy”

His position as a leader within the group has allowed Paul Gallen to finally focus on his own game. No longer is Gallen the sole engine-train trying to pull the carriages of Cronulla out of the valley of mediocracy. In Ennis they have a general, someone at the front and center of almost every play setting the tone for the rest of the team, much like former Newcastle hooker Danny Buderus. Buderus ripped in for Newcastle, giving his all on every play. He was a consistent player and you could count on him turning up every week. Sure, Ennis might give away a penalty or two, but that’s the cost of getting on top of the opposition. He walks the line, flirts with the boundaries in order to get that slight advantage and edge. Whether it be mental slight or gaining a tactical benefit; it’s all part of Ennis’ strategy.  

At the Bulldogs Ennis was captain and held a greater responsibility if they won or lost. That pushing of the boundaries that he indulges in was something more ineffective than it was an advantage. At the Sharks and free of that captaincy weight, he too, like Gallen, can focus on himself. He doesn’t have to worry about pleading with the refs.

For a club on the rebuild, Ennis was and has been perfect. He is disciplined, confident, determined and sticks to the plan. He trusts the process. He knows Rugby League is a simple game and what has to be done to achieve success. He is not someone who looks at the past; he moves on and looks ahead very quickly. Perfect, for a club coming out of the most tumultuous years of its history.

He also takes enormous pride in mentoring younger players, sharing his experience with those coming into first-grade football. He helped Josh Reynolds develop from a talented prospect to a rigorous and committed origin-winning five-eighth. While it may not have been the tactical skills he helped Reynolds with, it was the demands of week-to-week football.

There’s no secret to why the Sharks are on the edge of the ever-valued top four. They’ve played hard, found raw and exciting talents in Jack Bird and Valentine Holmes, players like Luke Lewis and Chris Heighington have been the backbone of the side and benefitted from Ennis’ leadership. Ennis come into the club as a fresh face and free of the past. His attitude would have said let’s put it all behind us and get on with it.

You can look at buy of the year as what you got out of a player against their financial cost, maybe they were a ‘revelation’ for their side; or you can look at it as what a club most needed in order to become a better side. Cronulla needed a Michael Ennis to move them forward, and they surprisingly landed his signature in later 2014. What a significant boost his made to a club that was officially on the ropes just 12 months ago. His mature approach far outweighs the ‘loose-cannon’ that was Todd Carney.

Signed with Cronulla until the end of the 2016 season, Ennis will be a valuable figure and asset for the Sharks to have at their club. With so much talent in their junior stocks, his contribution will be invaluable. A guiding father figure for those youngsters ready to take the next step, for themselves and for the Sharks, Ennis is a must resign for the club beyond his current contract, even if it be as a replacement hooker. Cronulla’s best opportunity in years is upon them as the head into this year’s finals series and Michael Ennis is at the absolute forefront of that charge. Can the curse of the porch-lamp finally be broken?

Five of the toughest, and five grubs

Josh Reynolds has to be at the top of the current list, 'Grub' is his nickname.

The sport of Rugby League has never been short of those willing to do ‘whatever it takes’ to win. Such a physical game sees opponents engage in acts that have the intensive purposes of doing what is required to win a game. These acts can be viewed in a number of ways; as tough physical elements one of the most gruelling sports in the world, as pain inflictors on opponents aiming to bring them down and out of the contest, or acts of thuggery designed to reduce another’s mental state of mind. The common theme is that the players are doing what they believe at the time, will help them win the game.

In recent years the ‘one punch and your off’ rule has allowed certain players to have free reign with such acts, that is they are not afraid of retribution, as there will be none. Over the weekend a number of players were involved in incidents that have led to suspensions. Whether it is a cheap shot, high tackle, ‘dog’ act, verbal stoush or rough play, the grubs are well known in today’s game because of the extensive television coverage. Sport/Life/Australia decided to examine just who are the biggest grubs and toughest players in the NRL.

The Grubs

Josh Reynolds

Almost renowned now for his ‘Rottweiler’ attitude of just not going away, the pesky and tearaway five-eighth has risen to the top of the game through his energetic yet not-give-a-stuff attitude. No other young player in the game rips in more than Josh Reynolds and his early mentor in Michael Ennis certainly did rub off on the Canterbury-Bankstown junior.  Andrew Johns summarised Reynolds efforts as “like driving at 120km/h all the time”. He also went on to say that “whilst its gets you places in quicker, in the short term, in the long term it catches up with you”. The ‘grub’ as he has been nicknamed would have to close to being marked the number one grub.

Paul Gallen

Many commentators in the media often state that Paul Gallen polarises people’s opinion; that you either hate him, or you love him. While there’s no doubt his hated in Queensland, you’d have trouble finding many fans in New South Wales outside the Shire that would preach their love for their own State of Origin captain. While Gallen had seemed to have cleaned up his image off the field before the ASADA drugs scandal hit, his on-fields efforts at times often take his team two-steps forward but one-step back. Credited with more statistical achievements than any of the other forward in the game today, Gallen’s toughness and commitment can never be questioned, but the G-Train’s discipline often lets him down. A penalty given away for a cheap shot too often leads to a try against his team, which ultimately lets down more people than just himself.  Fines, suspensions and public apologies, Gal’s had them all.

Dubbed the 'Bash Brothers' when they line up together, Greg Bird and Paul Gallen are a formidable pair.
(Photo courtesy of The Daily Telegraph)

Greg Bird

Greg Bird’s tackle on the weekend has resulted in a six-week suspension due to carry over points from pervious charges of the same nature. The tackle was described by Matthew Johns as “the perfect tackle five years ago” and whilst bird believed the referee “saw something else”, Peter Sterling was strong in his opinion that Bird had no angle to try and avoid the charge deeming it simply “a dumb tackle in today’s game”. But Bird is one of the hardest players in today’s game who retains the instincts of the player of previous decades. His hard-nosed and take-no-prisoners approach has proven invaluable at representative level particularly for the NSW blues, but to have Bird’s approach is a risky style, he’s one of the most penalised players in the game.

Michael Ennis

Dubbed the ‘Minister for trouble’ or something of the like by legendary commentator Ray Warren, Michael Ennis has to be one of the all-time grub’s of the game. He even has the honour from the annual Rugby League Week Players Poll. Ennis’ sly use of sledging and the thuggery components to his game elevate him to the very top of the game’s foul. For Ennis, it’s business as usual and his tactics seem to un-nerve some of the game’s biggest stars. Labelled ‘a grub’ by the cool and collected Nathan Hindmarsh after a fist-fight in 2012, Ennis took it in his stride. He has had running battles with Billy Slater, Robbie Farah and Jarryd Hayne over his career. Ennis seems to avoid suspension by using tactics within the realms of the rules, while the others on this list have visited the judiciary on numerous occasions.

Nate Myles

Nate Myles has proven he has one of the hardest heads in the NRL, although James Graham might protest. Myles is Queensland’s current go-to man to put the Blues players off their game. His face rubs, neck bends, knee twists and head charges only serve to fire up the New South Wales side and make Myles look like a goose. The man has one infamous off-field records but has found his stability on the Gold Coast. Not to suggest that hasn’t changed his style of play which can range from just running hard to head-high tackles.

The Toughest

James Graham

Many will argue Graham should be well and truly on the Grub list, and there is plenty to argue for with his crazed bite of Billy Slater’s ear in the 2012 NRL Grand Final, but Graham has a steel to him. He work rate is huge and loves to be involved in the thick of it.

Steve Matai

If Steve Matai isn’t out this weekend with a shoulder injury, you can be sure he’d be close to being out via suspension. Matai’s shots are usually reckless rather than dirty, and when a centre looks at the opposition team sheet before a game, the last name you’d want to see is S.  Matai. Manly’s enforcer for the last decade, Matai has pulled off some of the biggest hits in that time.

Beau Scott

Scott rose through the ranks virtually unheard of at Cronulla, but his emergence in the Wayne Bennet led Dragons in 2009 saw him become a State of Origin first pick, and a player the Blues relied upon for a toughness and force against the sublime Maroons. He taken it to Johnathan Thurston at club and origin level and in recent times had the entire Cowboys side wanting retribution on him.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves

The Kiwi-enforcer is a plain rough-nut who loves the battle in the middle of the park. When a challenge comes his way, Hargreaves takes it head on and nothing is better than seeing him engaged in a full-game clash with another prop. He takes as many cheap shots as he gives out, and you could never say he can’t take what he gives.

Isaac Luke

Isaac Luke once ran a cannonball tackle at his own cousin Rangi Chase who was playing for England while the fired-up Luke had the Kiwi-fern over his heart. The spiteful tackle almost broke Chase’s leg and Luke was suspended for weeks. Just last year Luke had to sit out the Grand Final due to suspension and missed playing a part in South Sydney’s long awaited victory. He sure gives it out but Luke puts his body on the line in every game and gets up and walks away even after the hardest of hits, the type that knock you out.