The Mole: 'Total reset' needed for battling Cowboys who are competition's 'big flops'

Two rounds in and the Cowboys are fast shaping as the big flops of the new season.

A team chock full of attacking talent failed to make a break in 80 minutes against the Sharks at home on Saturday night.

Throw in their first round shocker at Manly and the Cowboys defence needs a total reset, having conceded 78 points in two outings.

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Everything favoured the Cowboys coming into the game - the Sharks had a possible Vegas hangover, were the only team from the USA who had to travel last weekend and had half their squad laid low by COVID-19 in the lead-up.

Halves Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall were only average yet the Sharks always looked like winners.

On the positive side, Jason Taumalolo should be back from injury next week but it's a big ask for him to turn around this disastrous start single-handedly.

Against Cronulla in their first home of the year, the Cowboys were expected to make amends for their awful display against the Sea Eagles in the season opener.

But if anything, they were worse and Todd Payten needs to give the team a drastic overhaul before what shapes as a massive clash with the unpredictable Broncos on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium.

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Deja Vu for the Tigers

Exactly 20 years ago, a magnificent spine of halves Scott Prince and Benji Marshall, fullback Brett Hodgson and hooker Robbie Farah combined to deliver Wests Tigers the unlikeliest of premierships.

A 150-1 shot early in the season in the bookies' eyes, the Tigers stormed home to take the title in memorable style.

It's been lean pickings since then - but suddenly the Tigers have found a spine to match the heady days of 2005.

Halves Lachlan Galvin and Jarome Luai, hooker Api Koroisau and fullback Jahream Bula were all superb as the Tigers thrashed a lethargic Parramatta 32-6.

With the quartet calling the shots, the Tigers played magnificent attacking football reminiscent to that used by Tim Sheens in that wonderful winter two decades ago.

Hooker pushes case for new deal

Under-rated hooker Tom Starling is set to embarrass the Raiders into giving him a new contract for 2026.

The Raiders have signed Knights rake Jayden Brailey for next year and are grooming rookie Owen Pattie to be his deputy.

But Starling has been superb in the Raiders' back-to-back wins to start the season over the Warriors and Broncos.

As yet unsigned for 2026, Starling will almost certainly now get a new deal at the Raiders - or if not plenty of other clubs will be ready to snap him up.

Dally M Rookie of the Year contender

Throw Mark Nawaqanitawase into the ring as an early contender for the Dally M Rookie of the Year award.

The 24-year-old rugby union convert was one of the heroes of the Roosters' stunning win over the Panthers on Friday night.

In only his third game of NRL, Nawaqanitawase was outstanding against the red-hot Penrith backline.

He scored a try and had a hand in two others in the Roosters' impressive win that after two rounds is already being called the upset of the year.

"We weren't really sure he could play centre - we know he can now," Roosters recruitment boss Daniel Anderson told Wide World of Sports.

When he signed with the Roosters two years ago, Nawaqanitawase was likened by some observers to dual international Israel Folau.

It seemed a big call at the time, but Folau would have been proud to put in a shift like Nawaqanitawase's at CommBank Stadium on Friday night.

Wayne's expensive shake up

Reputations have never meant anything to the old fox Wayne Bennett - and that's a big reason the Rabbitohs lead the NRL ladder after two rounds.

Just about every other coach would have felt the pressure to give expensive recruit Lewis Dodd the halfback jersey to start the season.

But not Bennett - I wrote over a month ago that little-known bargain buy Jamie Humphreys was leading the race to play in the key number seven jumper and Bennett decided to go with the former Manly youngster.

Humphreys - with just one NRL game to his name at the Sea Eagles before this season - was the match-winner against the disappointing Dragons on Saturday, landing an ice cool field goal that proved the difference.

Friday night's clash with Manly was probably the most important game in the career of young Warriors halfback Luke Metcalf.

After a shocker in Vegas against the Raiders, Metcalf went into the game with Te Maire Martin breathing down his neck.

But against the Sea Eagles, Metcalf showed he is the right man to fill Shaun Johnson's giant boots with a brilliant attacking display, scoring a try, laying on two more and having two line break assists.

Sharpe's battle against $14m star

Fletcher Sharpe probably went into round two feeling under more pressure than any player in the NRL.

All week, the headlines have been about Dylan Brown's massive 10-year deal at the Knights - and that he will play at number six from 2026.

That's the spot Sharpe inherited this season and the former outside back followed up his strong showing against the Tigers in round one with another solid effort against the Dolphins despite the difficult preparation he doubtless had.

After the freakish Kalyn Ponga, Sharpe was the most dangerous player on the field in the 26-12 win over the Dolphins and he may well force Brown into the halfback spot next season if he continues his current form.