Roosters cooked, Nicho Hynes in sad Origin truth :Good, bad and ugly of NRL round 15

😃 The good: Dragons run riot in win for suburban footy

😔 The bad: Roosters' finals hopes suffer massive blow

😡 The ugly: Nicho Hynes' horror Origin audition

Dragons-Bunnies thriller a glowing endorsement for NRL

Images from Saturday afternoon's Dragons-Rabbitohs belter at Kogarah should be front and centre of the NRL's promotional push next year. While the game flirts with Las Vegas and takes Origin on the road to indifferent non-rugby league states, a packed suburban ground on a sunny winter's day is a reminder of what the NRL has over rival codes.

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How good was it to see a hill full of supporters decked in red and white and cardinal and myrtle. While most of the venues could do with some TLC, league fans don’t mind a couple of hours' discomfort in exchange for atmosphere you could bottle.

It's no coincidence the Dragons, running stone motherless last coming into the game, produced their best performance of the year. Injury-hit Souths played their part, racing in three late tries to ensure a fittingly dramatic finale before a sellout of crowd of almost 18,000 diehards.

I have a good mate in Victoria who blesses the Father, the Son and the holy AFL each night before going to bed. But when he catches a glimpse of a packed suburban NRL ground, he flies into a jealous rage.

There's nothing like it in the AFL, which is predominantly played out of big stadiums after suburban venues were given the flick decades ago. Sure, most AFL crowds monster NRL's attendances. But size doesn't always matter.

Roosters' hopes for finals footy hanging by a thread

The Sydney Roosters have not been in this bad a situation on the table since 2016. Saturday night's 30-6 loss to premiers Penrith was the Chooks' seventh defeat of the season, leaving them in 11th.

But if you factor in byes due to teams below them, the Roosters' position is even more precarious. They'd be 14th once you give Parramatta (one) and North Queensland (two) the byes shortly coming their way.

The Roosters repair job is not an easy fix. One look at the competition table tells you the Tricolours have problems both sides of the ball.

They sit last for points scored (210) while at the same time have leaked a considerable – if not completely fatal - 300. It's a far cry from the stats that produced back-to-back premierships late last decade.

They've lost four of their last five, with the solitary win a one-point victory over spoon candidates Canterbury. Bookies have blown the Roosters' price out to $31 to win the 2023 title.

The only reason we're not completely writing them off right now is down to one man – Trent Robinson. The three-time premiership winner appears up for the fight and has more than enough rugby league IP to engineer a late-season revival.

"It's a challenge. You enjoy it. That's what we're here for – we're not just here for the good times," Robinson said after the Penrith loss. "We're here to find a solution (and) it's on me to find a solution. I enjoy that part of it.

"You've got to use all your different coaching tools. Let's keep going…let's find a solution." It will be fascinating to watch.

Nicho Hynes cops brutal Origin reality check

Brad Fittler would be cruel to throw Nicho Hynes into Origin II on the back of a horror fortnight. The Cronulla superstar appears to be carrying mental scars from his brief and forgettable outing in Origin I, turning in two of his worst performances for Cronulla in the aftermath.

Hynes was well below his best in the Sharks' loss to Brisbane and saved his worst for when he desperately needed his best as Melbourne lapped his team 54-10 on Sunday. It's hardly the form you need from your No.7 heading into a must-win Origin game at Suncorp Stadium.

Mitchell Moses or Adam Reynolds loom as a far safer bet for the Blues. Hynes is an incredible strong character and possesses tough mental strength, but this looks a bridge too far for him at the moment.

They say sport is all about timing and Hynes' introduction to Origin football was unfortunate. Thrust into the unfamiliar right centre position late in game one after Tom Trbojevic was forced off due to concussion, the Cronulla playmaker missed a tackle that led to the game-changing try.

Seasoned Origin operators say they have seen few players more down on themselves after a loss than Hynes. He appears to have carried those mental scars back to club footy, guilty of overplaying his hand and trying too hard as the Sharks struggle to shake off a dramatic drop in form.

Hynes' time in Origin will come again – now is not that time.

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