blogging it real

Had a bit of free time over Easter (as you've probably noticed and TV is shit) so am checking out what milestones may be reached by players over the course of the year.The obvious one is that Hasim El Masri should barring injury become the alltime leading pointscorer. He currently has 2072 and needs just 105 more to overtake Andrew Johns (2176). He should do it around about round 14 or 15 assuming he picks up around 10 points a game. Not bad for a guy that didn't even have goalkicking duties until his 6th season (because Halligan took them). If he had started off doing it you could probably add about 800 to his tally and you'd be waiting decades for somebody to beat the record. As it is it might be a long time anyway because he should have another year or two after this one unless he's secretly planning to give it away after he breaks the record. Craig Fitzgibbon is the next active player on the list with 1376 going into week two. He's been great for the Roosters. A tackling machine that gets bashed around in the forwards and yet can still line up goal kicks and has banged them over at 77% for his career.Of players in the last 4 decades or so Steven Menzies has 167 tries, which is two more than the try scoring freak Andrew Ettinghausen. Pretty remarkable given Menzies has played the majority of his career in the forwards. Next of the active players is Hasem El Masri on 140 and Nigel Vagana with 137 though with his current injury and rumours of retirement. They lie 6th and 8th respectively with Phil Blake in between. 17 of Blakes tries came for the Warriors in 2 seasons while Vagana netted an impressive 37 in 3 seasons. There's been a pattern to his career. 3 years with the Warriors, 3 with the Bulldogs, 3 with the Sharks and now into his second with the Rabbitohs.For the Warriors Lance Hohaia has 198 points and has played 96 matches. Grant Rovelli has played 50 matches. There are no other records I can see on the horizon. Logan Swann has 36 tries and Wairangi Koopu has 34 tries. They sit 8th and 9th respectively behind Jones (75), Meli (60), Toopi (57), Hoppe (44), Webb (39), Fa'afili (38) and N Vagana (37). They should move past Webb provided they stay fit and get enough game time.

Labels: Hasim El Masri, milestones, nrl, stats