Matt Russell's Toyota Cup preview

Matt Russell takes his weekly look at the Toyota Cup... this week including a crisis at the Dragons, some brotherly love at Newcastle and previews of both Round 10 television games.<br><br><b>How much for a hooker..</b><br><br>The Dragons will play Canterbury on Saturday with Matt Gallagher to start at hooker for the first time in his Toyota Cup career.<br><br>St George Illawarra's injury curse continued at Brookvale on Saturday when Mitch Rein - the competition's leading tackler - was forced off with an injured ankle. He'l miss 4-8 weeks.<br><br>It comes after the Dragons' 2009 Australian Schoolboy captain Cameron King was sidelined for the season with a shoulder injury.<br><br>At one stage already this year, the Dragons Under 20's had 13 injured players, including 11 who could be expected to make their starting squad each week.<br><br>Gallagher has played just five Toyota Cup games, all of them off the interchange bench.<br><b><br>Six of the best..</b><br><br>Two five-eighths picked up the Fox Sports Young Gun of the Game in Round 9.<br><br>When Beau Henry's kicking boot clicked against Manly, he gave himself the position to run-in two tries and show us all why he was the 2009 Toyota Cup Player of the Year.<br><br>At Newcastle, Will Smith also scored a double as the Knights snapped a four game losing streak.<br><br>He showed good footwork and speed... and confidence beyond his four Toyota Cup appearances.<br><br>Good name to be a star, too!<br><br><b>Take four!</b><br><br>There was plenty to like in Newcastle's win against the Titans, like two great flick passes from Josh Ailaomai for a Chad Redman double.<br><br>Chanel Mata'utia also crossed twice, the second time after a pass from his more established brother Peter.<br><br>The good news for the Knight is there are two more Mata'utia's to come - Pat and Sione, who are also part of the Newcastle system.<br><br>What price all four brothers playing in the same team!<br><br><b>Well stocked..</b><br><br>Talking of talent, Dragons' prop Jack Stockwell showed a fair bit on Saturday night.<br><br>The big fella put up a midfield bomb to assist in St George Illawarra's opening try.<br><br>Then he scored the last of them to shut Manly out of the game.<br><br>It was only a few years ago that props didn't score tries and were told to NEVER kick the ball.<br><br>How times change.<br><b><br>Consolation perhaps..</b><br><br>Manly still has the best defence in the competition.<br><br>The Sea Eagles have given up 162 points in nine games, five better than North Queensland.<br><br>I suspect that is no consolation for coach David Penna after a rare home defeat.<br><br><b>Tight at the top..</b><br><br>North Queensland have been joined by Wests Tigers and South Sydney on 14 points on top of the table.<br><br>In fact only three points seperates the top eight heading into Round 10.<br><br>North Queensland gave up the outright lead when the Roosters joined Wests Tigers as the only teams to beat the Cowboys.<br><br>The Sydney-siders ran in four unanswered tries in the first half hour and held on 32-24.<br><br>The Cowboys will try and bounce back against the Warriors in New Zealand on Saturday... no easy task given the Warriors have won four in a row.<br><br>You can catch the top eight encounter as part of Super Saturday on Fox Sports 2. Kick off is 3.15pm EST.<br><br><b>New posse..</b><br><br>It was good to see a couple of North Queensland Toyota Cup products step up impressively in Monday's NRL win against the Roosters.<br><br>Michael Morgan, 18, and Dane Hogan, 20, must have enjoyed the upset win and have held their position in the top grade.<br><br>Hogan was a standout for the Cowboys Under 20's last season and Morgan has helped them to the top of the competition this year.<br><br>Morgan is a Townsville Brothers junior who represented Queensland and Australian Schoolboys and earnt a last minute start in the Toyota Cup last season as hooker!<br><br>Can he stay in Townsville as a halfback with Johnathan Thurston re-signing for three years?<br><br><b>Tough times..<br></b><br>Melbourne's defeat by Brisbane on Sunday makes it six week's without victory for the defending premiers.<br><br>The Titans defeat by Newcastle on Sunday makes it seven weeks without victory for the South Queenslanders.<br><br>At least they've had a draw again each other in that time.<br><br>Poor old Parramatta have lost seven in a row and next fact a Manly team at Brookvale. Good luck!<br><br><b>Let's get to 26?</b><br><br>Sunday's game between Wests Tigers and South Sydney shapes as a cracker.<br><br>The Tigers are on a six game winning streak and the Rabbitohs are unbeaten in five.<br><br>The two form teams are stacked with exciting players and should provide a great curtain raiser as part of Heritage Round.<br><br>Wests Tigers have played South Sydney four times in Toyota Cup history and won the lot.<br><br>Three times their winning total has been 26 points and the other one was 24.<br><br>Last year it was 26-22 and 24-22.<br><br>It might be that close again.<br><b><br>Don't miss the coverage on NRL Sunday from 11.30am EST on Fox Sports 2.</b><br>