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Representative Round drew to a close on a picturesque afternoon in Mudgee, with Country going down to City in what was touted as the final fixture between these two after more than 100 years.
It also ended a turbulent weekend that tossed up more than a few controversial subjects.
Such as the relevance and legitimacy of the fixtures played, the form of Channel Nine in not broadcasting the women’s Test or U20s live, the white line fever of a couple of players and a chairman, and the circumstances under which the City versus Country fixture has died.
But the show must go on and normal transmission will resume with a few more subplots in Round 10. State of Origin now draws closer and teams are looking to string some form together and push for September berths.
The picture is still very foggy in terms of whom we can expect to play finals football this season. Most teams have experienced patches where they have looked like contenders, even if only for a match or two. Others have had their chances talked down until the cows come home but now find themselves firmly in the frame.
Injury taking its toll
The year started off full of promise for the North Queensland Cowboys. Dramatic wins against the Canberra Raiders and Brisbane Broncos got their campaign off to a good start but after six years of finals footy the injury gods have struck in a big way.
Matt Scott is out for the season. Lachlan Coote and Jake Granville have spent extended periods on the sideline and after he was carried off in the dying stages of the loss to Wests Tigers, Johnathan Thurston hasn’t played another minute for the Cowboys.
After making a comeback on the weekend for Australia, Thurston picked up a shoulder injury. Just how long he will spend on the sidelines is unknown but with away games against the Canterbury Bulldogs and Cronulla Sharks coming up the Cowboys may fall a few rungs on the ladder yet.
The expectations on the St George Illawarra Dragons at the start of the season were polar opposite to the Cowboys. Most were asking how long it would be before Paul McGregor was sacked. Instead, they deservedly sit in the top two with six wins from their opening nine games.
This early tally of wins should see the Dragons qualify for September. While their is no denying their form, they too must deal with injuries to two of their best in Gareth Widdop and Josh Dugan.
The extended period without Widdop is of most concern. Upcoming games against the Sharks, Bulldogs and Parramatta Eels certainly aren’t easy match-ups and Widdop’s absence could be the difference in what should be tight affairs.
It is a big month for both the Dragons and Cowboys, where they finish will have a lot to do with how they deal with these injuries to key players.
The weight of expectation
Ask the Penrith Panthers and Raiders how they feel now compared to ten weeks ago. Sitting 15th and 10th respectively, these two sides were expected to be in the thick of the action and pushing for a premiership this season by plenty of punters.
With expectation of top eight at minimum, these two sides need a win going into Round 10. The Panthers had a solid first month or so. They recovered from a drubbing by the Dragons to hold the Newcastle Knights and Tigers tryless.
Between those two games was a narrow loss to the Sydney Roosters, while another close loss came at the hands of the South Sydney Rabbitohs. What Penrith dished up in the last three rounds, though, has been nothing short of woeful. Make no mistake, Panthers boss Phil Gould was expecting to be around the top four this year and his club’s performances will have him very concerned about where the team is headed.
The Raiders, meanwhile, have rediscovered their form of 2015, close but no cigar. They have lost by a converted try or less in four of their five losses. They aren’t far off the pace but they are another team that should be around the top four but have lacked composure in clutch moments and are therefore down the table.
It all starts again when they take on the Knights in Newcastle on Sunday. They need to put a number on them to flex their muscles.
Don’t underestimate an underdog
Footy fans love an underdog story. Write a team off at your peril. As has been alluded to, the loss of a key player or a poor run can open the door for another team to sneak in at the business end of the season.
The Gold Coast Titans have languished at the bottom of the table for most of the season but they have been one of the most gutsy and spirited teams in the competition. On more than one occasion they have ended the game with few to no players on the bench.
Losses to the Broncos and New Zealand Warriors, both away from home, have been cruel to take. On both occasions they very much deserved the two points. They have their work cut out for them but should the Titans make it into the eight they are a big smoky with quality across the park.
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