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The last round of the NRL season is upon us. While the Sharks, Sea Eagles and Storm are confirmed for home finals, The Roosters, Dragons and Broncos still have a chance of clinching fourth spot.
On the other side of the spectrum, The Knights will be hoping to beat Brisbane to wrap up a top eight berth, while the Warriors will be eager for a Newcastle loss to keep their finals chances alive when they play the Eels.
Here’s a preview of some of the bigger matches this weekend.
Sydney Roosters vs St George Illawarra Dragons
The most critical game of the round in terms of the influence it has over the final top eight placings. If the Roosters win, they secure a home final next Friday. If the Dragons win, they will hope that Newcastle can topple Brisbane to clinch fourth spot. If the Roosters lose this encounter, they could drop to as low as sixth by the end of the round and will probably play the Cronulla Sharks in the first week of the finals. The return of Roosters fullback Anthony Minichiello could see the Roosters sneak home in front of a big home crowd.
Brisbane Broncos vs Newcastle Knights
This is potentially Wayne Bennett’s last game at Suncorp Stadium. Even if both Brisbane and the Roosters win on Friday night, the Broncos will have to make do with fifth spot and a Friday night showdown with Sydney next week at the SFS. The Broncos were a little flat last weekend against the Bulldogs and will be switched on against a Knights side who never seem to give up. They did cause the upset last week against the Melbourne Storm and will be primed to secure a finals birth. Expect plenty of points in this one.
Parramatta Eels vs New Zealand Warriors
Not all hope is lost for Eels fans. If the Knights lose against the Brisbane Broncos, Parramatta might sneak into the eight courtesy of a 96 point victory against the Warriors. Realistically though, New Zealand are the ones that deserve a finals position based on current form and will play their guts off if the Knights fall to Brisbane. Although the Eels, with nothing to play for, could rack up a score, too much is at stake for the Warriors to produce a shocking performance. This match will be very close but the Warriors poor away form this year could come back to bite them again.
Cronulla Sharks vs Nth Qld Cowboys
If Manly and Melbourne both lose in their respective clashes, the Cronulla Sharks could emerge on top of the NRL ladder, despite winning so many close games this season. They should beat the Cowboys and end what has been a hugely successful season for Ricky Stuart’s men. They are one team that is ready to dethrone Melbourne come the finals. They are tough and battle hardened and should be a menace for any team that crosses their path for that elusive premiership.