It seems by now that the 2020 NRL premiership race is between four teams.
Those teams are the Storm, Roosters, Panthers and Eels.
I can add the Green Machine, however at this stage, their credentials will be ascertained after their crunch match with Penrith next week.
Of the remaining three teams in the top eight, only Cronulla can trouble the top five. Other than that, it’s a four-horse race.
At the end of all this weekend’s games, it is fair to say that the race for the wooden spoon is a three-horse race. That’s quite surprising, isn’t it?
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
If you told me at the beginning of this year that the Broncos would be in the bottom of the ladder fighting for the first time in their 32-year history to stay afloat, I would have said otherwise.
This season has been a turbulent one so far for them and it seemed like it couldn’t get any worse this weekend given that already David Fifita has moved to the Gold Coast, however it did.
I think they will be haunted from the loss to Cronulla. This year we might see them get their first ever wooden spoon.
Gold Coast and the Dogs, however, have been there and seen it already. However 2020 for them has been quite the same as last year.
Gold Coast – week in, week out – have been consistent but have still fallen short, however they will be buoyed by the fact that next year they will have two of the brightest future stars of the game at their disposal, which is something to work with.
The Dogs have always been in the game but have come away empty handed due to poor decisions, which cost them games. There have been none more so then Sunday’s decision to not take the two on offer.
Well, in hindsight, the weekend’s action was a good round and I’m looking forward to Round 13.
Next week my money will be on the Green Machine to cause an upset and the Broncos to beat Souths.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
So, given that there was a Newcastle side in 1908-1909, and the Knights wore their uniform in heritage round in 2008, are Newcastle a heritage club that had a long break?
KenW
Roar Rookie
I said Dragons.... and anyway, they clearly identify as St George, the official club merch even is dated with '1921'. Besides that's a much smaller technicality than the differences between competition structures, teams, rules, etc that all have to be ignored for any of us to claim continued history in RL.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
If you're going to count both St George and St George Illawarra, then you can't ignore Illawarra. Most recent spoon : 1989.
Nat
Roar Rookie
Not sure if that's right but it's funny. Took me straight back to my childhood.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Ah yes I like that. I still think there are def teams in with a chance and some with none.i don’t think you can tell that much when the big brothers beat up the little ones till the big ones fight another big brother. See how they go then to judge
TIGER MIKE
Guest
well John you must’ve had nice soft parents lol never copped the “wooden spoon” hey
Dino
Guest
Storm have picked up a very handy player in Leutele for the rest of the year on $35000. Naturally the NRL at first said no. When it was pointed out that they said yes to SBW they then came back to the Storm and said he was valued at $65000. It was pointed out to the NRL their hypocrisy and they relented. What else could they do. They should never have said yes to SBW in the first place. It was never a good look.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Without googling does anybody know how the term "wooden spoon" originated? I admit I don't.
Ralph Malph
Roar Rookie
Brisbane is my favourite for the spoon.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I don't know about you, but I got that feeling that while the games were close, it reminded me of all those fights with my bigger and older brother, where I got in a few good hits and actually almost started thinking I could win, getting close and then he'd like.. "that's it, had enough" and smash me. You know what i mean? It looked like you had a chance but then he just stepped up and whoosh all over and you're back in the dirt licking wounds.
KenW
Roar Rookie
2 wins from the 8 at this stage means Dragons incredibly unlikely to play finals. 2 wins from the spoon at this stage also makes the spoon incredibly unlikely, especially when their for and against is relatively good compared to those teams. Which extends the Dragons record for the most seasons played without a spoon to 83!
Andrew
Roar Pro
Dragons are 2 wins out of 8th but also 2 wins away from the spoon. Could easily go either way.
Nat
Roar Rookie
Bulldogs Resurgence? Is one win every 8 weeks a resurgence? Their run home isn't that flash either.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Most Anything possible, plenty games left to show/build improvement.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Yeah they did, which is good but you got to look at it from more then one rounds results and games.
Walter Black
Guest
If the Bulldogs maintain their resurgence, the spoon will be Brisbane's to lose.
AaronDaDon
Guest
Nice opinion bro, but I think the Bunnies will destroy the Broncos next round. But we'll see.
Paul
Roar Guru
Why are the Cowboys not included in the wooden spoon race? Their match against the Titans this week could provide one side or the other with some breathing space. I'm also thinking my Dragons could slip badly in the run home. They've got 5 tough games against the top sides and even though they might look like they're playing better, they've still only won 4 games.
brookvalesouth
Roar Rookie
The battle for the wooden spoon; yet all three teams vying for it pushed three of the best teams form-wise at the moment. Thats pretty good for a supposedly lop-sided competition imho.