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One month remains in the NRL regular season and it’s shoulder to shoulder for the best placings. Here come your NRL preview talking points.
A crowd of 45,814 turned out to Perth Stadium for last week’s double header – that’s the NRL’s sixth highest crowd this year, with four of those above it happening during Magic Round.
It was announced during the weekend that State of Origin will again be played at the venue in 2025 and 2028 and that’s nice, but Western Australia needs its own NRL team and the game needs the money, ratings, scheduling and sponsorship benefits that will come with it. Stop messing around leading on hopeless causes for NSWRL clubs and just get it done.
After dwelling in the cellar early this season as his team dealt with yet another huge injury list, Newcastle have now peeled off five wins on the trot and sit seventh with another eminently winnable game this week at home to the Bulldogs.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
You’d think after the media hiding their coach Adam O’Brien took early in the season as his club battled things out of their control that there’d be a little credit coming his way, no? Well, no.
The Knights’ run of form has basically been ignored by pundits and O’Brien remains the topic of scuttlebutt and scandal from the media, although this was definitely not helped by his own club meeting with sacked Titans coach Justin Holbrook who has since signed a three-year deal with the Roosters as an assistant coach.
If the Knights can win a couple more they might sneak into fourth or fifth spot. Not bad for a team that apparently doesn’t have a coach.
Season defining games for a few this week, in that they might as well start packing for Bali if they lose.
First team in that boat are Manly, who need to knock over the imperious Penrith on Thursday to keep a puncher’s chance of the finals.
Friday’s early game might be the death blow for the Gold Coast if they can’t get past Cronulla, who breathed a sigh of relief after beating Souths last week.
Primetime Friday in in Brisbane surprisingly, with the Eels in real strife unless they can beat their hosts.
Saturday’s triple header starts in Cairns with Souths and the Dragons, a genuine coin toss on recent form. Then it’s off to Hamilton, New Zealand for the Wests Tigers home game against the Warriors. New Zealand can all but secure a top four spot with a win, lose and they’re back in the finals mixer.
Saturday night the Roosters seek revenge on the Dolphins, who embarrassed them in round one. There’s no guarantee of a chooks win, even though they’ve played juuust a little better than average in the last couple of weeks. A Roosters loss will put the official signoff to an incredibly underwhelming season.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Sunday has a curious one in Melbourne when Canberra go for their sixth straight win in the southern capital. The Storm have been wobbly but still look irresistible when they turn it on, while Canberra have mongreled their way to a 12-8 record on the back of horrible yet effective close wins. Don’t be surprised if Melbourne explode, don’t be surprised if Canberra squeak past. Winner takes a really good chance of securing a top four spot.
North Queensland has the bye, and depending on other results, the accompanying two points may be critical in them getting up into the finals places.
What’s got you talking ahead of round 24, Roarers?