NRL Round 20 – Finals spots on the line

 

 

 

‘Moving season’ has definitely come early in Season 2024 of the NRL. As suggested a couple of weeks ago, the Origin period has been crucial to the prospects of several clubs as they battle for finals spots.

 

Round 19 certainly played into that scenario. Taking the matches in order, the Dolphins shored up their prospects of an inaugural finals spot with a win over the surging Rabbitohs. That game also demonstrated the importance of goal-kicking with Issako landing a perfect 6/6 while Souths could only conjure up 2/6 – the eventual difference on the scoreboard. The result also made it very difficult for the Bunnies to claw their way into the eight. Not impossible, but highly unlikely. Meanwhile, the Sharks held it together and did their prospects a huge favour with a crushing win over the wooden spooners. Top four? Probably, but they have to keep winning to keep the Bulldogs and Dolphins at bay. The Titans kept whatever hopes they have alive for now with their win over the Eels. But they, too, have to keep winning as they’re still two games and points differential below eighth spot. As for the Eels, watch for the cleanout in the coming months! The Broncos are now as good as gone after six losses in a row to sit two wins out of the eight. At least their points differential is still in the black but I don’t see how that can come back from here. Like the Rabbitohs, not impossible but highly unlikely. The Dragons, by comparison, kept their hopes alive to sit equal eighth but their for and against is unhealthy. At least their fate is in their own hands.

 

And so on to Round 20. We start tomorrow night with the Raiders at home to the Warriors. Both sides are still in contention for the finals so there is a season-defining result at stake. In the end, I don’t think it will matter all that much because neither would be likely to make it past the first week of finals. I’ll go with Canberra because it’s a home game and the Warriors struggle away. How’s that for a lack of confidence in the capabilities of both sides?

 

Saturday afternoon sees the Rabbitohs up against the Wests Tigers. The latter were depressingly bad last week, the former were able to score six tries. Therein lies the result – Souths, comfortably. The twilight game has Newcastle taking on the Broncos, a meeting of last round losers. The Knights need to win to stay in touch, the Broncos have to win or their season is officially gone. The number of Origin players who can back up might be significant to the result. Either way, my feeling (and it’s nothing more than that) is that the Knights will just squeak home. The late game is the match of the round with the Storm (1st) up against the Roosters (3rd). The Storm keep winning, often in less than attractive fashion. The Roosters either win big or lose by not much – their differential is 100 points better than Melbourne’s. This will be grind and counterattack versus flair and running. The clash of Hughes v Walker and that of Papenhuyzen v Tedesco should be worth the price of admission. A wet week in Melbourne favours the Storm, especially with JWH on the sidelines for the Roosters. My thoughts on tipping against Melbourne are well known, so I’ll listen to my head and go with the Storm.

 

Sunday afternoon opens with the Panthers hosting the Dolphins. With their Origin players back, it’s hard to go past the hosts even though the Dolphins have shown a lot of character this year. So I’ll go with Penrith for now but reserve the right to make a late change depending on the availability of Origin players. (They used to call it ‘having two bob each way”.) Des Hasler returns to Brookie when his Titans challenge the Sea Eagles. What sort of welcome will he get? He deserves respect and I hope the passionate fans on the hill show it to one of the club’s greatest sons. Kieran Foran also returns to his former home ground. But I think there might well be where the joy ends for the Gold Coast. Manly has been very good at home this year and Turbo is back in form, one of the great sights on a rugby league field these days. The Titans have been brave, Foran has been in good form and Jayden Campbell looks good in the N0 6 jumper but those things won’t be enough. Get on the Sea Eagles. The final game also has important finals implications when the Cowboys take on the Bulldogs in Townsville. The Cowboys want to hang on to their finals spot while the Doggies need a win to keep up their hopes of a top four finish. Both are coming off the bye, if that has any relevance. My feeling is that the Doggies are on the up while the Cowboys have been inconsistent. That’s enough for me to go with the Bulldogs.

 

The Dragons, Eels and Sharks have the bye.

 

To end on a sad note, valé David Morrow, one of the great callers of the game.

 

 

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Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

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