Season 2024 continues to provide us with surprises aplenty across both the NRL and the NRLW, ensuring that we’ll remain intrigued right up to the final whistle on Grand Final Day. Long live League!
NRL
Round 22 of the NRL featured a shock win for the Dragons over the Storm (the Dragons’ first win in Melbourne for 25 years!), a surprise resurgence (for one game at least) by the Eels over a disappointing Warriors, the continuing revival of Des’s Titans who just don’t want to seem to give up their slim finals hopes, and the inevitable shadow of Penrith over the competition. At the same time, the decline of both the Broncos and Rabbitohs was there for all to see while the Dolphins are looking very shaky.
Round 23 features several great match-ups with big finals implications. The round starts tonight with the Rabbitohs hosting the Storm. Given the exacting demands of Storm coach Bellamy, one fears that the Bunnies will be caught in the headlights and sacrificed simply because they’re catching the Storm the week after a loss. Melbourne’s loss won’t do them any harm and has, perhaps, been coming for a while after a series of games which they’ve won without really playing well. Better now than next month! I’ll be on the Storm.
Friday’s twilight game between the Titans and the Sharks is one of those with big implications for the finals. The Titans are indeed on the surge but simply have to keep winning to sustain their dreams of September action. The Sharks are running short of halves with the injury to Trindall on top of the extended absence of Hynes. They’ve been less than convincing of late and so I won’t be surprised if the tenacity of the Titans and their ability to play ad hoc footy is enough to get them over the line. Go Titans! Later on, the Eels meet the Panthers, a daunting task at the best of times, made all the more challenging given the defending premier’s ominous form of late. Penrith for me.
Saturday footy opens with the Raiders taking on the Sea Eagles, another of the crunch games. The Raiders can kiss the season goodbye if they go down again this week. Manly can maintain their finals spot and, in fact, almost entrench themselves (all because of that extra competition point from a draw earlier in the season). Manly are coming off the bye and should be refreshed. Canberra lack a bit of firepower out wide and may not be able to score enough points to be competitive. DCE needs to get back to top form to ensure a Sea Eagles win, which I fully expect him to do. I’ll be on Manly. The twilight game has the Cowboys back home where they take on the self-destructing Broncos. The home team is within striking distance of a top four finish, but only if they win every game from here on in. These two sides have a history of putting on thrillers but I doubt that will be the case this week. The Cowboys will romp it in! The Dragons v Bulldogs late game is crucial to both sides. The Dragons, like the Titans and Sea Eagles, have to keep winning and, after the win over the Storm, should go into this game with their confidence on a high. Now they have to back up that effort week after week for another month. The Bulldogs are travelling along very nicely, thank you, and have the incentive of that top four spot to grab hold of. As much as the Dragons are a feel good story at the moment, I think the Stephen Crichton-led Bulldogs will come out on top.
On Sunday, the Dolphins meet the Warriors in a death or glory game for both sides. It’s as simple as that. The Dolphins have the greater scoring potential, the Warriors are less potent away from home. I’ll stick with the Dolphins. The final game has Newcastle up against the Wests Tigers. The Knights are still a mathematical chance of making the finals so that should be enough, along with the benefit of home ground advantage, to take this one.
The Roosters have the luxury of a late season bye.
NRLW
Round 2 of the NRLW season helped clear the air a bit about real contenders, would be contenders and pretenders. The Titans, Sharks and Knights (and, possibly, the Roosters) are the contenders. The Raiders, Eels and Cowboys are possibly in the mix while the Dragons, Broncos and Wests Tigers are just about out of it already. Given their dominance in the early years of this competition, this marks a significant fall from grace for the Broncos and Dragons.
Round 3 opens on Saturday with the Roosters playing the Wests Tigers. The Chooks reminded us of their potential with their easy win over a very poor Brisbane side. The Wests Tigers haven’t shown us much at all either. So this should be an easy win for the Roosters. The Raiders v Sharks game is probably the match of the round. The Raiders really took it up to the Knights last week and have shown real scoring ability. The Sharks have a certain vibe about them and deserve their high ranking. It will be an energetic Canberra against a structured Shire outfit where I think the Sharks will come out on top.
On Sunday the Cowboys host the Eels, a good mid-table battle with a place in the upper ranks at stake. In the end, I think this will be decided by the performance of the Cowboys’ defence. If they show up, then they have enough scoring power to outlast the Eels. But, on the other hand, the Eels have one of the best defences to date. Rugby league law says that defence wins matches and, on that basis, I’ll go with the Eels. The Broncos host the Titans, 1st v 9th. Poor defenders versus high scorers – end of story. Get on the Titans. The final game has the Knights up against the Dragons – and it’s same story again. Just put this one down to the Knights now.
Another big weekend in rugby league in prospect with a lot, and I mean a lot, riding on the result for so many clubs. That should make it riveting indeed!
PS – From the perspective of a Broncos supporter, when will Brisbane (in either competition) next win a game? O me miserum!
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About Ian Hauser
A relaxed, Noosa-based retiree with a (very) modest sporting CV. A loyal Queenslander, especially when it comes to cricket and rugby league. Enjoys travel, coffee and cake, reading, and has been known to appreciate a glass or three of wine. One of Footy Almanac's online editors who enjoys the occasional editing opportunity to assist aspiring writers.
good win for your boys in Townsville, Ian!
nothing surprising about Storm-Souths on Thursday night … except some of the Souths faithful clinging to the ‘we won the second half’ – ‘we did not give up’ !! wow, what a cliff we have fallen off