NRL Round 25 and NRLW Round 5: Top order places still up for grabs in both the NRL and the NRLW

 

 

A month out from NRL finals and we’re still unsure of the make-up of the top eight; four weeks into the NRLW season and it’s proving to be a pretty even competition at this stage.

 

Round 24 of the NRL saw the top half a dozen teams virtually cement their finals spots even if the exact order is still subject to change. Melbourne Storm were impressive in their away win over the Panthers and now become title favourites. The Roosters look solid in third place while the Sharks just snuck over the line against an energetic Newcastle outfit who are now out of the running. If only that pass from Gagai to Ponga had gone to hand! Of such incidents is a season made or broken! The Bulldogs were composed in disposing of the Dolphins. And what about that chase by The Hammer on The Fox? Wonderful rugby league! Manly are flying under the radar and will still have hopes of a top four spot – but I doubt they’ll get it. The Cowboys’ late surge continued, albeit against a very poor Canberra who should forfeit their week’s pay after that effort! And the Dragons continue to hold on with only the Dolphins a chance to unseat them.

 

The rest? Start planning for 2025!

 

Round 25 starts tonight with the Wests Tigers (17th) hosting the Sea Eagles (6th). This should be a regulation win for Manly but it was pleasing to see the energy of the young Tigers against the bumbling Rabbitohs. A deserved win! Manly will be a different proposition, however, with DCE regaining his remarkable form after a couple ordinary weeks (by his standards) and the likes of Turbo, Brooks, Jurbo and co gelling at the right end of the season. Manly for me.

 

Friday evening kicks off with the Warriors (14th) at home to the Bulldogs (5th). Having come this far, it’s hard to see the Doggies giving up the fight for fourth spot now. While the Warriors are capable of flashes of brilliant play, the moments in between are too frequent and too long to mount a challenge here. By contrast, Ciraldo has his charges playing good, solid, consistent footy. Get on the Bulldogs. The late game has the Broncos (10th) taking on the Eels (16th). Two of the disappointments of the season, one has to say. The Broncos may still be a mathematical chance of sneaking into the finals and a win here will keep that narrow opening ajar – but the reality is that they don’t deserve to be in the eight. The Eels were very poor against the Roosters and it’s hard to see them dragging themselves into a fit state to take on the Broncos who should be revived after the bye. I’ll be on the Broncos.

 

Saturday afternoon footy begins in Canberra with the Raiders (12th) taking on the Panthers (2nd). It’s hard to see anything other than a Panthers feast after the Raiders’ poor showing last weekend. Cleary may be out but he’ll be back refreshed in time for the finals – but those wonky shoulders will be a target for every opposition side from here on. Too much talent across the park – Panthers by plenty. The twilight game sees Melbourne (1st) at AAMI Park where they’ll take on the ‘hanging on by the skin of their teeth’ Dolphins (9th). It’s the game that will see the official end of the Dolphins’ finals hopes for 2024. Melbourne’s total commitment made them deserving winners over Penrith last weekend and I can’t see them dropping their bundle sufficiently to allow the Dolphins into this game. It’s the Storm all the way. The day’s final game pits the Rabbitohs (15th) against the Knights (11th) in a bit of a ‘who cares?’ game with both out of the running for anything meaningful this year. I thought the Knights were a bit stiff against the Sharks and I expect them to go one better here against a side that, every now and then, looks like it wants to play good footy but just can’t muster the effort to do it consistently. It’s the Knights for me.

 

Sunday starts with the Titans (13th) meeting the Roosters (3rd). Those ladder positions tell the story about this one. The Chooks will crow as the Titans are brought low – a pity after that good run they had a few weeks ago. The fixture winds up with the match of the round – the Dragons (8th) against the Sharks (4th). Fourth flatters the Sharks while you have to admire the grit of the Dragons who just will not go away. If the Sharks win, it will be because of their hulking forward pack but I’m not sure that the side had the footy nous to conjure up another win in the absence of Hynes and Trindall. By comparison, the Dragons have the scheming Hunt to guide them around the park. I’ll go for the upset and back the Dragons to seal their place in the finals.

 

The Cowboys have the bye to comfortably retain their place in the top eight.

 

Over in the NRLW’s Round 4, the Broncos were unimpressive in a lacklustre game against the Raiders but at least it got them back in the finals race. The Cowboys pulled off a surprise win over the more fancied Titans who have gone into a bit of a slump, you’d have to say. The Roosters continued on their merry way before the the top of the table clash saw the Sharks become flag favourites after their win over the Knights (who have also now lost two on the trot). The Eels beat the Wests Tigers but there wasn’t much to shout about there.

 

Round 5 starts on Saturday with the Eels up against the Knights. I fear that the Eels will feel the wrath of Newcastle who will want to get their show back on the road pronto. I just can’t see the Eels holding them, so put your bets on the Knights. The only question will be the margin. The Raiders v Cowboys game should provide plenty of excitement as both like to play attacking footy. It could be a scoreboard dazzler, in which case I think that Canberra might have the greater capacity to turn over the scoreboard numbers more frequently.

 

Sunday afternoon footy has the Titans first up against the Roosters. This is a very important game for the Titans who can’t afford to let their season slip away. But it couldn’t come at a worse time that it has to happen against the Roosters who seem to be running into some very good form. I’ll stick with the Roosters. Then the Wests Tigers will try to break their season’s duck against the Broncos. The Tigers don’t seem to be able to take a trick so far this season while the Brisbane girls have chalked up two wins in a row without being particularly impressive. On form you’d have to go with the Broncos. The final game has the Dragons up against the unbeaten ladder leaders the Sharks. Can’t go past from here either, so that’s the end of the season for the Dragons. It’s the Sharks by how far.

 

 

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