ROUND 22
As the NRL prepares for "Close the Gap" round where it celebrates the indigenous connection to the game, many fans will be losing their fingernails as they are bitten off nervously. Teams 1-6 are jockeying for a Top 4 position as it means a definite chance in the semi finals and some form of home ground advantage. All of a sudden though, there is a log jam of teams competing for the last two spots and the teams that are looking the best at the moment are the teams playing with confidence and momentum. The Bulldogs are sitting pretty at the top of the NRL table, two points ahead of the Rabbitohs. Many people would be surprised at the stance of these two teams, no one expected that they would be able to reach these heights. But some people are no suggesting they need a loss to refocus them. Maybe so, but you can never say that you would want to ever lose a game. Then there are sides like the Sharks and Storm who appear to have their season slipping from their grips after dominating the early part of the competition. If they're not careful, they could be chewed up and spat out of the 8. It all makes for exciting and surprising football. No rugby league fan will suggest that the season has lacked that. So ready yourself for another fantastic instalment of NRL action.
Bold = This week ( ) = Last week
1 (1) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs = Met a Cowboys team that was high on confidence and produced some great football accordingly. They pressure the Cowboys at crucial points in the game and scored some great long range tries through great support play.
2 (2) South Sydney Rabbitohs = No Inglis, no Luke, No worries! They powered past a weakened Tigers with a dominating attacking performance in front of their home fans. Will have a good measure of where they're at against an in form Titans. They also have a good defensive pattern building, holding the Tigers to just 6 points.
3 (3) North Queensland Cowboys = Were gallant in defeat and were just outplayed by a better side on the day. They certainly have the quality to push other sides at the business end of the season. Their best asset is a monster forward pack and a good bench to match.
4 (8) Gold Coast Titans = Kept their good fortunes rolling with a win over the hapless Roosters at Allianz Stadium. Regardless of the opponents, they're still getting the job done and have been rewarded with 8th spot. Must consolidate it now with a win over the Bunnies at home.
5 (4) Melbourne Storm = The Storm are now in a spot of bother having lost their past __ games. It is now at a point where teams are being filled with confidence that they can beat them. Worse still is they look lost for answers at times against the Dragons. Maybe playing Penrith can get them back into form.
6 (5) Brisbane Broncos = Must've been thrown off guard by the move away from Friday footy. Either way it is embarrassing to lose to the bottom side when you're in the Top 8. Must aim to have players back fit ASAP with a trip down to Canberra and a tough run home to follow.
7 (9) Newcastle Knights = Another tough road trip and again a good win. This time they fought dominated the Raiders from start to finished and along with the Titans, look a team most liekly to break into the 8. Always be wary of Wayne Bennett coached teams.
8 (10) Manly Warringah Sea Eagles = Produced a miracilous escape against the Warriors in the dying stages. It showed that they can score points in exciting fashion when needed but that also need to start dominating teams in their run home. Have a very powerful rosters.
9 (6) Cronulla Sharks = It was said last week, but again, the Sharks "slide" continues. They still have injuries to worry about but will be growing anxious as their stars are delaying their return. Need a win desperately or they'll soon be out of the 8.
10 (7) West Tigers = Are battling a very poor injury toll but looking at it yesterday, they still do have a lot of quality players to their lineup. They're now out of the Top 8 and have a shocking "for and against" record to contend with. Need a win desperately
11 (13) St George Illawarra Dragons = Got back into the winning circle and kept their slim semi final hopes alive with a good win over the Storm. It was still a dour performance in attack and they still lack creativity, but as long as you win games, who cares?
12 (11) NZ Warriors = The Warriors imploded against and went into cruise control too far away from the final whistle. Manly came back and made them pay for it and now two games that they should've won easily could be the reason behind them missing the 8. Fans will hope they will not struggle against the Sharks.
13 (14) Penrith Panthers = Got home in golden point against the Sharks and things are beginning to look up for the Panthers. Their players are giving it everything they've got in the final weeks because they're on notice that they could be playing for contracts. They are also playing to avoid the spoon.
14 (12) Canberra Raiders = The poor and dismal Raiders team played this weekend and they watched their finals hopes disappear with this disappointing performance. But then again inconsistent teams do not deserve a spot in the finals. They should now look to next season and begin rebuilding.
15 (16) Parramatta Eels = They've claimed their second Top 8 scalp in consecutive weeks and won back-to-back games for the first time this season. Have been great since Kearny resigned from his post but perhaps the players are put on notice with Stuart taking over next season.
16 (15) Sydney Roosters = Another poor performance and more controversy as coach Smith has suggested he will trial a new captain as Anasta is leaving. So is the writing on the wall for Smith at this point? Things are clearly not well and fans are frustrated with dismal performances from a talented squad.
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