Al-anwar Newspaper English news in Australia
With three rounds remaining in the NRL season, the top eight is still not settled despite the Panthers near certainties to claim top spot.
Canberra, sitting in ninth position, will need nothing less than a miracle to make the play-offs but anything is possible, particularly if the teams a couple of rungs above them lose their nerve.
We look at the prospects of each contender, list their final three matches, premiership odds, plus predict the final top eight order.
Could go sun themselves in Bali for the next three weeks and still win the minor premiership, such has been the reigning premiers’ dominance this season. Which is no small thing, right? Despite being kept scoreless for the first time in seven years against Melbourne last start, Penrith were missing so many stars the result meant little. Ditto their upcoming Thursday Night Football clash, when they will be betting outsiders against South Sydney. Right now for coach Ivan Cleary, it’s simply of matter of waiting on that steady return of men like Dylan Edwards, James Fisher-Harris, Jarome Luai, Liam Martin and son Nathan — all of whom will make them the team to beat come September.
In a week where rugby league results have seemed trivial, even inconsequential, it’s hard to gauge exactly where North Queensland sit given the tragic loss of 2015 premiership coach Paul Green. A week ago, we suggested the Roosters clash would reveal what sort of finals team the Cowboys would be. But only days on from their 32-18 loss, it’s hard to know if the result was an outlier, give the emotions of the day for so many within the club, or signs of a side not yet there with the title contenders. Personally, we’re tipping the northerners to be run down by Cronulla and Melbourne in coming weeks, which also impacts their hopes of a home town final in Townsville.
Craig Fitzgibbon must surely confirm himself Dally M Coach of the Year if, as expected, his mob now win three straight and go top two for the NRL playoffs. Almost friendless back in summer, the Sharkies have been outstanding this year under one of the few rookie coaches recently to earn immediate success. About the only downside we can see right now is that, by the time of the NRL finals, the Sharks won’t have played a top eight side in six weeks. That’s a concern.
Moving Cameron Munster to fullback has proved a masterstroke for Melbourne, who remain a genuine title chance while ever he stays fit and firing. After all, this is the same bloke who goes and wins Origin series with those Queensland sides that nobody gives a hope. So why not a Storm franchise that — while without the likes of Ryan Papenhuyzen and Christian Welch — has Jahrome Hughes and Felise Kaufusi returning as soon as this week to join Brandon Smith, Harry Grant, the Bromwich boys, Justin Olam and big Nelson Asofa-Solomona? Despite facing only top eight sides from here on, we’re tipping Storm to win at least two of three to stay inside the all-important top four.
