Canterbury Leagues Club

If one thing can be taken from this weekend’s games of football so far it is that it is becoming more and more apparent that it’s the Top 4, and then the rest.

Each of the sides in the top four that have played this weekend, with the Cowboys to play the Eels tonight, have sent serious premiership messages over the weekend.

The Broncos vs Titans game was men vs boys, as was the Souths vs Knights. Although the Tigers were brave, the Roosters monstered them in the second half.

Although all three opposition teams are in the bottom few on the NRL table, no one can doubt the destruction caused across 240 minutes of NRL footy.

With all due respect to the Eels, I expect the Cowboys to ruin riot tonight and match the statements sent by the Broncos, Roosters and Rabbitohs.

The Storm were brilliant in patches on Saturday evening in their big win over the Dragons, but they are without one of their biggest attacking weapons for the season in Billy Slater.

I’m certainly not writing the Storm off just yet but they’ve been patchy recently and without Slater they don’t have the fire-power to match the big four sides.

The Warriors, on their day, were perhaps the team most likely to trouble the more fancied sides, however Shaun Johnson’s injury has done their premiership chances incredible damage.

In fact they have shot out in the betting to even make the eight, let alone the top four. Johnson is a genuine game breaker and can tear any side apart. He will be missed massively.

The Warriors looked toothless after his injury on Saturday afternoon and there is no one left in the squad who can produce the magic Johnson can.

Although the Sharks have won six of their past seven games, I am still not totally convinced they can knock the big four down, come finals time.

Luke Lewis suffered an injury in yesterday’s game with the Dogs, and Andrew Fifita may miss the rest of the season due to an off-field incident over the weekend.

Although it’s completely hypothetical, if the Sharks recruits for next season for next season in James Maloney and Chad Townsend, were at the club now, then perhaps the Sharks would be a real shot at winning their first premiership.

The Sharks will be far better placed next season, but their brilliant form in 2015 could see them play finals, which following last year’s horror season is a major victory.

The Bulldogs should have enough to make the eight, however I genuinely had to check whether Trent Hodkinson was on the field today.

Josh Reynolds tried his backside off in yesterday’s narrow loss to the Sharks, but the Dogs need Hodkinson, or Mybe, to fire.

James Graham has not produced the same level of performance as last season, however it might be a positive that the Dogs are in the finals race and he still has a chance to return to his 2014 form.

Just quietly I’d probably look at moving the Bulldog captaincy on from Graham to allow him to play his own game. He was involved in a number of referee discussions yesterday and looked distracted.

Canberra now sit inside the eight after their win against the Panthers, and have upset some far more fancied sides this season.

They could also play finals footy, they certainly deserve it, but I can’t see them beating the likes of the Broncos or Cowboys come crunch time. That being said they have an impressive away record thus far this season.

The Dragons and Sea Eagles are the other sides competing for the eight, but the Dragons are in such horrible form they have almost forgotten how to score, and the Eagles just don’t have the forwards.

Unless one of the top four sides suffers a barrage of injuries, I just can’t see any of the other sides being able to match them when the pressure is in.

The Cowboys have only lost one game since round three, and that was a close loss sans the best player in the game right now.

The Broncos look better and better with every passing week. Their last loss was all the way back in round 10, and came at the hands of the Cowboys.

At Bondi the Roosters seem to be hitting form at the right end of the season. As long as they don’t run into the Sharks in the finals they should be there or there-abouts.

Souths have looked good recently without really setting the world on fire. Their biggest attacking weapon looks as though he has awoken from his slumber, which is bad news for everyone else.

Can anyone out of the Warriors, Sharks, Storm, Dogs, Raiders or Dragons worry the big four? On their day, perhaps, but I just can’t see it.

Canterbury League’s lock out

There were a few Sharks fans on social media last night who said they were turned away from entering the Canterbury league’s clubs due to their team colours.

One fan even mentioned being removed and not being allowed to finish their lunch, despite paying for it and having it in front of them, due to brandishing a Sharks scarf.

In 2015 I cannot believe a club is turning away potential patrons.

A private business has the right to refuse service to anyone, for any reason, but it is not a good look for a club who is linked to a footballing side which touts themselves as the ‘family club’.

I tweeted the league’s club twitter and they informed me that no one in opposition colours is granted entrance on Bulldog game days.

What if a family of four is split between the Bulldogs and the Sharks, do the Shark supporting members of the family wait outside?

A silly example but I did a quick ring around of the other Sydney clubs and they more than welcome opposition fans.

I don’t want to make a huge deal of this, as it’s not a life or death situation here but definitely not a good look. Not only do they forfeit potential revenue, but I do have to ask Bulldogs fans how they would react if not allowed entry to Cronulla leagues based on their club colours.