After 27 amazing rounds of NRL action, we have reached the greatest time of the year: Finals time!

I would argue that we have three games this weekend that rest on a knife's edge. The other could see us all end up with egg on our face if the Warriors upset Penrith.

The Sharks/Roosters looks like the closest game of the weekend. The betting odds back that up.

It could come down to one play. One bounce of the ball. One decision.

Below, we're going to look at five players, I believe, who will help decide fixtures this weekend.

This won't necessarily be a list of the biggest names. Of course, Nathan Cleary is important to Penrith's chances, but he's entering his first Finals series without a certain halves partner for many years.

Simply put, if the player listed below doesn't fire, then their respective team cannot win.

With that said, below are five players who will decide their Finals match-up:

4Lachlan Galvin (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)

NRL Rd 14 – Bulldogs v Eels
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 09: Lachlan Galvin of the Bulldogs passes during the round 14 NRL match between Canterbury Bulldogs and Parramatta Eels at Accor Stadium, on June 09, 2025, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

I am going to make a big statement further down the list, but Lachlan Galvin is the second most polarising player in the game right now.

I would argue fans are being massively overly critical of the 20 year-old who will play his first Finals game on Friday night.

That said, the Bulldogs and Galvin's agent have only themselves to blame. They made him the story of the season and now Galvin, unfairly in my mind, has to carry that.

If the Dogs lose this weekend, there will be a tidal wave of people rushing to social media to sink the boot into Galvin.

If the Dogs win, it will be on the back of Lachlan Galvin being brilliant.

I have been very vocal in my being a fan of Galvin. I think he'll have a monster career. His performance on Friday night will decide whether or not his 2025 is a success of not.

A Dogs loss will likely see them host Penrith next weekend. That likely only goes one way.

A Dogs win sees them host a Prelim. With a week's rest and the belief that comes with a Finals win, they'll be hard to stop.

That falls massively on the young shoulders of their halfback, Lachlan Galvin.