Sharks, Tigers, Origin, Raiders and the Pacific
1. NRL Premiers, the Cronulla Sharks, have played well in only two games this season, perhaps three if you're being generous. They've won only once at home in 2017, a scratchy one-point win over the Knights. Their discipline has been awful, and their completion rate has been offensive to the eyes. Yet they sit in second place, only one win behind the Melbourne Storm, with the best defensive record and the second best points differential. As the fans have taken to singing from the stands in recent weeks, "that's why they're champions!"
2. Yet another scandal engulfing the Wests Tigers club, this time with Luke Brooks and Kyle Lovett being investigated for a late night incident, I urge fans of the club to stick it out, as frustrating as that may be. It was not that long ago that the Storm and Sharks were the laughing stocks of the rugby league world, and now they're the two sides to beat. Seriously though, someone needs to take some ownership.
3. The State of Origin games are probably the three best league nights of the season, but the NRL competition for the next two-or-so months becomes somewhat of a joke. Due to their horror run of form, the Panthers are likely to be at almost full strength during the Origin series, this is their time to make a move.
4. The Raiders don't look anything like the team that came within a dropped ball of an NRL Grand Final last season. I still believe they'll come good but there are more than a few players who need to ask themselves some serious questions. The question I'd be asking is, why did they let Paul Vaughan go?
5. I love the Pacific Island test matches. The relaxing of rules allowing the likes of Vunivalu, Milford and co to represent their sides without costing themselves World Cup spots for the major nations is brilliant.
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