The regular season is winding down. From the downtown penalty, to off-field contract news, the last seven days in rugby league have had it all. Here are 20 thoughts from NRL Round 23.
1. Truthfully, I'd forgotten about the downtown penalty. Still not entirely sure how Mark Nicholls can be ruled in play when trying to make a tackle but offside when the ball is fumbled into his hands. Don't think the players nor commentators were entirely sure either. This game never fails.
2. Manly won without Tom Trbojevic. Good news that. They still can't trouble any of the top few sides without him though. Obviously, if you take your best player out, you're going to struggle, but they were so flat early in that Raiders game.
3. Cody Walker is my tip (and who I would select) to win the Dally M. Unfortunately his reputation of not being a big influence on the big games wasn't helped by his going missing late in the Panthers' clash. The Bunnies can't win the title unless Walker is playing at eight or nine out of ten.
4. With the Dogs reported to be willing to pay almost half of Luke Thompson's salary next season, I'd be shocked if there weren't five-or-so clubs in the race for his signature. If he can move into a stricter system and knuckle down, he can be a top few elite prop.
5. I was initially a little worried about the two-point field goal. It has added real theatre and I love it. Unfortunately, Jordan Rapana's effort was a shocker but the fact the game was only one freak play for extra time added to that final moment.
6. Ryan Papenhuyzen is starting to look very comfortable again. Oh no!
7. Stat Attack: Luke Metcalf has half the tries and try assists in one game and ten minutes of action than Dylan Brown does in 18 games. Probably goes some way to explaining why the Eels have their struggles?
8. James Tedesco seems to have taken suggestions he's fallen behind Trbojevic personally. What a performance on Sunday afternoon. Tedesco seems hell-bent on dragging his depleted Roosters side as far as humanly possible.
9. Luke Brooks is supposedly on the market. I honestly can't name one side he would walk into. Possibly Canberra, but not at the ridiculous money he is on. Brooks needs a re-start and needs to seriously consider backing himself and taking a major pay cut to make it happened. Otherwise, his talent and early promise will be forgotten.
10. Ronaldo Mulitalo is a personal favourite of mine and judging by the reaction to his injury, I'm not alone. The fact he still wanted to do a lap to thank the fans, passing on his boots to a young fan whilst literally holding his jaw in place shows every bit of the kind of person he is. He has a monster future in the game.
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11. So happy to hear Andrew Fifita will make a full recovery. His playing days may very well be over but he has a huge future in Rugby League.
12. The Tigers had it all to play for on Saturday afternoon. Everything! And then conceded 50. Genuine problems there. Perhaps McGuire's swearing every second word isn't the answer after all? I say that in jest as a new coach isn't the answer. A new CEO and management is.
13. Anthony Griffin's doubling down on his comments with regards to Jack de Belin being captaincy material has to be one of the worst misreads of all time. Some of his decisions lately have been head-scratchers to say the least.
14. Ten rounds ago I predicted the Cowboys were good enough to make the eight. I said they'd finish eighth in my mid-season readjust. They haven't won a game since. So sorry Cows fans.
15. Cowboys fans can (rightfully) blame me for the mock but for them to let Jake Clifford go for Chad Townsend and Tom Dearden is near criminal. Clifford and Drinkwater had them humming and well on track for a finals shake. Neither will be in the halves next season.
16. Suggestions that the Eels are 'back' after a clunky win over the Cowboys... Just stop. Was great to see Mitchell Moses back and firing but they're going to need way more than that to convince anyone they're back on track.
17. I'm not convinced some teams need to play finals footy. The Tigers conceded 50 to an out of sorts Sharks while the Warriors lost to Brisbane. The Titans were never in the game against the Storm, although they're far from the first team. Newcastle have played like they need to play finals footy. Big difference.
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18. Curtis Scott had the talent to play Origin on the regular. As a Sharks junior, he was chased by almost every team in the competition. I honestly don't know if we'll ever see him in the NRL again.
19. I've been saying for weeks that I believe the Rabbitohs are better than the Panthers. I was wrong. Sad reacts only.
20. If The Bunnies have signed the Anthony Milford from this past weekend, on the money reported, that could very well be the steal of the century. Milford was brilliant and reminded us all of what he can do. Let's see if he can back it up.
