With the State of Origin series officially done and dusted, all eyes are now firmly on the NRL finals race.
The Raiders sat with their feet up while the other contenders all sent messages. Penrith and Brisbane now join the top four as genuine threats. Plus the Sharks and Roosters bounced back.
Two legends of the game have retired while it looks as though we about to witness a coaching merry-go-around. It's been a big week.
Below are 20 thoughts from a hectic and newsworthy Round 20:
1. It's funny how the top four teams are so different. The Storm and Raiders are scoring points for fun and wiping teams off the park. Meanwhile the Bulldogs and Warriors are largely grinding teams down and relying mainly on their defence. More so the Dogs but the Warriors differential is still only 31. It will be interesting to see which is more successful come Finals time.
2. Jason Ryles is showing signs of becoming a top coach. He spoke with Dylan Brown about an early move to Newcastle but it was reportedly declined by Brown. Ryles knows they won't play Finals this year and is looking to the future. His move to shift Dylan Brown to suit the players who will be there next year looks the right move to me. I don't know why Brown didn't move early to be honest but seems happy to do as asked.
3. Nicho Hynes was utterly magnificent on Friday night in the Sharks win over the Dolphins. He is made the lazy whipping boy far too often. It was good to see him step up and lead the under fire Sharks to a confidence boosting win. He couldn't have done much more to be honest.
4. I have to commend the coaching stones on Cameron Ciraldo. He left Lachlan Galvin out of their side against the Cowboys and was rewarded as a result. The Dogs were flying with the spine they named on Saturday night. Galvin's inclusion upset that rhythm. Given the fanfare surrounding Galvin's arrival, the decision to shelf would not have been easy, at all.
5. The only thing that shocks me about rumours of Adam O'Brien being sacked from the Knights is that it took this long. He coasted by on Kalyn Ponga magic for two Finals appearances. He has been at the club how long and still hasn't decided on a halves pairing!? Newcastle fans reacted with delight. Says it all.
6. Despite the fact Des Hasler stated he plans on being at the club next year, they have to make the call ASAP. With the Knights about to have a vacant spot, the Titans can't leave it too late and be left with the scraps. If they plan on giving Hasler the flick, and let's be honest that looks a certainty, then they need to be in the market for the coach they want, not the one who is left.
7. Sticking with Hasler, how ridiculous is the decision not to pick Alofiana Khan-Pereira looking? We saw a makeshift winger bomb an easy try where a genuine finisher would have lapped it up. AFK has 53 tries in 53 games. He doesn't seem to suffer from any try scoring issues.
8. Laurie Daley being confirmed as NSW coach next season is an absolute cop out to Blues fans. Everyone knew he wasn't the right choice the second he was announced. His coaching disaster-class this series confirmed that yet we still have to endure another series. Why? Because "we don't break contracts" says the NSW decision makers. Pay him out and appoint a coach who knows what he is doing. What an insult.
9. I was really, really worried to hear that Craig Bellamy has held onto whatever role he has in the NSW set up. Bellamy obviously has a hold over Daley. There's no other way that Stefano Utoikamanu makes that side over far better players. He has to be the scapegoat if the NSW brass wanted to keep their mate Daley in the spot.
10. Sam Stonestreet's return to the field produced two genuine highlights for Cronulla's feeder team the Newtown Jets on Saturday afternoon. With Sione Katoa stinking it up on the wing, the change has to happen at 4pm Tuesday afternoon. Stonestreet is younger, faster, taller and much better under the high ball than the supremely out of form Katoa. So of course Sione will get the nod. It's the Fitzgibbon way.
11. How stupid is Josh Kerr? His "double agent" comment after Origin Three, a game in which they won, have seen him issues a notice. I dare say he'll regret that one. Quite frankly I don't know what he was thinking. Or why he was there to begin with. Even in a win he's joking, or not joking, about the referee?
12. News that Kieran Foran is set to retire at the end of the season brings down the curtain in one of the most newsworthy careers of the modern era. 309 games, plus how every many he plays for the rest of the season, a Premiership, success with the Kiwis ...okay he has some downs amongst the ups but I am really glad to hear he'll be staying with the Titans in a non playing role.
13. How much better do the Broncos look with Reece Walsh fit and firing? Sounds obvious but there were people who were calling for him to be replaced at the back earlier in the season. I don't care, one bit, about the supposed "blow up" with Kotini Staggs either. He was almost flawless on Sunday evening. They both were.
14. I genuinely think the chances of Cherry-Evans joining the Roosters are almost at zero now. He'll probably sign for them an hour after this publishes now but I maintain they don't need him. The Dragons look the team who will benefit most although I still like the Titans link. With Foran retiring, it's now way on the cards. To be honest though, I'm losing interest in this story with every passing week.
15. Going back to the Broncos, with Reynolds, Mam, Hunt, Walsh and Walters kicking, I believe they're the most dangerous side in the competition off the boot. Billy Walters threatens to land a 40/20 so often that opposition wingers have taken notice. Hunt's return made the Broncs look yet another step better. Scary stuff for fullbacks and wingers moving forward.
16. I've not always been a huge fan of Blayke Brailey. I'm certainly not a fan of long-term deals but talks of the Sharks looking to tie Brailey down until the end of 2030 confirm to me that he is the club captain in waiting. He's a two time club player of the year and looks pretty close to a threepeat if I'm being honest. I don't think I've ever done a bigger 180 on a player before.
17. How's about the officials dropping that touchie for one incorrectly ruled forward pass for the rest of the season? Meanwhile Liam Kennedy and Kasey Badger got Origin appointments despite their numerous horror show decisions all season? Why was some random touch judge made the scapegoat?
18. Tom Dearden may have said he has yet to remove Nathan Cleary from the Kangaroos halfback spot but I couldn't disagree more. Dearden went 2-0 in Origin and outplayed Cleary in both games. It wasn't even close. He and Munster should run out against England at the end of the year. Cleary needs to prove himself at Origin level.
19. Jordan McLean was the second legend of the game to announce his retirement this week. He is one of the most underrated players of the modern era. He'll finish on 250ish NRL games, has a Premiership with Melbourne and even made eight appearances for the Kangaroos. He won't be remembered in the elite of the props but I hope he does get the recognition he deserves.
20. Toby Rudolf saved the Sharks season on Friday night. If Marshall-King scores that try, which he would have done if not for the huge effort from the Sharks prop, the Dolphins win that game and the Sharks don't make finals. Huge!
On Des – fully agree that the Titans need to tell him now that he will be finishing at the end of the year, and officially start looking for a new coach IMMEDIATELY.
Sharks. I was disgusted with Toby Rudolph. If he had kept his hands to himself, and the Sharks had lost, the the Cronulla board might have given Coach Fitzgibbon his (well-deserved) marching orders.