The “diabolical” Tigers had their season summed up with a 56-10 thumping at the hands of the Raiders.
The Roosters have discovered their blueprint to dampen Latrell Mitchell’s attacking prowess — for a second week running.
Meanwhile, the stars are aligning ahead of the Eels’ cross-town clash with the Panthers.
Read on for all the key NRL Talking Points in Round 25.
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STARS ALIGNING AS KEY TO EELS TITLE HOPES EMERGES
The Eels are now two games away from a first grand final appearance since 2009 and have the tools to end the longest title drought in the NRL stretching back to 1986.
The Eels’ 22-14 victory over the Storm saw them clinch a top four spot, but more importantly they have now beaten their main rivals to the title in Melbourne and Penrith both twice this year.
Matty Johns believes the Eels have discovered what works for them and if they can repeat it in the big games in September they can go all the way.
“22-14 didn’t really do Parramatta justice given their dominance,” Johns said on The Late Show with Matty Johns.
“There is a real directness about their attack. There is far less cross plays. We have seen them play a lot more direct. Power running.
“Power football is always the way. When they try to finesse the football, they tie themselves in knots.”
Gorden Tallis believes the Eels backline can dominate on the back of their two pillars upfront.
“It was a great performance from their front-rowers,” Tallis said.
“Paulo nearly had 200 metres, with over 20 carries and Campbell-Gillard was not far behind him.
“They laid the platform through the middle and when Parramatta play that physical, upbeat style, with fast line speed they are at their best.”
Bryan Fletcher noted the evolution of the Eels’ attack, which has gone from being held scoreless by the Rabbitohs to challenging the best defences in the competition.
“The Eels are humming in attack,” Fletcher said.
“They were a bit clunky about a month ago, but they are really humming now.”
Johns believes the fact the Eels’ best players are all playing at the peak of their powers is a good omen heading into the finals.
“One of the secrets to having a great run in the finals and making that top four and winning the big games at the end of the year is your best players have got to be playing at your peak,” Johns said.
“Dylan Brown is playing as good a football as he ever has. Shaun Lane the best football of his career.
“And crucially Mitchell Moses is playing the best football of his career.”
STORM CASUALTY WARD STARTING TO DIM TITLE CHANCES
Given their horror run with injuries, the Storm have done well to finish fifth, but there were signs against the Eels the title might be a bridge too far this season.
Write off the Storm at your peril, but for a side already missing Ryan Papenhuyzen, the loss of Jahrome Hughes left Cameron Munster with too much to do and he was guilty of some uncharacteristic errors, despite still being Melbourne’s best player.
Matty Johns believes there were signs in the Storm’s loss to the Eels that a long season may be catching up with them.
“I haven’t seen Melbourne for a long time play with so many errors of their own accord,” Johns said on The Late Show with Matty Johns.
“There was a forward pass that should have gone around the back. A kick-off out on the full and two missed drop outs from Munster. Nine penalties they gave away.
“It was un-Melbourne-like.”
Johns and Nathan Hindmarsh noted the amount of errors from Munster is a sign his workload is getting too great, particularly without Jahrome Hughes, who is battling a calf injury.
“Munster had a lot of errors tonight, but everything that was good quality form the Storm came out of Munster,” Johns said.
“You get the good with the bad, but I still thought he was one of their best players on the field,” Hindmarsh said.
“But when you have the responsibility of being the best player on the field and you have all the duties he has got, you are going to make mistakes.
“They were uncharacteristic, but that happens and he was trying things. He had about 30 carries and he set up a couple of tries at the end there.”
Bryan Fletcher noted no side has ever won the competition from outside the top four, which the Storm will have to do to win a second title in three years.
“Statistically they can’t win the competition,” Fletcher said.
“No one from outside the top four has ever won the competition.”
The Storm will be hoping they can get Hughes back for their do or die final against the Raiders or a season that promised so much could fizzle out with a whimper.
ROOSTERS DISCOVER BLUEPRINT TO STOP LATRELL
The Roosters provided themselves and the rest of the NRL with the blueprint to stop Latrell Mitchell with a swarming defensive line that dominated the Souths fullback.
The Roosters’ 26-16 victory over Souths set up a rematch at the same venue in week one of the finals and if they can repeat their ability to negate the Rabbitohs No.1’s impact it will go a long way towards winning through to the semi-finals.
Greg Alexander believes the Roosters need to bottle their attitude in defence, particularly against Mitchell in the first week of the finals.
“They did hunt Latrell and there are not many sides that can drive Latrell backwards like the Roosters did in the opening 20 or 30 minutes,” Alexander said.
“That’s what set up the win for the Roosters. That sort of defence and that sort of attitude.
“That’s what you say to the opposition when you attack their best player like that and you do it consistently.
“Then you have got your big man just rampaging into the middle of the ruck. That says what state of mind you bring to the game.”
However, the Roosters could be without two of their biggest stars, who drove that defensive onslaught in Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Joey Manu against the Rabbitohs next week due to injury.
Cooper Cronk was impressed with the Roosters approach in Round 25, but warned great players like Mitchell can find a way to counter-attack and work their way out of tough spots.
“The thing about Latrell is he is going to have an impact,” Cronk said.
“He might have just six runs but he could have three try assists and a linebreak in those six runs, so it is the effectiveness he has.
“There is no doubt that you are not going to control Latrell’s carries or how many involvements he has, but every time he does touch it you put the Bondi Wall in and around him.
“I thought Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was outstanding and Joseph Manu ragdolled him as well, but they might both not be there next week.
“There is no doubt when you come up against Latrell, who is an elite player in the competition you try and come up with ways to limit their impact.
“But he is a star and he will come up with ways to try and combat that and be ready to go next week.”
MORE NRL NEWS
FINALS DRAW: Sharks earn home final as week one matchups locked in
‘EXTREMELY UGLY’: Kimmorley reflects on Tigers season after horror final game
‘HEART AND SOUL’: Grant’s desperate plea for Munster to snub Dolphins
‘HE’LL BE GONE’: Roosters ‘once in a lifetime’ warning as shock move emerges
‘GOING NOWHERE’: NRL great torches Broncos stars, calls for shake-up
BIG HITS: ‘Embarrassing’ Tigers brutally exposed, Raiders’ finals point of difference
KEARY KEY TO ROOSTERS’ PREMIERSHIP CHARGE
Luke Keary has been at his absolute best in the last month, recording seven try assists in the last three games. He’s been so good that Greg Alexander believes he will be the Roosters’ most important player in finals.
Keary had slow start to the season as he returned from a knee reconstruction and felt his way through a new combination with Sam Walker. Then just as he started to find his groove he copped a head knock and was sideline for a few weeks.
But the 30-year-old has hit form at the perfect time of the year with the Roosters recording eight straight wins.
Alexander was pleased to see Keary playing with confidence again.
“If Trent Robinson was thinking of resting players, a part from Tedesco I would have rested Luke Keary because I think Keary is their most important player if he’s playing like he is,” he said after the Roosters’ 26-16 win over the Rabbitohs.
“The ball-playing of Luke Keary is as good as anyone and he’s had a tough year so it was a slow start and he looked like he was lacking confidence.
“He got that confidence back against the Storm in Round 14, then Keary got a knock to the head and left the field and missed the next three weeks. Then it took him another couple of weeks to get his confidence back again but we’ve seen over the last couple of weeks (that it’s back).
“I think if Keary can ball-play as he did tonight and get back to the Luke Keary that we know, well the Roosters are always a chance because he just adds something they miss so much when it’s not there.”
Meanwhile, Cooper Cronk believes Keary’s switch with Sam Walker has been instrumental to his form.
“I think the best thing Trent Robinson did was get him back on his favourite left side,” he said.
“He was playing halfback on the right, dominating the kicking but probably not as comfortable. The fact that he’s back on that left side, he just looks more comfortable and I think he’s finding his groove.”
ODD WALLACE MOVE EXPOSES BIG TITANS ISSUE
Five weeks ago Titans coach Justin Holbrook said ‘Kieran Foran can’t get here quick enough’ — and he’s probably thinking the same about Sam Verills.
The Titans have struggled in the hooking department all season, but injuries to Erin Clark and Aaron Booth forced Holbrook to get a little creative.
He’s played Sam McIntyre — a prop — there in recent weeks but on Saturday raised even more eyebrows when he named Jarrod Wallace to start at dummy half.
It was expected that Wallace wouldn’t spend long at hooker with utility Paul Turner on the bench but the departing prop filled the role for the first 24 minutes.
Fox League’s Shane Flanagan conceded that the Titans just wouldn’t benefit from playing a 109kg prop in the spine.
“Moving Wallace to No.9, it just takes any threat out of dummy half,” he said.
“He’s always going to pass, he’ll be a threat near the tryline, but he’s no threat out of dummy half.”
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COWBOYS ORIGIN ‘SPRINGBOARD’
The Origin period has historically been a crucial point of any premiership contenders season.
In-form clubs often have numerous players representing their respective states — with stars often suffering injuries or feeling the effects of fatigue following the decider.
While some struggle post Origin, Payten’s Cowboys have flourished and are coming into the finals in red-hot form.
“The Cowboys have certainly used it (Origin) as a springboard for those players… it is such a great story the North Queensland Cowboys,” Fox League’s Yvonne Sampson said.
“Origin can one of two things can’t it, it can cruel a club’s back-end of the season when they don’t handle it, or it can do wonders,” Alexander said.
“The Cowboys will be one of those clubs, there has been no drop of form from those players.”
North Queensland had five Origin representatives in Reuben Cotter, Murray Taulagi, Jeremiah Nanai, Valentine Hollmes and Tom Dearden, while Jordan McLean came desperately close to a Blues debut.
Fox League’s Cooper Cronk also explained the team’s young guns will benefit from the experience of representative football.
Taulagi, Nanai, Cotter and Dearden are yet to play finals but will get their first taste against the Sharks next week.
“They have got five players, young kids like Dearden who experienced Origin, that is just like a finals experience,” Cronk said.
“So when you think about lack of finals, well actually they have got 12 players there who have experienced some high level stuff.”
Cronk also explained he thought North Queensland would need a home final to “propel” themselves into the preliminary finals.
But now, after a strong finish to the year the rugby league legend made a big prediction.
“I always thought the Cowboys would have to finish second, to get a home final to propel themselves into a preliminary final to make something of this competition,” Cronk said.
“But the way they defended, how fit they are, how resilient they are, I give them a big chance to come next week and shake the Sharks up.”
QUESTION MARKS SURROUNDING SHARKS
The Sharks have come under the microscope heading into the finals series after failing to impress against the Knights.
While Fitzgibbon’s side came away with a 38-16 victory, Newcastle appeared to be in the contest until the final 20 minutes.
Questions were raised over the Sharks’ form, with Fox League’s Michael Ennis explaining they were “nowhere near their best”.
Cronulla’s run into the finals has also been soft in comparison to their finals counterparts.
The Sharks have taken on the Knights, Bulldogs, Sea Eagles, Titans and Dragons in the last five rounds — none of whom are in the finals.
“It is a bit of a concern heading towards next week, they have had a pretty soft run into the finals, they were pretty ordinary last week against the Bulldogs,” Michael Ennis said.
“Yes their defence was good, but in fairness the Dogs threw nothing at them, they are playing Newcastle today who are down the bottom of the ladder too.
“They are certainly nowhere near their best.”
At halftime of the Sharks and Knights contest, the score sat at 12-all.
While Newcastle were certainly playing above their 2022 standards, the Sharks looked rudderless in attack and made multiple errors.
Cronulla recorded 13 errors to Newcastle’s nine, while completing at only 71 per cent compared to O’Brien’s side’s 82 per cent.
Fitzgibbon will certainly be highlighting their final plays and handling issues this week before his team take on a red-hot Cowboys team who pride themselves on their defence.
The Sharks will have to work North Queensland’s impenetrable wall down to record points, otherwise will be taking the long route to the grand final.
“Before we came into the game we were expecting a really dominant performance from the Sharks,” Corey Parker said.
“Certainly won’t be impressing the players or the coach, particularly with what is to come next week.”
TIGERS SEASON SUMMED UP
The Tigers season went out with a bang in a 56-10 loss at the hands of the Raiders.
While Ricky Stuart’s side are in red-hot form, NRL teams shouldn’t concede 42 points in a single half ever.
Brett Kimmorley’s team’s performance was so poor, Fox League’s Corey Parker said they let down the jersey after being flogged by the Roosters two weeks prior.
“It was raining tries for the Raiders,” Parker said.
“They were going at a point a minute. Seven tries in the first half for the Raiders.
“The goal line defence just wasn’t there for the Tigers.
“Diabolical, for their last home game, I mean the fans have turned up, they have turned up to watch a bit of a performance and 42-0 at half time is absolutely pathetic.
“It is embarrassing, 72-6 only a couple of weeks ago, last game at home and they turn up and let everyone down in that jersey.”
Fox League’s Michael Ennis explained what the Tigers were currently delivering at the NRL level was severely under par.
Cleary the Tigers have work to do in the off-season, and have a number of players off-contract including James Tamou and Tommy Talau while others are departing or retiring from first grade.
Incoming coach Tim Sheens will have a war chest ready to throw at marquee players and the inclusion of Apisai Koroisau and Isaiah Papali’i are a huge boost.
But Sheens, alongside Marshall and Farah will be desperately looking for elite recruits to improve the merger club in seasons to come.
“It was all one way traffic,” Ennis said.
“The Raiders were running riot. The Tigers simply didn’t turn up at home and they got an absolute clipping.
“Not only is the first half an embarrassment, the club at the moment, in what they are dishing up in the competition is embarrassing.
“They cannot got to the off-season quick enough.”
In interim coach Brett Kimmorley’s last game, having to deliver a speech to inspire his troops at halftime would have been a daunting task.
So much so, Fox league’s Greg Alexander said he “wouldn’t have said anything”.
“There was plenty of high points for the Raiders, but the low points certainly outnumbered that in the terms of what the Tigers offered defensively,” Alexander said.
“It is just not good enough. I wonder what Brett Kimmorley said to them at halftime.
“I wouldn’t have said anything. I would have stayed away from the sheds if I was him.”
