So, here we are at round eighteen of the NRL. Penrith are three games clear at the top, and pundits are wondering who can stop them. North Queensland, Brisbane and Cronulla are all pushing for a spot in the top four, but all three clubs might be a year or two away from seriously challenging for the premiership.
So, what of the other contenders? Manly look like they may struggle to make the top eight without Tom Trbojevic in a frustrating season. South Sydney have dropped off without Adam Reynolds and coach Wayne Bennett, but a top eight finish is a good result for rookie mentor Jason Demetriou. Parramatta look like being Parramatta – top eight is good enough yet again.
So who is left to challenge Penrith? Well, first off all there is the Sydney Roosters. After a horror 2021 which saw the club lose four international players to retirement (three due to injury), the Roosters had the opportunity to blood a number of new players and were expected to be among the front runners this year. It hasn’t quite gone to plan, with Luke Keary missing several games, and Sam Walker being a couple of seasons away from being a marquee player. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has also missed too much footy, as has Victor Radley.
But like Bart Cummings, Trent Robinson has a knack of getting his team right when it counts. You don’t win premierships in July. The Roosters can still make a run for the top eight, and from there anything is possible.
Then there is the Melbourne Storm. Like clockwork, the Storm are in the mix every season since Craig Bellamy has been coach. Since their 2006 Grand Final loss to Brisbane, Melbourne have been in the final every year except for the 2010 salary cap scandal marred season.
The ‘next player up’ theory at the Storm has kept them in the hunt. Bellamy seems to be able to get the best out of players that have been average first graders elsewhere. How good is Nick Meaney this year since moving to Melbourne?
Any side with Cameron Munster, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Justin Olam, Felise Kaufusi, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Harry Grant will always be in the mix. If the Storm can get Christian Welch back before the finals, their stocks go up.
So Penrith fans, enjoy the ride. You’re in the box seat. But take a lesson from the 1995 Manly team. They lost two games all year before going down to Canterbury in the Grand Final. You have to be at your best on the day, or all the success early in the season is for nought. We’ll see how they go.