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When we have a season like this with such a logjam for spots in the bottom half of the top eight, a lot of clubs will look back at the year and wonder where it all went wrong.<\/p>\n
Parramatta\u2019s campaign was almost over just after it started. Most years, it is the close games that determine where you finish on the ladder at the end of the regular season. The Eels lost each of their first three games against the Storm, Sharks and Sea Eagles by four points. They went on a run midway through the season and got themselves back into the top eight, but it\u2019s a hard road back from such a cluster of close losses.<\/p>\n
Suspensions have hurt them this year, with Ryan Matterson, Dylan Brown, Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Maika Sivo all spending significant time on the sideline. Throw in the recent injury to Mitchell Moses, and it was just about season done.<\/p>\n
There seemed to be a lot of frustration last week from Clint Gutherson, and the scoreline probably flattered the Eels even though the Roosters were comfortable winners.<\/p>\n
How do they get up for their final match of the season knowing their campaign is done? I don\u2019t think they can. The Panthers should blow them away on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
Having said that, I thought Penrith were a little wobbly against the Titans last week, but as soon as they get in their groove, they\u2019re so hard to stop.<\/p>\n
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The Eels have gone from grand finalists to missing the top eight in 12 months.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Liam Martin will play his 100th NRL game this week. He\u2019s everything you want in a back-rower: footwork, speed off the mark, running hard lines and he\u2019s incredibly tough. On top of that, he\u2019s mad. But he also has a special connection with his playmakers, and the number of tries he scores from Nathan Cleary kicks is extraordinary.<\/p>\n Fellow back-rower Zac Hosking has been an extraordinary story this year. I\u2019d imagine he would be earning minimal money and he hasn\u2019t let the team down once. He just adds something to them every week. He\u2019s a great tale of perseverance for players who thought their chance might have passed them by.<\/p>\n If there is a battle to look forward to, it should be in the middle with James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota against Campbell-Gillard and Junior Paulo.<\/p>\n Brian To\u2019o is back on the wing for Penrith and I just can\u2019t see how they are beaten back home. They\u2019ve got the best back five in the competition for bringing the ball out of their own end, and this should be a big victory for the premiers.<\/p>\n Joey\u2019s tip:<\/strong> Panthers by 30 Several recent racehorses would have been champions in another era if they hadn\u2019t had to tussle with Black Caviar and Winx every time they stepped onto a track. I reckon Dylan Edwards knows how they feel.<\/p>\n Every time I see him play, I can\u2019t help but feel a bit sorry for him. If he had been born in any other NRL generation, he would have been a huge chance of playing representative football.<\/p>\n But he\u2019s up against James Tedesco, and if Tedesco is not fit, then there\u2019s Tom Trbojevic. If Trbojevic is not fit, there\u2019s Latrell Mitchell or Scott Drinkwater. Ryan Papenhuyzen and Clint Gutherson are also in the mix. There are just so many good fullbacks for NSW to choose from. And when you talk about Australia\u2019s options, Reece Walsh and Kalyn Ponga are contenders.<\/p>\n Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Last week, Edwards ran for more than 300 metres again, and not a game goes by when he\u2019s not at least an eight out of 10. He\u2019s one of the biggest reasons why this Penrith team is just so hard to toss.<\/p>\n I\u2019d love to see him play representative footy one day.<\/p>\n Gorden Tallis was in Newcastle last week for the Knights\u2019 win over the Rabbitohs, and said the atmosphere felt like being back in the glory days. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing up and it\u2019s enough to make a Knights Old Boy feel 10-feet tall.<\/p>\n Bradman Best and the Knights are on a seven-game winning streak.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>NRL Photos<\/cite><\/p>\n My phone lit up straight after the Knights won their seventh match in a row. It was mostly former teammates excited to see how the team is performing. We\u2019re just proud of the club, coaching staff and everything they\u2019ve done this year.<\/p>\n Why are they playing so well? I think a lot of it comes down to heart. Bradman Best came up with a play when he saved a try against South Sydney, and you could see what it meant to not only his teammates, but the crowd. It was a play the Knights have been built on for many decades.<\/p>\n They\u2019ve found a style that suits them, and Ponga\u2019s decision not to feature in State of Origin is reaping huge rewards for his club. He\u2019s on another planet to everyone else on the field at the moment.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll be up there this week broadcasting the game against the Sharks on Sunday. It\u2019s Old Boys day and the only atmosphere better than last week will be this week.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a huge weekend for several teams but, in particular, a number of individuals.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve made no secret of the fact I\u2019m a huge supporter of Sam Walker, and I believe the Roosters need to build their future around him. He can make a difference as they make a late surge to squeeze into the finals.<\/p>\n If Walker\u2019s return is big news, then how about Papenhuyzen? He\u2019s had more than a year out of the NRL, but with three Queensland Cup games under his belt, it is now or never. He has to come back in for their clash against the Titans, and it should give the Storm a huge boost before the finals.<\/p>\n There are two teams who I think face season-defining matches this weekend: the Raiders and Cowboys.<\/p>\n The Raiders have been very indifferent the past couple of months and need to show something against a Broncos team without Adam Reynolds.<\/p>\n And I\u2019m tipping the Dolphins to cause an upset and end North Queensland\u2019s season in Brisbane.<\/p>\n Jeremiah Nanai\u2019s absence will be a big blow for the Cowboys, and the thing about the Dolphins is they never beat themselves. They\u2019ve been well beaten in a couple of games, but for the majority of the season they\u2019ve been competitive, and this is a game where they can end the finals chances of a more fancied rival.<\/p>\n Stream the NRL premiership 2023 live and free on <\/b>9Now<\/b>. <\/b><\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary. <\/i><\/b>Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
First try-scorer:<\/strong> Liam Martin
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