This is one of the most open NRL seasons in recent memory and the results in Round 20 could prove vital to the finals chances of some clubs, as well as the wooden spoon prospects of others.
There is a three-way tie at the top of the table leading into Round 20 and all of the Storm, Dragons and Rabbitohs will need to continue winning if they are to win the minor premiership.
The action in underway in Brisbane on Thursday night when the Broncos host the Sharks, though we will have to wait until the final fixture of the round for the headline contest between the Roosters and Dragons.
Round 20 of the NRL is underway with a bang at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday when top eight sides the Broncos and Sharks lock horns in what is always a competitive fixture.
The Broncos stormed back into premiership consideration via an absolute dismantling of the Panthers last week, but they will need to continue producing performances of that calibre to make a serious run in September. Whatever they muster against the Sharks should prove a decent yardstick for their claims.
The Sharks took a few weeks to find form, but they have been one of the NRL’s more consistent clubs recently, particularly through the Origin period and they have consolidated fifth position. Interestingly, their most-recent loss came at the hands of the Broncos but they are probably lucky to carry winning form into this game after a couple of dubious calls went against the Raiders in Round 19.
Regardless of last week’s result, the Broncos have been extremely inconsistent and the Sharks can keep the pressure on the top four with another win.
Betting suggests that this game will be one-sided, but the Cowboys have been awful this season and face another tough task in the form of the Knights on Friday night.
This campaign is certainly not how the legendary JT would have liked to bow out but the Cowboys have failed to string together anything of a competitive run of form, and they suffered another disappointing loss at home to the Dragons last weekend. That was their fifth in succession and it has left them tied at the bottom of the table with the Bulldogs and Eels.
On the other side of the coin, the Knights are enjoying a smart run of form and are seeking a third-consecutive win after favourable results over Parramatta and the Gold Coast. The return of Mitchell Pearce has made a huge difference to their set-up and they’ll be buoyed further by Kayln Ponga’s presence this weekend.
Even in Townsville the Cowboys have struggled and the Knights can keep their finals hopes alive by winning.
Wests Tigers are offered another great opportunity to hold the pressure on the top eight when they face the Bulldogs in Friday night’s second game.
Its been an outstanding run of form for the Tigers of late, seemingly because of the influence garnered by club legends Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah. An outstanding win over the Bunnies last weekend was their second against a competition leader in as many weeks, and they have subsequently leapfrogged the Raiders into ninth. A win here would give the Warriors and Broncos a lot to think about.
The Bulldogs are amidst a season to forget, but they have been reasonably competitive in their recent games. They were just pipped by the Eels last week and that followed decent contests with the Raiders and Knights, most notably. Their season is all but done but they can continue to cause headaches for teams like the Tigers, who have plenty to play for.
The Tigers are playing with plenty of flare and it’s tough seeing their winning run ending at the hands of the Dogs.
The Sea Eagles will host the Panthers at Brookvale Oval on Saturday afternoon, in what could turn out to be anything.
At their best, the Sea Eagles can compete effectively with any club in the league. At their worst, they are truly awful and that was certainly the case when they conceded 56 points against the Roosters last weekend. Coach Trent Barrett was scathing in review of his team’s performance after that game and focus is solely on finishing above sixteenth.
For a team that led the competition only weeks ago, the Panthers are in a worrying run of form and have slipped to sixth in overall standings; above the Broncos and Warriors on for and against alone. They really do need to return to winning form, however and this looms as the perfect opportunity.
On their recent performances, the Panthers are under the odds but they probably should be winning this. I am happy to stay out from a betting perspective.
Betting suggests that Saturday’s game between the Rabbitohs and Eels will be one of the more one-sided contests of the weekend.
Souths will be eager to snare two competition points in Round 20 after suffering a shock loss to Wests Tigers last weekend. Its otherwise been a glittering season for the Bunnies, who remain tied with the Storm and Dragons at the top of the table; third on for and against alone. They are positioned for a big run into the finals, but will need to make sure they respond here.
The Eels have been next to atrocious all year and enter Round 20 last on the ladder, despite being widely touted as a top four team. They managed to sneak home against the Bulldogs last weekend, but they face a completely different task in the form of a live premiership threat on Saturday.
Souths should be winning this game and winning well. They can cover a line currently set at 11.5 points.
The Storm will host the league’s other cold climate specialists, the Canberra Raiders, in chilly Melbourne on Saturday night.
Once again, the Storm are clicking into gear at the optimum time for a successful title defence and have climbed into first position after another win in Round 19, this time over the hit-and-miss Warriors. Their experience at this point of the season of clearly second-to-none and they stand as an extremely difficult task for the Raiders.
Canberra appeared to be building towards a finals appearance, but a couple of unlucky losses have seen their campaign thrown into tatters. It certainly wasn’t their own fault last weekend but as the game of rugby league sometimes goes, it looks like being an early mad Monday in 2018.
Realistically, the Storm will be winning this game but the Raiders are good enough to beat a 9.5 point line.
The Titans and Warriors will lock horns in Round 20’s penultimate game on the Gold Coast, on Sunday afternoon.
The Titans have shown glimpses of class in between some pretty lacklustre football, but the wheels are well and truly off by this point of the season and they are staring down the barrel of a fourth-consecutive defeat. They haven’t been awful in their last two games but still have nothing to show for either and sights are firmly set on 2019’s prospects.
The Warriors have certainly exceeded expectations and have been a top four side for most of the campaign, but they have been a bit less potent of late and have slipped into eighth. With close to a full strength side travelling to the Gold Coast however, they do look to have a class edge over the Titans.
The line for this game is set at only 4.5 points and that looks a terrific bet, in favour of the Warriors.
We have to wait until the final game of the round to see the best contest, but it is well and truly worth hanging around for. The Roosters and Dragons are two genuine top four sides and the result of this game could prove vital in the race to a home final.
The Roosters have steadily built to the task this year but once again, they look like a genuine threat only weeks out from the finals. Cooper Cronk has really started to gel with the rest of the Roosters’ backline and they now boast one of the most unpredictable and multi-dimensional attacks in the league.
The Dragons have been towards the top of the table all season and responded to a shock defeat to the Wests Tigers by comfortably overcoming the Cowboys in Townsville last weekend. Their mobile forward pack has allowed a slick backline to cause headaches for the opposition defence since Round 1 and they really do look like a team that can go all the way.
This should be closer to even money and the Dragons do look over the odds at their current price in head-to-head betting.