Round 11 has produced yet another outstanding weekend of NRL – there is no doubt about it, the standard is just getting better.
But, the thing that has me scratching my head is the form of the Broncos. They are looking like a team full of talent doing their best to prove they lack it.
Going down 26-30 against the Dragons could have pried open a losing wound that may infect the rest of their season.
I thought that was a must-win for them and they should have put the Dragons away without too much drama.
Now, with now four losses in the past five games, the pressure is well and truly on them.
But how about the performances of the Bulldogs, Warriors and the Raiders – they are each a great example of what getting up and having a go looks like. I know the Storm are looking like they are ready again this year but, these three clubs sitting currently in the top three spots seem to be getting better.
There is an old-fashioned toughness about the three of them. And this Sunday when the Warriors host the Raiders in Auckland, we might just see the contest of the year so far.
It could be a make-or-break game for both clubs, and nobody saw this coming.
And the visibility on the sideline each week of Raiders coach Ricky Stuart adds to the theatre of it all. Ricky is a “players’ coach” and there is no doubt his players are doing it for him.
As history shows us, the State of Origin series often impacts the makeup of the top 8, and we are about to see if this is the case again in 2025.
