The biting incident, top two well clear and Sharks blow it again: 20 thoughts from NRL finals Week 1

What a weekend of finals footy.

Eight became six as the Sharks and Raiders exited the competition in thrilling finals games.

Meanwhile the two competition heavyweights cruised through and will host Prelim finals as overwhelming favourites in a fornight.

Although the amount of games halves, the talking points continued to flow.

Below are 20 thoughts from Round One of the 2023 Finals series:

1. I was very happy with how the officiating team handled the alleged biting incident on Sunday afternoon. Several replays couldn't produce any real clarity so the best decision was made; to send it to the judiciary. They can take all the time in the world and hear from both sides. Klein and the Bunker had a minute or two and the replays showed it need much further scrutiny.

2. In a ridiculous turn of events, I saw some across social media blast Tyson Gamble for following through with the accusation. If he believes he has been bitten, he has every right to bring it up.

3. Moving onto the game itself, the weekend really needed that. Two blowouts and an ok game made far more memorable due to a close finish, weren't really the best showcase for the game. That Newcastle vs Raiders game though was an 11 out of 10 spectacle.

4. I went into the weekend predicting a Melbourne win in Brisbane. Oh how wrong I was! The top two (Penrith & Brisbane) look to be so far clear right now. It is going to take an almighty upset to knock either out come the preliminary finals. To be fair, it has looked like a Penrith and Brisbane grand final for a long time now.

5. I am convinced that the Sharks will never win a finals game. Hosting a broken Roosters side, down on troops and with rookies playing out of position, they still managed to find a way to lose a game they simply shouldn't have lost. Two years in a row they've blown golden opportunities to win that elusive finals game.

6. I usually don't take too much notice of post game press conferences but I found it strange that both Craig Fitzgibbon and Ricky Stuart took a shot at the media for undervaluing and disrespecting their sides. After they both got knocked out of the competition. Strange timing.

7. Sticking with Fitzgibbon, the Sharks need to hire an experienced assistant coach to assist him in his bench use. With a middle prop injured, he did not react and underplayed young Jesse Colquhoun in a big way. I still cannot believe the Sharks did not win that game.

8. That moment where Dom Young beat Jordan Rapana to run in and score was the highlight of the season for me. Not in terms of the play, or even the occasion, but the way the Newcastle fans rose as one to celebrate was a thing of beauty. Do I have a soft spot for Newcastle? Never thought I'd see the day.

9. I'm officially starting a petition to insist that the NRL hold the Warriors vs Knights game over two legs. A best of three series even. This could be the most entertaining game of the season.

10. Melbourne fans can be confident they will play better this weekend. They simply couldn't play any worse. I can't think of a game where all three of the Storm's stars in the spine all played badly.

11. Thoughts go out to Ryan Papenhuyzen after a horror injury on Friday night. The entire NRL community rallied around the fallen star. I wish for nothing more than to see him back and fully firing sooner than later.

12. Just a quick gripe, I promise. There needs to be an avenue to challenge when the referee misses an obvious strip and there is no stoppage in play. There is no reason at all the challenge can't come after a tackle is made.

13. That Penrith "up the Pahs" thing is so cringe. Why must they ruin everything?

14. News is that the Roosters will lose Angus Crichton to rugby union. Let him go. In Siua Wong, Naufahu Whyte and Terrell May they have more than enough young talent to overcome any potential loss.

15. Valentine Holmes ... seriously!? Claims that it was a "prank gone wrong" drew groans from NRL fans. Either way, not a good decision from the Cowboys star.

16. At first I was very critical of the Kyle Flanagan signing by the Dragons. I've softened and believe it's a case of "he couldn't be worse than what they already have". Not the greatest recruitment strategy but one the Dragons have been forced into.

17. Adam Reynolds is playing like he's in his early to late 20s. He may go down as one of Brisbane's best signings ever. Souths fans are still wondering how their star got away.

18. It was good to see some brutal emotion and honesty from Cam Munster in the post match interview in referring to his team's performance as "dog sh*t". Munster knew. He was probably trying to draw the interview out for as long as possible before facing Craig Bellamy.

19. In this day and age, how are the NSW Cup (and probably Flegg too) Finals not televised? A stream on NSWRL's Facebook was something but with 450 people tuning in, surely there has been a big trick missed here.

20. Imagine overcalling your Dally M medal winning halfback, with a six on three overlap, to hit a pressured third string fullback, with a home semi-final on the line. That is the reality for Sharks fans as Blayke Brailey made the worst decision in the Shire since the call to shutdown Hogs Breathe cafe. No, I will never let it go.