Round One of the finals is now in the books. We said goodbye to two more sides, while the two big guns sent messages.
Two ripper games and two stinkers both presented plenty of talking points.
Meanwhile the Dragons continue to make ... decisions, the Tigers celebrated the rarest of wins and Kevin Walters faces a tough call.
Below are 20 thoughts from Week 1 of the 2024 NRL finals:
1. As many expected, this weekend showed the enormous gulf between the Storm and Panthers to the rest of the competition. Both games were lopsided 'contests'. Anyone can beat anyone on the day, but the grand final is as good as set, baring absolute catastrophe.
2. The Bulldogs may have lost this past weekend but I still believe Stephen Crichton has been the signing off the season. On and off the field he has lead his side and provided them with something they haven't had in years. The Dogs have signed many players on the past few seasons but it is Chrichton who has most allowed the penny to drop.
3. Newcastle are only playing finals footy due to Kalyn Ponga. They were only in that game against the Cowboys due to Kalyn Ponga. Ponga almost won the game on his own back in the final moments too. The Knights need to take advantage of his talents by pairing him with a halfback. They cannot waste this.
runs with the ball during the round 20 NRL match between Newcastle Knights and Wests Tigers at McDonald Jones Stadium on July 14, 2023 in Newcastle, Australia. (Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)
4. Not for one, single second did I believe the result would be anything other than it was, but my word is it getting difficult to defend the Sharks. They just can't lift come finals time. They blew two opportunities, at home, when they had the Cowboys and Roosters dead to rights in 2022 and 2023 respectively. They're earned all the negativity they're copping. There's only one way to stop it ... win a final!
5. Speaking of, last week I said I didn't want to hear from Nicho Hynes and co talking about 'respect' etc. That's all we heard all week and they were left with egg on their face after yet another loss. Avoid the media and focus. If you get cornered, just use cliches and encourage fans to turn up.
6. What a season from the Bulldogs. Let me know in the comments, and be honest now, if you had the Dogs hosting a final in your pre-season predictions. A first finals appearance since 2016 was an amazing effort and despite the loss, Dogs fans should be proud.
7. So too fans of the Knights. Two months ago they were a thousand to one to play finals footy. Yet we stand here today knowing that if Ponga had looked inside rather than outside, they're likely at Allianz on Saturday night. Another team who overachieved, for mine.
8. I cannot believe how badly the Dragons have messed up their chance to sign Reagan Campbell-Gillard. Evidently the sticking point was an extra year? Offer the extra year! The Dragons pack were monstered all season long and you're going to miss your chance to add a rep forward for the sake of a year? Not good.
9. If the Panthers could please release plans for their secret chamber where they store Nathan Cleary during injury layoffs, so that he can come back at 100 per cent every single time ... well, that would be swell!
10. The Roosters will be confident of beating Manly on Saturday night, but a trip to Melbourne almost doesn't look worth it. Of course you always want to play in a preliminary final, but flying down knowing what is coming? Just head to Bali.
11. This past weekend saw just the one 'upset' with Manly winning away from home. I know they entered as a slight favourite but most people had the Dogs winning. This weekend all the pressure is on the Sharks and Roosters. I would not be shocked, at all, to see at least one more upset. Potentially two.
12. Will Kennedy will be hoping for a big performance on Friday night. His position looks shaky given the presence of Kade Dykes, Liam Ison, Kayal Iro and Flegg star Siteni Taukamo. The latter tore it up on Sunday afternoon's Flegg qualifying Final. There are plenty of options there for 2025 and beyond if Kennedy can't aim up.
13. Notice a name I didn't include? That being Nicho Hynes. I cannot believe the amount of people who are calling for him to be thrown into a role he has played once in many years, in a semi-final. The Sharks only hope of doing anything at this end of the season is Hynes staring at halfback.
14. Leo Thompson was correctly removed from the field following a big shot gone bad on Saturday night. That said, if I'm a Knights fan, I'm glad his took that chance. If Feldt didn't see it coming, and duck at the last minute, that shot could have caused an error. Otherwise the Cowboys pin them down and it's game over. At least he had a go!
15. I maintain that the NRL made the right decision in moving the biggest game of the weekend to the Sunday, but that awful crowd at the AFL on Saturday night sure has people asking questions. Meanwhile the Sharks and Cowboys will play next door to a 45,000 capacity crowd at the SCG. Make it make sense!
16. John Bateman has announced he'll return to the Tigers. The fact there was crickets from Tigers fans shows perhaps he should have looked to staying in England. No disrespect to a bloke I am a huge fan of (Wigan fan here) but he did not deliver in 2024.
17. Man, if there's one person in the NRL I'm not withholding truth from and thus allowing that person to make incorrect statements and be a made a fool of, it's Gus Gould.
18. I would be absolutely shocked if at least two, potentially even three, QLD based sides aren't all over Ben Hunt in the off-season. This could be the story of the off-season to be honest. For the record Shane Flanagan was absolutely correct in his assessment that Hunt wasn't up to it late on in the season.
19. It must be hard for Kevin Walters to justify keeping his son on the books with three better options being held back. That was always going to be an issue.
20. A shout out to the Tigers NRLW side for recording a drought breaking win on Thursday night. Horror conditions didn't dampen (pun game on point) their spirits after their first win in over a year. Great scenes.
