Every now and again, a round of football can have the tendency to scream boring. Round 11 is not one of those though.
From a club debut for a maligned star, to the Eels and Rabbitohs' continuing hunt for consistency, and other clubs starting to scrap for top-eight spots, this round could have it all.
Add into that State of Origin selection being only a fortnight away, and the last chance for players to impress is approaching.
You may not be able to watch every game in the weekend. But, one game a night and two on Saturday? That's feasible. Luckily, the keys to this round fit into that rule.
Here are all the big talking points ahead of Round 11.
2. Eels could find themselves in eighth spot with a loss
The Eels were on top of the world after they handed the Penrith Panthers their first defeat of the year, and first defeat at home in 21 games, a round ago. However, with the Roosters defeating them at Suncorp on the weekend, their season could be in turmoil.
Emphasis on ‘could’.
Facing the Manly Sea Eagles at CommBank this Friday Night, the Eels should be desperate to win. Since Round 5, the Eels have gone win, loss, win, loss, win, loss. They will need to be able to string wins together if they want any hope of winning a premiership in 2022.
Consistency is what separates the great teams from the good teams. It's what separates the Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm from everyone else. There is no doubt the Eels have the roster to win the grand final.
They're the only team to beat the Panthers and Storm, but they lack consistency.
The Manly Sea Eagles, on the back of an embarrassing loss, are no easy target. If the Eels lose, they could find themselves sitting in eighth position or lower if Manly do a real number on them. That would be a terribly worrying place to be after their big win.
