Strange Days was a track by The Doors, but even Jim Morrison at his most florid could not have got away with the sort of madness seen from Strange and Weekes.
The Raiders young guns, Ethan and Kaeo, combined for one of the most fantastical, ludicrous, dramatic and potentially impactful tries in years to steal a victory from the Panthers and all-but confirm a Minor Premiership for the Raiders.
For the second time this year against a Premiership favourite, Canberra won in Golden Point after a highly unlikely piece of magic from Weekes.
The fullback scored to level the Magic Round tie with Melbourne, which was then won by a penalty goal.
That was highly unlikely, coming on the back of a penalty given against the Storm when they had already slotted what they thought was the winner.
This was even better.
Nathan Cleary was left crestfallen for the second week running in extra time after hitting the post with a potential winning field goal, only for the rebound to fall to Jed Stuart, who fed Strange to go the length and set up Weekes.
It was the most remarkable moment of an already remarkable season. The Minor Premiership race, the top four race and the ultimate destination of the Premiership, all upended in a single play.
Rugby league, eh. Undefeated.
A good week for…
Well, obviously, Canberra.
They are now on 18 wins with two games to play, one ahead of Melbourne and two ahead of Canterbury.
The Storm’s win later the same evening against the Bulldogs means nothing is mathematical yet, but it’s possible that the Raiders can win the Minor Premiership next week if Melbourne, who play first, fail to beat the Roosters.
Canberra would dearly love that. They’re at home to the Wests Tigers, a real gimme against a side with very little to play for, and to pick up the JJ Giltinan Shield in front of their own fans.
That would also allow them to rest players a week later, as their final position would be confirmed.
If the Storm do the business next Friday, they would overtake Canberra on points difference for a week, and force them to go again a week later away to the Dolphins, who might have something to play for.
The irony is that the Storm probably don’t care much if they win the Minor Premiership or not.
When you deal in proper Premierships, these things don’t really matter and the chance to rest players ahead of the finals is probably more important. They’ve certainly done that before.
A bad week for…
It’s probably Canterbury, who are now marooned in third after defeat to the Storm, though it might not feel like it.
There really wasn’t much between the sides and, whatever happened, the likelihood was that they’d play each other.
The Bulldogs know now that they will almost certainly return south in week one of the finals and, after this match, will give themselves a decent chance.
What they were disputing here was where, and while the Dogs would have loved a packed Accor (as would the NRL, who get the gate receipts), they’ll fancy themselves anywhere.
The biggest losers might be everyone else. With the potential exception of the Roosters, the four sides in action on Friday are the best teams left and will probably wipe the floor with whoever they face en route to the Prelims.
The first game went to Golden Point, the second was a draw in terms of tries scored, with Melbourne winning on goalkicking.
Standout…
Daly Cherry-Evans has probably already played his best game for the Roosters, celebrating his 350th game in the top grade by leading Manly to a convincing victory over the Dolphins on Saturday afternoon.
That, combined with the Roosters’ shock defeat to Parramatta later in the day, means Manly and the Dolphins are both still alive – though on this display, there’s only one of the two that are even close to a chance.
There was so much attack on display from Manly, who turned up to play fast and wide.
DCE was directing traffic, Luke Brooks and Tom Trbojevic were combining and the centre-wing combo of Tolu Koula and Lehi Hopoate gassed the Phins for pace repeatedly.
It was intent of the like that we haven’t seen in a long time – which does, of course, raise the question of why.
This team should be all attack all the time, but so often failed to get the ball to Turbo, denied Koula space and refused to play outside of the tramlines.
In the post-match interview, DCE admitted that his side were playing without pressure. It looked like it. That will be back on next Saturday away to the Dragons, especially if Easts have already lost in Melbourne on Friday night.
Washout…
Lindsay Collins? Hugo Savala? Junior Tupou?
It was hard to put your finger on which Rooster was worse in their loss to the Eels on Saturday evening. Mark Nawaqanitawase aside, it could have been any of them.
Completion rates are largely nonsense, and nobody knows that more than the Roosters, but if you finish at 53% you will not win many football games.
That’s the lowest of the year, by any team anywhere, overtaking another embarrassing Easts defeat, at home to the Titans.
Trent Robinson won’t change his style of play, so it’s all a little moot. He will see this as a series of individual aberrations rather than anything systemic, and he’s not wrong. They’ll not play this badly again.
There was a heap of poor handling which was compounded by bad luck. Parra scored six tries and didn’t make a line break. The Roosters made 315 tackles and missed just 15, a tackle efficiency above 95%.
Given that just one player – Payne Haas, since you care – can beat that across the hundreds that have played enough to make sample size this year, the best policy might be to flush this entirely and look forward to Melbourne.
Everyone is talking about…
That Tigers try – no, not that one, but the carbon copy.
Benji Marshall’s flick pass to Pat Richards in the 2005 Grand Final is one of the most iconic moments in NRL history, and on the 20th anniversary reunion, the current Tigers put together a tribute.
It came after the Cowboys dropped the ball with the line begging, with the Tigres putting on a coast-to-coast move that included Taylan May slipping a flick pass to Sunia Turuva before Jahream Bula did the rest.
It was one of the tries of the season, but not even the best of the weekend. Weekes’ matchwinner was, obviously, brilliant, and Mark Nawaqanitawase produced a miracle ball of his own for Robert Toia to score.
It comes down to a question of what you prefer: the improvisation in the moment from Marky Mark, the high stakes finish in Mudgee or the razzle dazzle that the Tigers put on. It was all great.
But nobody mentions…
Defending.
Tackling was almost optional on Saturday as the games amounted to just shy of 60 points per game. That’s about five more than the average, but it was the manner of it all: some of the efforts in the Manly and Warriors wins – including from those two, who won – were pathetic.
Was it demob happy, end-of-season nonsense or a couple of attacks playing with freedom?
Probably a bit of both, but after watching the intensity of Friday night, it was clear the levels that exist within the NRL.
The theory all year has been that there are three, possibly four, teams that are a lot better than the others. Not much was done to dissuade that notion.
Forward pass
There’s so much to see next week it’s hard to know where to look.
The obvious place is the Bulldogs v Panthers blockbuster on Thursday – the first game between the pair was one of the highest quality matches of the season and it looks increasingly unlikely that this will be the last, as both are on a collision course in the finals.
Then there’s the Roosters’ trip to Melbourne, which has taken on much more importance thanks to the defeat on Saturday. The Storm will miss Harry Grant to suspension, but the Chooks are without Sam Walker, who copped a knock to the head.
Manly simply have to continue winning and will travel to St George Illawarra, who beat them earlier in the year, as do Redcliffe, who host the Titans.
For top four, the Sharks are back off the bye and get two free points again by playing Newcastle, which means a Warriors win at home to Parra is vital.
Oh, and back at the start: if the Panthers beat Canterbury again, they’re right back up there, as are the Broncos, who travel to North Queensland.
And between it all, Canberra could seal the Minor Premiership. Drama? It’s everywhere.