Limited-time offer ><\/a><\/p>\nAhead of a blockbuster round of games in Round 26, foxsports.com.au has dived into some of the key storylines of the upcoming weekend.<\/p>\n
THE PLAYER MOST IMPORTANT TO CANBERRA\u2019S TITLE CHANCES<\/p>\n
In a season full of them, the highlight of the Raiders\u2019 stunning season was last Friday\u2019s epic golden point win against Penrith. <\/p>\n
Ethan Strange was the superstar, scoring a try, and setting two up, including the full-field game-winner after running down the sideline before finding Kaeo Weekes on the inside. <\/p>\n
Strange will be so important to Canberra\u2019s premiership winning hopes.<\/p>\n
However, according to one Hall-of-Fame halfback, it will the Raiders\u2019 veteran No. 7 that will be most key if this side is to win the comp.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Raiders have Tapine, Horsburgh, Papalii, Timoko, Strange, Weekes but I think off the back of that game, I believe Jamal Fogarty is the key to Canberra\u2019s success,\u201d Cooper Cronk said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis kicking game is rock solid. He can turn an OK set into a really good one, but his key part is knowing when to pass the ball and who to pass it to.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Raiders have a top two position locked up but despite this, there won\u2019t be any mass-resting (see below). Coach Ricky Stuart wants to ensure this team maintains their momentum through to the finals. <\/p>\n
Their next assignment is the Tigers at home. Depending on what happens Friday night between the Storm and Roosters, the Raiders can lock up the minor premiership if they beat the Tigers on Saturday. <\/p>\n
Back to Fogarty, who at 31 years old is playing some of the best footy of his career. <\/p>\n
Cronk noted a couple of times during the Penrith win that Fogarty made the wrong pass close to the line but when the game was on the line, the halfback delivered when he needed to. <\/p>\n
Cronk also compared the Raiders\u2019 style to the Panthers\u2019 all-conquering set up of the past four seasons.<\/p>\n
Canberra\u2019s 73rd minute try through Strange was the game-tying four pointer. It was set up when Fogarty gave off a short ball to a rampaging Strange who ran a smart line off a set play.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he played too many short passes against Penrith. He may have been setting up the game but in some of these situations, you get the ball to Ethan Strange. He\u2019s so dynamic,\u201d Cronk said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the game was on the line, he gets the ball to Strange on two occasions, setting up two tries. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t give it to him Strange or Weekes every time, I\u2019m just saying Fogarty\u2019s decisions in September will be key to whether they win the premiership.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he gets it right and gets the ball to Strange and Weekes at the right time, Timoko and that will score. If he plays too many short passes, they probably miss their chance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey run a similar system to Penrith. Strange is on the left, Weekes on the right and Jamal is being the guy playing both sides of the ruck so his decision making of when to pass and when not too will be key.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matty Johns added that for all the talent and speed on the park, Fogarty is the one \u201csteering the wheel\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got Kaeo Weekes, Ethan Strange but the steady man is the most important,\u201d Johns said.<\/p>\n
SILVER LINING IN DOGS\u2019 LAST START DEFEAT AS PREMIERSHIP FLAME STILL BURNS<\/p>\n
Matty Johns believes the Bulldogs are still a premiership threat despite suffering three losses from their last four games.<\/p>\n
Johns was impressed with what he saw from Canterbury in their 20-14 loss to the Storm in Round 25. <\/p>\n
The Bulldogs had a sluggish start and trailed 12-0 at halftime, but recovered to win the second half 14-8.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually really liked what I saw in the Dogs\u2019 performance, from what they found in the second half,\u201d Johns said on Matty and Cronk.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir second half, they found their formula. They had far less emphasis on trying to force the football and force their attack, and they just poured their energy into their defence.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I thought they looked very, very good. They were unlucky not to pinch (the win).\u201d<\/p>\n
Cooper Cronk agreed with Johns, but felt it was vital the Bulldogs win the ruck if they\u2019re going to contend for the premiership.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the Dogs are still a threat. I agree with you, On their day, they can get it done,\u201d Cronk added.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut over the last month I think there\u2019s a key part of the game that\u2019s becoming obvious. If the Dogs do it well and they win this area, they\u2019ll win, if they lose it, they\u2019ll lose, it\u2019s ruck speed.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir smaller middle forwards are their strength and their weakness.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they get slow play the ball, Kurt Mann, (Bailey) Hayward, (Josh) Curran, they\u2019re going to struggle running into Payne Haas, Moses Leota, the Roosters pack, right?<\/p>\n
\u201cBut if they get ruck speed with forward momentum, the way they shift the ball and their footwork, will put those bigger forward packs under threat.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I feel like I\u2019ve learned a lot about the Dogs. If they win the ruck more than not, I think they can win the comp.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they play off the slow play the ball, I don\u2019t know their smaller bodies can get the forward momentum that their spine are going to need to make good decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Johns said the Bulldogs\u2019 defence in the second half reminded him of the Storm\u2019s defence back in the 2000s, when Cronk played for them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWatching them defend in the second half, it was a rushing, swarming defence,\u201d Johns said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt reminded me so much of (the Storm) in 2006, 2007, 2008, those years. And the fact that you didn\u2019t have as big a pack as a lot of the other sides.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were like a pack of hyenas, defended like hyenas, a lot of people in tackles.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the second half, that\u2019s how the Dogs defended.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cronk felt that Ciraldo would have read the riot act to his team at halftime.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was almost like Ciraldo gave them a rocket, and said, we\u2019re not doing the Bulldogs style of football,\u201d Cronk said.<\/p>\n
\u201cGo out there and defend.\u201d<\/p>\n
WILL MASS RESTING END UP BENEFITING PANTHERS AND STORM?<\/p>\n
After their top four hopes were dashed, it was anticipated that the Panthers would rest at least some of their stars for this weekend\u2019s clash against the Bulldogs.<\/p>\n
However, it would have been hard to imagine what the actual extent of the mass-resting was going to be.<\/p>\n
Instead of just a handful of players being left out this weekend, coach Ivan Cleary has rested a whopping 16 (!) players. <\/p>\n
The tactic to give his players a bit of a break right before the finals has been a ploy which has held the Panthers in good stead during their four-year premiership reign.<\/p>\n
However, unveiling a team with 16 changes is certainly breaking new ground. <\/p>\n
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary explained the reasoning behind the drastic decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery decision that I kind of make in my job, you know, has a lot of different ramifications,\u201d Cleary said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re not easy, but some come clearer than others, and this one was fairly clear.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just decided that, you know, if we\u2019re going to rest a number of them, we might as well just keep going<\/p>\n
\u201cWe honestly just thought, as I said, a lot of parts to this decision that I\u2019m not going to go through today, but it just seemed like the right one. So I guess time will tell.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reaction to the Panthers\u2019 controversial call has been mixed. <\/p>\n
Veteran journalist Phil Rothfield labelled it an \u201cabsolute disgrace but NRL360 host Braith Anasta called it \u201cextremely smart\u201d.<\/p>\n
Foxsports.com.au\u2019s Paul Crawley didn\u2019t have a problem with it either.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re not breaking any rules,\u201d Crawley said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Panthers in the last two weeks, despite going down, have pushed the two leading contenders (the Storm and Raiders) right to the wire.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey know regardless of where they finish, they\u2019ve got the firepower if they\u2019re fresh to win the comp\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Given Penrith\u2019s decision to rest 16 players, the Storm\u2019s call to leave out four of their stars this weekend has slipped under the radar. <\/p>\n
Melbourne are guaranteed to finish in the top two with the Raiders although the order has yet to be determined. <\/p>\n
With a home qualifying final locked in, coach Craig Bellamy has rested Eli Katoa, Nick Meaney, Josh King and Xavier Coates. <\/p>\n
PANTHERS\u2019 RESTING OF PLAYERS PUTS DOGS IN NO-WIN SCENARIO<\/p>\n
Reporter David Riccio and commentator Dan Ginnane both believe the Panthers\u2019 decision to rest 16 players is far from ideal for their opponents the Bulldogs.<\/p>\n
While the Bulldogs\u2019 chances of securing a victory are now significantly increased, and it\u2019s a win that would secure their first top four finish since 2012, there are concerns Canterbury are now in a scenario where they otherwise have nothing to gain against Penrith tonight at Accor Stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will ask you this, fellas,\u201d Riccio said on NRL 360 on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just touched on the 16 resting players.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat impact do you think it has on the Bulldogs?<\/p>\n
\u201cAs far as my point of view is, I don\u2019t think they\u2019d be happy at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ginnane agreed with Riccio.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve got nothing to gain,\u201d Ginnane added.<\/p>\n
\u201cCould you imagine if it\u2019s six-all at half-time?<\/p>\n
\u201cCanterbury have got nothing to gain now.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they win by 60, they\u2019re supposed to.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut if it\u2019s close, all of a sudden they\u2019re going to be under the pump.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Panthers are now guaranteed to finish in the top eight, with the Dolphins, in ninth spot, five competition points behind them with only two rounds remaining.<\/p>\n
COWBOYS OUT TO RUIN BRONCOS\u2019 TOP FOUR HOPES AS EPIC RIVALRY RESUMES<\/p>\n
The next chapter in Queensland\u2019s most storied NRL rivalry will resume on Saturday night when the Cowboys host the Broncos.<\/p>\n
This rivalry has been littered with epic encounters and memorable moments since the Cowboys entered the competition in 1995, none more memorable in the 2015 decider when North Queensland downed big brother in a golden point thriller. <\/p>\n
While both teams were near the peak of their powers in that October night nearly 10 years ago, as a rule, no matter where each team is on the ladder, this match up is almost always must-watch television. <\/p>\n
This season, the Cowboys are out of the running while the Broncos sit in 5th, just one win outside of the eight. <\/p>\n
Wouldn\u2019t little brother just love to play finals spoiler.<\/p>\n
In what is their final game of the season (Rd 27 bye), the Cowboys will want to end a disappointing 2025 campaign on a high in front of a packed stadium. <\/p>\n
On form, the Broncos deserve to be favourites, but a slip up in Townsville could really put a dent in their premiership aspirations. <\/p>\n
Not only will their top four chances evaporate but given they take on Melbourne next week, two losses to end the season could mean they drop out of a home elimination final spot. <\/p>\n
Brisbane have been without star halves Ezra Mam and Adam Reynolds for their last two games, but it hasn\u2019t mattered too much so far, with Ben Hunt leading the Broncos to two impressive wins over the Knights or Dolphins. <\/p>\n
What isn\u2019t known is if the Broncos are able to maintain this form and prove to be a genuine title threat without Reynolds and Mam.<\/p>\n
One thing is for sure though. Saturday night\u2019s clash is sure to be a doozy. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We\u2019re well and truly at the business end of the competition, with just two rounds remaining before the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":100834,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[18743,64,63,689,7292,21686,73381,18194,36265,73382,2667,73371,7673,11101,8089,73385,12732,11096,12729,30088,162,73380,73377,73379,21683,4603,73368,73367,73376,37304,73375,73378,5098,4518,4473,7290,73383,73372,4744,4470,18656,25173,7621,4572,73370,761,762,4609,158,677,23861,11396,13390,4598,26494,47925,73369,73374,701,73373,30384,85,73384,26124,13125,11097],"class_list":["post-100833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-adam-reynolds","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-capital-territory","tag-ben-hunt","tag-blockbuster-round","tag-braith-anasta","tag-business-end","tag-call-backfire","tag-canberra","tag-coach-ricky-stuart","tag-competition-points","tag-cooper-cronk","tag-craig-bellamy","tag-crucial-player","tag-dan-ginnane","tag-daniel-nuttall","tag-daniel-ramus","tag-david-riccio","tag-dolphins","tag-elimination-final-spot","tag-epic-encounters","tag-epic-rivalry-resumes","tag-ezra-mam","tag-final-game","tag-finals-spoiler","tag-four-year-premiership-reign","tag-full-field-game-winner","tag-golden-point","tag-golden-point-thriller","tag-home-elimination","tag-ivan-cleary","tag-jamal-fogarty","tag-josh-king","tag-kaeo-weekes","tag-key-part","tag-key-storylines","tag-kicking-game","tag-kurt-mann","tag-matty-johns","tag-milestone-game","tag-minute-try","tag-moses-leota","tag-must-watch-television","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nick-meaney","tag-nrl","tag-oceania","tag-panthers-coach","tag-paul-crawley","tag-payne-haas","tag-penrith-panthers","tag-phil-rothfield","tag-premiership-aspirations","tag-premiership-threat","tag-premiership-winning","tag-queensland","tag-ruck-speed","tag-rugby-league-news","tag-sports","tag-talking-points-preview","tag-title-chances","tag-veteran-journalist","tag-win-outside"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100833","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100833"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100833\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/100834"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}