AAA<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve got five rounds left in the regular season and, in my eyes, five teams who can lift the Provan-Summons trophy.<\/p>\n
Penrith are deserved premiership favourites, but I can see a world where the Panthers don\u2019t claim the title as well. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n
![\"Top](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2426d62538f2b85d5880f19e1588b77f4a2a1191.jpeg\")
Top of the NRL tree? Nathan Cleary, Daly Cherry-Evans and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow all have 2026 title claims.Michael HowardPanthers<\/p>\n
36 points, 15 wins, four losses. Form: 3-1<\/p>\n
Why they can win: The Panthers have stability in key positions on the field. They\u2019ve got stability in the coach\u2019s box, and stability in the front office. It makes all the difference when the pressure of finals falls on your shoulders.<\/p>\n
Penrith have the best and most successful big-game players in the NRL \u2013 Dylan Edwards, Brian To\u2019o, Isaah Yeo, Moses Leota and Liam Martin have all owned the biggest moments in grand finals, Origins and Test matches. And of course, there\u2019s a bloke named Nathan Cleary pulling the strings, on track for his first Dally M medal.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Why they can\u2019t: Injuries. Dylan Edwards and Casey McLean have joined Mitch Kenny on the sidelines. Kenny\u2019s out for a few weeks longer<\/a> than the two backline stars but their depth is starting to be tested a little. Their next month too is another hurdle \u2013 they face a tough Warriors team at home followed by a short turnaround against the Roosters, then a trip to Melbourne into Canterbury. How Ivan Cleary manages his stars<\/a> and how they pull up in four weeks is their biggest challenge.<\/p>\n Roosters<\/p>\n 34 points, 14 wins, five losses. Form: 4-0<\/p>\n Why they can win: They\u2019ve got X-factor all over the paddock \u2013 Sam Walker and Mark Nawaqanitawase are the two most dangerous and unpredictable players in the competition. The Roosters pack is young, well-balanced and can lay a match-winning platform.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Walker\u2019s short-kicking game<\/a> becomes extra potent as well in slippery night games, which they\u2019ll be playing deep in the finals; no team scores more tries off the boot than the Chooks.<\/p>\n You can see the hunger in Trent Robinson and his side, too. They\u2019re well aware they haven\u2019t played a grand final in six years.<\/p>\n Why they can\u2019t: Like the Panthers, fitness is a big factor \u2013 Daniel Tupou and Angus Crichton are due back just in time for the finals. Their record against Penrith is a worry, and so are their defensive frailties on either side of the ruck. Both Daly Cherry-Evans and Walker can be exploited by the best back-rowers in the game.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Warriors<\/p>\n 32 points, 13 wins, six losses. Form: 3-1<\/p>\n Why they can win: The Warriors\u2019 playing style \u2013 with an 82 per cent completion rate and great discipline \u2013 translates perfectly in finals and deciders. Their performances in big, important games this year show that. When they thrashed the Storm in Melbourne, they completed at 88 per cent, and in their two-point loss to Penrith in a classic they completed at 89 per cent.<\/p>\n The Warriors\u2019 control of field position and pressure on the opposition is also built on discipline \u2013 on average they\u2019re awarded 2.1 more penalties per game than they give the opposition. That\u2019s better than any other team, and cheap penalties aren\u2019t in their make-up.<\/p>\n If they can finish in the top two and jag two home finals, they will have momentum and an entire nation behind them.<\/p>\n Why they can\u2019t: The Warriors are missing a superstar, particularly in their spine. There\u2019s no Cameron Munster or Reece Walsh who can go out and win a game on their own.<\/p>\n Their young forwards like Leka Halasima, Jacob Laban and Tanner Stowers-Smith add real spark, but across their best 17 there\u2019s not the big-game experience we see in the other contenders, where Origin stars and grand final winners are everywhere.<\/p>\n Sharks<\/p>\n 32 points, 13 wins, six losses. Form: 5-0<\/p>\n Why they can win: Cronulla are the form team of the NRL and are playing with more confidence than any other team. They\u2019re a settled squad, especially in the spine, where Nicho Hynes, Braydon Trindall, Blayke Brailey and Will Kennedy are all in career-best form. Addin Fonua-Blake is leading their pack superbly too, and importantly, the Sharks are injury-free.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Why they can\u2019t: It\u2019s the same knock that\u2019s always hung over this side \u2013 can they go to another gear in the finals? The pressure mounts with every year and won\u2019t go away until Cronulla prove they can win three or four big games in September. Today, they\u2019re flying with nine wins from their last 10 games, but we\u2019ve still got eight weeks until the grand final. I wonder if they\u2019ve peaked early?<\/p>\n Dolphins<\/p>\n 30 points, 12 wins, seven losses. Form: 2-2<\/p>\n Why they can win: The Dolphins have the best backline in the competition, and Isaiya Katoa \u2013 the best young halfback in the NRL for mine \u2013 guiding them around the paddock. I love their tough, rugged pack, especially the workhorses coming off their bench like Tom Gilbert, Max Plath and Kurt Donoghoe.<\/p>\n Why they can\u2019t: Similar to Cronulla, the biggest question mark is: \u201cDoes this side have four tough finals wins in it?\u201d Obviously, the Dolphins are outside the top four too, so they need to work their way up to ensure they get at least one semi-final at Suncorp Stadium. They\u2019ll be the only Queensland team still standing in September, but they won\u2019t have many friends when they come down to NSW.<\/p>\n Back-row bullies: Watch out for that step<\/p>\n On Friday night we\u2019re at Allianz Stadium and I\u2019m tipping a huge crowd for what should be a cracking contest between the Roosters and Canterbury.<\/p>\n The Roosters-Bulldogs rivalry was genuinely nasty around the 2003 to 2005 era \u2013 the players hated each other, the fans hated each other and the administrators hated each other too. The 2004 grand final \u2013 won 16-13 by Canterbury \u2013 was when it peaked, but I remember working at the old SFS for these games and the hostility was something else.<\/p>\n This week, it\u2019s a real clash of styles and a fascinating one at that. The Roosters are flying after putting 82 points on the Cowboys<\/a>, but you do have to be careful after a win like that. It doesn\u2019t matter who you play, you can\u2019t roll the last 20 minutes from one week into the start of the next game. You earn the right to play footy in that first 15-20 minutes.<\/p>\n If the Roosters knock off Canterbury I think they\u2019ve got a real shot at the minor premiership.<\/p>\n The Tricolours face Penrith next Thursday night, and the Panthers are their bogey team. But the Panthers will also be coming home from New Zealand, with travel added to their short turnaround after a tough game against the Warriors, so the chance is there for the Roosters.<\/p>\n First up though, Canterbury will be targeting halves Sam Walker and Daly Cherry-Evans especially. DCE\u2019s defensive decision-making has been found out<\/a> at times this year, and he and Siua Wong have their work cut out against Stephen Crichton and Viliame Kikau.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Watch the two back-rowers especially. Kikau\u2019s big left-foot step is lethal and against Melbourne last week he actually stepped two Storm defenders at once while setting up Canterbury\u2019s first try.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Bulldogs will be tested too though, because Wong likes to play the same way \u2013 his big right-foot step will have him coming back inside at the gap between Crichton and Kikau.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n One more tweak to Canterbury\u2019s attack<\/p>\n While the Roosters\u2019 attack is starting to thrive<\/a> with James Tedesco both sniping around the ruck and skipping across the defensive line on the edges, I can still see a tactical tweak for Canterbury.<\/p>\n I\u2019d be getting more ball to Jacob Kiraz in general play and bringing him in off his wing the same way NSW looked to involve Tom Trbojevic when he played right centre.<\/p>\n Related Article Canterbury\u2019s attack has revolved around offloads and fast ball movement lately<\/a>. Bringing Kiraz into the middle would accentuate this even more \u2013 his 3.7 offloads per game are the most in the NRL \u2013 and at the very least, create more unpredictability and a faster ruck speed.<\/p>\n I think Canterbury will put up a mighty fight in a physical contest, and it wouldn\u2019t surprise me if things spill over in the middle. But with Lindsay Collins and Billy Smith returning and making the Roosters even stronger than last week, I just can\u2019t go past them at home.<\/p>\n Joey\u2019s tip: Roosters by six News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7030c9986c09c7a3239876e82d06d280412bca12.jpeg\")
The Warriors simple game plan is their greatest strength.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Dolphins](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/56e888f35c528b505c901cb9726cd051a080e89c.jpeg\")
Dolphins halfback Isaiya Katoa. Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Roosters-Bulldogs](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/b5ae6abdbd34a9a02967c585473a2ac1326444b5.jpeg\")
Roosters-Bulldogs clashes in the early-2000s were the biggest games in rugby league.Tim Clayton<\/p>\n![\"Nicho](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/a19cc44f3f56e2251e2ab0d841cd8d116e83baa9.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
First try-scorer: Billy Smith
Man of the match: James Tedesco<\/p>\n
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