Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (centre) could be a revelation at fullback this weekend following an injury to Anthony Minichiello. Source: Matt King / Getty Images
SHOCK results and unfortunate injuries across the weekend have left the notion of who finishes where in the competition even more uncertain than it was last week.
If round 21 is any indication, reputations, records and recent form will be thrown out the window for the run home, and there will be no such thing as an easy win.
This makes for a very entertaining five weeks of footy, and it all starts Friday.
Here's how round 22 shapes up.
Storm v Rabbitohs:
A month ago this match would have been touted as a grand final rehearsal, but four weeks is a long time in rugby league. After being overrun by two cellar dwellers in their past three matches, South Sydney are no longer the outright competition leaders; they have not only lost their premiership favouritism, but also two of their stars in Greg Inglis and John Sutton. Consequently, weathering the storm will be the only thing on the Rabbitohs mind come Friday as they attempt to keep the five-point safety net between themselves and third placed Manly intact. Every match is crucial for the Redfern boys considering they meet all four of their top five counterparts in the remaining weeks. Melbourne, on the other hand, return home after their domination of Canberra and will aim to build on last week's red hot performance to ensure the fifth placed Bulldogs remain three points behind them.
Eels v Tigers:
The phrase "dead rubber" doesn't fully encapsulate how pointless this game is. With Parramatta a seemingly unassailable six points behind the 15th placed Tigers, not even the wooden spoon is on the line. However, with Jarryd Hayne returning, Robbie Farah out and the Benji Marshall saga continuing to effect his form, this home game is the Eels best chance to snap an extended losing streak, which has now stretched to 10 games.
Raiders v Roosters:
If there's one team in the competition who can bounce back from a 64-point drubbing in the space of a week, it's the boys from the nation's capital. Their unpredictability, as well as the inclusion of Blake Ferguson, makes the Green Machine a real chance of toppling the premiership favourites on their home turf. The Roosters, however, who are again without Sonny Bill Williams, will seek to extend their five match winning streak, as well as their lead over the competition. They will no doubt remember their round five clash with the Raiders when they were run down despite holding a 16 point lead at one point. No doubt the Raiders will be more concerned about the injury to Anthony Minichello than the Bondi boys, with the electric Roger Tuivasa-Sheck set to step into his rightful role at the back; a scary thought for any defence.
Sharks v Knights:
Wayne Bennett has never missed consecutive finals series in his coaching career. However, things are looking ominous for the veteran mentor, with his side staring down the barrel of a three matches without a victory. A more bitter than sweet draw against the Broncos last week has the 8th placed Novocastrians looking over their shoulder at a resurgent Titans outfit only a point behind them. To extend this advantage, the boys from Newcastle will have to tame a rampant Sharks side fresh from a hard-fought victory in Auckland. It's a tough ask at Remondis Stadium, even with the possible return of captain Kurt Gidley.
Sea Eagles v Warriors:
There is no more daunting task in rugby league than facing a high flying Sea Eagles outfit at Brookvale on a Sunday afternoon. Luckily for the Warriors, they have been spared the hostility of the fortress, with Manly opting to move the match to Bluetongue Stadium on the Central Coast. And the boys from across the ditch will need all the help they can get if they are to snap the Eagles' five-game winning streak and keep their finals hopes alive. A surprising loss at home to Cronulla last week saw them drop to 10th on the competition ladder, and they will be hoping Shaun Johnson can put his error-filled performance behind him and steer the side to a crucial victory. An almost full strength Manly will hope to close the five-point gap on the injury ravaged Rabbitohs as well as warding off arch rivals Melbourne, who also reside on 29 points.
Broncos v Dragons:
After knocking South Sydney off their pedestal and having the Bulldogs 12 points down at one point on Monday night, St George were shaping up as the NRL's giant killers. However, a pathetic defensive effort in the final 15 minutes of their round 21 clash sent them crashing right back to 14th place. The single shining light for the Dragons' 2013 campaign has been mid-season acquisition Josh Dugan; the only Red V player who will be hoping to repeat his Monday night performance when they face a desperate Brisbane Broncos side at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday. Anthony Griffin would have emphasised the importance of an 80 minute effort, after his team allowed the Knights to claw their way back in the dying stages last week. Griffin will also be looking for new halfback Ben Hunt to continue his impressive form.
Panthers v Cowboys:
It's pretty safe to say that whoever loses this match will not play finals in 2013; especially in the case of the Cowboys, who currently sit 13th on 18 points. The Panthers will look to snap a three-match heavy losing streak to move off 20 points and back into finals contention from 11th position. North Queensland will hope to repeat the near-perfect performance which helped them topple ladder-leaders South Sydney last weekend. However, a tough road trip to the foot of the mountains will make this extremely difficult. But, as we witnessed, teams can be very unpredictable when they don't have a coach.
Bulldogs v Titans:
The Bulldogs showed on Monday night that without Ben Barba they struggle to find their brilliant best. It was only the Dragons' poor defence that allowed them to score 31 unanswered points in the final quarter of the match; a feat they would struggle to repeat against higher quality opposition. The Titans, on the other hand, were impressive last week, despite struggling to put the knife into a dismal Tigers outfit. They will again be without key trio Will Zillman, Albert Kelly and Jamal Idris for a tough trip to ANZ Stadium.
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