The finals series has only just begun,but it already appears a race in two for premiership glory.
Penrith booked a preliminary final spot with a comfortable 32-6 win over the Warriors at BlueBet Stadium on Saturday,with their No.7 running the show.
While it wasn’t always pretty,Cronulla secured a hard fought 24-6 win and a home final off the back of one of the more ugly lifting tackles gone wrong you’ll see.
Kieran Foran scored three tries as the Titans held off Cameron Ciraldo’s side,who were bolstered by their own hat-trick from flying winger Josh Addo-Carr.
Penrith sent a warning to their finals rivals with a thumping win over the Cowboys to lift the JJ Giltinan Shield for the third time in four years.
A fifth straight victory for Trent Robinson’s men has put them on the cusp of sealing a finals spot,and also capped a miserable fortnight for South Sydney.
In a fitting end to a poor campaign,the Tigers were completely outplayed,letting in a long-range try in the first minute and never getting a foothold in a 54-12 hammering.
Newcastle’s superstar put on a clinic as the Knights won their eighth straight game,but it could come at a cost after he left the game injured following a crunching hit.
The Roosters’ victory over the Tigers has set up a do-or-die top-eight shootout against South Sydney but they face a nervous wait on Jared Waerea-Hargreaves avoiding suspension.
The minor premiership door is wide open for the Broncos - but that will be the least of Ivan Cleary’s concerns with doubt over whether his star five-eighth will play again this season.
Kalyn Ponga,the Knights and a sold-out 29,018 crowd sparkled like rarely before as South Sydney’s finals hopes were thrown into disarray.