Aug 9th, 2017

Aug 9th, 2017

Their chances of playing finals football in season 2017 are well and truly over, however, for the bottom six teams on the NRL premiership ladder, there is still plenty to play for over the remaining four rounds of home and away football.

Teams out of finals contention, who just allow their season to fizzle out over the concluding stages of the competition, I believe do themselves a great disservice.

Firstly, it shows a lack of professionalism. If you can't find the motivation to play to the best of your ability, as an individual and as a team, each and every time you take the field, then you are in the wrong employment. You have an obligation to yourself, your team, your club and your fans, to commit yourself to giving quality performances.

Secondly, it shows a lack of character. Enough said.

Finally, you are wasting a tremendous opportunity to get a start on your preparations for next season.

How you finish off this season, will have a significant effect on how you roll on into pre-season training in a couple of months time.

If you keep looking for improvements to your game, fight to the death in every contest right up until the final day, and maybe even string together a few late season wins, then this positive mindset sets the tone for your post season review, and the way you commence preparations for 2018.

If you play with a lack of care and purpose in the final weeks and lose all your matches, you will limp off into the sunset after round 26 and getting back to training for next season is the last thing on your mind.

In fact, for the six teams out of contention for this year's finals, they need to have the attitude that next season starts now.

Rabbitohs

Look, I don't think Souths have been all that far away this year.

They have easily been the best of the bottom 6 teams and if a couple of narrow losses had fallen their way, they would still be in finals contention.

It's just that amongst all these competitive efforts, Souths have thrown in the odd "wobbly" performance that has caused their coach great frustration.

Their season was rocked early on with the loss of the great Greg Inglis in round one. Injury to the marquee player in any club would be a huge blow. It may well be a case of "what might of been" had Inglis been available all year.

The positives for me have been the massive improvement in players like Angus Crichton and Cody Walker.

I also like the fact they are still trying to give their best every week. Their last minute victory over the Dragons last weekend is testimony to the fact they still have pride and will keep punching away right to the finish post.

This side will go much better in 2018.

Warriors

The enigmatic team of the NRL. Capable of anything on their day. Both brilliant and horrible.

This club has pretty much been a graveyard for coaches over the past six years.

Back in 2011, the then coach Ivan Cleary steered this club to their second ever Grand Final appearance. Finally it looked as though the Warriors had it right and were ready to be a consistent force in this competition. Sadly, they have failed every year since and gone through a handful of head coaches in the process.

It can't all be the coach's fault.

Granted, any chance the Warriors could stage a late season charge were inhibited by the loss of halfback Shaun Johnson to injury in round 19. But to be honest, Johnson's form this year had been well below his best and the writing was already on the wall for the New Zealand team.

With the likes of Kieran Foran, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Isaac Luke still directing the team, they should be performing better.

There is something missing over there. This club should be a powerhouse.

I see plenty of ability and potential. I just don't see professional application.

The Warriors face four very winnable matches over the final month of football. It remains to be seen if they can win any of them at all.

We shall see how much they really care over the concluding weeks.

Bulldogs

I genuinely feel sorry for this team.

I believe they give of their best every weekend. I believe they want to do well, every time they play.

Unfortunately, they have just lost all confidence and belief in themselves. They have lost their identity as a football team.

They have a talented playing roster and an outstanding coach. Yet nothing appears to be working.

It happens to all of us at one point or another. You get to a point of utter frustration where you can't see the forest for the trees.

Now, there could be plenty of reasons behind the scenes as to why this team is in such a poor headspace. Perhaps it's the uncertainty over the salary cap situation and the future of the playing roster. Perhaps there is confusion or conflicting opinions on the style of football they are trying to play.

Maybe this group of players have just grown tired and the roster needs to be broken down and rebuilt. Maybe they do need a new voice in the coaching ranks, with some new ideas to support head coach Des Hasler.

This is all stuff that will be sorted during the post season review.

In the meantime, I know the Bulldogs will keep fighting over the final month of football. They can win all four remaining matches if they can get their football right. They have the ability to do so.

Titans

For much of the season I have held the belief that the Titans deserved to be much higher on the Premiership ladder and that their lowly position was not a true reflection of their ability or efforts.

The first half of the season this club was dogged with a horrific injury toll which obviously affected their results. However, whenever they got anywhere near full strength, they were capable of some really strong performances. They have beaten the Melbourne Storm and twice lowered the colours of last year's premiers, Cronulla.

They looked all set for a strong finish to the season.

I can't, for the life of me, explain what has happened to this team over the past fortnight.

Being thumped by the Tigers 26-4, and then humiliated by the Broncos 54-0, with both games being at home, is just terrible. It's unacceptable.

Last weekend they gave up. Maybe not as individuals, but they definitely gave up as a team.

This team needs to bounce back quickly and re-establish some credibility.

If they can't find the passion to play for the Gold Coast brand, then the NRL should cut their losses, pack them up, and move them to Brisbane. Find a brand in which players will take pride.

This lot are only damaging the brand of rugby league performing like this on the holiday strip.

I believe the Gold Coast should have representation in the NRL. But not if the team performs like this one.

Wests Tigers

This club never really got going in season 2017.

The whole contract drama with their top four players was a huge distraction at the start of the season. I still can't believe three of these talented players decided to leave the club the way they did.

Then again, the club needs to think about why they left as well.

I have seen improvement in the team performances over the past six weeks. New coach Ivan Cleary has made an obvious difference.

They have a tough draw over the final four rounds, but I wouldn't be surprised if they spring a couple of upsets.

The big news for Tigers fans is the recruitment drive for next season. It will be a completely new playing roster. Hopefully this leads to a new and successful era for the club.

Our game needs the Tigers going well.

Knights

I love watching them play. I cheer for them every weekend. I love their passion and energy. I love the fact they turn up and give their best every time they play.

I know they haven't won many games. I know sometimes it all gets a bit too much for them and the scoreboard disappoints. It's obvious their youth and inexperience makes it hard to sustain an 80 minute performance every week.

But you engage with this team. They touch your emotions and you want to be there with them.

I think the coach has gone about rebuilding this club the right way.

He has been prepared to blood youth. He has let players go who didn't want to be a part of the struggle. Nathan Brown has been prepared to take his lumps now, in the process of building a bigger future.

It won't happen overnight. But perseverance will get them there in the end.

They have money to spend for next season and they have already recruited some nice talent for 2018. They just need a few old hard heads who are prepared to give their best in training and play every week, to help some of the great young kids they have there at the club.

I hope the Knights finish the season strongly.