Origin is over and now the run to the NRL finals is in full swing.

After 17 rounds, the top eight is still wide open with plenty of teams still well in contention for the top eight.

Here are the big talking points from Round 17 of the NRL in 2019.

‘SIMPLY NOT GOOD ENOUGH’: NRL DEBACLE

It’s 17 rounds in and the referees are once again back in the spotlight.

After a couple of weeks of bizarre decisions and being heavily under fire, with little support from the upper levels at the NRL, it’s been a dire time for the officials.

NRL head of football Graham Annesley threw the referees under the bus earlier in the week, calling the level of officiating unacceptable.

“I need to get comfort from the people I have to hold responsible for the performances of match officials,” he said. “The one thing we can’t stop is mistakes but some of the mistakes over the last couple of weeks simply aren’t good enough and they are mistakes that shouldn’t have been made so we need to try to find out why and what they are doing to hopefully ensure it doesn’t happen again leading into the finals.”

After Annesley spoke, the Origin decider saw the referees blow 12 penalties in the first half, before putting the whistles away in the second half. The NRL praised referees but it led to a conspiracy theory Annesley had intervened, a theory he has denied.

Annesley has admitted the referees don’t have enough officials to cover for dropped referees.

In just four games last weekend, there were some horrible calls and fans were again baffled this round with more gaffes including the Bunker being involved in a couple of calls.

In Friday night’s match between the Newcastle Knights and Canterbury Bulldogs, Knights prop James Gavet was sin binned for a late shot in the back but the match winner was even more perplexing.

The Dogs could have gone for the field goal but Reimis Smith climbed high to catch a Jack Cogger bomb but appeared to bobble as he put it down.

On field referee Matt Cecchin sent it upstairs with a no-try ruling. Bunker official Ashley Klein said the reviews didn’t seem to be clear enough to overturn the decision and Klein said he was confirming the on-field call of try.

“This is a debacle,” Fox Sports’ Brenton Speed said on commentary. “Why are they doing this to themselves?”

Post match on Fox Sports former Queensland star Corey Parker slammed the refereeing.

“Matt Cecchin came up with a ‘no try’ — they said ‘we will support the on-field decision’ — and gave it a try,” Parker explained. “There needs to be sufficient evidence to say he did hold and it did not bobble, and from our view there was not enough evidence.”

Pair that with the Manly’s first try against the Rabbitohs on Saturday, where the ball bounced off the head of Moses Suli’s head, was knocked to the ground and then the Sea Eagles ran away with their first try.

While a prime candidate to go upstairs, referee Grant Atkins just awarded the four pointer.

Post-match, Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said referees should send the call upstairs when there are questions like in the first try.

“What fascinates me with all this stuff is that when you have that sort of disputed ball on the ground, why wouldn’t you just go have a look?” he said. “I want them to make their own decisions and own them but at the same time, that’s a moment with so much doubt and it happened so quickly, just go and have a look at it, how’s that going to impact on the game?

“I could have been sitting here with a different attitude all together with what happened but I can live with that. We shouldn’t have to live with it, that’s what the technology is there for, if we’re going to use it then use it properly. As I said, I don’t want them at every occasion going to the video ref but when there’s a disputed possession like that then you’ve got to spend that one minute and get it checked out.”

More drama in the Eels-Tigers game, an apparent knock on with the referee just awarding the try.

“That’s just a deadset knock on,” Gasnier said in commentary.

Unfortunately, it seems like it’s just going to be something fans have to deal with, despite the NRL clearly knowing all about it but being powerless to do anything.

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STUART BLOWS UP OVER ‘ACCIDENT’

Nick Cotric has become the first player in three seasons to be sent off.

Cotric was playing his first game back from a syndesmosis injury and scored Sunday evening’s opening try, before lifting and dumping Dragons centre Tim Lafai in the 59th minute.

It marked the first send-off since Melbourne’s Curtis Scott was dismissed last year for punching Manly star Dylan Walker.

Post-match, Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said the ugly play wasn’t a spear tackle.

“I don’t believe that was foul, it was an accident,” Stuart said. “Whoever thinks that’s a spear tackle doesn’t know the game of rugby league.

“It was unintentional. It got away on him a little bit and I understand that. That’s an accident. (Lafai) played on. Nick has got no malice in him at all.

“It ended up with him on the wrong end of it as far as being sent off. I just thought it was very harsh. My heart went out to him because I know how much it will hurt him.”

Stuart confirmed the Raiders would fight the matter once the match review hands down its findings on Monday.

Speaking on the Big League Wrap, Michael Ennis said there was no doubt the tackle went wrong.

— with AAP

NRL ‘EMBARRASSING’ OVER SMITH LOVEFEST

This weekend was a weekend for milestones with the Cowboys Gavin Cooper and Tigers Benji Marshall becoming players 37 and 38 in the 300 game club.

But there is only one player in the 400 game club as Cameron Smith reached the unthinkable record.

The NRL ironman seems set to give 450 a shake as he led his side to a 40-16 win over the Cronulla Sharks.

The Storm star has achieved almost everything in his career and the NRL went all out for the legend and potential NRL GOAT.

Rugby league legends praised Smith before and after the match in the NRL love-in as the incredible milestone was celebrated.

But league journalist Paul Kent has lashed how the NRL dealt with the celebration on Triple M Footy, calling it “embarrassing”, as they aimed to get some proximity glow from the good will of Smith’s achievement.

“How they have just managed to attach themselves to Cameron Smith’s 400 is embarrassing,” Kent said. “Todd Greenberg was like velcro with him after the game. The NRL should acknowledge it but don’t sit down and ride on the coat-tails.”

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PANTHERS ROMP INTO CONTENTION

Back in round 10, things were looking dire for the Penrith Panthers.

The side was 2-8 and riding a six-game losing streak to premiership obscurity.

Round 17, the Panthers are in the top eight, having ridden a six-game winning streak to snatch eighth spot on the ladder.

It’s been a remarkable comeback as Ivan Cleary’s men have gone under the radar.

The 24-2 win over the Gold Coast Titans saw the axe finally fall on Garth Brennan’s tenure at the club but it was also the first time the Panthers had won by more than 10 points in their run of wins.

While just two wins separate fifth and 12th if Raiders win, we’re set for a grandstand finish to the season.

The Panthers have also moved to eight wins and eight losses for the season and appear to finally be headed in the right direction.

In fact, most of the top eight will be looking for the top four with just four points between third and eighth.