THE NRL competition in 2018 remains turned on its head from last season. What happens next? Who knows! But here’s my verdict on the last four days of footy.

Raiders v Bulldogs

That’s more like it Raiders. However I will probably remember this game more for the Ricky Stuart sideline show. Boy, did he live every minute of this match. Canterbury, sadly, look fairly limited.

Ricky Stuart rode Canberra’s win hard. Source: AAP

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Sharks v Roosters

Good benchmark this one for both teams. The Roosters are cementing their place as one of the heavyweights, and the Sharks have a bit to prove yet if they are going to have the same status in 2018. A lack of success at home must be of great concern to their fans.

Dragons v Rabbitohs

I loved calling this one at Jubilee Oval. A real tough game of footy with the Dragons deserving winners again, but the Rabbitohs can take plenty of positives out of the performance as well. At this rate the Dragons are going to need a bigger stadium to play out of.

Jason Nightingale throws a pass against the Rabbitohs. Source: News Corp Australia

Tigers v Storm

There is no fluke in the performance of the Tigers so far this year. Only hard work can produce the defensive numbers they have posted in five rounds. I don’t know what to make of Melbourne. A ‘sloppy’ performance for the second consecutive week.

Warriors v Cowboys

The Warriors put away the Cowboys in professional style. What I liked about the performance is if you just watch the last five minutes. The Warriors are still running and hitting and chasing just as hard as they did in the opening five. They are the real deal. Four straight losses for the Cowboys is hard to believe.

Knights v Broncos

What terrific entertainment this was on a Saturday night on Fox League (and I watched from the Queen Hotel in Gladstone). The improvement in the Knights in 2018 is there for all to see. The increased confidence in young players like Lachlan Fitzgibbon with greater experience around them is so clear. Brisbane have problems but not insurmountable ones in my opinion.

Nathan Ryan and Ben Glover are joined by Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan to chat about the club’s new recruits and plans for the future.

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Titans v Sea Eagles

What a fortnight for the Titans after being flogged 54-8 by the Dragons. Loved the way they have gone about their football in wins over Brisbane and Manly. Terrific effort from their forwards again through the likes of Jai Arrow and Jarrod Wallace. The game proved to me that without Tom Trbojevic the Sea Eagles cannot possibly compete for the finals. He is that important to the side.

Eels v Panthers

What about that defence from the Panthers in the second half! The Eels can’t take a trick at the moment. With a little more confidence, perhaps they win this one just as they could have done against their western Sydney rivals back in round one. Zero and five, last on the ladder. Ouch!

LIKES

The Auckland double header

I have been calling for this for years. Play more games in New Zealand’s biggest city. The Warriors can’t do it all with just twelve home games a season. Saturday wasn’t just a great night for the Warriors, it was a great night for rugby league in New Zealand.

Marley Brown Oval

My first trip to Gladstone and I loved every moment of it. There was a great atmosphere for Sunday’s game between the Titans and the Sea Eagles. I hope the locals enjoyed it - and can I also rap Manly fans Jerina and Leigh Spadina for driving the 3000 kilometre round trip to support their team.

The crowd at Marley Brown Oval watches Daly Cherry-Evans run the length to score. Source: Getty Images

David Fusitu’a

This young bloke continues to rise as an emerging superstar of the NRL, and the spectacular tries are part of the reward. There are plenty of reasons to watch the Warriors in 2018 … Fusitu’a is certainly one of them.

Benji Marshall

How good is it to have Benji Marshall back as a match winner in the NRL! He is a different player to the precocious ‘kid’ back in the day with the Tigers over a dozen years ago, but he still brings plenty to the table.

Benji Marshall throws a pass in the Tigers’ win over the Storm. Source: AAP

Euan Aitken

How about that try against Souths on the career highlights reel? I hope the kids who play for the Pambula Bulldogs, Euan’s junior club, are feeling proud of their man.

DISLIKES

Josh Addo-Carr

What a blooper for the Fox against the Tigers. Ironically, the closest man to Josh was Billy Slater who had a similar moment on the end of a Benji Marshall kick at the 2008 World Cup. As Billy did, I am sure he will bounce back.

Cowboys’ losing streak

For all those who tipped the Cowboys to win the competition (myself included) it is hard to believe they are one and four to start the year. I could not possibly have predicted a month of defeats. Big pressure on Paul Green’s team to bounce back this Saturday against the Bulldogs.

A dejected Cowboys hooker Jake Granville after their loss to the Warriors. Source: AAP

The Sharks’ attack

It’s just not happening for Cronulla. Matt Moylan looked a frustrated player on Friday night against the Roosters and after an injury interrupted start to the season he has still not settled in. There is plenty of work to do at the Sharks!

Greg Inglis

Five games into the comeback now for GI, and I think it’s fair to say Souths fans are wanting plenty more from their superstar. Is it time to go back to fullback? Maybe? All I know is that for the Rabbitohs to be at their best, Inglis needs to have the ball in his hands more.

Lachlan Croker

Sorry young man, but you joined the ‘play the ball facing the wrong way’ Hall of Fame! It happens.

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We have another big episode of THE FAN coming up at 7.30 on Tuesday night on Fox League.

We’ll be introducing you to the ‘NRLPhysio’ who has become a social media hit. We also catch up with former Parramatta international Mick Vella, and relive one of the greatest matches of all time, the 2013 World Cup semi between New Zealand and England, through the words of Shaun Johnson and Sam Burgess.

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