Today we take a look at how the minor premiership will be decided next Thursday in Penrith, we squash suggestions that the Bulldogs could pull off a miracle this season, and have a concerned look at the Eels predicament.
Read on as we tackle some of the big talking points in this week's Real or Not.
The Bulldogs are set to pull off a premiership miracle
NOT REAL: The Bulldogs are having an incredible season, sitting in fifth position having out-performed their fans' highest expectations for 2024. Phil Gould and Cameron Ciraldo deliberately recruited players based on character and they are now reaping the rewards of a hard-working group who go into battle with pride in their jerseys and trust in the player next to them. They also have some gems sprinkled in with the hard heads, with Connor Tracey, Stephen Crichton, Josh Addo-Carr and Jacob Kiraz among the league's best in their respective positions. They head towards the finals having found some attacking spark to complement their resolute defence, but, they are still only two losses away from dropping out of the eight.
This weekend's clash with the Dragons will go a long way to determining the Bulldogs' trajectory for the rest of the season. They should beat the Dragons in front of a packed Kogarah, taking a valuable two points from one of their nearest rivals for a finals berth, before facing the run home against the Dolphins, Warriors, Sea Eagles and Cowboys. None of those games are easy victories, even the Warriors turn up to play sometimes, so the Bulldogs will have to fight to the bitter end to ensure they play in the finals.
If they do remain in the Top 8, a whole new challenge awaits them. Defence is said to win the big games, but momentum through the middle of the field is just as important. The Bulldogs have the defence they need, but their pocket battleship-sized forwards can be outmuscled in the middle of the park. It's why the club is actively pursuing big front row forwards, they are two big boppers short of having a premiership pack.
The other reason they won't win the title this season, is that they don't have a premiership quality halfback. Toby Sexton has really improved this year and is doing a good job for the club, but he is not a Nathan Cleary, nor a Jahrome Hughes, not even a Sam Walker.
The Bulldogs are taking their fans on an incredible ride in 2024, an absolute joy for a passionate group who have been suffering for some time. The future of the club looks bright, as they may be only a couple of key players away from winning their first premiership since 2004.
Minor premiership to be decided next Thursday
REAL: The Storm regained their four-point lead at the top of the ladder with a less than impressive win over the Rabbitohs to open Round 23. The Panthers need to beat the Eels to move back within a win of Melbourne in the race for the minor premiership.
At their peak, it would be hard to see the Storm losing to any of their final three opponents, but with the team readjusting to the return of Cameron Munster, the picture is not so clear.
Next Thursday they travel to Penrith for what many feel will be a dress rehearsal for the 2024 Grand Final. If the Storm play as they have since Munster's return, the Panthers will tear them apart. Not only is the Storm attack not working smoothly, but they are turning the ball over way too often and the Panthers will capitalise on any extra possession.
If they lose to the Panthers, suddenly the doubts creep in and the run home against the Dolphins, Cowboys and Broncos doesn't look as straight forward as it might have been.
The Storm now have a narrow seven-point advantage in the points differential, but that will change with the Panthers expected to defeat the Eels. After Thursday's clash with the Storm, the Panthers face the Raiders, Rabbitohs and Titans in their final three games and should comfortably win them all. The best hope the Storm have of winning the minor premiership is to beat the Panthers on Thursday before beating the Queensland teams they face on their run home.
Meanwhile, the Eels are in real trouble
REAL: It is difficult to believe that a club that was in the Grand Final just two years ago could be on the brink of complete irrelevance, but that is where the Parramatta Eels find themselves in 2024. If not for the equally inept Tigers, the Eels would be staring at another wooden spoon, instead they will limp home with rumours swirling about player defections and a toxic team culture.
The Eels struggled for consistency all year and sacked coach Brad Arthur mid-season. Injuries to key players haven't helped, but the playing group has seldom fired up to the levels which saw them facing the Panthers in the 2022 decider.
With Jason Ryles signed to coach from 2025, a player clean-out is on the cards. Unfortunately for Ryles and Eels fans one of the first to leave has been Blaize Talagi, a player with an enormous future and the last player they wanted to lose. Talagi is set to haunt Parramatta for years, running around for rivals Penrith. Now there are whispers that Mitchell Moses is keen to leave a situation he recently described as a "hell hole".
The sooner Ryles hits the ground and starts imposing himself on the club, the better. The Eels need a new look, a new approach and a playing group that plays with the same passion that their fans have for the game.