Luke Keary of the Rabbitohs celebrates a try with team mates. Source: Matt Roberts / Getty Images
IN his weekly column, Fox Sports expert and Canberra assistant coach Brett Kimmorley offers his thoughts on round 22 of the 2013 NRL Premiership season.
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Storm v Rabbitohs at AAMI Park
South Sydney fans should walk away from Friday's game knowing they can get into the fight with Melbourne. You put John Sutton and Greg Inglis back in the side, the Rabbitohs not only gain match winning players but most importantly they get confidence. Luke Keary was outstanding and may throw a twist into how the side looks when Sutton returns from injury. Perhaps we will see Sutton in the back row earlier than we thought which is a huge advantage to have come finals if a half goes down injured. Playing against a side like the Storm, you need to make sure you capitalise on your opportunities because when they sniff out a chance to poll points they will take it. Cooper Cronk produced some beautiful passes to catch his old teammate Matt King out on a number of occasions. The Storm have set a statement over the last few weeks that they are still contenders and you should write them off at your own peril.
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Eels v Tigers at Parramatta Stadium
Jarryd Hayne's return to the Parramatta side was the difference. He is the calming influence that the Eels can play off the back of. The players would have had confidence with Hayne back in the side and their forwards have been performing well. They have a big strong pack but lack a genuine ball player which is why they struggle. Fortunately for the Eels they end a 10 game losing streak while Tigers fans have nothing to be excited about. The club is filled with drama from Benji Marshall leaving to Mick Potter's coaching career under a lot of doubt. Who knows when the dramas will stop at the Tigers but one thing we know is that a loss is the last thing they needed.
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Roosters v Raiders at Allianz Stadium
Trent Robinson wouldn't be overly happy with the way the Roosters played. Canberra applied plenty of pressure after responding well from what was a 60-point thrashing the week before. The Raiders played with plenty of pride but probably gifted the Roosters 18 points with some soft tries and you can't gift points to quality sides. The Roosters were very controlled and patient led by two halves who have a great kicking game. Roger Tuivasa-sheck showed why he will be the Roosters long-term fullback while the Raiders will be pleased by Blake Ferguson's return. Ultimately poor execution and inability to come up with the right plays at the right time hurt the visitors.
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Sharks v Knights at Remondis Stadium
It was the battle of two in-form halves with Todd Carney and Jarrod Mullen coming head-to-head. It was the sneaky victory Newcastle needed to keep their season alive. The lead changed throughout the game but with the Knights playing for Danny Buderus' record breaking 250th game probably gave them the motivation to get them home in the end. Andrew Fifita was good for the Sharks while the return for Luke Lewis and Paul Gallen playing his second game back from injury would have brought confidence to their side. But there are still a lot of dramas in Cronulla. They wouldn't have liked that loss at this time of the year but for the Knights they stay alive and in the top eight. The emergence of Jarrod Mullen over the last few weeks shows he can steer around the side and kick them to a victory on the back of a big forward pack and some exciting outside backs.
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Sea Eagles v Warriors at Blue Tongue Stadium
In 2011 the Stewart brothers stared for Manly in the grand final against the Warriors and the same happened again on Sunday. Glenn Stewart has returned to form after an injury troubled him for a large part of the season while his brother Brett Stewart has been terrific over the last five weeks. Manly continue to remind us that we can't write them off. They are a fit and aggressive side. There were a lot of errors in that game but the sea Eagles were never frustrated and while points didn't come early, they were able to run away with it in the end. Being a Warriors fan, player or coach must be a frustrating job. They can be absolutely brilliant or they can switch off and come up with something horrible.
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Broncos v Dragons at Suncorp Stadium
It was a very important game for Brisbane to keep their semi-finals hopes alive. The Broncos were very good while the Dragons had plenty to play for. The Broncos showed they had more class and depth than the opposition to get the win. Justin Hodges received some dreadful news for that he will be sidelined for 10 months with a snapped Achilles but they covered the loss well by moving Matt Gillett into the centres. With Josh Hoffman pushing back to fullback and Ben Hunt leading the attack at half, the Broncos were very classy. Sam Thaiday showed his gamesmanship, trying to milk a penalty and scoring off the next play. The Dragons can hold their heads high. They had their chances led by their young gun Adam Quinlan. The Dragons fans now look forward to next year to an improved roster but what they have unearthed are some match winners in Quinlan and Josh Dugan who were not in their plans at the start of the season.
VIDEO TO COME
Panthers v Cowboys
Two weeks in a row they have scored more than 30 points. Neil Henry's future was decided before the South Sydney game and with that came a return to form. The Cowboys were a little patch against Penrith but the more Johnathan Thurston was involved, the better the rest of the team played. Thurston capped his night off by becoming the 22nd player in history to break 1300 points.He is the key to the Cowboys playing well. Ray Thompson scored his first try of the season and finished with a hat trick while Kyle Feldt scored his first try in the NRL. The game was a little scrappy at times but it was nice to see Sam McKendry return for Penrith after breaking his neck in round seven. In the end the Panthers were blown away. With 25 minutes to go they had lost interest in the game and waved the white flag. The Cowboys now play three of their next four games in North Queensland. It would be amazing to think they could finish on 28 points and make it into the semi-finals. They certainly have a talented roster and look to have their defensive attitude back.
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