Three-month first to terrify Storm rivals; why Knights won’t rule out Best: Teams Talking Pts
The Storm are surging towards yet another minor premiership and in a scary sign for the rest of the competition their first-choice spine will start this weekend for the first time in three months.
The Knights sit 11th on the ladder and remain an outside chance of making the finals, but all hope is not lost according to coach Adam O’Brien.
The Bulldogs have roared into top-four contention, while the Rabbitohs are debuting a young gun after Alex Johnston went down for the season.
Read on for the talking points out of the Round 22 team lists!
STORM’S SCARY SPINE SURGING TOWARDS SEPTEMBER
The Storm spine will start together for just the sixth time this season when the ladder leaders host the Dragons on Saturday.
Cameron Munster returns to his No. 6 jersey for the first time since Magic Round following a lingering adductor tendon injury.
But the last time the Storm had Munster, Jahrome Hughes, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Harry Grant all start a game together was way back in Round 9.
Despite the lack of reps from the superstar spine, Craig Bellamy’s side sits at the top of the ladder and are streaming towards a fifth minor premiership in nine seasons.
Hughes is the favourite to win the Dally M Medal, while Grant has excelled as the club’s new captain this year.
Munster can turn a game on its head like nobody else while Papenhuyzen remains one of the most dangerous players in the NRL.
The Storm still have Queensland stars Xavier Coates and Christian Welch to return and it appears the only side that are any chance of stopping en route to the title are Penrith.
BEST YET TO COME IN 2024
Knights coach Adam O’Brien says Bradman Best’s season isn’t over despite suggestions his strike centre would be out for the rest of 2024 after he suffered another hamstring injury in the loss to Brisbane.
Best missed a month of footy after he hurt his left hamstring in round 11, with the Newcastle speedster also in doubt for the State of Origin decider but ultimately overcoming a slight niggle to star for the Blues in the epic win in Brisbane.
He then backed up three days later against the Broncos and was forced off early with another hamstring injury, but his coach is confident he will be back this year with Newcastle just two points outside the top eight.
“The thing that we do have on our side is that he’s a pretty good healer,” O’Brien said.
“He’s always beaten the time frame by a considerable amount.
“We’ll just have to wait and see where he gets to. He’s back in now after I gave him a few days off last week to get over the disappointment.
“His season isn’t gone just yet, so I wouldn’t rule him out of anything.”
Dylan Lucas has replaced Best at centre for the game against Penrith on Sunday, while Adam Elliott is set to return from a calf issue that kept him out of the round 20 loss to Brisbane.
“I came off the Canberra game and I couldn’t play in that because I was too sick,” Elliott said, having recovered during last week’s bye.