LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
Then there were four!
The Storm and Broncos observed this weekend's action as the Sharks and Panthers advanced, preparing for the preliminary finals. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs and Raiders concluded the 2025 season without securing a finals victory.
On the positive side, the Panthers issued a significant warning to their competitors, while the Sharks celebrated their second Finals win since 2016.
Here are 20 reflections from Week 2 of the NRL finals series:
1. Much will be discussed regarding the Galvin move (more on that later), but it's clear that the Bulldogs' struggle stemmed from other teams figuring them out. The Dogs began the season strongly, but during the Origin period, rival coaches developed strategies to counter them. Unfortunately, they lacked the creativity to implement a Plan B.
2. Certainly, modifications to their spine negatively impacted their season. While Galvin may take the bulk of the criticism, the decision to replace Reed Mahoney with Bailey Hayward did not make sense to me. Though both changes might prove beneficial in the long run, they inflicted significant damage on the team during the 2025 season.