As the NRL season approaches its final three rounds, excitement remains high.
The recent victory of the Roosters over Penrith has intensified the competition for the Minor Premiership, much to the delight of fans.
Meanwhile, the Broncos find themselves entangled in a fight to escape the wooden spoon following the Dragons' second consecutive win.
This round witnessed controversial Bunker decisions, the unwelcome return of a familiar issue, the Sharks stumbling under pressure, an Origin coach resigning, and potentially the season's standout match.
Here are 20 reflections from NRL Round 24:
1. The disruptor is back, my friends! Those controversial rulings that no one wanted have made a strong comeback, seemingly out of nowhere. After the recent decision-making improvements, officials appear to have reverted, distributing penalties like that iconic Oprah meme. It raises the question: were they reminded?
2. Stephen Crichton expertly exaggerated that "mutual infringement" call against the Bunnies. He had no chance of preventing Souths from scoring, so he chose to "interact" with the referee. As a result, Ashley Klein had to rule it a no try, leaving the Bunker's hands tied. While I don't dispute the decision, I do take issue with Crichton's conduct.
3. The Cronulla Sharks delivered what might be the worst rugby league incident of the decade last Saturday. Despite being informed multiple times that a decision had been confirmed, they proceeded with a Captain's Challenge. Referee Bernard Sutton, in a clear and calm manner, clarified that the ruling had been reviewed. Yet Nicho Hynes, standing merely a meter away, chose to challenge it anyway through Blayke Brailey. He was either ignorant of the rules, not paying attention to the referee, or perhaps both. This is simply inexcusable!
4. Craig Fitzgibbon tends to avoid media scrutiny; however, his failure to utilize his club's young, speedy talents on the flanks distinguishes him from top coaches. While Mawene Hiroti may be a decent fringe First Grader at best, Sione Katoa remains the slowest player in the league. Fitzgibbon watched them get outplayed for the entire 80 minutes as Michael Gabrael and Sam Stonestreet remained on the sidelines. This lack of strategic choices is precisely why the Sharks do not pose a serious threat for the title. Playing it safe does not yield results.