Johns says top clubs just waiting for the finals
THEY are falling, failing and faltering at the wrong time of year but several heavyweight NRL clubs are simply in a “holding pattern” until the big finals matches start.
That’s the opinion of one of Matthew Johns, one of rugby league’s sharpest minds, who says the recent form slump of several high-profile clubs should be ignored come the business end of the season.
The Sydney Roosters, South Sydney, St George Illawarra and Penrith are limping along, while premiership leaders Melbourne haven’t set the world alight in the lead-up to the playoffs.
The New Zealand Warriors have won just four of their past nine matches, while Brisbane have been successful in two of the past four games.
Never before has so many sides been so out of form just one week before a finals series.
The Dragons and Panthers are being already being dismissed as contenders.
With three successive wins, Cronulla are the only team with any momentum.
Johns, the former NSW and Australian five-eighth and Fox Sports expert, has predicted a Rabbitohs-Storm grand final.
That’s despite the Rabbitohs losing their past three.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson confirmed last night that firebrand prop Jared WaereaHargreaves would return from a rib injury for Saturday night’s game against Parramatta.
His comeback coincides with a three-game suspension for fellow prop Dylan Napa, who yesterday pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous contact for his headfirst hit on Brisbane’s Andrew McCullough.