NRLW 2022: What your team needs to do to make it into the finals
The battle in the standings in NRLW 2022 is so tight that the top team could slide to fifth if results don’t go its way — that means five teams could finish on top. STATE OF PLAY
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After years of dominating the competition, the three-time premiers, the Broncos, face the possibility of finishing anywhere between first and fifth, while the Dragons have their eyes set on claiming their first ever minor premiership.
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St George Illawarra skipper and ASICS athlete Kezie Apps put it best when she admitted it would be a historic occasion to finish top of the table this weekend after the club claimed the wooden spoon in the 2020 season.
“A win this weekend is really important,” Apps said.
“It would be good to beat the Roosters and if we do, we’re in a really good spot to stay in first place.
“It will be a first for us, and a first for anyone to finish above the Broncos at the end of the season.
“It’s historic.”
Such is the state of play, the Dragons will have to wait until the final result from the Broncos v Eels clash, at 12.45pm at Suncorp Stadium, before finding out whether they finish on top or not.
“It’s honestly one of the closest comps we’ve ever had and I don’t think everyone thought it was going to be this tight,” Apps said.
“It’s really exciting for the game to have everyone so close together.
“It’s a very important round coming up.”
The Broncos will be hoping for a Roosters upset over the Dragons, and a win of more than 14 points over Parramatta, to reclaim top spot and a fourth straight minor premiership.
Meanwhile, the Knights are out of finals contention but will head into the round looking to spoil the party for the Titans – who will need a Roosters loss on Saturday to guarantee a top four finish.
Points differential will also be a big advantage for the Dragons (+50) and the Broncos (+36) in deciding the final four spots.
Apps said the red-hot Red V were still yet to reach their full potential heading into the all important final round of the season.
“We haven’t played to our full potential yet,” she said.
“We were obviously written off from the start but I love being the underdog and we’ve been working really hard to get to where we are.
“I believe we can go all the way to the grand final with this group of girls.”
NRLW STATE OF PLAY
Dragons
Current: 1st
Best finish: 1st
Worst: 5th
Points differential: +50
A win against the Roosters on Saturday – and a Broncos loss to the Eels or if Broncos win by 14 points or less – will see St George Illawarra claim their first ever minor premiership. A loss to the Roosters though and a Broncos win could see them lose top spot. Their strong points differential should play into their advantage for a finals berth if results don’t go their way this weekend.
Broncos
Current: 2nd
Best: 1st
Worst: 5th
Points differential: +36
If the Dragons go down to the Roosters and Brisbane defeat Parramatta at Suncorp Stadium, the three-time premiers will claim their fourth straight minor premiership. A big loss to the Eels, and wins to the Dragons and Titans, could bump the Broncos down to fourth.
Eels
Current: 3rd
Best: 1st
Worst: 5th
Points differential: 0
Parramatta is also in contention for a top-of-the-table finish this weekend if they can post a big score over the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium, and the Dragons lose terribly to the Roosters. However, they face the possibility of missing out on the finals altogether if they lose to Brisbane and both the Titans and Roosters win by more than six and nine points respectively.
Titans
Current: 4th
Best: 1st
Worst: 5th
Points differential: -6
The Titans win over the Broncos last weekend came at just the right time to instil plenty of confidence into the new club. They face the last-placed Knights but it’s essentially a must-win game to stay in finals contention. If Roosters beat the Dragons by a mere four points, and the Titans lose to Newcastle, it will be an early finish for the Gold Coast club.
Roosters
Current: 5th
Best: 1st
Worst: 5th
Points differential: -9
The Roosters will be aiming for a win against the Dragons, but a loss could still see them through to the finals. Points differential will then come into play if the Titans lose to the Knights and Parramatta go down to the Broncos.
Originally published as NRLW 2022: What your team needs to do to make it into the finals
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