Phil Rothfield names the key players who could define the run home to the NRL finals

CROWDS referees, coaches and star factor. These key players could define how the NRL season ends, writes Phil Rothfield.

The key players who will define the finals

NRL CROWDS are baaaaaaack. For the first time this season, the average crowd figure has gone above 2013 attendances.

It’s been a phenomenal comeback from what appeared to be a crowds crisis earlier this year.

So far 2,048,853 fans have gone through the turnstiles after 128 games of footy.

The big question is whether they can stay ahead in the final eight weeks of the competition.

Here are the key players who might decide as much in the run home to the finals.

NRL CEO Dave Smith has shown fans the way back to the game.

DAVE SMITH

The NRL CEO has led a remarkable comeback from being 20 per cent down in the early rounds.

After 18 rounds the average crowd this year is 16,006 compared to 15,992 at the same stage last year.

It’s only a small increase but a phenomenal result considering the impact of State of Origin.

The biggest test for Dave Smith will be the final four rounds when blockbusters have been programmed for Thursday nights because of Channel Nine’s TV deal.

ASADA

Jack Gibson once said that waiting for Cronulla to win a premiership was like leaving the porch light on for Harold Holt.

If that’s the case, waiting for ASADA is like leaving the front door open for Burke and Wills.

For 18 months the NRL and the Cronulla Sharks have been wanting closure on the supplements scandal from 2011.

Almost every week we’ve heard infraction notices and suspensions are ‘imminent’.

Surely ASADA has to wrap up the investigation by the end of the season or fess up that they don’t have the evidence to take the matter further.

Adam Reynolds has two months to prove he can be South Sydney’s No.7.

ADAM REYNOLDS

Regarded as a future Origin halfback last year, Reynolds has failed to live up to the early expectations. There is now speculation the Rabbitohs will offer him a release and run with Luke Keary as the long-term No.7.

The experiment of playing John Sutton at lock with Reynolds and Keary in the halves was a disaster last start against the Titans.

Reynolds has two months to prove he deserves to be there.

TONY ARCHER

The code can’t afford any more major refereeing controversies.

Archer has escaped criticism for much of the season because he is in the first year of his appointment.

But, almost every week errors or inconsistency have affected the results of games.

He has stuck solidly by his senior referees throughout the year — even Shayne Hayne last week after the worst blunder of the year.

WAYNE BENNETT

We don’t think the seven-time premier coach will be spotted outside Centrelink any time soon.

Still, he has a big decision to make on his next destination in the NRL. At the same time it’s vitally important he keeps the Knights on their winning run to at least finish the season in a respectable position on the competition table.

MICK POTTER

The whispers have become a roar that the Wests Tigers will not renew Potter’s contract next season after just one win in the last five weeks.

Somehow Potter has to lift the Tigers into the top eight and play finals football if he is to have any hope of staying on for another season.

This is almost an identical situation to the end of last season where he lost the support of senior players at the club.

Manly coach Geoff Toovey has to unite his players if the Sea Eagles are to have any chance.

GEOFF TOOVEY

It’s a crucial period for Manly, where coach Geoff Toovey needs to show the same leadership qualities of his predecessor, Des Hasler, because the relationship between the senior players and the front office is at breaking point over the departure of Glenn Stewart.

These days first grade NRL coaches are much more than training planners and game-day tacticians. Managing the players and their egos is a priority.

The incredible will-to-win of the senior players is likely to carry the Sea Eagles through to the grand final but Toovey will need to manage it carefully.

Jarryd Hayne is the man to save Parramatta’s faltering season.

JARRYD HAYNE

Only one man can rescue Parramatta’s faltering finals campaign — they’ve lost three on the trot — and it’s the Hayne Plane.

Three losses on the trot has put a finals position in doubt, although they have a great draw in the next three weeks against the Titans, Sharks and Raiders.

All will depend on whether Hayne can reproduce the form that had many experts suggesting he was a better fullback than the great Billy Slater and arguably now the No. 1 player in rugby league.

JOHN CARTWRIGHT

Cartwright won the lottery three years ago when former Titans managing director Michael Searle gave him a five-year contract, despite the fact there was no interest from any rivals.

It now means the Gold Coast can’t afford to sack him.

Still, something has to give if the Titans don’t make the finals.

Surely the two parties will have to negotiate a payout figure and allow Neil Henry to take over from 2015 onwards.

JAMES MALONEY

His form slump this year is one of the major reasons why the Roosters have struggled to look anything like the premiers from last season and led to his sacking from the Blues’ State of Origin team.

Coach Trent Robinson desperately needs him to fire if the Roosters are to be any hope of winning back-to-back titles.

Ricky Stuart is dangerously close to a second successive wooden spoon.

RICKY STUART

No coach can afford to win two wooden spoons in a row, especially at two different clubs.

The big game for the Raiders that could well decide the wooden spoon is Round 24 against the Cronulla Sharks at Remondis stadium.

Stuart has a long-term contract with the Raiders and is under no threat.

Still, it would be a bad look on his resume to finish last two years on the trot.

SAM BURGESS

Has slipped behind James Graham as the No. 1 English forward in the competition but desperately wants to leave the NRL with a premiership at the end of the season.

If Souths are to turn around recent inconsistency, the big man will have to lead the way.

He is the most inspirational player at the Rabbitohs and has the capability and power game to lift the club into serious premiership contention.

Paul Green is under increasing pressure as the Cowboys face another year of disappointment.

PAUL GREEN

Losses to the Dragons, Eels and Knights in the last month has put the first-year coach under massive pressure in the run home to the finals.

The Cowboys have a long history of sacking coaches before their contract is up, including Neil Henry, who was axed last year within months of getting a contract extension.

There are rumblings from the far north of player unrest over the coaching.

Green needs to make the finals and start the charge against the Sharks this round to be assured of staying in charge next year.

ANDREW MCFADDEN

Has lost only two games in 10 weeks and has emerged as an outside chance for Dally M coach of the year.

The Warriors have the most explosive attacking power game in the NRL and are the team everyone fears going into the finals.

The Round 26 game against Penrith and Ivan Cleary might even decide the coach of the year.

Originally published as Phil Rothfield names the key players who could define the run home to the NRL finals