‘Ridiculous’: NRL’s top eight blown wide open despite Dragons’ historic comeback

The Dragons top eight chances are in tatters, despite having almost pulled off the greatest comeback in NRL history.

And just like that, the top eight is anyone’s.

After a hapless season that saw them enter round 26 in dead last place, the Parramatta Eels have delivered the biggest upset of the season to leave the Dragons season in ruins.

But it wasn’t before the Dragons almost pulled off one of the greatest comebacks of all-time

With just over 10 minutes left, the Eels led 44-12 before the Dragons erupted, scoring five tries to make it 44-40 and leaving one play to score a matchwinner.

However, a kick from Ben Hunt from deep in their own half was smothered and shut down by the Eels.

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The Dragons’ 40 points is the most in NRL history for a losing team.

It would also have been the biggest comeback in NRL history — and easily in the shortest amount of time.

At full-time, Fox League’s Warren Smith called it “one of the strangest games of rugby league we’ve seen in a long, long time — the Eels have struck a hammer blow for the Dragons’ top eight chances.”

Entering the penultimate round of the season, the Dragons needed to beat the Eels and Raiders, both who were below them on the ladder, to book their place in the finals.

The result means the Dragons will remain on 28 competition points and will now rely on results going their way as the four teams on 26 — the Broncos, Dolphins, Raiders and Knights — are all still to play in round 26.

With the Broncos and Dolphins playing in the 5.30pm Saturday game, the winner of which would leap over the Dragons into the eight.

The Knights and Raiders could also push ahead with matches against the Titans and Roosters respectively to come on Sunday and a far superior points differential to the Dragons.

The Dragons have left their future up to other teams. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images

While it looked like it would be essentially a last round playoff against the Raiders for the Dragons to make the finals, St George Illawarra look like they’ll now have to rely on wins for the Titans and Roosters on Sunday and then the Broncos to lose to the Storm in round 27, or if the Dolphins win, to lose to the Knights.

It’s completely changed the equation of the season.

Speaking after the game, Mal Meninga said the Dragons had “let everyone else in.”

“It’s like no one wants to grab eighth spot,” Cooper Cronk added.

“What the Dragons delivered today, that was such a poor performance with their finals hopes locked in. That was a bad, bad performance.”

Rugby league reporter Curtis Woodward commented: “Rugby league is ridiculous.”

Sports content creator Adam Hayward posted: “What the hell was that game?! There might have been a winner and a loser on the scoreboard but let’s be honest, both teams were losers!”

Another said: “Pretty pathetic last 10 minutes by Parramatta. Sums up their entire season really.”

Another posted: “Neither team should get points for that game. My lord.”

A third responded: “Parra are embarrassing even when they win.”

AAP’s Scott Bailey, who famously trots out the “no team has ever won the premiership after conceding more than 50 points in a match”, tweeted: “What an incredible day for obscure rugby league stats.

“For what it’s worth, no team has ever conceded 40 points in a win, and gone on to lift the premiership.”

The Eels were electric — for 70 minutes. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images

While it was billed as a banana peel game for the Dragons, even the most diehard Eels fan would not have expected what unfolded over the opening 70 minutes.

Eels fans will be wondering where this has been all season as the got off to a lightning fast start, scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes before the Dragons responded through Connor Muhleisen.

However, it was then all Eels with three more tries to finish off the half and take a 26-6 lead to the halftime break.

The Dragons needed to hit the ground running in the second half, but the opposite happened when Dylan Brown scored in the first set after the break, while he then set up Clint Gutherson for another try at the end of the second set of the half.

The 36-6 lead all but slammed the door on the Dragons, who responded through Zac Lomax, before Maika Sivo scored two quick tries to complete a hat-trick for the day.

The Dragons flattered the scoreline with four tries in the final 10 minutes but it was way too little too late as St George Illawarra’s season is now out of their hands.

Originally published as ‘Ridiculous’: NRL’s top eight blown wide open despite Dragons’ historic comeback