Have a healthy playing roster is the key as NRL teams prepare for run to finals

PREMIERSHIPS are not won in the first five weeks after a State of Origin series, but they most certainly can be lost.

NRL Round 10 Panthers V Dragons

PREMIERSHIPS are not won in the first five weeks after a State of Origin series, but they most certainly can be lost.

As rugby league fans come to grips with the inevitable post-Origin hangover, now is not the time for NRL clubs to be off their games with 14 clubs still in the running for the final eight.

With the NRL scrapping the McIntyre system this season, qualifying for the top four has never been more rewarding or important.

Under this format, which has been used by the AFL for several years, no AFL club has won the premiership from outside the top four since 1998.

While the NRL competition is infinitely tighter and more unpredictable than the AFL has become, it still reflects the difficulties faced by teams who must play and win every week of the finals to lift the premiership trophy.

Which brings us to the current state of the NRL, with frontrunners Melbourne showing signs of a rep season hangover with their third defeat from their past four games in a 40-12 loss to lowly Canberra on Saturday night.

With Billy Slater still at least two weeks away from returning from a knee injury, the Storm showed their season depends on the health of their stars, with skipper Cameron Smith also rested for the Raiders game.

Respected commentator Andrew Johns went as far to suggest the Storm cannot win the title without Smith.

Canterbury, under new coach Des Hasler, have emerged as the biggest threat to the Storm.

With star fullback Ben Barba in rare form, the Bulldogs have charged up the ladder into second place with six straight wins and flexed their premiership muscle with a resounding win over Wests Tigers that knocked Benji Marshall's men out of the top eight with their third straight loss.

Brisbane and North Queensland each enjoyed the bye Origin bye, but with season-ending or long term injuries to key personnel, both face trying weeks ahead.

The Broncos, who have lost internationals Jack Reed and Jharal Yow Yeh, play three of the top five clubs in the run home. They must be up and running immediately, with the unpredictable Warriors coming to town on Friday night buoyed by their 32-14 win over the Gold Coast.

The next five weeks will decide if Johnathan Thurston's Cowboys even reach the finals.

In what can only be described as a horror run home, the Cowboys play Storm (a), Tigers (h), Bulldogs (a), Sea Eagles (h) and Warriors (h) and finish the regular season with a trip to Cronulla.

If the Cowboys not only survive this run but somehow finish in the top four, they could be the team to beat in September.

The Tigers may yet be a team to fear, with hooker Robbie Farah, fullback Tim Moltzen and British international forward Gareth Ellis among the cavalry set to return in coming weeks to bolster the inevitable late-season surge.

The health of every club's squad will have a huge influence on the finals make-up.

Manly and South Sydney, both near full strength, showed their true colours yesterday with dominant wins that put their rivals on notice.