Melbourne and Penrith’s rivals have put the NRL’s front-runners on notice, warning them a grand final between the two front-runners is no fait accompli.
The Panthers and Storm enter this year’s finals series as firm favourites, finishing top two on the ladder and having long been expected to face off on October 6.
Melbourne have won 11 of their past 12 with anything resembling a full-strength squad, claiming the minor premiership in their best title shot since 2020.
Fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen is also due back from a leg injury against Cronulla, where a win will ensure they do not leave Melbourne before the grand final.
Penrith have stumbled ahead of this year’s post-season, but the three-time defending premiers are hopeful of having Nathan Cleary return for Friday’s qualifying final against the Sydney Roosters.
But asked why fans could believe that this year’s finals wasn’t just a cakewalk towards a Melbourne-Penrith decider, Sharks captain Cameron McInnes was blunt.
“Because we’ll beat them to get there,” he told AAP.
“Penrith are the champions until they’re not. They’ve earned that respect, they’ve got that respect. And it’s their title until someone takes it off them.
“That’s what all other seven teams here are trying to do.”
Only four of the past 15 deciders have been between the top two on the ladder, and any hope of that would be shot if one of Melbourne or Penrith are beaten this weekend.
That would open the door for Cronulla or the Sydney Roosters, with the latter having loomed as genuine threats for the majority of the year.
Injuries have the potential to halt their charge, but the club are adamant a 1-19 record against the Storm and Panthers since the start of 2020 is not a mountain too big to overcome.
“We’ve got so much confidence in what we’re doing at the moment and what we can do on Friday night against Penrith,” captain James Tedesco said.
“I don’t know if many teams have good record against Penrith. They’ve been so consistent and so dominant. They get up for big games.
“It’s going to take our best to beat them on Friday night. But we’re going to prepare well and be ready to do that Friday.”
Beyond the top four, North Queensland coach Todd Payten has insisted his Cowboys can put on a charge from fifth ahead of Saturday’s elimination final against Newcastle.
And Canterbury and Manly loom as the genuine wildcards in the pack.
The NRL are expecting a crowd of more than 50,000 for their elimination final on Sunday at Accor Stadium, with the winner looming as a genuine threat to the top four.
The Bulldogs were the best defensive team in the competition over the first 25 rounds, while the Sea Eagles have beaten six of the other seven top-eight sides this year.
“Knowing that, we have to be confident in ourselves,” Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans said.
“I definitely understand why people are assuming first and second are going to play in the grand final.
“Because we play for 27 weeks, and they were the two best sides over 27 weeks.
“But it just doesn’t work like that. It’s exciting. There is a level of expectation that has gone away from us and there is just a focus on the top four now.
“We need to tap into that. Hopefully people don’t worry about us until it’s too late.”
