Newcastle can finish the miracle but the Dally M system needs fixing
Name the judges, fix the awards
The Dally M Awards need an overhaul, because an honour loses credibility when nobody can properly explain who decided it or how they reached the decision. I reckon naming the judges every week is the obvious starting point.
Andrew Webster had a sensational season and accepted Coach of the Year with class, acknowledging Holbrook and Trent Robinson. That does not make the outcome right: Newcastle have gone from wooden spooners to a grand final, and Holbrook should have won.
The coaching award should include the first three weeks of finals, while the overall player medal needs protection against a leader being overtaken simply because his team missed September. Different awards require different solutions, not one administrative blanket.
Mark Nawaqanitawase's omission among the wingers also left me perplexed, although Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow deserved his recognition.
At least the night itself has progressed. The old Rothmans Medal was strictly male-only; James Fisher-Harris bringing his daughter and Thomas Jenkins bringing his mum represent a healthier game. Keep the glamour. Fix the judging.
The Knights have earned their belief
Newcastle's emotion is a weapon, not something to apologise for, although Holbrook must ensure the preliminary-final celebrations were not the end of the journey.
The Roosters are locked in, with Daniel Tupou and James Tedesco familiar with the occasion and Robinson having won all three grand finals he has reached. His decision to rest players in round 27 adds to the sense that this campaign has been timed precisely.
Player for player, the Roosters should win comfortably. But Newcastle beat the Warriors before 48,000 people at Eden Park, then survived the following week with a man down; that is earned belief, not merchandise printed on a T-shirt.
The transformation also reflects better football leadership around Holbrook, with Peter Parr and Danny Buderus part of the group supplying rugby league expertise. Adam O'Brien made four semifinals in six years and deserves respect, but I reject the claim he left a healthy football side: Newcastle lost their last nine games.
No team has won from outside the top four in the National Rugby League era, dating to 1998. I reckon Newcastle can break that barrier. Their connection gives them a chance that a roster comparison cannot measure.
Politis built more than a chequebook club
Nick Politis deserves enormous credit because the Roosters have made their success more sustainable, rather than merely collecting famous signatures.
The academy, developed after the club examined European football's approach, has turned money into infrastructure. Daniel Anderson's eye for talent and the involvement of Jake Friend, Boyd Cordner and Mitch Aubusson matter; so does the fact that a majority of the 19 players named in the grand-final squad debuted for the Roosters.
South Sydney buying a home for Indigenous boys arriving from the country is another example of money doing lasting work. That is where club funding should go.
The strong talk about Herbie Farnworth joining the Roosters for 2028 fits their ability to identify elite talent, but nothing has happened yet, with November 1 still ahead. I reckon he could be a dynamite fullback.
There is a limit, though: Hugo Savala lost his place when Daly Cherry-Evans arrived. An academy cannot become a waiting room where talented kids never get called.
Galvin needs freedom, Burton needs clarity
Lachlan Galvin belongs at five-eighth, where his relationship with the edge forwards and ability to roam can flourish without the entire organising burden.
His Canterbury Player of the Year award underlines his consistency and mental toughness. The scrutiny around his departure from the Wests Tigers was excessive; I thought Shane Richardson's statement was heavy-handed, while the leaked grievances poured fuel on the argument.
I blame Isaac Moses for his role in that pressure, but his position is that Galvin and his camp formed their own judgement and drove the desire to leave. That response belongs alongside the criticism.
Matt Burton's situation now demands a clear football decision. Canterbury regard him as a centre, while his contract is reportedly worth $1 million next year. I suspect he will leave, given the competing positional and financial pressures.
Strong word is Parramatta are preparing to move from November 1, and they are also pursuing Bradman Best. Best is precisely the big-game player worth pursuing: the bigger the occasion, the better he goes.
Ryles has time, stop rushing
Parramatta should not extend Jason Ryles now, because he already has two years remaining on a four-year deal and has not yet established the case for more.
The Eels have opened talks, but uncertainty around their executive and football leadership makes this an especially poor moment to rush.
My theory is that George Mimis knows how to create urgency around his client, potentially through Melbourne's future coaching situation. It remains speculation, not evidence of an approach. Billy Slater has said he will not be Melbourne's next coach, and that denial cannot simply be ignored.
Parramatta should demand progress before adding years.
Souths must keep their football brains
South Sydney should keep Cody Walker, because replacing his judgement is harder than finding a cheaper name for the team sheet.
Jack Wighton remains a gun and could play six, although I dislike him operating on the right. That option does not make losing Walker sensible.
I thought he could easily have been a Dally M back-rower of the year.
Latrell Mitchell's willingness to trust his form also appeals to me. I'm told he is comfortable with Souths' approach; his eventual worth remains uncertain while the future salary cap is unclear.
