The big winners of Round 26 were...
Minor Premiers Canberra Raiders, who for the first time since 1990 will finish a home and away season on the top of the ladder.
Club legend Ricky Stuart had to hold back tears at times as the three-time Winfield Cup champions, who in the middle of February were wooden spoon favourites and $67 to win the flag, locked in top spot with what Stuart described as a "messy" 24-10 victory over Wests Tigers.
We'll learn tomorrow what approach Stuart takes to resting players for Round 27 but, based on his post-game comments on Sunday, it's likely that he'll be consulting players individually and backing their own judgment.
It'll be interesting to see how said players back up from a week off given the Raiders haven't always been their best immediately after a bye this year, most notably struggling over the line to beat Wests Tigers 16-12 in mid-June.
But considering the Tigers are arguably the most improved team in the competition since then, there wasn't too much wrong with the Raiders' win on Sunday.
58-year-old Stuart was more than happy to heap praise on his players on Sunday afternoon despite acknowledging it's only job half done.
“I’m very proud of them, they’ve just been very consistent all year,” Stuart said to Fox League.
“They’ve just worked really hard, and it’s just been a wonderful season for them so far.
“I don’t think the club gets the recognition, and I don’t say that disrespectfully. The people don’t know how good our club is, people don’t understand.
“They don’t see the little things that we do for the players, what the club does for its history. It’s a wonderful club, it thoroughly deserves this recognition today.
"We won’t get too far ahead of ourselves, it’s just really important that we keep taking it a week at a time and just do what we can."
Stuart couldn't help but take a potshot at the pre-season critics, adding: "There’s no pressure on these blokes, we were never meant to be here. There’s no pressure going into the next games, the semi-finals. Whatever happens now is a bonus.”
Oh, and let's not forget that the Raiders swept a triple-header at GIO Stadium on Sunday in addition to the under-21s Jersey Flegg Cup team winning earlier in the day. 17-16 for the women and 34-8 for the NSW Cup side.
The big losers of Round 26 were...
But hang on, didn't they put 40 points past the Dragons to secure back-to-back victories, I hear you asking?
They certainly did, and head coach Anthony Seibold quipped that "to score 40 points after scoring 58 last week is really pleasing."
"We were sort of troubled a little bit in the second half when we went down to 12 and they scored two tries and got back in the game," Seibold said.
"But I am really proud of the boys that they were able to turn that around."
But because of the victories for the Sydney Roosters and Dolphins above them, the Sea Eagles were unable to move any closer to sneaking into the finals.
They need to defeat the in-form Warriors on Friday night, hope that the Roosters lose to archrivals South Sydney, and achieve an 83+point swing on the Roosters in the process.
That's why they're $101 to make the top eight as of Monday, and were the big losers of the weekend despite their on-field performance.
Ineligible for official recognition but Nawaqanitawase wins plaudits
A devastating four-try return from rugby league convert Mark Nawaqanitawase had the football world talking on Saturday morning.
He was amongst the favourites win the Dally M Rookie of the Year award early in the season, particularly after scoring what still remains as a contender for the best try of the year, but a mid-season rule change from the ARLC removed him from contention on the basis of having played at least five top-level matches in another sport.
It ensures that cross-code jumpers like 24-year-old Nawaqanitawase, who already had a solid skill base for rugby league before his move from the Waratahs to the Roosters, can't outshadow genuine first year players like teammate Robert Toia.
"The decision was really simple," said NRL chief Andrew Abdo of the rule change.
"It is meant for genuine rookies, so players that are coming through pathways systems, and not for players that have got significant experience, even if it’s in other sports.”
Roosters hooker Connor Watson doesn't agree, saying last week even before Nawaqanitawase's incredible second half bulldozing of the Storm's defensive line: “Mark would probably be the favourite to win it, so I feel like it’s hard to make that call halfway through the year when he’s played so well.
If you’re going to make a decision like that, you probably do it at the start of the year.”
Ken Irvine Medal leaderboard
But one honour that Nawaqanitawase can put his name to is that for the leading try scorer of the 2026, and he's now at the top of the charts heading into the last round - finals are not included for this award.
Try of the Week
We're a sucker for an improvised team effort. This is some stunning work from the Broncs.