3 minute read

All the highlights and lowlights from round 24 of the NRL.

SNAPSHOT OF NRL'S ROUND 24

* Quote of the round: "It was laughable, it was that bad. They don't know what they were doing. If you can't do it get out of there or just get rid of it completely." - Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson takes aim at the NRL bunker after Latrell Mitchell's high shot left Joey Manu with facial fractures and led to Mitchell being sin-binned in South Sydney's 54-12 win.

* Stat that matters: Tom Trbojevic's fourth hat-trick of the season took him past 20 tries in 2021 and means Manly are the first team in premiership history with three players to score 20 or more tries in the same season. Winger Reuben Garrick has also become the first player to score 20 tries and 100 goals in a premiership season.

* Magic moment: Mitchell Pearce's ice-cold field goal with 17 seconds to play in Thursday's clash with Gold Coast at Sunshine Coast secured Newcastle's finals berth and extended the Knights' winning streak to five matches.

* Talking point: Are South Sydney's premiership hopes scuppered by Latrell Mitchell's season-ending ban? The Rabbitohs fullback has been a key factor in Souths' charge to the finals in the second half of the season.

* Man of the round: Injured Cronulla veteran Andrew Fifita was an inspirational presence on the sideline as the Sharks kept their season alive with a 24-16 win over Brisbane. Despite surgery on a fractured larynx days earlier, Fifita was in the sheds with his teammates and interim coach Josh Hannay lauded the influence he had on a young Sharks lineup.

* Judiciary watch: Warriors - Matt Lodge (dangerous contact); Roosters - Fletcher Baker (crusher tackle); Rabbitohs - Liam Knight (dangerous contact), Latrell Mitchell (reckless high tackle); Broncos - Thomas Flegler (careless high tackle), Brendan Piakura (dangerous contact); Storm - Jesse Bromwich (crusher tackle); Eels - Junior Paulo (shoulder charge); Sea Eagles - Josh Aloiai (dangerous contact); Bulldogs - Jack Hetherington (dangerous tackle), Joe Stimson (dangerous tackle); Tigers - Luciano Leilua (dangerous tackle).

* Under pressure: Trent Robinson and Trent Barrett both expressed frustration with the NRL bunker after their matches while Henry Perenara was axed from it after failing to send off Latrell Mitchell for his high shot on Joey Manu. NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo says the wrong call was made by Perenara and officials will be under the pump in the last round before finals after the weekend's controversies.