Week 1 Finals Preview Questions? Mayday over ban delay? Will Bunnies boil over? Year too early for Cowboys?

With the NRL delaying Taylan May’s suspension until next year because they’re so graciously thinking of the fans, the question needs to be asked – what else can be put off to a more convenient time?

Will players soon be able to say to a referee, “I know I’ve done the wrong thing and I deserve to be sin-binned but the scores are pretty tight, can I put it off until the second half when maybe the result is a foregone conclusion?”

When a player gets charged by the match review committee, can it be ruled out that they won’t be able to enter an early guilty plea to get their ban delayed until the next clash with the Wests Tigers when fielding a depleted team won’t matter so much?

If a goal-kicker is unhappy with the way the wind is blowing, can they be given an exemption to wait until conditions are more favourable? 

Well, if the head office bends with the wind, why can’t goal-kickers?

Now these suggestions are clearly facetious and probably can’t be ruled out.

But it’s safe to say the ARL Commission, which loves populist decisions much more than making correct ones, won’t be handing out any more delayed bans after the backlash to May being allowed to serve his two matches next year instead of the finals.

A magistrate describing his bar-room actions as “reprehensible” and “cowardly” surely holds more weight in the rugby league corridors or power than Phil Gould saying he ought to be congratulated … surely.

CLICK HERE for a seven-day free trial to watch the NRL on KAYO

Here are the burning questions for the eight teams in week 1 of the playoffs

Friday 

First Qualifying Final: (1) Panthers vs (4) Eels, 7.50pm at BlueBet Stadium

Rest or rust for Panthers? There is no handbook for how to freshen up a team before the finals – Ivan Cleary could have spread it out over a few weeks, resting three or four at a time with the minor premiership wrapped up, but he went with a one-game sacrifice in the final round. 

Penrith have been a juggernaut for three years with Origin, relocation and injuries not stopping their momentum so don’t expect them to be anything apart from their usual clinical self against Parramatta.

Can Eels’ quality beat Panthers’ quality? One of the more reliable stats indicators involving running metres, both made and conceded. The playoff teams are not coincidentally the eight best sides in the NRL in each of these stats. Penrith are the best at racking up run metres at 1237 per game, the Eels concede the most out of playoff clubs at 1386. 

It’s hard to read too much from their most recent clash when Nathan Cleary was sent off in the first half but even when Parra beat Penrith earlier in the year, the Panthers made more running metres (1735) than the victorious Eels (1699). Brad Arthur’s side can be more creative than the premiers through their offloading – their average of 13.8 is easily the most in the league. If their skilled forwards like Junior Paulo and Reagan Campbell-Gillard can get their arms free in tackles, a third win over Penrith for 2022 is a distinct possibility.

Saturday 

First Elimination Final: (5) Storm vs (8) Raiders, 5.40pm at AAMI Park

Is this the end of a Storm era? Jesse and Kenny Bromwich, Felise Kaufusi and Brandon Smith (and slightly less sentimental, Tigers loaner David Nofoaluma) could be playing their last game in Storm colours. 

With Craig Bellamy renewing his tenure on a year-by-year basis and Cameron Munster no guarantee to be at Melbourne beyond next season, there’s a sense that the Storm’s seemingl eternal premiership window could be closing over the next few years.

Should Hudson Young be going to the World Cup? He’s probably on the outside looking in at the moment when it comes to the final 24-man squad but a dominant performance against rep stalwart Felise Kaufusi will go a long way towards getting a green and gold jersey. With Kurt Capewell set to be ruled out due to shoulder surgery, Young’s chances are rising.

The 24-year-old left-edge forward is averaging career highs across the board and has even developed into a sneaky individual attacking threat, which has helped the Raiders out of a couple of tight spots this season.

Second Qualifying Final: (2) Sharks vs (3) Cowboys, 7.50pm at PointsBet Stadium

Are Sharks carrying too many wounded troops? Toby Rudolf has emphatically stated that he’s raring to go after overcoming his knee injury but Dale Finucane (rib), Will Kennedy (ankle) and Siosifa Talakai (ankle) are still under a cloud. 

It would be risky for coach Craig Fitzgibbon to go into such a crucial game if either of these three are not 100% fit and with the benefit of a second chance if they lose, coupled with the form of fill-ins like Lachie Miller, it wouldn’t be a surprise if there’s a few late changes.

Are Cowboys a year too early? They’ve locked up their future with the recent re-signings of Scott Drinkwater, Murray Taulagi and Griffin Neame but the addition of Jeremiah Nanai will cost a few more dollars. And this year’s finals series could be looked back upon as a good learning curve for when their crop of young guns is a bit more battle hardened. 

But of course they won’t be thinking such loser talk heading into the playoffs – they finished third and deserve to be taken seriously even though sober analysis of their situation suggests very few teams have such a steep rise from 15th to third before going all the way to the pinnacle in a 12-month timespan.

Sunday

Second Elimination Final: (6) Roosters vs (7) Rabbitohs, 4.05pm at Allianz Stadium

Should Matt Lodge be in Kangaroos contention? Possibly but even though his form has been encouraging for the Roosters since his mid-season switch from the Warriors, you would still think Payne Haas, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Jake Trbojevic, Reuben Cotter, Patrick Carrigan and Isaah Yeo are still ahead of him on the middle forward pecking order. 

After several seasons of being little more than a slightly above-average prop, he needs to show more in the playoffs to get a seat on the plane to London.

Will emotion help or hinder the Rabbitohs? With Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker and Jai Arrow the kind of players who thrive on a siege mentality, can the team harness that in what will be a pressure-cooker atmosphere at Allianz Stadium. 

The fans will be baiting Mitchell in particular while don’t be surprised if the Roosters players try niggling tactics on Walker to throw him off his game. Souths skipper Cameron Murray and hooker Damien Cook are their voices of calm when things get hot under the collar – the Bunnies can’t afford to be distracted by events on or off the field.