Has Brian To'o taken over Josh Addo-Carr's mantle as the best winger in the game?
The question has to be asked after To'o finished the regular season in spectacular style with his first career hat-trick against the weakened Eels side last Friday night.
To'o had a mighty year in 2021 - leading the league in running metres and post-contact metres.
He won all 17 games he played for the Panthers, often getting the team out of trouble with his barnstorming runs from the backfield.
A personality player who loves his footy, his enthusiasm and power running will be key weapons for the Panthers in the month ahead.
ROOSTERS PUT THE HEAT ON THE NRL
The Roosters are applying the heat on the NRL - and their power and influence is clearly working.
A couple of weeks back, Roosters supremo Nick Politis complained in the press that his club were the most penalised team in the past 10 years… and a few days later they won the penalties to help them to a narrow win over the Broncos.
Then Roosters coach Trent Robinson went nuclear on the refs and the bunker in round 24 after THAT Latrell Mitchell tackle that ended Joey Manu's season, copping a $20,000 fine.
But it proved money well spent as the Roosters won the penalties against the Raiders last Friday night 8-3 - and got just about every line-ball decision in their favour.
It reminds me of a premiership-winning coach from the 1990s, who copped a $10,000 fine for abusing the referee in his post match press conference.
When I asked him why he went off as he did, the coach replied with a wink "Because I want to win the penalties next week."
And sure enough, he did.
STORM REGAINS FINAL PUZZLE PIECE
The last piece of Melbourne's title assault puzzle was put in place in the win over the Sharks on Friday night.
Brilliant fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen had been struggling for form and confidence since returning from a heavy head knock way back in Magic Round.
But Papenhuyzen regained his mojo with a sparkling attacking display against Cronulla that will have rival finals teams losing sleep over the next four weeks.
Papenhuyzen scored three scintillating tries, ran for 204 metres and made 14 tackle busts in a performance that screamed two words - 'I'm back'.
His return to form has me convinced that - if they stay injury free through the finals - the Storm will make it back-to-back titles.
WORRYING SIGNS FOR KNIGHTS
There were worrying signs for Newcastle in the 35-22 loss to the Broncos on Saturday afternoon.
Sure, the Knights rested plenty of big names and had little to play for, with their finals place assured.
But the Knights defence looked paper thin at times as a Broncos team that has struggled for attacking cohesion all year racked up try after try.
More worrying was that coach Adam O'Brian played his two big guns - Kalyn Ponga and Mitchell Pearce - in a bid to work on their combinations.
The pair have played just eight games together this year and clearly are still working on their understanding.
But they did little with the ball to worry the Broncos before being replaced early in the second half.
Both will need to lift for the Knights to have any hope of staying alive beyond next weekend.
FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR MANLY
Manly come into the finals full steam of confidence after their scoring spree against the Cowboys last Saturday night and are one team that could worry the Storm with their strike power.
But how different they look to a few months back, when they lost their first four games and people were calling for Des Hasler's head and tipping them as possible wooden-spooners.
It's been some turnaround by the Turbo-charged Sea Eagles - and the first time since the Dragons of 2005 that a team has gone from winless in the first month of the season to finals football.
from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/nrl-news-penrith-panthers-star-threatens-nrl-rival-roosters-get-last-last-on-latrell-mitchell-fallout/fd8a318a-560f-4da1-a9fd-c4fcc99d43fe
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