NRL Golden Points - round 23

Which teams will grab the final four spots heading into the finals? Why wasn't the Sea Eagles' controversial try sent to the video referee? That and more in this week's Golden Points:

Six into four - we've done the maths for you

With just three rounds to play, six teams remain in contention for the bottom four spots in the top eight. Here's what lies ahead for the finals hopefuls:

Melbourne (Position - 5th; Competition points - 28; Points differential - +118): A handy for-and-against helps their cause, but the Storm would want to make sure of it with a win over Newcastle as tough games against North Queensland and Brisbane loom. Given Souths' tough draw, the Storm are still right in the mix for the top four if they can win their last three. LIKELY FINISH: 6th

Cronulla (6th; 28; -34): Last night's loss to the Storm put a big dent in their top-four hopes, but a relatively easy remaining draw – Tigers, Eels and Sea Eagles – means they still have a big chance of overtaking the Storm and Rabbitohs if they can win all three. LIKELY FINISH: 4th

Canterbury (7th; 26; +22): The Bulldogs should be able to get there comfortably, but this weekend's clash with Souths may determine where they finish. Remaining games against Newcastle and the Warriors should be a guaranteed four competition points. LIKELY FINISH: 8th

St George Illawarra (8th; 24; +20): A big loss to the Broncos stunted their momentum, but the Dragons are in the box-seat thanks to a cushy run home that features matches against also-rans Penrith, Gold Coast and Wests Tigers. A home final is a possibility if other results fall their way. LIKELY FINISH: 7th

Manly (9th; 24; +4): Momentum is the biggest factor in the Sea Eagles' favour, but they need to keep winning – which won't be easy as they encounter unpredictable Parramatta, in-form Sydney Roosters and top-four contenders Cronulla in the last three rounds. Win all three and it will come down to for-and-against, with a sixth-place finish a chance. LIKELY FINISH: 9th

Warriors (10th; 22; -71): A chance by mathematics only. Pitiful form means a drastic turnaround is required and a bad for-and-against means the Warriors require other results to go their way, as well as winning all three of their remaining games against the Cowboys, Tigers and Bulldogs. Losing all three and being leapfrogged by the Raiders is the most likely outcome. LIKELY FINISH: 11th

Raiders done and dusted after ref blunder

Canberra's admirable campaign won't feature a return to finals football, denied the opportunity to press for a top-eight place over the closing three rounds after Manly's match-winning try came from a clear illegality. Sea Eagles fullback Brett Stewart was offside at the play-the-ball before backing up to score the decisive try in the 78th minute.

The officials could be forgiven for not picking it up on the run, but what must be particularly galling for the Raiders is the volume of tries that are overcautiously sent upstairs, yet this one was not referred. Seriously, what are the touch judges there for if they can't give the referees a heads-up in these sorts of instances? Bring back 'TV Martin' Weeks – at least he had the bottle to get involved.

Replacements for concussed players desperately needed

It's been said here before, but I'll keep bringing it up every time a team is dudded by the warped rules surrounding concussed players. Warriors prop Sam Rapira was knocked out in a sickening clash with Penrith opposite Reagan Campbell-Gillard after just 17 minutes on Saturday. Campbell-Gillard was put on report and later charged with a grade two high tackle, but the only other on-field sanction was a penalty, while the Warriors were unfairly left a man short for 63 minutes.

The strict concussion guidelines brought in last year – and clamped down on in 2015 – were necessary, but where is the compensation for teams that are consistently being disadvantaged by an act of foul play? Bring in an 18th man for concussed players rubbed out by an illegal tackle, either a travelling reserve or a player who has featured in NYC or NSW Cup earlier that day. If the sin-bin and send-off options are going to continue to be underutilised, this is the logical way forward.

Common sense required on shoulder-charge charges

Once again, the reactionary NRL and its bumbling judiciary have shown no common sense or discretion in cracking down on the shoulder-charge. Eradicating the shoulder-charge from the game is a necessary step, but how can they justify sitting Manly winger Jorge Taufua down for this collision with Canberra fullback Jack Wighton?

Taufua was merely bracing himself in a high-speed contest for the ball. There's not a human being on the planet that would not have reacted in the same instinctive way – or would Dave Smith and co. prefer Taufua to cop a few broken ribs instead? Yet another example of the NRL turning a positive initiative into a laughing stock thanks to an inflexible interpretation of rules that, it should be remembered, they made up on the fly less than two weeks ago.

JWH top of the props

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves does not possess the finesse of James Graham, Jesse Bromwich or Ben Matulino, or the work-rate of Matt Scott, but at the moment he is the undisputed No.1 front-rower in the NRL, producing a series of brutal, blockbusting displays for the Roosters. Challenging for that mantle as the engine-room anchor of the Roosters' 2013 premiership triumph, the enforcer lost a bit of ground – and his Kiwi Test jumper – to his rivals last year.

But JWH is back to his barnstorming best this year, culminating in one of the great front-rowers' tries to put the Roosters in front for the first time against a plucky Parramatta outfit in Round 23. This sort of effort would be impressive enough when a team is up by 40, but to produce it with a game on the line is something special.

Waerea-Hargreaves is virtually demanding Stephen Kearney recall him to the New Zealand team for the tour of England in October, while the Roosters look set to ride his broad shoulders to another Grand Final appearance.

Eels' insolence knows no bounds

After somehow emerging from the Kieran Foran debacle with the brilliant five-eighth still on their books for 2016, the Parramatta hierarchy is crying poor over the new Will Hopoate saga, saying that the ex-Manly star was signed on 'ridiculous money' and keeping him on his existing deal would 'screw up our salary cap'. Tough luck!

Regardless of whether Hopoate was signed by the previous administration on big overs or not, he has a contract and is owed that money (believed to be $850,000 a season). I'm sure they wouldn't be complaining if Hopoate had been the marquee acquisition many thought he would be; that's the risk a club takes with any big-money signing.

Despite representing NSW in both seasons since his return from a Mormon mission, Hopoate has fallen well short of expectations out west, but his likely suitors – Canterbury and Manly – have every right to demand Parramatta picks up a good chunk of his 2016 pay-cheque.

McFadden will be Warriors' messiah

Suggestions that Andrew McFadden's position at the Warriors is under threat courtesy of their late-season slump are as ridiculous as they are wide of the mark. Besides having to virtually rebuild the joint from the ground up due to a lazy, unprofessional culture, McFadden has been burdened by a shocking injury toll on top of the loss of linchpin Shaun Johnson.

'Cappy' will finally have the roster he wants – not the one he inherited – next year, and it would be a tragedy for coach and club if he did not get the opportunity to launch a title assault with Johnson and recruits Issac Luke and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck working in unison. Fortunatley, CEO Jim Doyle is far too astute to allow the unenlightened sacking calls to influence him – McFadden will see out his contract.

Bulldogs' finals boat springs a Lichaa

Canterbury's premiership hopes took a nosedive after Sunday's convincing win over Gold Coast, with hooker Michael Lichaa suffering a season-ending leg fracture. The young ex-Cronulla rake was just beginning to find his feet in the Bulldogs' line-up after a slow start to the year. Des Hasler's replacement options are thin on the ground. NSW Cup hooker Damien Cook, backrower Josh Jackson, or currently injured half Josh Reynolds shape as the best bets to fill the vital dummy-half duties.

Underachiever of the week

The Cowboys are in danger of falling into a slump at precisely the wrong time, crashing to losses to fellow contenders the Sharks and Rabbitohs in consecutive weeks. Souths were simply too powerful for them in Townsville on Thursday night in a match that revived the debate over whether the Cowboys are tough or mean enough to break through for a maiden title. They need to make a statement this weekend against the struggling Warriors at Mt Smart, which hasn't been a happy hunting ground for the club.

Overachiever of the week

The Storm, on the other hand, underlined their credentials with a commanding 30-2 rout of the in-form Sharks at the uninviting Remondis Stadium to climb into fourth place. Clinical in attack and miserly in defence, it was vintage Melbourne.

My new favourite player

A major factor behind the Storm's resurgence has been boom fullback Cameron Munster's ability to fill the void left by Billy Slater's season-ending shoulder surgery. After notching a hat-trick in Round 22 against the Knights, Munster tallied a phenomenal 273 metres from 25 runs at the Sharks' expense on Monday night. A real star of the future.

Debutant report

Leva Li (Titans): A former Tigers and Eels NYC player, Li was solid on NRL debut, making 80 metres from 13 runs on the wing in the Titans' loss to the Bulldogs.

Shades of...

...George Burgess' Grand Final try: Jared Waerea-Hargreaves' rampaging try against Parramatta was reminiscent of Souths wrecking-ball Burgess' unforgettable four-pointer in last year's decider.

...The Young & the Restless: Michael Ennis' cowardly slap on Cooper Cronk was straight out of the soap opera handbook – and the relentless niggle-merchant should be held up to ridicule accordingly.

NRL positional power rankings

FULLBACK
1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
2 Cameron Munster
3 Greg Inglis
4 Brett Stewart
5 James Tedesco

WING
1 Peta Hiku
2 Lachlan Maranta
3 Semi Radradra
4 Curtis Rona
5 Matt Duffie

CENTRE
1 Jamie Lyon
2 Michael Jennings
3 Dylan Walker
4 Blake Ferguson
5 Lewis Brown

FIVE-EIGHTH
1 James Maloney
2 Anthony Milford
3 Kieran Foran
4 Blake Austin
5 Tyrone Peachey

HALFBACK
1 Cooper Cronk
2 Ben Hunt
3 Daly Cherry-Evans
4 Adam Reynolds
5 Johnathan Thurston

PROP
1 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
2 Jake Trobjevic
3 Jesse Bromwich
4 Adam Blair
5 Reagan Campbell-Gillard

HOOKER
1 Issac Luke
2 Jake Friend
3 Cameron Smith
4 Jake Granville
5 James Segeyaro

SECOND-ROW
1 Wade Graham
2 Bryce Cartwright
3 Tohu Harris
4 Frank Pritchard
5 Kevin Proctor

LOCK
1 Corey Parker
2 Paul Gallen
3 Greg Eastwood
4 Shaun Fensom
5 Aiden Guerra

BENCH UTILITY
1 Tyler Randell
2 Kodi Nikorima
3 Jackson Hastings
4 Rory Kostjasyn
5 Kurt Baptiste

First published on Commentary Box Sports