Ikin See Clearly: NRL round 24

The Rabbitohs take on the Bulldogs in a round 24 blockbuster. Source: Mark Evans / DailyTelegraph

WITH only three rounds to go before finals footy lands in our lap, Ben Ikin steps us through what he's most looking forward to in NRL round 24.

A Grand Final preview?

On Friday night at ANZ Stadium, last year's grand finalists, the Bulldogs, go head-to-head with a team just about everyone in the game would love to see make the GF this year, the South Sydney Rabbitohs. After rediscovering their best form last week against the Sea Eagles, this game gives South Sydney another chance to be tested by quality opposition in their run home. Greg Inglis is back, John Sutton looked like he'll be better for the run, and young gun Adam Reynolds produced 10 minutes of gold in a team performance that made everyone stand up and take notice. The Bulldogs have had an up and down 2013, but you get the sense that on their best day they'll be very hard to beat. No Sam Burgess or Ben Barba for this one means both sides will be down a genuine superstar but what remains is still pretty enticing. And as with all the good sides right now, it seems the big names for the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs are hitting their straps at the just the right time.

Desperate Kiwis

After slumping to their third straight loss on the weekend, the Warriors need to win their three remaining games to be a chance of making the finals. As always, the Warriors have shown us the full spectrum of their capabilities across 2013, both brilliant and horrible. When they're on, they're near unstoppable, playing with a perfect mix of discipline, toughness and flair. I've not seen a team who can be so hard to shut down when the balance is right; big men rolling up field in numbers with the odd offload, while the smaller, quicker and very creative members of the backline ride the wave and do their thing. Conversely, when the Warriors think points before grind, it can turn very bad, very quickly. Patience and discipline are the keys for the Warriors in their run to the finals, and should they get the mix right, look out!

Knock-out footy comes early

Who would have thought the Cowboys would be in the mix for finals a month ago? After three successive wins, and the team's best players rediscovering their best form, North Queensland are now looking very dangerous. This weekend in Townsville, the Cowboys come up against some pretty stiff opposition in the Newcastle Knights. The Knights were very strong against the Melbourne Storm last weekend, and will travel to 1300Smiles Stadium knowing a loss will put another dent in their own finals aspirations. I'm particularly excited about the forward battle, with Cowboys bookends Matt Scott and James Tamou on fire at the moment. The Newcastle forward pack will be salivating at the opportunity to take on Scott, Tamou and the others, knowing that if they can win the battle in the middle it will be Jarrod Mullen and not Jonathan Thurston in the headlines come Sunday morning.

Sharks to bite Roosters?

What about this run the Sydney Roosters are on? They've won eight in a row and it seems the closer we get to the finals the better the Chooks look. That being said I don't believe opposition teams have taken the Roosters out of their comfort zone over the last three weeks. That's sure to change on Monday night when they take on the Cronulla Sharks at Remondis Stadium. The Sharks are a miserly team when at their best, make you earn every metre and every point. I'm predicting a game effort from the Sharks in this one, and even without the star power of their opposition, that could be enough to get them across the line.

A Dragons great bows out

Matt Cooper announced his retirement this week, leaving behind a wonderful legacy built across a career spanning 14 seasons and 243 games. Only Norm Provan and Ben Hornby have played more games in the Red V, a statistic that speaks volumes about the type of player and person Cooper was and is. On behalf of all the team at FOX SPORTS, we wish Matt and his family all the very best as they embark on the next chapter of their lives. 

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