And so we start the run home. Seven rounds to go. No more byes. Still plenty of top eight questions to be answered. This weekend Canberra and Wests Tigers fight for fourth spot while Parramatta and the Bulldogs try to not to fall off the playoff precipice.
Commentator Matt Russell previews both Fox Sports games and looks at some of the other Toyota Cup talking points.
Congratulations Cronulla
It was first versus last with a form line pointing at an awfully lopsided result.
Cronulla - on an 11-game losing streak, undermanned, off a 56-10 belting by North Queensland and with a points differential of -264.
Manly - on a 7-game unbeaten run, careering towards the minor premiership, and off a 33-6 shutdown of second placed St George Illawarra.
Luckily for fans of the underdog, sport doesn't always follow the script.
Manly led 13-12 at halftime and won 25-24 as each side scored four converted tries. The difference was a fantastic 40m field goal from Daly Cherry Evans just before halftime.
Both sides completed their sets at about 90 percent and the Sharks might even consider themselves unlucky as they won the linebreaks 6-2 and missed tackle count 17-44.
The Sharks were paying $15 for the win and Manly $1.01.
Cronulla had been give a 30.5 start with TAB Sportsbet when really they only needed one!
It cost one punter who had $60,000 on Manly to win by more than 30.5 at $1.90 as part of several multis.
Aussie Schoolboys
The Toyota Cup has a host of representatives in the Australian Schoolboys Squad.
They'll play two games against the Great Britain Community Lions - at Canberra Stadium on Saturday August 15 (5.15pm) and St Marys Leagues Stadium on Friday August 21 (7pm)
Gold Coast Titan Jordan Rankin was named Player of the Tournament and Canberra back Haydon Hodge scored five tries for the ACT in its final game against Combined Affiliated States.
They are joined in the Australian Schoolboys by the likes of Sydney Roosters Cheyse Blair, St George lllawarra Dragon Cameron King, Gold Coast Titan Ryan James and North Queensland Cowboy Michael Morgan.
The full squad is:
1 Maipele Moreseu, 2 Haydon Hodge, 3 Aaron Whitchurch, 4 Cheyse Blair, 5 Faleula Fimau, 6 Jordan Rankin, 7 Jacob Miller, 8 Jake Finn, 9 Cameron King, 10 Matthew Groat, 11 Ryan James, 12 Jack Stockwell, 13 Joseph Leilua, 14 PJ Asiata, 15 Daniel Ahsin, 16 Jason Taumalolo, 17 Michael Morgan. Coach Brendan Barlow.
Plenty of play four
Canberra puts fourth spot on the line when it hosts Wests Tigers on Sunday.
The Raiders lost their first game in eight outings when beaten by Penrith 28-14 on the weekend.
Coincidentally, Penrith was also the last team to beat Canberra on May 2, 37-6. It means the Panthers are the only ones to beat the defending premiers twice this season.
Canberra welcome the return of freshly selected Australian Schoolboy Haydon Hodge to the fullback role this week, as the only selection change from the Penrith defeat.
The Tigers have moved within one competition point of Canberra by winning five of their last six games, the most recent against North Queensland 44-22.
The Tigers' Island connection fired with Sama Sauvao, Robert Lui and Junior Roqica scoring four tries between them. Their clash with the slick Canberra backline looms as an exciting one.
Canberra beat Wests Tigers 50-10 to start the season but plenty of passes have been thrown since then.
Raiders forward Mark Nicholls remembers that game well. He scored four tries!
Join myself and Gary Belcher on Fox Sports 2 from 11.30am EST on Sunday to see if Nicholls can do it again.
Penrith Prowling
The Panthers' win against Canberra delighted coach Craig Culnane.
Not only did it lift them to within one point of the top eight, it was built around tough defence and pure determination.
Nowhere was that desire more evident that Zoram Watene's kick and chase for a telling try as the halftime siren sounded.
Watene was good but Joel Romelo was better.
My co-commentator Scott Sattler loves watching Romelo play and it's easy to see why. He brings direction, class and plenty of mongrel to a team that lost its first six games but is now a real chance of making the finals.
Romelo is the Fox Sports Player of the Week, for which he gets nothing except for some special airtime in Saturday's Pre-Game Show.
Tune in, his highlights are worth watching again!
Souths signatures
The Bunnies are also impressed with some of their under 20's, re-signing a string of players either still in the Toyota Cup or graduates of the National Youth Competition.
David Tyrrell, 20, made his NRL debut a fortnight ago against Penrith Panthers, having played in the Toyota Cup throughout 2008 and with the North Sydney Bears in the NSW Cup in the first half of 2009. Tyrrell came to the Rabbitohs from Brisbane Easts Tigers in 2007.
Joining him at South Sydney until at least the end of 2011 are 2009 Toyota Cup standouts, halfback Adam Reynolds, centre Dylan Farrell and winger Kane Morgan.
Morgan is the Toyota Cup's leading try-scorer with 20 this season!
Forward leader Jacob Nansen is on board at least until the end of next season and, like Reynolds and Morgan, is a South Sydney junior.
Sydney Towers
I had the pleasure of calling the Warriors-Sydney Roosters game on Saturday with Brett Kimmorley.
Noddy had just had one of the most satisfying periods of his rugby league career - beating Queensland and Gold Coast in the space of 48 hours - and admitted the week was up there with his 1999 grand final as a career highlight.
He watched two of the Toyota Cup's more impressive halfbacks in Warrior Shaun Johnson and Rooster Luke Towers.
Noddy gave Towers a "points victory" as the Roosters upset their visitors 30-28.
Towers scored two tries, using a different step on each occasion.
Johnson set up a try and scored one himself as part of a late fightback.
Both are players to watch!
Wild West
If the Bulldogs and Parramatta hold any hopes of reaching the finals they have to win on Saturday.
They meet at ANZ Stadium in 12th and 13th position - the Dogs a win outside the top eight and Parra three points adrift.
The Bulldogs are going backwards quickly having not won in nine games, partly because Ben Barba is playing NSW Cup and NRL.
The Eels enjoyed wins against Penrith and Gold Coast before being stopped by Melbourne 34-24.
There was no shame in that result as third placed Melbourne led by only a converted try at halftime and couldn't get away after the break.
Eels halfback Albert Kelly is nicknamed AK47 and like his military namesake can be very dangerous.
He is just one reason to watch this Western Sydney shootout!
Watch Fox Sports 2 from 2.30pm EST on Saturday as Stuart Raper and myself preview the NRL round and then call all the Toyota Cup action.
