LEAGUE fans - stand by for wrestlemania. That's it folks; we now spend the next month working out which team has the best wrestling technique in the NRL.
Big matches these days all come down to the wrestle. You must win the wrestle. Football skill and tactics take a back seat to slowing the play-the-ball and stifling your opponent out of the contest.
Traditionally, referees reduce their penalty counts at this time of year as they look to make themselves less conspicuous.
Coaches sense the change of attitude from the whistleblowers and start to push the boundaries of what is legal and what is necessary to win.
As the games become more important, the wrestling becomes more prominent.
On Friday night, frustrated Newcastle coach Brian Smith claimed the Broncos had dealt his men "the slowest game of football that we have played in this year
it was pathetic at times, just the length of time it took for the play-the-ball to take place."
Just 24 hours later, Cowboys coach Ian Millward went out of his way to accuse Cronulla of illegal stalling tactics in the play-the-ball. "The amount of times they weren't pretty in the play-the-ball, especially hands on the ball, squeezing and spoiling, was incredible," he said.
Sharks coach Ricky Stuart responded in his usual "thou shalt not criticise me" manner by saying his rival was "not the full quid". Let me tell you, coach Millward is more than a full quid. More like a crisp new $100 bill.
The winner of this year's premiership will come from the top three teams: the Storm, the Sea Eagles or the Sharks. They have been the best sides all year, and two of the three will be there on grand final day.
Defence will hold pride of place, and there's no defence these days without the dreaded wrestle.
When it comes to the art of wrestling, the Storm wear the bulk of the criticism. There's no doubt they've mastered the art of tying up an opponent and restricting their attacking flow. However, the fact they score so many tries with their well-constructed attack means not all their success can be attributed simply to their Greco-Roman tackling styles.
The Sharks are regarded by all as the undisputed kings of wrestle-mania. This team had scored fewer tries than any other team coming into round 26, yet shared the lead in the competition with the two teams who regularly score the most tries.
Ten of their 17 wins this season have been by six points or fewer. This shows great attitude and grit, but also highlights how they strangle the life out of most games with their boa constrictor tactics.
NRL coaches point to statistics showing the Sharks make more three- and four-man tackles than any team in the competition.
The key to the gang tackle is the way they meticulously peel off the tackled player one at a time, rather than two at a time, as stipulated by the referees at the start of the season. Every fraction of a second they can add to the play-the-ball, gives them more time to reset their defensive line and rush on the next play.
Manly have scored a whopping 118 tries this season, and rely far less on the wrestle than other teams. They have great hitting technique and really back their ability to dominate without gang tackles. They also put most of their energy into the reset and coming forward as quickly as possible.
Manly forwards also have a great ability to find their feet quickly after the collision, and a couple of them can actually put a ball-carrier to the ground while remaining on their own feet. It's quite a skill.
Of the three top teams, Manly are probably more deserving of a premiership given the fact they actually try to out-play their opponents rather than out-wrestle them.
Those teams outside the top three will require a crash course with the judo instructors if they are to compete for the major prize.
My money, though, is on the teams who have practised the art all season.
