THE worst decision of all time, Moses carry on and trainers in the way again!: 20 Thoughts from Round 23

Round 23 has come and gone and we are still no closer to knowing where everyone will finish.

The Raiders bounced back, as did the Dogs, while the Storm kept their recent run going.

The Sharks, Broncos, Warriors and Dolphins all suffered losses, which keeps the Roosters very much in the Finals race.

The Bunnies now look to have avoided the wooden spoon, with the Titans and Knights now locked in a battle to avoid coming last.

Unfortunately, again, Monday morning headlines are dominated by negative aspects of the game. We'll hit each discussion point.

With that, below are 20 thoughts from Round 23:

1. The final moment of Round 23 saw the worst refereeing decision of all time. Despite everyone in the entire world seeing the most obvious of obstructions, eternal deer in the headlights, Liam Kennedy sent the decision up as a try. One look it all it took for the Bunker to laugh the decision away. Ok, no harm was done results-wise, but any referee who even considered the possibility of that being a try needs to be stripped of his whistle immediately. Kennedy has form.

2. Mitch Moses has split the NRL fan base pretty much right down the middle by roasting his young number nine after a series of brain snaps. Personally, I thought the serve was justified, albeit with a little too much passion. Any player who can't cop a serve from his halfback, though, is playing the wrong game. It was well handled by all involved.

3. When are the NRL finally going to crack down on trainers setting up camp on field? It's not as though it has slowly crept into being an issue either, with many issues over the years. Now is the perfect time for the NRL to crack down and rid these bib-wearing issues from the game. No player was injured. There was no stoppage. So what was the Cowboys' trainer doing hanging around behind the play? No excuses.

4. Jayden Campbell, for the second week in a row, was involved in a controversial, potentially match-saving play. If he stays down and milks a penalty, I have no doubt the Titans send that game to Golden Point. That said, if he simply puts the ball down earlier in the game, they probably win in normal time. Swings and roundabouts.

5. As has become a yearly tradition, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui is again testing the open market come November 1st. The Titans have only themselves to blame with this ongoing garbage. Fa'asuamaleaui and David Fifita are always off contract and always upgrading their current deals. The Titans would do well to cut both loose and stop offering these comical contracts once and for all.

6. Briton Nikora will have three weeks to think about his poor form and even worse decision-making in 2025. Off contract Briton Nikora is a beast like few others in the competition. Comfortable with a fresh, long-term contract Briton Nikora ... not so much.

7. We need to stop these ridiculous ideas of awarding fewer points for tries from kicks. Firstly, the best tries are the chaotic ones with a kick back in field, or a chip and chase, and secondly, just stop it! Imagine wanting to discourage kicking in a game called FOOTBALL!?

8. I am convinced that this Lewis Dodd situation with Wayne Bennett is personal now. I've never heard any coach, let alone Bennett, lay in so harshly, in public, over a player before. The sooner those two get as far away from each other as possible, the better for all parties.

9. That first half on Saturday afternoon between the Dolphins and Roosters was one of the most chaotic and entertaining I've ever seen. The tries, the random blowups, the shooshing of fans by an opposition prop who had been boo'ed all half. Delicious rugby league chaos!

10. How about that Queensland kid pushing for a release from the Raiders due to being homesick, only to turn around and sign for the Panthers? Ok, technically, Penrith is closer to the QLD border than the Raiders, but surely there needs to be release clauses in contracts. That is massively taking the Mick.

11. The NRL need to come out and change the farcical "tackled in the air" rule, now! Teig Wilton was awarded the most ridiculous of penalty tries in ... well like two days given the equally laughable Xavier Coates penalty try decision on Thursday night. Neither of those were tackles in the air, neither were dangerous and neither should have been anything close to a penalty try.

12. Bailey Simonsson is not established enough as an NRL first grader to be making demands on which position he wants to play. He's also nowhere near good enough to think he will overtake Josh Addo-Carr or Zac Lomax on the wing. Strange tactics.

13. I don't think we'll see anyone sarcastically locking the Raiders Viking Clap anytime soon. Jazz Tevaga was quick to express regret following his post try cheek saw the Raiders embark on an absolute tear. There were a few strange moments in Tevaga's effort against Canberra.

14. I'm fairly confident in saying I've never seen two halves tear hamstrings on the same play. Ezra Mam and Adam Reynolds both doing the same injury, during the same play no less, is further proof that you've never seen it all when it comes to rugby league.

15. Dogs fans must be feeling much better this morning. Not only did they beat a top four quality team, they did it in the rain. Without context that will seem ridiculous but given the Dogs poor run of a results in less than stellar weather, that win was literally perfect.

16. Todd Payten's time at the Cowboys is surely winding up. To be making jokes about Mitch Moses falling over in the press conference instead of hammering his side who blew the easiest of match-winning tries says it all. Josh Hannay should be coaching that side in 2026.

17. You have to admire the stones on Cameron Ciraldo. He's changed up half his spine, by choice, despite the fact that his team has led the NRL competition for most of the season. Sexton and Mahoney have been relegated to reserve grade and the bench, respectively. Both seem like good decisions long-term. This bloke can do it all.

18. It will be interesting to see how badly the Bears overpay for Tino Fa'asuamaleaui. It will be a positive to land such a marquee signing, but the Titans have millions of dollars invested in Tino and look where it has them sitting. Will Mal Meninga learn from his Titans mistakes?

19. Jesse Southwell may be the only thing standing between the Roosters/Broncos NRLW Grand Final that is almost certainly going to happen. Whereas the Broncs and Roosters have bene hoarding rep players for years, the Knights continue to overcome the loss of said players.

20. All the talk of Mitch Moses in this list and not yet a mention of his match-winning field goal. Sorry. On the back of his Origin heroics, there's a case that Moses may be the premier number seven in the big moments. Clearly, just last week, landed a 40 metre field goal to force Golden Point. We're blessed with some star number sevens.

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