The match was played in difficult conditions and the South Sydney boys were really up for the contest.

The Sharks' execution may not have been perfect, but I was impressed with the spirit and aggression they showed in the second half as they tried to claw their way back into the game. They weren't playing slouches either. South Sydney have been in excellent form of late.

The Sharks, too, may have been guilty of thinking they could just turn on some winning form any time they liked after a couple of down weeks. For them to try so hard and still be beaten, I think will be good for them. It will shine a light on a few of the weaknesses in their game that may have been going unnoticed. Everyone loses games. Only fools fail to learn from their losses. The Sharks are not done with just yet.

2. What a weekend we have in store

Three matches this weekend see top-eight teams clashing with each other. The results of these matches will have significant ramifications for all concerned. Then we have a fourth match, between the ninth-placed Warriors and the 10th-placed Wests Tigers, which will effectively end the season for the loser. The biggest match of the round is Thursday night's clash between the Cowboys and the Bulldogs at Belmore. The outcome of this match will most likely determine which of these two teams will grab the last available top-four spot. The Bulldogs have two big advantages going into this week's clash. The match is being played at the Bulldogs' traditional home at Belmore Oval. They have also had the luxury of two extra days to prepare. The Bulldogs have won five of their last seven, but all five wins were against teams outside the top eight and the two losses were to current top-eight teams. The Cowboys, on the other hand have won just three from 11 away from home this year and not one of their players, even their ex-Bulldog premiership winner Johnathan Thurston, has ever played an NRL match at Belmore. Just five weeks ago these two teams last met in Townsville and the Cowboys embarrassed the Bulldogs by a score of 36-0. The dominance of that victory makes it very difficult to tip against them on Thursday night.

3. We are about to find out about the Broncos

The last two rounds of the home-and-away season provide a tremendous opportunity for the Broncos to prove to themselves they are back as serious premiership contenders. There was plenty of merit in their victory over the Bulldogs in Brisbane last week, but  it will be their performances over the next two rounds that prove whether or not they are ready to challenge for a title.

Jordan McLean of the Storm takes on the Broncos defence during Melbourne's win at Suncorp Stadium in July. Photo: Getty Images

This Friday night they take on the NRL's best side this season, the Storm down in chilly Melbourne. People betting against the Storm at home over the years have finished with the backside out of their pants. Just eight weeks ago, Melbourne marched out onto Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and handed the Bronco boys a 48-6 drubbing. It was an emphatic victory. It would therefore take a brave man to be tipping against the Storm. The Broncos have given every impression that they are on the rise and improving rapidly in the lead up to the finals. It would be a huge confidence booster if they could win in Melbourne.

4. Titans just one win away from a finals berth

The Titans' unlikely push for a finals place is now well within reach. They require just one win from their last two matches to secure a play-off berth. They could also make the finals with their current points accumulation if the winner of the Warriors-Tigers match this weekend doesn't win their final match of the home and away season. The last two matches of the regular season for the Titans are against teams also in the top eight, starting with Saturday's match against the Panthers. More than 25,000 people attended the Titans' last home match and there are very good reasons to anticipate a similar crowd this weekend. This is tremendous for rugby league in the area and for the future of our game. Saturday's crowd will surely give the Titans a huge boost in their final home appearance of the year. It has been an extraordinary season for Neil Henry's side. They have exceeded all expectations. When a team defies the odds and early-season predictions to perform so well, it usually results in their coach featuring prominently in Coach of the Year discussions.  enry is one of several in the NRL who would be worthy of such recognition.

5. Roosters and Rabbitohs are finishing strongly ...

I'm quite sure that all those associated with the Sydney Roosters and South Sydney clubs are disappointed that their respective seasons are about to end in a couple of weeks. Both  are running into some really impressive form at the back end of the season. These two NRL heavyweights have been dominant forces over the past few years.

At large: Blake Ferguson on the loose against the Dragons. Photo: Getty Images

Such is the cycle of rugby league success in a salary cap world these days that both were probably destined to have a mediocre season at some stage. Given what we've seen over the past few weeks, we can be assured their time at the bottom of the premiership ladder will be short lived. Both sides are finishing strongly and this will give them tremendous momentum heading into the off-season training period. You can put them down as being the big improvers in season 2017.

6. ... But Manly's season is best forgotten

The  Sea Eagles have endured a very tough season. They were talked up by many during the off-season as a real top-four prospect after recruiting New Zealand Test players Lewis Brown and Martin Taupau, former Kangaroos and 2016 Origin players Nate Myles and Dylan Walker, former Broncos hooker Matt Parcell and 2014 premiership winning hooker Api Koroisau, to join a player roster that already included Daly Cherry-Evans, Brett Stewart, Jamie Lyon, Steve Matai and Jamie Buhrer and the highly promising Trbojevic brothers. However, the season barely got off the ground, with the team winning just four of their first 15 games. It's not hard to find out reasons why this occurred. The Sea Eagles have really struggled all season to get the same team onto the field two weeks in a row. Steve Matai has played just 8 games, Brett Stewart 11, whilst Walker, Myles, Parcell, Cherry-Evans, Buhrer, Koroisau, Taupau and Jorge Taufua have missed 64 games between them. That's a fair bit of the Sea Eagles salary cap sitting in the grandstands at any one time. They have also had little luck in several games that were decided by four points or less. A team's record throughout the year in these close encounters can really make the difference to a season. However, given the injury toll that they have suffered this season, it would be most unfair to pass a negative judgment on their season, irrespective of the results of their last two games. On the whole, I think they have fought on pretty well. Better days ahead.

 Phil Gould is the general manager of football at the Penrith Panthers.