The Mole: Problem facing Manly's 'flat track bully' that is stopping him reach huge potential

Haumole Olakau'atu has shown that he can be the most damaging wide running forward in the league at times… and terrorised the poor Bulldogs on Sunday.

But, like his Manly teammates, Olakau'atu can be something of a flat track bully, shining against tackle-shy opponents and going missing when the going gets tough.

The assignment for Olakau'atu over the summer is to get that out of his game - because if he does he could be the next Viliame Kikau.

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Big, strong and fast, Olakau'atu scored one try and was involved in several others as the Sea Eagles smashed the Bulldogs 42-24.

He looked like a colossus - a man playing against boys - but then against the likes of the Panthers and the Broncos, he's not the same player.

The problem is probably partly psychological, partly physical… but if Olakau'atu works on his mind and body over the summer, he could be the best back-rower in the game come 2024.

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Can anyone stop this superstar?

Will anyone be able to stop Reece Walsh in the final series?

The Broncos fullback is in such red hot form that it's hard to see anyone containing him in the big games.

And with Payne Haas making the metres up front and Adam Reynolds (who was missing in the 29-18 win over the Raiders) steering the ship, the Broncos have the perfect men to lay the platform for the speedy fullback.

Walsh was a joy to watch in Canberra, scoring a try, laying on two others and making two line break assists.

He finished the night with a leg injury - and that may be the only thing that slows him down come finals time.

Big money signing showing his worth

Brandon Smith has been pretty much of a disappointment in his first year as a Rooster.

Injuries and adapting to the fulltime hooker role have taken their toll - but the good news is that Smith is coming good just in time for the finals… if the Roosters get there.

Smith topped the Roosters' tackle count in the 32-8 thumping of the Tigers, was creative out of dummy half and made a couple of incisive runs.

It was as well as he has played for the club - and the Roosters are now hoping he can show more of the same in next weekend's do-or-die clash with the Bunnies.

Storm's find of the season

There are plenty of good wing combinations running around in the NRL this season - and the Storm's Will Warbrick and Xavier Coates are right up there with them.

The pair bagged four tries and nearly 300 running metres between them in Melbourne's 37-16 win over the Titans on Saturday afternoon, and it's pretty much the same thing week in, week out for the Purple People.

The duo are very different - Coates is speed and athleticism and Warbrick is brute force - but between them they are set to cause nightmares for rival defences in the final series.

Coates was always going to be a success at the Storm after the way he started his career at the Broncos, while Warbrick has been one of the finds of the season.

Dragons' unwanted clean sweep

Dragons coach-elect Shane Flanagan has many, many problems to fix when he takes over the team in coming weeks, but the first needs to be giving his players a psychological lesson in winning on the road.

The Dragons had 12 away games this season - and lost each and every one of them, with the 18-6 defeat in Auckland on Friday night completing the clean sweep.

That made it all but impossible for the club to figure in the finals race, let alone make the big games come September.

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Winning away from home is largely a mental problem for players - thus the need for a sports psychologist.

All fields are basically the same length and breadth and the mentally strong teams have little trouble rising to the occasion on 'foreign' turf.

But teams without the grit and confidence struggle when things get a little tough - like a hostile crowd or the referees awarding the '50/50 calls' to the home team more often than not.

Three or four away wins and a fair home record will just about get a team into the finals, but the Dragons didn't even come close in 2023.

Dolphins waiting for Mad Monday

Another club with work to do on their headspace over the summer is the Dolphins.

Wayne Bennett's boys were the talk of the league early in their debut season, looking like finalists with their opening salvos.

But injuries, suspensions and the wear and tear of their maiden year in the big league then hit the Dolphins - and hit them hard.

The loss to the Cowboys on Friday night was their 10th defeat in their past 11 games and the boys from Redcliffe look like a team just waiting for Mad Monday next week.

The Cowboys played some good footy to stay in the finals battle and now have to win next weekend and hope other results fall into place to qualify for September football.