Finals Week 1 2020

[Big Pete]

Qualifying Final #1
Penrith Panthers vs. Sydney Roosters
Panthers Stadium, Friday 1 October 2020
Kick Off 7:50pm

PENRITH PANTHERS

1. Dylan Edwards 2. Josh Mansour 3. Brent Naden 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To'o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. James Tamou 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo

14. Tyrone May 15. Kurt Capewell 16. Moses Leota 17. Zane Tetevano

18. Mitch Kenny 19. Dean Whare 20. Matt Burton 21. Spencer Leniu

SYDNEY ROOSTERS

1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Josh Morris 4. Joseph Manu 5. Brett Morris 6. Luke Keary 7. Kyle Flanagan 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Freddy Lussick 10. Siosiua Taukeiaho 11. Boyd Cordner 12. Sitili Tupouniua 13. Isaac Liu

14. Lachlan Lam 15. Lindsay Collins 16. Angus Crichton 17. Sonny Bill Williams

18. Nat Butcher 19. Mitchell Aubusson 20. Poasa Faamausili 21. Matt Ikuvalu

Elimination Final #1
Canberra Raiders vs. Cronulla Sharks
GIO Stadium, Saturday 2 October 2020
Kick Off 5:40pm

CANBERRA RAIDERS

1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Semi Valemi 3. Jarrod Croker 4. Jordan Rapana 5. Nick Cotric 6. Jack Wighton 7. George Williams 8. Josh Papali'i 9. Tom Starling 10. Dunamis Lui 11. John Bateman 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Joseph Tapine

14. Siliva Havili 15. Iosia Soliola 16. Hudson Young 17. Corey Harawira-Naera

18. Sam Williams 19. Kai O'Donnell 20. Michael Oldfield 21. Matthew Timoko

CRONULLA SHARKS

1. Will Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Josh Dugan 4. Jesse Ramien 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Connor Tracey 7. Chad Townsend 8. Braden Hamlin-Uele 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Aaron Woods 11. Briton Nikora 12. Wade Graham 13. Toby Rudolf

14. Siosifa Talakai 15. Scott Sorensen 16. Andrew Fifita 17. Jack Williams

18. Teig Wilton 19. Braydon Trindall 20. Mawene Hiroti 21. Bryson Goodwin

Qualifying Final #2
Melbourne Storm vs. Parramatta Eels
Suncorp Stadium, Saturday 2 October 2020
Kick Off 7:50pm

MELBOURNE STORM

1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Suliasi Vunivalu 3. Brenko Lee 4. Justin Olam 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Cameron Smith 10. Christian Welch 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Kenneath Bromwich 13. Nelson Asofa-Solomona

14. Brandon Smith 15. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui 16. Tom Eisenhuth 17. Nicholas Hynes

18. Darryn Schonig 19. Isaac Lumelume 20. Albert Vete 21. Ryley Jacks

PARRAMATTA EELS

1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Michael Jennings 4. Waqa Blake 5. Blake Ferguson 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Ryan Matterson 13. Nathan Brown

14. Will Smith 15. Andrew Davey 16. Kane Evans 17. Marata Niukore

18. Ray Stone 19. Brad Takairangi 20. Oregon Kaufusi 21. Daniel Alvaro

Elimination Final #2
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs. Newcastle Knights
ANZ Stadium, Sunday 3 October 2020
Kick Off 4:05pm

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS

1. Corey Allan 2. Alex Johnston 3. Campbell Graham 4. Dane Gagai 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Cody Walker 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Damien Cook 10. Thomas Burgess 11. Jaydn Su'A 12. Bayley Sironen 13. Cameron Murray

14. Mark Nicholls 15. Liam Knight 16. Jed Cartwright 17. Keaon Koloamatangi

18. Steven Marsters 19. Hame Sele 20. Troy Dargan 21. Patrick Mago

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS

1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Edrick Lee 3. Enari Tuala 4. Bradman Best 5. Hymel Hunt 6. Mason Lino 7. Mitchell Pearce 8. David Klemmer 9. Kurt Mann 10. Daniel Saifiti 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 12. Aidan Guerra 13. Mitchell Barnett

14. Chris Randall 15. Jacob Saifiti 16. Herman Ese'ese 17. Sione Mata'utia

18. Josh King 19. Gehamat Shibasaki 20. Tex Hoy 21. Brodie Jones

 

[Huge]

Sharks and Newcastle just look like cannon fodder. Penrith v Souths gf? Storm or Raiders a chance?

 

[Horseheadsup]

Paul Gallen adamant Newcastle can beat South's, can't see it.

 

[Huge]

Paul Gallen adamant Newcastle can beat South's, can't see it.

Won't happen. Newcastle are a spent force. Last 6-8 games pretty ordinary.

 

[Unbreakable]

Pretty surprised Dylan Brown is back so early. If he actually plays it'll be the fastest recovery ever from tightrope surgery.

 

[Big Pete]

So this is how the Rugby League season usually goes for me. Early February I'm chomping at the bit, it's like the week of school where you've got brand new stationary and notepads where everything feels fresh and exciting. That doesn't begin to die down until Origin where that takes centre stage for the next two months. Then the run home to the finals is usually a mixed bag because you get games that mean nothing and there's usually a handful of teams going through the motion just playing out the clock wishing the whole thing to be over. Then we get the best part of the season, the finals. Every game matters and it's the arena that truly defines the season. Usually it leads to a lot of quality football and we don't get caught up in all the petty drama that seems to dominate the weekly shows.

One aspect that I miss about the McIntyre system is how the weekend would build. Usually you wouldn't see the top two teams until later on in the week which made the sudden death games more meaningful. I still have fond memories of Newcastle/Manly belting out a classic to start the 2006 series. I understand 4th vs. 5th is more enticing than 5th vs. 8th and the scheduling conflicts, but I just like how that older system built anticipation. Especially in years like 2009 where you had the most consistent team in St George take on the form team in Parramatta.

I say all this because it feels like we're opening our Christmas presents a day or two early. Sydney/Penrith could just about decide this entire premiership, especially since the loser will likely have to go through a tougher bracket (Raiders and Storm before a rematch). I'm so glad that things panned out this way and that Penrith who have been the best team all year have to beat the defending premiers in order to prove themselves. It won't be like Manly 2011 who back-doored their way into a premiership, facing off against the Broncos minus Lockyer and then got the Warriors who were handed a 40-10 flogging in the first week. I've got Penrith stepping up here and having too many points for the Roosters who are looking very skinny in places.

It'll be tight, but I can just see Penrith having their noses out infront for the duration and just as Sydney appears to be on top somebody like a Koroisau or a May will come up with something and Cleary will ice it.

Whatever hopes Cronulla had went out the door when Johnson suffered his injury. They could give Canberra an early fright, but lately Canberra have been running over the top of teams and I think they'll just be too strong, setting themselves up for a big Week 2 of the finals.

Parramatta certainly have the line-up to beat Melbourne but just seem lack the leadership to get the job done. A couple of months ago I would have rated this the Eels best chance of finally burying their demons. However, I'd imagine Bellamy has been watching tape of Moses, Blake and Ferguson (or should that be Waqa and Ferguson?) and he'll just have Hughes, Lee and Vunivalu going at them all night. The only way I can see the Eels winning this through their defence, if it comes down to a points shoot out, the Storm should win 9/10.

Danger game on Sunday. It looks like the Knights have pulled up stumps for the season but Bennett hasn't won a first week of the finals since 2016 and I'd dare say hasn't gotten his team to play well in one since 2015. The Knights also won their previous meeting so it's certainly not as one-sided as it appears. Right now you'd have to give the tip to the Rabbits, but I get the feeling it's going to be a high scoring game and maybe the most entertaining game of the weekend.

 

[The True King]

Haven't watched the last couple Roosters games but Tupouniua must be doing a damn good job to be keeping his spot over some of the other options they have.

 

[Huge]

Haven't watched the last couple Roosters games but Tupouniua must be doing a damn good job to be keeping his spot over some of the other options they have.

You really should watch the Roosters last game.

 

[PNG Broncos fan88]

Been rewatching the Rabbits-Roosters match and noticed that they completely gave up on their usual line speed after the Rabbits went up 3 scores.
No intensity and no talk, and cant help but think that the frozen downcast looks were 'staged' by Robinson and his snr players every time Souths scored.

A week is a long time in football folks, the high flying Panthers could be in for a rude shock come Friday evening.

 

[ZTop]

Been rewatching the Rabbits-Roosters match and noticed that they completely gave up on their usual line speed after the Rabbits went up 3 scores.
No intensity and no talk, and cant help but think that the frozen downcast looks were 'staged' by Robinson and his snr players every time Souths scored.

A week is a long time in football folks, the high flying Panthers could be in for a rude shock come Friday evening.

Hope so anyway

 

[Twbapony]

Paul Gallen adamant Newcastle can beat South's, can't see it.

The only way that the Knights can beat the Bunnies is with a stick as they sleep.

Pretty surprised Dylan Brown is back so early. If he actually plays it'll be the fastest recovery ever from tightrope surgery.

Stupid if you ask me, I know that our medical guys are the bottom of the barrel this year, but a huge young talent like that should be given time to heal correctly and get a full preseason under his belt. Think of how much we would complain if the did that to Tom, and he broke himself further and more seriously.

 

[WASSHHH]

SBW out of the Roosters clash this weekend with a neck injury.

Roosters to sign the currently much maligned Sam Burgess for the remainder of the season for tree-fiddy.

Not only will this be approved by the NRL, but seeing he will now be contracted to the Roosters, it will also act to expunge any claims against Burgess.

 

[Sproj]

SBW out of the Roosters clash this weekend with a neck injury.

Roosters to sign the currently much maligned Sam Burgess for the remainder of the season for tree-fiddy.

Not only will this be approved by the NRL, but seeing he will now be contracted to the Roosters, it will also act to expunge any claims against Burgess.

After signing with the Roosters, what claims?

 

[Alec]

Did we say abuser? We meant amuser.

 

[Mightybroncs2k17]

The panthers winning streak concerns me. The old saying "you can't win them all" springs to mind.

 

[BruiserMk1]

So much inconsistency in the 6 again calls, JWH should have been penalised twice in the Panthers first set.

 

[Sproj]

Lions get another one, great stuff!

 

[broncsgoat]

Panthers to go out in straight sets