NRL - Finals Week 1

[Big Pete]

Qualifying Final #2
Sydney Roosters vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs
SCG, Friday 13 September 2019
Kick Off: 7:50pm

SYDNEY ROOSTERS

1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Latrell Mitchell 4. Joseph Manu 5. Brett Morris 6. Luke Keary 7. Cooper Cronk 8. Jared Warea-Hargreaves 9. Sam Verrills 10. Isaac Liu 11. Boyd Cordner 12. Mitchell Aubusson 13. Victor Radley

Interchange: 14. Angus Crichton 15. Zane Tetevano 16. Nat Butcher 17. Sio Siua Taukeiaho

Reserves: 18. Lindsay Collins 19. Sitili Tupouniua 20. Drew Hutchinson 21. Ryan Hall

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS

1. Adam Doueihi 2. Alex Johnston 3. James Roberts 4. Campbell Graham 5. Corey Allan 6. Cody Walker 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Damien Cook 10. Liam Knight 11. John Sutton 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Cameron Murray

Interchange: 14 Ethan Lowe 15. Dean Britt 16. Thomas Burgess 17. Mark Nicholls

Reserves: 18. George Burgess 19. Bayley Sironen 20. Connor Tracey 21. Mawene Hiroti

Qualifying Final #1
Melbourne Storm vs. Canberra Raiders
AAMI Park, Saturday 14 September 2019
Kick Off 5:35pm

MELBOURNE STORM

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

Interchange: 14. Brandon Smith 15. Tui Kamikamica 16. Max King 17. Joe Stimson

Reserves: 18. Curtis Scott 19. Tino Faasuamaleaui 20. Brodie Croft 21. Tom Eisenhuth

CANBERRA RAIDERS

1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Nick Cotric 3. Jarrod Croker 4. Joseph Leilua 5. Jordana Rapana 6. Jack Wighton 7. Aidan Sezer 8. Josh Papalii 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Iosia Soliola 11. John Bateman 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Joseph Tapine

Interchange: 14. Bailey Simonsson 15. Dunamis Lui 16. Corey Horsburgh 17. Ryan Sutton

Reserves: 18. Sam Williams 19. Emre Guler 20. Siliva Havili 21. Hudson Young

Elimination Final #2
Manly Sea Eagles vs. Cronulla Sharks
Lottoland, Saturday 14 September 2019
Kick Off: 7:50pm

MANLY SEA EAGLES

1. Brendan Elliot 2. Jorge Taufua 3. Brad Parker 4. Moses Suli 5. Reuben Garrick 6. Dylan Walker 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Sean Keppie 11. Corey Waddell 12. Jack Gosiewski 13. Jake Trbojevic

Interchange: 14. Manase Fainu 15. Haumole Olakau’atu 16. Lloyd Perrett 17. Toafofoa Sipley

Reserves: 18. Lachlan Croker 19. Cade Cust 20. Tevita Funa 21. Tony Williams

CRONULLA SHARKS

1. Josh Dugan 2. Sosaia Feki 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Josh Morris 5. Aaron Gray 6. Shaun Johnson 7. Chad Townsend 8. Aaron Woods 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Matt Prior 11. Briton Nikora 12. Wade Graham 13. Paul Gallen

Interchange: 14. Kurt Capewell 15. Jack Williams 16. Andrew Fifita 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele

Reserves: 18. Billy Magoulias 19. Blayke Brailey 20. Kyle Flanagan 21. Matt Moylan

Elimination Final #1
Parramatta Eels vs. Brisbane Broncos
Bankwest Stadium, Sunday 15 September 2019
Kick Off: 4:00pm

PARRAMATTA EELS

1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Michael Jennings 4. Waqa Blake 5. Blake Ferguson 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Kane Evans 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Manu Ma’u 13. Nathan Brown

Interchange: 14. Brad Takairangi 15. Daniel Alvaro 16. Ray Stone 17. Marata Niukore

Reserves: 18. Tepai Moeroa 19. Will Smith 20. Peni Terepo 21. Josh Hoffman

BRISBANE BRONCOS

1. Anthony Milford 2. Corey Oates 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Alex Glenn 5. Jamayne Isaako 6. Darius Boyd 7. Jake Turpin 8. Matthew Lodge 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Payne Haas 11. David Fifita 12. Matt Gillett 13. Joe Ofahengaue

Interchange: 14. James Segeyaro 15. Thomas Flegler 16. Gehamat Shibasaki 17. Patrick Carrigan

Reserves: 18. Rhys Kennedy 19. Izaia Perese 20. Shaun Fensom 21. Cory Paix

 

[Fozz]

Sunday afternoon? Lock the eels in, boys.

Also asbestos found on the hill at Brookvale. Never change, Brooky.

 

[Spoon]

I think I just heard SOS has injured his knee this weekend... sigh. Hope I heard it wrong on channel 9

 

[winslow_wong]

I think I just heard SOS has injured his knee this weekend... sigh. Hope I heard it wrong on channel 9

Oh ffs. Just let it end already

 

[Allo]

I think I just heard SOS has injured his knee this weekend... sigh. Hope I heard it wrong on channel 9

Oh ffs. Just let it end already

I posted in the Intrust thread. Landed awkwardly with no contact. Helped off by a trainer. Doubt he could play, and that’s without considering the reluctance to pick him anyway

 

[Big Pete]

Predicted Line-Ups

Sydney Roosters
1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Latrell Mitchell 4. Joseph Manu 5. Brett Morris
6. Luke Keary 7. Cooper Cronk
8. Zane Tetevano 9. Jake Friend 10. Isaac Liu 11. Boyd Cordner 12. Mitchell Aubusson 13. Victor Radley

Interchange: 14. Lindsay Collins 15. Poasa Faamausili 16. Nat Butcher 17. Angus Crichton

South Sydney Rabbitohs
1. Adam Doueihi 2. Alex Johnston 3. James Roberts 4. Dane Gagai* 5. Campbell Graham
6. Cody Walker 7. Adam Reynolds
8. Tevita Tatola 9. Damien Cook 10. Liam Knight 11. John Sutton 12. Jaydn Su'A 13. Cameron Murray

Interchange: 14. Ethan Lowe 15. George Burgess 16. Tom Amone 17. Mark Nicholls

If Gagai is ruled out, Graham shifts to centres with Allan earning a recall to the wing.

Melbourne Storm
1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Suliasi Vunivalu 3. Will Chambers 4. Justin Olam 5. Josh Addo-Carr
6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes
8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Cameron Smith 10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Kenny Bromwich 13. Dale Finucane

Interchange: 14. Brandon Smith 15. Tui Kamikamica 16. Max King 17. Tom Eisenhuth

Canberra Raiders
1. Charnze-Nicholl Klokstad 2. Nick Cotric 3. Jarrod Croker 4. Joseph Leilua 5. Jordan Rapana
6. Jack Wighton 7. Aiden Sezer
8. Josh Papalii 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Sia Soliola 11. John Bateman 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Joe Tapine

Interchange: 14. Bailey Simonsson 15. Dunamis Lui 16. Corey Horsburgh 17. Ryan Sutton

Manly Sea Eagles
1. Brendan Elliot 2. Jorge Taufua 3. Brad Parker 4. Moses Suli 5. Reuben Garrick
6. Dylan Walker 7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Api Koroisau 10. Lloyd Perrett 11. Corey Waddell 12. Jack Gosiewski 13. Jake Trbojevic

Interchange: 14. Manase Fainu 15. Sean Keppie 16. Haumole Oklakau'atu 17. Morgan Boyle

Cronulla Sharks
1. Matt Moylan 2. Sosaia Feki 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Josh Dugan 5. Josh Morris
6. Shaun Johnson 7. Chad Townsend
8. Aaron Woods 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Matt Prior 11. Briton Nikora 12. Wade Graham 13. Paul Gallen

Interchange: 14. Kurt Capewell 15. Jack Williams 16. Andrew Fifita 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele

Parramatta Eels
1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Michael Jennings 4. Waqa Blake 5. Blake Ferguson
6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses
8. Daniel Alvaro 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Manu Ma'u 13. Nathan Brown

14. Brad Takairangi 15. David Gower 16. Ray Stone 17. Tepai Moeroa

Brisbane Broncos
1. Anthony Milford 2. Corey Oates 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Alex Glenn 5. Jamayne Isaako
6. Darius Boyd 7. Jake Turpin
8. Matt Lodge 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Payne Haas 11. David Fifita 12. Matt Gillett 13. Joe Ofahengaue

Interchange: 14. James Segeyaro 15. Thomas Flegler 16. Izaia Perese 17. Patrick Carrigan

 

[Sproj]

Its been a long time since going into a finals series and thinking the Broncos are both lucky to be there and absolutely no chance whatsoever.

 

[Accept]

Its been a long time since going into a finals series and thinking the Broncos are both lucky to be there and absolutely no chance whatsoever.

2014? 2012? It hasn't been that long.

 

[tommy]

2014? 2012? It hasn't been that long.

You mean 2017?

 

[Accept]

You mean 2017?

How did they get lucky in 2017? Finished third (16-8) and were 8 points adrift of 9th. You'd be having hot flushes if Seibs ever led the Broncos to that sort of season.

 

[tommy]

How did they get lucky in 2017? Finished third (16-8) and were 8 points adrift of 9th. You'd be having hot flushes if Seibs ever led the Broncos to that sort of season.

My bad I misread. But there was only one competitor that year.

 

[Kimlo]

My bad I misread. But there was only one competitor that year.

All bullshit aside, I was far more confident going into last year's final series than this one. Even mid-game in that one, we were well and truly in it, then Korbin Sims comes on, makes about 3 direct **** ups in a row and the floodgates opened.

To be totally outplayed from the outset by the Bulldogs is just sad and Parra are easily a better team although they have about as much **** up games as we do so there's a chance they come out playing like shit, we play at their level and win through sheer brilliance of Haas/Fifi.

Going into the finals with Turpin at 7 instead of SOS is an utter joke though and it definitely makes me lose a helluva lot of faith in Seibold.

Meanwhile the best in the business at Melbourne gladly drops their "superstar" 7 just to get a promising young junior in at fullback. That's the ballsy decisions good coaches make and Seibold has shown absolutely none of it. I was hopeful when he put Macca at 14 post-injury that we were finally going to see some tough calls but it looks like it was probably on the advice of our statistics dude that Macca would only be fit for 6kms or however the hell he works out his interchange rotation.

 

[Big Pete]

I thought Brisbane were a chance in 2016. The season slipped away from them during the Origin period, but they were beginning to play the type of footy they were renown for the year prior. It culminated in one of the best wins of the Bennett era against Melbourne in Melbourne. Unfortunately that proved to be the peak. Brisbane barely got by Sydney a week later, they beat a Gold Coast side under all sorts of controversy and then they had one of the toughest road trips in the NRL and lost it in extra time. Like 2005, that should have been the Broncos season, but they just couldn't find that extra gear they needed from 2015. In this competition, if you're not going forwards you're going backwards and Brisbane were a prime example that year.

2017 was over the moment Hunt signed with St George Illawarra. If the Broncos stood a chance that season, they needed Hunt to be the guy leading them. From the outset, there were question marks over Hunt's position in the side and despite a strong start to the season by him, when an opportunity arose to drop him, Bennett didn't hesitate and Brisbane were never going to challenge with Nikorima or Marshall. Then it just got too hard at the end of the season. Too many injuries and too many distractions off the field took it's toll and the Broncos just couldn't put any pressure on Melbourne. It ended up being 30-0, but it was 8-0 for 60 odd minutes with Brisbane bombing a number of opportunities. This was when it became apparent that Brisbane were a team that was so close yet so far and maybe radical changes had to be made.

Brisbane never looked like a premiership threat in 2018, but they had a knack of lifting for the big games and coming up with some amazing individual efforts. Still the baseline stuff was horrific and if Pangai, Oates or Roberts weren't pulling anything out than the side was in trouble. It's a season that should have been so much worse than what it was, but there was this sense that they had reached their potential making the finals.

If somebody could have cancelled 2019 after Round 5, I would have been extremely grateful.

 

[Foordy]

Its been a long time since going into a finals series and thinking the Broncos are both lucky to be there and absolutely no chance whatsoever.

well we all thought we were a chance last year ... maybe thinking we have no chance is a good sign

 

[tommy]

Shitloads of conspiracy theories about the asbestos found at Brookvale. It's no secret the NRL doesn't like that ground and would rather play somewhere else. The timing couldn't be more convenient for Toddy and co.

 

[Horseheadsup]

Shitloads of conspiracy theories about the asbestos found at Brookvale. It's no secret the NRL doesn't like that ground and would rather play somewhere else. The timing couldn't be more convenient for Toddy and co.

Are the saying Des must have loosened it that time he broke the door ?

 

[Big Pete]

How did this end up in Rugby League Chat?

@Unbreakable help a brother out.

 

[Big Pete]

Teamlists are in.

A few surprise selections, both T. Burgess and Taukeiaho are in for their respective sides. Both are timely inclusions, with Sam on the sideline following his suspension and the potential that Warea-Hargreaves could be joining him.

I missed the news around Mulitalo. Suspended for one week after that shoulder charge on Luke Brooks when Brooks took the seven tackle restart. Looking back on it, it's a fair decision by the MRC but it highlights the conflict the game has between entertainment and player safety.