CROSS FORUM NRL Finals Week Three Discussion

[Big Pete]

Melbourne Storm vs. Sydney Roosters
AAMI Park, Friday 27 September 2024
Kick Off: 7:50pm

MELBOURNE STORM

1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. William Warbrick 3. Jack Howarth 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero

14. Tyran Wishart 15. Christian Welch 16. Tui Kamikamica 17. Alec MacDonald

18. Grant Anderson 19. Kane Bradley 20. Lazarus Vaalepu 21. Joe Chan 22. Sualauvi Faalogo

SYDNEY ROOSTERS

1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii 4. Joseph Manu 5. Dominic Young 6. Luke Keary 7. Sandon Smith 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Connor Watson 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Angus Crichton 12. Sitili Tupouniua 13. Victor Radley

14. Spencer Leniu 15. Naufahu Whyte 16. Nat Butcher 17. Terrell May

18. Zach Dockar-Clay 19. Siua Wong 20. Fetalaiga Pauga 21. Jake Elliott 22. Michael Jennings

Penrith Panthers vs. Cronulla Sharks
Accor Stadium, Saturday 28 September 2024
Kick Off: 7:50pm

PENRITH PANTHERS

1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Izack Tago 4. Paul Alamoti 5. Brian To'o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Luke Garner 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo

14. Brad Schneider 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Liam Henry 17. Matt Eisenhuth

18. Casey McLean 19. Trent Toelau 20. Scott Sorensen 21. Daine Laurie 22. Luke Sommerton

CRONULLA SHARKS

1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Kayal Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes

14. Siosifa Talakai 15. Jack Williams 16. Royce Hunt 17. Thomas Hazelton

18. Daniel Atkinson 19. Braden Hamlin-Uele 20. Mawene Hiroti 21. Jayden Berrell 22. Samuel Stonestreet

 

[Big Pete]

He's a polarising figure, but if the Sydney Roosters go down, it will mark the end of Jared Warea-Hargreaves career in the NRL. The game will mark 311 games for the Sydney Roosters, the most of any player in their club's history and he'll go down as one of the all-time great Eastern Suburbs players.

When Warea-Hargreaves signed with the Roosters, he was actually a New Zealand representative who had played a handful of games for Manly. When the Roosters signed them, they were the wooden spooners after a tumalteous time at the club and it was up to Brian Smith and Peter O'Sullivan to help steer the club around.

Enter players like Jared Warea-Hargreaves, Jake Friend, Boyd Cordner, Aidan Guerra among others who joined Mitchell Pearce and Mitchell Aubusson to form this core that saw the Roosters return to the winner's circle and cement their place as the team of 2010s.

His retirement will signal an end of an era as the Roosters look to rebuild once more. Not only will Jared Warea-Hargreaves call time, but so will Luke Keary, Joseph Manu and Joseph Suaalii as they look for other opportunities.

For the time being, this game shapes as the Roosters best shot at glory in the forseeable future. Can they overcome the monolith that is Melbourne or will they succumb to a bitter rival?

If the Roosters are to win, it'll be through the ruck and making life difficult for Harry Grant. Somehow they'll need to find a way to minimise Warbrick as his carries are among the best in the competition and his 1-2 with Howarth has allowed Melbourne to maintain their grip on the minor premiership. Once Melbourne start rolling, it gets Grant on the front-foot which brings Munster and Hughes into the game and by then it can be far too late.

Dominic Young also needs to play tough. In finals you're only as good as your weakest link and if Young continues to play soft football it'll give Melbourne too much of an advantage.

Looking forward to the battle between NAS and JWH, there will be blood.

I'm trying to come up with a scenario where the Sharks win. Need to start strong and Trindall needs to nail his kicking game. They can't afford to make the mistakes the Roosters did, because the Panthers just coasted. Kick-chase, play for those bat backs and just make life uncomfortable for the Panthers. Never stay onside, always linger in the ruck and give them a taste of their own medicine.

 

[Sproj]

He's a polarising figure, but if the Sydney Roosters go down, it will mark the end of Jared Warea-Hargreaves career in the NRL. The game will mark 311 games for the Sydney Roosters, the most of any player in their club's history and he'll go down as one of the all-time great Eastern Suburbs players.

When Warea-Hargreaves signed with the Roosters, he was actually a New Zealand representative who had played a handful of games for Manly. When the Roosters signed them, they were the wooden spooners after a tumalteous time at the club and it was up to Brian Smith and Peter O'Sullivan to help steer the club around.

Enter players like Jared Warea-Hargreaves, Jake Friend, Boyd Cordner, Aidan Guerra among others who joined Mitchell Pearce and Mitchell Aubusson to form this core that saw the Roosters return to the winner's circle and cement their place as the team of 2010s.

His retirement will signal an end of an era as the Roosters look to rebuild once more. Not only will Jared Warea-Hargreaves call time, but so will Luke Keary, Joseph Manu and Joseph Suaalii as they look for other opportunities.

For the time being, this game shapes as the Roosters best shot at glory in the forseeable future. Can they overcome the monolith that is Melbourne or will they succumb to a bitter rival?

If the Roosters are to win, it'll be through the ruck and making life difficult for Harry Grant. Somehow they'll need to find a way to minimise Warbrick as his carries are among the best in the competition and his 1-2 with Howarth has allowed Melbourne to maintain their grip on the minor premiership. Once Melbourne start rolling, it gets Grant on the front-foot which brings Munster and Hughes into the game and by then it can be far too late.

Dominic Young also needs to play tough. In finals you're only as good as your weakest link and if Young continues to play soft football it'll give Melbourne too much of an advantage.

Looking forward to the battle between NAS and JWH, there will be blood.

I'm trying to come up with a scenario where the Sharks win. Need to start strong and Trindall needs to nail his kicking game. They can't afford to make the mistakes the Roosters did, because the Panthers just coasted. Kick-chase, play for those bat backs and just make life uncomfortable for the Panthers. Never stay onside, always linger in the ruck and give them a taste of their own medicine.

Always love your write ups, the only thing of interest to me in this whole finals series.

 

[Super Freak]

Roosters haven't won a single game against a top 4 side this year.

I don't see that changing.

3 wins from 9 games since Cronk, that's not encouraging.