The 2014 NRL season has been an absolute belter from Round 1 to Round 26. With the Warriors and Eels both falling over at the final hurdle, and the Broncos the lucky ones into the top eight, we’re set for a cracking NRL finals series this year.
The Roosters, Manly, South Sydney, Penrith, North Queensland, Melbourne and Canterbury make up the top eight along with eighth placed Brisbane, and will all be out to make a point in the 2014 competition.
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» FULL NRL FINALS DRAW
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» North Queensland vs Brisbane preview
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» Melbourne vs Canterbury preview
Friday 13 September
Venue: Allianz Stadium – 7:55pm
TV: Channel Nine
Odds: Manly $2.85, South Sydney $1.45
Arguably the most anticipated game of the preliminary finals will see two genuine premiership contenders take the field at Allianz Stadium for the first qualifying final of the 2014 season.
With more than 60 years of finals history and last year’s tense semi-final clash, that saw the Rabbitohs knocked out despite going into the sheds 14-0 up at half-time, still etched into the memories of supporters this game will undoubtedly be a blockbuster.
Tough losses to the Roosters and Cowboys last week, however, have resulted in these two teams meeting earlier on in the finals than either would have preferred.
The match-up of the night will see fullback Brett Stewart attempt to stop a rampaging Greg Inglis, who has been one of the best players of the competition this year. Inglis however, has been hampered again by his recurring fitness issues.
For Souths, if the formidable Burgess brothers can provide the physical go-forward to unleash Inglis out wide Souths be likely to progress further into the competition.
Manly, on other the hand, will look to their halves combination of Dale Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran to outperform their counterparts.
The return of Adam Reynolds will most likely improve Souths’ chances, but it has triggered a restructuring with John Sutton moving to the back row and McQueen pushed to the Bench.
Manly are the home team, but expect the Rabbitohs to have more support, but against an experienced Sea Eagles outfit they will have to perform well to overcome a the finals experience of such a strong side.
Tip: Souths by 4
FULL MANLY-SOUTH SYDNEY MATCH PREVIEW
Manly Sea Eagles team list:
1. Brett Stewart
2. Jorge Taufua
3. Jamie Lyon
4. Steve Matai
5. Peta Hiku
6. Kieran Foran
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Josh Starling
9. Jayden Hodges
10. Brenton Lawrence
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Justin Horo
13. Tom Symonds
Interchange: Jesse Sene-Lefao, Dunamis Lui, James Hasson, Jason King.
South Sydney Rabbitohs team list:
1. Greg Inglis
2. Alex Johnston
3. Dylan Walker
4. Kirisome Auva’a
5. Lote Tuqiri
6. Luke Keary
7. Adam Reynolds
8. George Burgess
9. Issac Luke
10. Dave Tyrrell
11. Kyle Turner
12. John Sutton (c)
13. Sam Burgess
Interchange: Jason Clark, Chris McQueen, Luke Burgess, Thomas Burgess, Bryson Goodwin, Ben Lowe, Joe Picker.
Saturday 13 September
Venue: Allianz Stadium – 5:50pm
TV: Channel Nine
Odds: Roosters $1.25, Panthers $4.10
Defending champions, the Sydney Roosters, will attempt to knock out 2014’s over-achievers, the Penrith Panthers, who have vastly improved on their lowly performance in 2013.
The Roosters will be looking to improve on a strong 60-minute performance against Souths that was almost undermined by 20 minutes of complacency, which almost afforded the Rabbitohs a miraculous come-from-behind victory.
The Roosters depth will be tested in the forthcoming weeks.
Consistent infringements by Dylan Napa has resulted in a two-match ban by the NRL judiciary, while Aidan Guerra has also been charged for a chicken-wing tackle. Such actions, late into the season, will undoubtedly play a significant part in the outcome of this preliminary final.
The Panthers have named a comparably unchanged side from last week that took down a gallant Warriors outfit seeking a finals berth.
It will be key that the little general Jamie Soward and Jamal Idris put on near-perfect performances if Penrith are to come close to the Roosters who are coming into the finals having won their last six.
For Anthony Minichiello and his men it will be business as usual.
The Roosters boast arguably the greatest firepower and undeniably the most stars across the park and will expect a dominant performance to send a message to their remaining finals cohort.
Tip: Roosters by 12.
FULL ROOSTERS-PANTHERS MATCH PREVIEW:
Sydney Roosters team list:
1. Anthony Minichiello (capt)
2. Daniel Tupou
3. Michael Jennings
4. Shaun Kenny-Dowall
5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
6. James Maloney
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
9. Mitchell Aubusson
10. Sam Moa
11. Boyd Cordner
12. Sonny Bill Williams
13. Isaac Liu.
Interchange: Jackson Hastings, Remi Casty, Kane Evans, Heath L’Estrange.
Penrith Panthers team list:
1. Matt Moylan
2. Josh Mansour
3. Dean Whare
4. Jamal Idris
5. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
6. Will Smith
7. Jamie Soward
8. Sam Mckendry
9. James Segeyaro
10. Brent Kite
11. Sika Manu
12. Matt Robinson
13. Nigel Plum
Interchange: Lewis Brown, Jeremy Latimore, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Sam Anderson, Dave Simmons
Saturday 13 September
Venue: 1300SMILES Stadium – 7:55pm
TV: Channel Nine
Odds: Cowboys $1.42, Broncos $2.95
An all-Queensland affair will see the Brisbane Broncos take on the North Queensland Cowboys elimination final at 1300SMILES Stadium.
Perennial underdogs the Cowboys have reshaped their attack on the back of a brilliant season for Johnathon Thurston and have thundered into the NRL’s top eight.
After thoroughly dispatching the Sea Eagles in Round 26 North Queensland will understandably be confident heading into the Preliminary Finals.
Johnathon Thurston has been mercurial in 2014 and will need to be in the finals if the Cowboys are to be a legitimate contender for the premiership.
For the Broncos, Origin and onternational star Justin Hodges will play out of position at fullback given the injury to Josh Hoffman, with Ben Barba slotting in the halves.
While Barba will admit that 2014 has not been his best, his ability to spark an attack will be needed by Brisbane this week.
With firepower across the park a ticket to the semi-finals will most-likely be awarded to the side that can remain cool under pressure and limit mistakes.
Tip: North Queensland by 6
FULL COWBOYS-BRONCOS FINALS PREVIEW
North Queensland Cowboys team list:
1. Michael Morgan
2. Kyle Feldt
3. Tautau Moga
4. Kane Linnett
5. Antonio Winterstein
6. Robert Lui
7. Johnathan Thurston (c)
8. Matt Scott (c)
9. Rory Kostjasyn
10. Ashton Sims
11. Gavin Cooper
12. Tariq Sims
13. Jason Taumalolo
Interchange: Ray Thompson, Scott Bolton, Glenn Hall, James Tamou
Brisbane Broncos team list:
1. Justin Hodges (c)
2. Daniel Vidot
3. Corey Oates
4. Dale Copley
5. Lachlan Maranta
6. Ben Barba
7. Ben Hunt
8. Josh McGuire
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Corey Parker (c)
11. Alex Glenn
12. Matt Gillett
13. Sam Thaiday
Interchange: Jarrod Wallace, Martin Kennedy, Ben Hannant, Todd Lowrie, David Hala
Sunday 14 September – 4:10pm
Venue: AAMI Park
TV: Channel Nine
Odds: Storm $1.32, Bulldogs $3.50
The Canterbury Bulldogs and Melbourne Storm will wrap up the first week of the 2014 finals, in another highly anticipated match.
The game features exciting matchups across the field but none more so than at the halves which will see Josh Reynolds and Cooper Cronk lead their sides again. No doubt there will be residual emotions remaining from the NSW origin win.
With that in mind, expect there to be fire from the generals.
Both sides also have the rare luxury of being relatively unaffected with injuries and will consequently field comparably unchanged line-ups.
In the backs, Melbourne will again look to Billy Slater and Will Chambers mesmerise the Bulldogs’ defence. In the forwards, it will be up to Cameron Smith, if he is deemed fit to play, and Ryan Hoffman to make their impression on a physically impressive Canterbury counterparts.
Lead by Captain Michael Ennis, the Bulldogs forward pack will look to make a lasting impression of the competition by delivering a strong performance against the perennial finals contenders. For this to occur, giants Greg Eastwood and Tony Williams will be expected to punish any weak defence.
With both sides fielding both Origin and international experience this game will be a belter.
Tip: Storm by 1 in overtime.
Melbourne Storm team list:
1. Billy Slater
2. Sisa Waqa
3. William Chambers
4. Mahe Fonua
5. Marika Koroibete
6. Ben Roberts
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Cameron Smith (c)
10. Bryan Norrie
11. Kevin Proctor
12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Ryan Hinchcliffe
Interchange: Tim Glasby, Tohu Harris, Junior Moors, Jordan McLean, Dayne Weston, Justin O’Neill
Bulldogs team list:
1. Sam Perrett
2. Corey Thompson
3. Josh Morris
4. Tim Lafai
5. Mitch Brown
6. Josh Reynolds
7. Trent Hodkinson
8. Aiden Tolman
9. Michael Ennis (c)
10. James Graham
11. Josh Jackson
12. Tony Williams
13. Greg Eastwood
Interchange: Dale Finucane, David Klemmer, Frank Pritchard, Moses Mbye, Reni Maitua, Harlan Alaalatoa, Pat O’Hanlon
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