We are down to the last four teams in the race for this year’s NRL premiership and the grand final promises to be one that cannot be missed.
While defending premiers the Sydney Roosters just narrowly escaped crashing out of the finals in straight sets, the same could not be said for the team they defeated in last year’s grand final, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
Manly were sunk by a field goal in golden point time by former player Trent Hodkinson, who in doing so has booted the Bulldogs to within a game of the grand final. They face off against the Penrith Panthers.
Standing in the way of the Roosters and their seventh grand final since the beginning of 2000 are the South Sydney Rabbitohs, who after two years of falling short are desperate to end a 43-year premiership drought.
So who will move through to the first Sunday in October? Let’s preview each of the two preliminary finals in detail.
South Sydney Rabbitohs versus Sydney Roosters
Friday, September 26
7:55pm
ANZ Stadium
In 2014
Round 1: Rabbitohs 28 defeated Roosters 8 at ANZ Stadium
Round 26: Roosters 22 defeated Rabbitohs 18 at Allianz Stadium
Last meeting in a final
Roosters 19 defeated Rabbitohs 10, second semi-final, 1938
For many, this is the match they believed would be this year’s grand final. That was until the Panthers turned the finals series upside down in the first week, defeating the Roosters by one point and sending them to the Rabbitohs’ side of the draw.
This has resulted in the first semi-final featuring not only the two oldest clubs in the competition, but also two clubs that clearly don’t like each other. Their first meeting in a finals series since 1938 will decide who moves through to the big dance.
The Rabbitohs will seek to go one better after falling at this stage in the last two years. In 2012 a hamstring injury to Adam Reynolds conspired against them as they lost to the Bulldogs 32-8, while last year they raced out to an early lead against the Sea Eagles before losing 30-20.
With this being the last year before Ben Te’o and Sam Burgess leave the club for stints in rugby, the Bunnies know that their premiership window won’t remain open for much longer. We have seen, with the exits of the Storm and Sea Eagles from this year’s premiership race, that eras of being in contention don’t last very long.
Therefore, the Bunnies must take advantage and attempt to land that elusive premiership with the playing list they currently possess, and how fitting would it be that they reach the grand final by ending the Roosters’ bid to become the first repeat premiers since the Brisbane Broncos in 1992-93.
The Chooks almost suffered what would have been the biggest finals choke in 16 years, when they led the Cowboys 30-0 before barely scraping through, winning 31-30.
However, unlike past refereeing decisions which went against them in each of the last two years, including this famous howler twelve months ago, it was the correct call. The Roosters now live to fight another day.
It’s all on the line this Friday night. Can the Chooks keep their premiership defence alive or will the Bunnies continue their hopes of winning their first premiership since 1971?
Either way, expect an explosive match.
Prediction: Rabbitohs by 10 points.
Penrith Panthers versus Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Saturday, September 27
7:55pm
ANZ Stadium
In 2014
Round 3: Panthers 18 defeated Bulldogs 16 at Sportingbet Stadium
Round 21: Panthers 22 defeated Bulldogs 16 at ANZ Stadium
Last meeting in a final
Bulldogs 30 defeated Panthers 14, first preliminary final, 2004.
Given the injuries they have suffered this season, none more so than an ACL injury to skipper Peter Wallace, the Panthers continue to be written off. But to get this far in the season is quite an achievement and Ivan Cleary must take the credit for it.
But the more they get ignored, the better they perform. And that was the case when, thanks to a late field goal by Jamie Soward, they sunk defending premiers the Sydney Roosters in their first qualifying final.
Now, only the Bulldogs, who enter this match on the back of a golden-point win over the Sea Eagles, stand between them and a grand final berth many thought was beyond imaginable at the start of the season.
Des Hasler’s men endured a poor finish to the regular season but have lifted their form in September, defeating the Storm in Melbourne before sending the Sea Eagles crashing out of the finals in straight sets.
It will be their experience which makes them the favourites to progress to the grand final, where they will be keen to atone for their 2012 loss to the Melbourne Storm and break an almost decade-long premiership drought.
Should they salute on that first Sunday in October, they would become the first team since themselves in 1995 to win the premiership from outside the top four.
While the Bulldogs should start as favourites for many, you can never write the Panthers off. If this team, well assembled by Ivan Cleary, can lift the trophy on grand final day, it will be a massive achievement given the no-names that the side currently possess, Jamie Soward and Peter Wallace (injured) aside.
But can they do it again, or will the Bulldogs prove too strong?
Prediction: Panthers by six points.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Canterbury's board have vowed to "vigorously defend" themselves against a $4 million civil case from former player Jackson Topine, amid claims he suffered a…
Andrew Johns and Brad Fitler disagreed over how the Hetherington-Mahoney altercation should've been handled with Joey suggesting if the pair got all their steam…
The younger brother of NRL star Nathan Cleary, Jett, has inked a three-year deal with the New Zealand Warriors to start in 2025. Cleary,…
Phil Gould told 100% Footy that Jack Hetherington was taking the mickey in his tunnel stoush with Reed Mahoney. Meanwhile, NRL 360 panellist Paul…
Vision showed Hetherington confronting Reed Mahoney in the tunnel and having to be dragged away by staff after the pair were sin-binned. But journalists…
Jack Hetherington could face sanctions from the NRL after vision emerged of the fiery Newcastle forward appearing to throw a punch at Bulldogs hooker…
