Roar Guru
The Canterbury Bulldogs have secured a place in the 2014 NRL Grand Final following an 18-12 win against the Penrith Panthers at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.
They will face the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Sunday evening to decide who will be crowned the 2014 NRL premiers.
FINAL SCORE:
Bulldogs 18
Panther 12
Can a rejuvenated Penrith Panthers make their first NRL Grand Final appearance since 2003, or will the battle-hardened Canterbury Bulldogs return to the big dance for a second time in three seasons? Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:50pm (AEST).
It’s amazing how fast things can change in modern day rugby league.
Three weeks ago the Bulldogs weren’t even guaranteed a place in the finals, and their final-round implosion against the Titans left even their most ardent fans fearing an early exit.
For their part the Panthers were battling a horrendous injury toll that many thought would derail their campaign.
Yet here they both are; two teams, two very different journeys, and a place in the grand final at stake.
The Panthers earned the right to feature in the season’s penultimate game after a thrilling one-point win over the Roosters a fortnight ago.
All season long the Panthers have kept finding a way to win even when facing great adversity, and Ivan Cleary can be proud of the culture he has helped create at the foot of the mountains.
The fortnight break has given his side the chance to get over niggling injuries – and while Cleary is yet to finalise the team, the squad is virtually the same one that took the field against the Roosters. Adam Docker is the main inclusion after he was named on an extended bench that also includes Kevin Naiqama and Sam Anderson.
The Bulldogs have earned their place in the preliminary final the hard way. They’ve had to beat the Storm in Melbourne, and Manly in golden-point.
Des Hasler has again opted to name an extended squad for this match, with Moses Mbye and Harlan Alaalatoa coming into calculations after being named on the bench. Their starting line-up is otherwise unchanged.
One player who can consider himself very fortunate to be playing is second-rower Josh Jackson who avoided a trip to the judiciary after being cleared of a chicken-wing in an incident against Manly.
Michael Ennis also escaped charges for a high-shot, and will lead the team out for what could be the final time.
Prediction
Both sides have brilliant goal-kickers and players capable of stepping up to kick field goals in a pressure situation. For that reason alone points will be at a premium in this one.
If the Panthers are to win then much of the responsibility will fall on Jamie Soward, Siku Manu and Brent Kite, who have all tasted premiership glory and know what is required to win the big moments in tight games.
Something is definitely brewing at the Panthers as they seem to have an excellent blend of youth and experience, but perhaps it’s not their time yet.
In what really is a lottery, the Bulldogs will just get home in a very tight tussle. Let’s just hope this game isn’t decided by a refereeing blunder.