Preview of NRL Week 2 finals (all times AEST):
Friday, Sept 18
Sydney Roosters v Canterbury at Allianz Stadium 7.55pm
Head to head: Roosters 83 Bulldogs 78, drawn 5
Head to head in finals: Bulldogs 8, Roosters 6
Last clash: Round 21 2015 – Roosters 38 bt Bulldogs 28 at Allianz Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Roosters $1.38 Bulldogs $3.15
FootyTAB: Bulldogs +8
The Roosters suffered a major blow on game eve with co-skipper and halfback Mitchell Pearce ruled out due to a hamstring injury. The Chooks severely missed Pearce’s leadership and general play in last week’s qualifying-final loss to Melbourne and will rely again on youngster Jackson Hastings to help James Maloney provide the attack. The Bulldogs dodged a couple of bullets during the week, first when Frank Pritchard overcame a dangerous contact charge at the judiciary and then a couple of players were quarantined from the squad after having a virus. The do-or-die clash is also the first time the two sides have met since Roosters prop Kane Evans levelled Bulldogs big man Sam Kasiano with a shoulder charge that forced the NRL to tighten its laws.
Key: No Pearce or Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. The minor premiers were outmuscled by a disciplined Storm outfit last week and need someone to stand up to the big Bulldogs pack.
Tip: Bulldogs
Saturday, Sept 19
North Queensland v Cronulla at 1300SMILES Stadium, 1940 AEST
Head to head: Sharks 23 Cowboys 14
Last clash: Round 22 2015 – Sharks 30 bt Cowboys 18 at Remondis Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Cowboys $1.40 Sharks $3.10
FootyTAB: Cowboys +6
Who’d have thunk it? Last year’s wooden spooners Cronulla are in sight of their first grand final since 1997 (Super League). And they will fancy their chances of progressing to next week’s preliminary final in Melbourne when they play North Queensland. Sure, Cronulla have not won a final outside Sydney. But the Sharks will back themselves to end their five-game finals losing run in, of all places, the traditional visitors’ graveyard of Townsville against bogey team North Queensland. Cronulla made sure there weren’t too many grins at 1300SMILES Stadium when they ended the Cowboys’ club record 11-game winning run in round 16. And the next month, they snapped the Cowboys’ eight-game away streak with a 30-18 home win. Even North Queensland are pumping up Cronulla as favourites. No one would write off a Johnathan Thurston-led Cowboys. Fresh from a fourth RLPA players’ player award, Thurston must again stand tall as the Cowboys look to keep their hopes alive of a first grand final in 10 years. North Queensland have never lost a final in Townsville – a run of five straight wins.
Key: Can Michael Morgan provide enough support for Thurston? The Cowboys’ pivot has been beating himself up after his quiet return from an ankle injury in last week’s 16-12 qualifying-final loss to Brisbane but must shake it off if North Queensland are to keep their maiden title hopes alive.
Tip: Cronulla
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…
