Bulldogs defence in action during the NRL, Round 6, Parramatta Eels v Bulldogs match at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Sunday, April 19, 2009. The Bulldogs beat the Eels 48-18. AAP Image/Action Photographics, Grant Trouville
The NRL finals are once again upon us and this year’s vintage must be one of the tightest on record. After the full 26 rounds of the competition, the eight teams to contest the finals will toss up some intriguing first week combinations.
The fast finishers kick us off in the first match in a rematch of last year’s Grand Final.
The Storm and the Sea Eagles are both looking pretty rejuvenated with the return of the players which have also caused their clubs the most grief this season.
Brett Stewart and Greg Inglis have already had their fair share of headlines this season but they now have the chance to redeem themselves in some form and perhaps also the suits at NRL headquarters who gave them the nod as the poster boys of the season.
The deciding factor in the match could be how much home ground advantage the Storm can get from Eithad Stadium. It might be in their home city, but one wonders whether the shift away from the graveyard of Olympic Park could prove decisive.
The Titans must be thrilled with their draw of the Broncos.
Not only should it guarantee a seams bursting crowd in Robina, but it also gives the Titans a great chance to seal their dominance over their neighbours this season.
The Titans have had a tremendously consistent season, while the Broncos have looked erratic and at one stage looked set to miss the finals altogether after setting the pace at the start of the year.
They have only recently looked to be regaining anything close to their best form, however the Broncos do know how to play finals football and their pedigree in finals must add some doubt to anyone looking to plunge heavily on the Titans.
While the Titans suffered a late stumble against the Sea Eagles their video session will be nothing compared to the one taking place at Belmore.
Rarely does the absence of a player enhance his reputation so much but that was certainly the case for Brett Kimmorley.
Such has been Kimmorley’s revival this season and the Bulldogs implosion on Friday he’ll be touted as a potential immortal if he stays out much longer.
As I said last week, the absence of Brett Kimmorley was going to ask plenty of questions of the Bulldogs, but against the Tigers they didn’t get a single one right.
Attack directionless, defence clueless. Bulldogs fans must have felt they had stepped into a time warp and gone back exactly twelve months after that display.
Can they bounce back against the Knights? Who knows, but the back door is certainly swinging.
Meanwhile, the Dragons got out of their funk in real style and will return to the finals with real confidence. How will the battered Eels respond?
Parramatta means ‘the place where Eels lie down’, they certainly did on Friday but have the A game to take it to the Dragons on Sunday.
A fascinating weekend awaits.
For those ‘celebrating’ Mad Monday, what can be said?
The Tigers and the Rabbitohs, once again talking about next year, were frustrating. In patches they looked like world beaters, in others that they couldn’t beat an egg.
Their form in the final stages of the competition have had some labelling it a ‘tragedy’ that neither will be in the finals series (Tigers fan Andrew Voss did it about 10 times on Friday night alone I think).
If you looked at August alone they may have a point, but in the end their losses column shows 12 which is simply too many for any side which has a legitimate claim to be there when the whips are cracking.
The Cowboys and the Warriors were both major disappointments. They have the roster to be playing for at least a few more weeks. The room of mirrors beckons in the off-season.
Penrith were better than expected, and were probably a credit to take their final hopes to the final weekend even if it did end rather meekly then.
The Raiders had a largely forgettable season. They took too long to get going and when they did didn’t go for long enough. A work in progress for coach David Furner who probably did enough to justify his appointment.
Lastly, in that particular order, the Sharks and the Roosters. In a word, farce.
A real battle for the wooden spoon shows you how far off the pace these sides were. Major cultural change is the only solution, it could be a busy off season.
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