The Sydney Roosters start strong favourites tonight but the Newcastle Knights have shown enough thus far to suggest that they can cause the upset and progress to their first Grand Final since 2001. Join us for live scores and commentary from 7.45pm AEST.
It’s taken the best part of two seasons but the Knights are finally starting to thrive under Wayne Bennett’s tutelage.
Over the past fortnight, Newcastle has managed to eliminate last year’s Grand Final combatants Canterbury and Melbourne, and are well on course to beat this season’s minor premiers Sydney.
The Knights now possess a strong mix of Origin and Grand Final winning players that are in superb form.
Willie Mason, Danny Buderus, Jeremy Smith, Beau Scott, Jarred Mullen, Akuila Uate and Darius Boyd are starting to dictate terms on the field, and as a result, Newcastle have become a force to be reckoned with.
The superb performances of rising stars Tyrone Roberts, Joseph Leilua and Dane Gagai also demonstrates that the Knights have finally matured into a strong football team.
Against Melbourne, Newcastle showed great steel in defence to keep out a Storm attack that usually fires at AAMI Park.
In attack, the likes of Mullen, Boyd and Roberts constantly asked questions of Melbourne’s defence with their slick second phase play, one of which resulted in a try to Uate.
The Knights will certainly have to be at their best with the football tonight if they are to penetrate the best defensive team in the NRL.
The Roosters were absolutely superb against Manly in the opening week of finals, grinding their way to a 4 nil victory against a Sea Eagles side with firepower across the park.
Sydney’s victory against Manly was also the sixth time this season that they have managed to keep a team scoreless for 80 minutes.
Having secured tough wins over the Rabbitohs and Sea Eagles in recent weeks, the Roosters should be primed for whatever Newcastle throws at them.
There are plenty of match-ups to look forward to tonight, particularly upfront where Mason, Smith and Scott clash against Roosters stars Sonny Bill Williams, Jared Waerea – Hargreaves and Sam Moa.
The battle between Mullen and Mitchell Pearce in the halves will also be fascinating to watch. Both players are in fine form and the victor tonight may very well have one hand on a NSW Origin jersey next season.
Off the field, Roosters coach Trent Robinson will be keen to demonstrate his tactical nous against master coach Bennett, who is well accustomed to leading his teams to glory when they find themselves deep into September.
Forging a plan to upset Bennett’s Knights in a do or die Preliminary Final represents Robinson’s greatest challenge in what has been a terrific first year in coaching.
While the Knights will certainly push the home side tonight, if the Roosters continue to showcase the toughness and desperation in defence that served them so well against Manly, then the Bondi-Junction club certainly has what it takes to progress to the decider next week.
Roosters by six.
mushi
Roar Guru
I'd go Friend, most of pearce's breaks were off a short ball from him.
Nick Richardson
Roar Guru
Buy some more Peptides, you might beat the most experienced side in the league with your GF virgins.
Eddie
Guest
I like watching SBW like everyone else Thor, but you gotta admit it was overkill. What about Friend or Aguerra MoM? ( grumble, grumble )
Kenso Rooster
Guest
Manly will get stomped down by the mighty Eastern Suburbs Roosters! Too bad souffs were not good enough to make the grand final. I'd prefer to see Easts smash souffs in the final, but oh well. Maybe next year the Red & Green Centerlink Machine might make it. Note to Russell Crow, purchase some more English players and you might pull it off... Ha ha ha.... lol at souffs supporters.
Wozza
Guest
Packed house ill bet on it
Wozza
Guest
Seriously ur a goose ,,,,,,,what was he supposed to do ??? Let DB smash him in the face on the way down ??? Db is a clean player and no one would want to see him hurt in his last game ....just wrong place wrong time ....
Wozza
Guest
Had a blinder but Pearce was best on ground ....
Wozza
Guest
The mighty sea eagles and the delicious roosters ....but its the sea eagles who'll be getting roasted
Meesta Cool
Guest
There has to be some questions raised about Roosters, accused of Drug taking to improve performance and this years results have certainly shown an improved performance!, should they actually be in this series??. A Knights player is reported for putting his hand on a face, whilst another sends a guy into hospital and the ref laughs, something strange in NRL World. I was under the understanding that any head injury albeit intentional or Accidental should be reported to the tribunal, .. this was accidental in the fact that Monster Man was falling, but in my opinion, Monsterman still raised his forearm and aimed it at Buderus's head, a hefty blow to the head,,, Reportable every time.. this guy is gonna kill someone with his unbridled aggression!.
Middle of the road
Guest
Was I the only one that listened to Nayfo in his earlier post when he said "the Roosters will just win "'.Surely there were others ! For when Nayfo speaks we all listen for he is the "all knowing" one ! Grigorian chanting plays in the background ! Enough said !
Thor
Guest
Eddie you grumpy old man! So who do you think should have been given the accolades? Willie Mason? SBW - MAN OF THE MATCH ON GF.
TGGOA
Guest
Guerra MOTM for me.
Ur kidding
Guest
$BW was interviewed by gould b4 the game,was player spotlight AGAIN for about the 8th time this season,was interviewed again onfield after the game,won man of the match AGAIN,was seen several times during gametime riding his little bike or adjusting the seat,interviewed again at fulltime by fitler who looked like a schoolgirl interviewing a rockstar-why is NRL ramming this wanker down our throat?
Eddie
Guest
SBW interview before match. SBW cam halftime. SBW Man of the Match?! I know NRL/ Ch 9 want him to stay, but c'mon! Restraint please!
JC
Guest
Only thing I'm willing to predict for next week is Ricky Martin getting booed.
Troy
Guest
Lets hope they have WADA there to conduct test prior to the game starts, what happens if both teams return a positive finding. Fans should be kept in knowledge of whats going on within our game. HGH< Peptide might get man of the match
Matt
Guest
Spankfest, thankfully it happened here and not in the GF.
Thor
Guest
Manly fans were hoping for a GF against Knights so they can get an easy run. (Pst just heard a Manly fan cursing)
jamesb
Guest
Manly v Roosters Both sides may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it does have the potential to be one of the great GF's ever. Battle of the birds.
Cameron
Roar Guru
They got 75,000+ for a Broncos Storm game, so if they don't get more than them then NSW supporters really do...