Great rivals the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters face off in the first preliminary final for the right to become the first team through to the 2014 NRL Grand Final. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:50pm AEST.
One of the most anticipated preliminary finals in recent memory sees the Rabbitohs and Roosters go head to head for the third time this season.
The Rabbitohs kicked off the new season with a strong win over the Roosters back in Round 1 but Sydney got one back on their great rivals, earning a victory that enabled Trent Robinson’s men to claim back to back minor premierships.
Now the stage is set for an enthralling contest that could prove to be the last for several NRL superstars.
The careers of high profile players Sonny Bill Williams, Sam Burgess and Anthony Minichiello could all end tonight should their respective teams lose this evening.
With this in mind, expect the preceding players to give it their all in front of over 60,000 fans at ANZ Stadium.
The pressure is certainly on South Sydney to deliver after two poor preliminary final defeats over the last two seasons.
The Rabbitohs were convincingly beaten by the Bulldogs in 2012 and then suffered a painful defeat to Manly at this stage last season despite leading 14 nil early in the contest.
If the Roosters manage to start quickly, doubts could yet again creep into the minds of Rabbitohs fans and players alike.
For either team to win tonight, a complete 80 minute effort is required. The Roosters nearly suffered an agonizing defeat to the Cowboys last week despite leading 30 nil in the first half.
Sydney took their foot off the pedal and were punished severely as a result. They can ill-afford to drop their intensity against a Rabbitohs side desperate to make an overdue grand final appearance.
With both teams fairly evenly matched, the fate of tonight’s final rests on which team is able to maintain a strong intensity for sustained periods.
The Roosters are close to unstoppable when they get momentum behind them, but they have made a habit of falling away this season.
Playing in front of a large hostile crowd, however, could very well see the Roosters peak against the Rabbitohs.
In a great contest, the Roosters should rise to the occasion and make consecutive grand final appearances.
Tip: Roosters by 8
jack
Guest
Us Qlders love watching Rabbitohs Jake So many brilliant Qlders playing for rabbits Humility is a trait all QLDERS possess and for that reason the Rabbitohs will win and it will be the most popular premiership winner in 50 yrs.
jack
Guest
Hey Luke, that's football. Remember last week when SBW dropped ball and Cowboys penalized for strip and Maloney kicks field goal sh..t happens!
jack
Guest
No, love tap joister old son! SBW isn't crying about it like you Tough game! Better team won. Mini can hold his head up. CHOOKs forwards were outgunned.
jack
Guest
no case to answer! love tap!
jack
Guest
Suck it up joister! Do you think Hargreaves is an Angel? Have a nice latte at Bondi and dream of next year. Dissappointing year for Roosters with all those rep players! Not to make the GF Boxes of tissues all round!
jack
Guest
Yeah he got up to go to Rugby Union! He and Slammin can lock horns again in the Rah Rah! game Is that good for Rugby League?
jack
Guest
Yeah Brumby, pretty sure Keary is a Qlder as is TEO and GI obviously. Great to see! Slammin Sam is also so humble, will make him an honorary Qlder!
jack
Guest
Good on you Pickett First humble and goodsported Roosters supporter. Breath of fresh air!
jack
Guest
Picked another loser hey Benny Boy Speaking of choking, what about the Swannies! Once again was not a conspiracy the Cowboys lost, it was a travesty of justice and I for one don't care about the chooks line up next year. Ho Hum! "Money Bill" has gone chasing the cash, how about you try to develop some of your juniors. Bought Ferguson, just keep opening your cheque books GO RABBITOHS "GO GI" "GO TEO" "GO LOTE" "GO McQueen. Common denominator. QUEENSLANDERS!
Benny
Guest
I think you're the only one that still thinks it was a rob, come off it, haven't heard one unbiased person say they were robbed since the night when everybody was on a conspiracy rage. Based on souths fans over the past week, they have the better team with the better players, also shown in daniel nichols article yesterday, so therefore with their team would have been a disaster to not make the final as well. They'll be back next year, as will the rabbits
jack
Guest
Typical Roosters bad sport Go to Katoomba pal! That Rabbitohs will triumph and rightly so and just for the record. The Cowboys should have been playing the Rabbitohs GO GI! you champion QUEENSLANDER!
jack
Guest
Yeah Benny, Roosters bloody lucky, courtesy of the referees to even play Souths. With that line up, not to make the grand final very bad year. Go Rabbitohs and once again Cowboys, you were robbed!
The Barry
Guest
I don't know any bulldogs fan who hates him
Arthur Beatsons Mum
Guest
Yes good idea, GO!
Benny
Guest
Well if souths win next week we can rule them out for next year as no team will be in as good a position as roosters were this year for b2b in a while. Manly and Melbourne are on the slide but I don't think there's any doubt the roosters will still be top 4, if not top 2 next year, especially with fergo coming in
Benny
Guest
Well if souths win next week we can rule them out for next year as no team will be in as good a position as roosters were this year for b2b in a while. Manly and Melbourne are on the slide but I don't think there's any doubt the roosters will still be top 4, if not top 2 next year, especially with fergo coming in
Gee up
Guest
Gould will always be a rooster after the bailed him out
McCow
Guest
Wasn't he mentioned as the no1 half back somewhere down there? There shoulda been an article written purely for him like the one they wrote for Inglis, had the Roosters won this game.
Roarsome
Guest
Alan, 'Souths a chance to create a dynasty of their own".... hardly. Look at the most successful teams of the last few years. Melbourne, Manly, Souths and Roosters. Only one of those teams hasn't won a premiership this century. I'd say they still need to win next week to avoid the chokers or underachievers tag. With all the players leaving, I think it's now or never for Souths.
Roarsome
Guest
They're just trying to stop the Souths players continuously walking off the mark which they still are getting away with.