Thank you god! The finals are here and it is now the best time of the year to be a footy fan.
While I have found the season to be about two weeks too long I am very excited for Friday night and for the finals to finally kick off.
One of the most incredible things about this season is the closeness. I have never seen a ladder like this with the top four all finishing on 34 points and the bottom four on 32.
This is an incredible result after 25 rounds and shows who ever does manage to win this year will have truly earned it.
Every game will be played on a razor’s edge and even a slight blip will result in a loss, so every player will need to be at their peak and performing.
Having said this there are certain players from each team who will be the key to their success.
The following players are the keys to their team’s chances of winning this year’s comp.
Storm
Perhaps the easiest choice across all of the finalists. Cameron Smith is the heart, the soul and the key in the Storm’s pursuit of going back to back.
I have missed many of the greats, only remembering football from the late 90s onwards, but Smith is the most influential footballer I have ever seen.
His adaptation this year in playing a lot more of first receiver with Cooper Cronk moving on has been very interesting to watch. While I am unsure if this plays into his strengths it has shown he is still the key to the Storm and their chances.
Rabbitohs
Much like the Storm, the key to the Rabbitohs’ chances is their dummy half.
Damien Cook would walk away with the most improved player award if it existed this year, he has been incredible playing off the back of the forwards and causing havoc to opposition defences.
The Rabbits have been praised for playing ‘eyes up’ football, the key to this is Cook, Cody Walker and Adam Reynolds are able to play and attack certain weakness that have been caused by the speed of Cook.
Is Cook the fastest 9 in history? I can’t remember a 9 with his speed.
The Bunnies’ Damien Cook (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)
Panthers
I have not been able to buy into the Panthers all year but here they are a chance. The key to their campaign is James Maloney.
The man is a two-time premiership winner, however this year in defence he has been awful.
While his weakness in defence has been known for a long time this year seems different. I watched him closely with the Roosters and he would be bumped off numerous times in a game but the point was he got his body in the way and allowed time for other defenders to scramble and clean up around him.
This year however it seems Maloney is failing to get his body there and is now making the wrong read.
For the Panthers to go anywhere their defence needs to be better and their weakest link has to improve greatly. The attack should work but can they keep out anyone?
Warriors
In 2011 Maloney played for the Warriors and it was the last time they made the finals.
It has been a long time between drinks for the Warriors and for them to be any chance this year Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is going to have to be massive.
RTS is a machine. He is able to start the set of six generally by beating or half beating the first defender off a kick.
He also causes huge headaches for defences when forming perhaps the most deadly 1 and 7 combination in the NRL. Forcing defenders to always pay attention him frees up Shaun Johnson.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is favourite for the Dally M (AAP Image/David Rowland)
Sydney Roosters
I have loved the Roosters since 1997 when the Gold Coast Chargers were kicked out of the comp and Brad Fittler had one of the biggest left foot steps in NRL history.
The key to this final run for me is Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. The Roosters suffered two losses to the Raiders and the Broncos after JWH went down with a busted rib.
While the Roosters had the best defence in the league I truly believe the key to this is the intensity that JWH brings to the pack. He seems to fire up the likes of Vic Radley, Boyd Cordner and Sio Siua Taukeiaho.
If JWH is able to overcome the Sharks pack this weekend I think the Roosters will earn the week off. He truly failed in the prelim last year and I hope his ready to bring it this finals series.
Sharks
Is there a more finals team than the Sharks? They are gritty, mean, tough, aggressive and a little bit crazy.
This is why I think the man who has just a little more class is the key. Valentine Holmes has proven me wrong before. I did not understand why you would move the best winger in the world into the number 1 shirt when you had other quality options in Josh Dugan and Matt Moylan but to finish the year Holmes has been incredible.
If it was not for Tedesco I think he would be the Australian fullback, his speed balance and ability to always be in the right place makes him the key to the Sharks and their final chances.
Valentine Holmes of the Sharks. (Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)
Brisbane Broncos
Another year another finals run for the Brisbane Broncos. They have finished the year on fire and are a very real chance of going all the way.
For this to happen I believe their key is Darius Boyd.
Boyd while not a dynamic ball runner like Holmes, Tedesco or RTS brings a number of other skills to his team.
His ability to set a defence up is second to only Billy Slater. He pushes and manipulates a defence in an incredible manner.
Perhaps Boyd’s best skill is his ability to give the final ball for a try. I don’t think there is a better number one in the comp in giving the final ball on such a regular basis.
With question marks still being raised about the Broncos halves, this skill of Boyd’s will be key to the Broncos run.
St George Illawarra Dragons
If I could feel sorry for a team it would maybe be the Dragons. After looking unbeatable to start the year they now look like the easy beats of the finals.
For this prediction to be proven false everyone needs to stand up, but one player who needs it more then most is Ben Hunt.
Ben Hunt of the Dragons (AAP Image/Craig Golding)
In one moment against the Bulldogs it looked like he had given up when he booted the ball dead from 35 out. The play was incredible and concerning. Hunt is on huge money and the Dragons need him to provide when it really matters.
If he fails to fire again he will fall under even more pressure and may just see his coach lose his job.
Here we go! I am keen for kick off on Friday and good luck to the Roosters, other teams I don’t care how badly it ends for you.
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