Given all that has occurred in 2020, it is an absolute miracle that we are one week away from NRL finals footy.
The NRL season looked doom for all costs, but we have made it this far!
This is how I expect the top eight to finish after Round 20.
1. Penrith Panthers
2. Melbourne Storm
3. Sydney Roosters
4. Parramatta Eels
5. Canberra Raiders
6. Newcastle Knights
7. South Sydney Rabbitohs
8. Cronulla Sharks
With this, Week 1 match-ups will look like this: Penrith (1) versus Parramatta (4), Melbourne (2) versus Roosters (3), Canberra (5) versus Cronulla (8), and Newcastle (6) versus Souths (7).
Here are my predictions for each clash.
Penrith-Parramatta: Penrith will roll into the form that has led to such a historic win streak. Penrith will win this comfortably.
Melbourne-Roosters: This will be the match of the week. The Storm have had the Roosters’ number this year, at two and zip. As hard as it is to pick, I will go with the Roosters to get a bit of revenge for their losses against the Storm.
Newcastle-South Sydney: If Souths had Latrell Mitchell, it would be such a different story – a more dominant one. Souths have the talent and team to possibly upset Newcastle, but I will reluctantly pick Newcastle in a tight, tight tussle.
Canberra-Cronulla: No explanation here, Canberra by plenty.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
This leads us on to Week 2. As top-four winners, Penrith and the Roosters will have a week off and set themselves up for a home preliminary final.
How Round 2 works is the loser of one-versus-four will play the winner of five-versus-eight, and the loser of two-versus-three will play the winner of six-versus-seven.
With that being said, match-ups in my crystal ball look like this: Parramatta versus Canberra and Melbourne versus Newcastle. Even though they lost in the first week of their top-four final, the higher ranked team still holds home field advantage.
How do I see it panning out?
Parramatta-Canberra: In a tight one, the momentum and form of the Raiders’ players mean Canberra pull ahead, and possibly upset Parramatta.
Melbourne-Newcastle: This is an easier one to pick. The professionalism and experience of the Storm will have them winning easily against Newcastle.
Week 3? Sheesh, that was quick!
Penrith and the Roosters go on opposite sides of the prelminary finals and await a contender. The easiest way to explain who plays who for this round is the Storm played the Roosters in Week 1, so the Storm cross over and go to the other side of the spectrum – the Penrith Panthers – thus leaving Canberra to meet up with the Roosters.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
In Week 3 I have my final four match-ups as Penrith versus Melbourne and Roosters versus Canberra. How do I see this round playing out?
Melbourne upset Penrith at Penrith. The loss to Penrith during the season will fire the Storm up. The Storm played very terribly and Penrith barely disposed of them. However, experience will kick in and possibly hurt this young, brilliant Panthers side. I have Melbourne by a few in this preliminary final.
The 2019 grand final replay is on the other side. The end result stays the same as the 2019 grand final. The Roosters should be too good and the loss of Josh Hodgson will be too much in a big game for the Raiders.
Who does this leave for the final? The Storm and the back-to-back champion Roosters.
Are we really here? Grand final time? Flashbacks of 2018’s dominant Roosters performance in the last time they met in a grand final come to mind. But the Storm will possibly use the energy of their captain’s pending retirement or departure, and the loss of Cooper Cronk to the Roosters, to their advantage and pip the Roosters, stopping them from beating them two times in three years in grand finals, and stopping their pursuit for a third title in a row.
The Cronk effect is a huge one for me. The Storm were 2-0 in the season after Cronk left. This feels like 2015. The Cowboys lost in the first week of the finals to the Broncos, only to meet them in the grand final, with the Cowboys avenging their earlier loss. This is something I can see the Storm doing here as well.
If the fairy tale stays close to what it should be, Cam Smith can get the one award that has always eluded him: a Clive Churchill Medal. If the Storm win, he would have a strong hand in this happening.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Well Willie, Souths just put a big hack on your tea leaves... lol
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Can your crystal ball predict next weeks powerball numbers or the winner of race 1 in Sydney tomorrow or is it restricted to NRL matches?
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
That's fair as long as Cleary wins it by a whisker.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I'M IN :thumbup:
steveng
Roar Rookie
Bunnies will be right up there to make your Dogs look good for that round 19 flum :happy: as anything that the Bunnies will do all you Dog fans will give it to us :happy: my prediction is that we will beat the Knights but after that? Only if Parra is in the equation we might have a chance.
Willie La'ulu
Roar Guru
I am also for that lol :thumbup:
Nick
Roar Guru
I hope Sombreros v Panthers for the GF. Cordner v Cleary - the great Chin off.
Albo
Roar Rookie
I love your crystal ball too, Crispy ! It reads just like mine. I am seeing 2003 all over again, with the Panthers still surprising the pundits, and upsetting those Rooster favourites on the night.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
DP , if you are looking from an overall game point point of view, it can only be a Raiders v Panthers GF . That has a freshness about it that same ole ,same ole never can. Now I don't think it's likely that this will happen but whioemits possible that's where my prayers go.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
That would make most happy.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I truly hope you are sooo wrong. Anything near a 3-peat will be a bad result for the NRL.. After the Stink last year and apparent bias with sombreros and rules tossed just to let SBW back and the bunker howlers allowed to ravage the season until... they dared to cross the chooks then suddenly there are sackings and redesign. We don't want anything that opens a door for anymore justified perceptions of extreme bias. Preferred and possible results - Panthers do Eels, Storm do chooks. Raiders do Sharks and Souths do Knights, then Raiders finish Eels and Souths write a classic Book of Feuds chapter finishing Roosters year and bringing joy to 85% of the NRL fan world. In Finals Penrith proceed with either Canberra (and we get new faces - yay) or with Storm - and Cam can finish on a final high.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
You have a wonderful crystal ball, Chrispy, I just hope it is serviced regularly and hasn't too many miles on the clock?.
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
Willie, when I pull out my crystal ball it clearly shows an Oak tree, Peter Sellers and a pile of pennies. If I look even closer I can also see a beautiful blue sky - not a storm in sight - and a group of mountain men barbecuing chooks. ;) Penrith look the goods, play a fun attacking style and will hopefully be the 2020 premiers as they've been an absolute joy to watch this year. #Panthers2020 (#Bulldogs2021 :stoked: )
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Hi Willie and readers. My crystal ball reads it differently. South’s beating knights and storm doing rooster again in first week, working towards a storm v panthers gf
Rob
Guest
Agree with most of this although think the Roosters might get the 3-peat. Whoever wins out of the Roosters and Storm have a massive advantage. They are most likely going to get the Raiders or Eels in a prelim and I think both the Roosters and Storm win that match up with ease. Panthers may be in for a shock in their prelim. Chances are they face either the Roosters or the Storm after an easy first up game against Parra. Going to be a massive jump in quality and intensity and it's something they haven't faced in a while as they've had a pretty soft draw to end the year.
Harry
Guest
Does anyone know if teams will be required to travel interstate on game day for the finals, as for the regular season? Or has that not been announced yet?
Chris
Roar Pro
I hope this prediction is really a word-for-word copy of a section in Biff's Sports Almanac- this would be good to watch. Plus it's got my lads winning.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
The Roosters v Storm game will be a total bash up . I am hopeful that ends the chances of both teams but I think the winner will be OK with the week off. The loser on the other hand?
oakesy
Roar Guru
Big Willie i like your crystal ball ... i see it exactly the same way indeed its pretty much following the bookie prices except they have Roosters as overall favourites ($3) as opposed to Storm ($4) but i agree have this sneaky feeling the Storm will "do it for Cam" ... the one i cant pick is how they go next week .. the LOSER of that Roosters Storm match definitely has a far tougher run not so much because of the extra match the following week but because they would have to do the Panthers in the Prelim then back up against who they lose to next week .. geez that would be earning it the hard way ... potential spanner in the works? i've just got this sneaky feeling the Panthers have got a shocker in them .. could even be next week vs the Eels .. but maybe im in denial about the Panthers cos it'll cost me if they end up Premiers! thank for your analysis enjoyed it
Landcruiser79
Guest
Just the game result is wrong. Cam Smith with still get the Churchill Medal .