There are just over three weeks until the finals series gets underway, but September will come early for the Penrith Panthers and South Sydney Rabbitohs when they face off at Suncorp Stadium this Friday night.
With the sides currently sitting in second and third place on the ladder, respectively, this match would serve as the second qualifying final if you played the finals now.
Both sides are level on points, though it is the Panthers who sit higher thanks to a superior for-and-against (+329 to the Rabbitohs’ +289).
This has been partially attributed to the Round 11 match between these sides that was played in Dubbo, in which the mountain men ran riot en route to an easy 56-12 win.
For the Rabbitohs, that was their second loss in a three-week period after also losing to the Melbourne Storm by 50-0 at Stadium Australia in Round 9; Wayne Bennett’s side had also lost to the southerners at AAMI Park in Round 1.
Since their Round 11 clash, Ivan Cleary’s side have been beset by injuries to key players and very recently suffered a 37-10 loss to the Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium, though have hit back with wins over the Roosters and Dragons to lock up a top-three finish.
Aided by the return of Nathan Cleary, who has yet to play in a losing side all year, the Panthers made light work of the Red V, winning 34-16 to rack up their fourth consecutive victory against the joint-venture dating back to mid-2018.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Meantime, the Bunnies have won their last ten matches, making this their longest winning streak since they re-entered the competition nearly two decades ago, and since 1989 which is the year the club won its most recent minor premiership.
By beating the Gold Coast Titans by 36-6 last Saturday, Wayne Bennett’s side became the first team in Australian rugby league history to score at least 30 points or more in eight consecutive matches – something not even the Broncos or Storm could achieve.
Halfback and captain Adam Reynolds continues to break all sorts of records as he looks to depart Redfern on the highest possible note – with a second premiership medal.
He scored a personal haul of 16 points, including his 100th goal for the year, eclipsing his record of 221 points in a single season in the process.
No wonder why Brisbane Broncos fans cannot await his arrival long enough, with the once-powerhouse club doomed to finish in the bottom two for the second year in a row.
The 689 points (and counting) the Rabbitohs as a team have scored so far is the most scored by the club in a single season, though it is also easy to forget that they did suffer that aforementioned humiliating loss to the Storm at home earlier this year.
Having already been beaten by the southerners twice this season, the Pride of the League will want to avoid a second loss to the Panthers after the aforementioned round eleven loss in which they coughed up 50 points or more for a second time in three weeks.
After those two horror losses, which came on either side of a 32-22 win over the Sharks in Magic Round, many were prepared to write off the Bunnies’ premiership hopes, given no team in Australian rugby league history has gone on to win a title after conceding more than 50 points in a single match, let alone two.
(Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
The closest any team has come to doing just that were the North Queensland Cowboys in 2005, when they reached the grand final from fifth place before losing to the Wests Tigers in the decider.
That season, the northerners copped a 50-12 loss to the Parramatta Eels in the regular season then suffered an embarrassing 50-6 loss to the Tigers in the first week of the finals series.
However, ten straight wins later, as well as an attacking prowess that has seen them score 30 points or more in eight consecutive matches, could see the club buck that trend this year, though they may have to face the Storm in the grand final, if they do get that far.
If the Rabbitohs win every match from here on in until the end of the year, including the decider, then they will equal the record for the club’s longest winning streak of sixteen, which was set all the way back in 1925-26.
In fact, neither they nor the Panthers can drop any lower than third, as both sides are currently four wins clear of the fourth-placed Sydney Roosters with three rounds of the minor premiership still to be played.
Their clash will take place twenty-four hours after the Storm face the Gold Coast Titans on the holiday strip, in which Craig Bellamy’s side will be expected to win a premiership record-equaling 19th consecutive match, matching the record set by the Sydney Roosters in 1975.
This would leave the Panthers and Bunnies to jostle it out for second place on the ladder, with the teams all but certain to again face each other in the second qualifying final in the first week of the finals series.
With the entirety of the finals series set to take place in Queensland, home ground advantage will go out the window, so whether they finish second or third won’t really matter, as the loser will still face whoever wins the second elimination final (sixth versus seventh).
And while the Storm may be the team to catch in this year’s premiership race, in recent weeks both the Panthers and Rabbitohs have been making strong cases to mount a serious challenge to the defending premiers come September.
Thus, expect fireworks when the two sides throw everything at each other at Suncorp Stadium this Friday night.
Joey
Guest
Old fashioned ? Eek! You’ve heard it here Panthers. Better duck for cover if dropping big Latrell by the bootlaces.
Joey
Guest
Seriously, all the very best of luck on Friday. I think you’ll need plenty.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Get a life
steveng
Roar Rookie
Hope so BM really really hope so, as I would love to see the Bunnies do a job on both of these sides the good old fashioned way. Go you Bunnies :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
Joey
Guest
Latrell playing obviously gives a better guide but seriously, shouldn’t be available after lashing out and breaking Brimson’s jaw (who had released well before the boot to the head) Puts Munster and Kaufusi to shame.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Yep ! Souths are looking to put in a big performance this week I think . They have picked their best possible team this week. Panthers are still missing To'o and holding back Fisher-Harris and TPJ in the reserves ?
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Steveng, the Rabbitohs are up there with the Storm, Panthers and Manly. Only 3 losses all year, and that's to the top 2 teams of the last 18 months. Kudos to Storm and the Panthers who have been the benchmark. We haven't played Manly since round 2, so whichever way you look at it we are in the top 4. I would be more worried if we dropped a game or two against a Knights, Titans etc so a loss v Storm ( 8 players out) and Penrith (no excuses, just a bad day, and they played brilliantly). However anyone of these top 4 teams could beat each other on their day. If we go on the last 2 months, Souths and Manly are certainly the most in form teams I believe that Souths have another gear to go up, Manly may already be in top gear, and the Panthers and Storm have come off (slightly) and seemed to have peaked already. Panthers and Storm have been on a high for almost two years, will that still be the case in the next 6 weeks?. Only time will tell - but each one of these sides have the goods to win the Premiership.
Handsome Jack
Guest
Note to Nathan . Perhaps try getting a life , or maybe go halves in one with Walter above .
Joey
Guest
Couldn’t agree more, Steve. Cut out the statistically best on paper, and best 5/8 on paper, if it doesn’t translate to grass. Where were all the stats post-Rnd 11 ? Didn’t hear a pin drop.
Joey
Guest
Wal, where was his judicious side last week? On the contrary, pretty injudicious (imo). No one in the top side needed to play. Chasing a minor trophy and a winning streak. Game was played in 90% humidity. Add to that the severe concussion at the end of that. Not surprising Hughes could not recall the previous hour and a half - probably longer. Would be quite strange to remember everything up until the first whistle and then go blank, just the actual match clock gone, absolutely nothing else. All a bit nonchalant to say he will just rest up a couple of weeks and be right to go. He’s currently been off 5 1/2 days. Papenhuyzen took 10wks to then play 4 half-games, still not 100%, and now he’s back playing full-time. Ivan or Uncle Ben have also been seen wagging judicious school, so not very wise all round. This year’s injury rate almost guarantees their’ll be players lost in the coming weeks. Russian Roulette and judicious don’t usually go hand in hand.
steveng
Roar Rookie
BM, just like to add something that interestingly Bennett said in his last post-game interview, when asked “if this is the most balanced side that he’s had at the Bunnies”? And his answer was, that if he had SamB and Sutto it would have been. As also and when they left the Bunnies, they left a big hole that had to be filled? It will be very interesting to see how the Bunnies tackle this game on Friday night? As I really hope that its not going to be the same old same old and like in R11 when the game was lost in the first 25min when it was 24 to 0 and we capitulated completely in the second half with a humiliating scoreline of 56 to 12. IMO, talk is cheap and the Bunnies have to have an 80min go and right from when they jump out of the barriers! There are no more excuses left, as and if the scoreline is the same as in R11 then “its all over red rover” and the main 2021 contest will be 98% between Storm v Panthers with a very skinny chance that Manly may and can come up to the plate, maybe?
Walter Black
Guest
Bellamy throw in the towel, you got to be kidding me. He will judiciously balance his larger squad to the opposition, resting key players as he sees appropriate to balance winning the minor premiership with having his top players suitably refreshed. This is shown by the number of players he has out this week whilst still fielding a team good enough to take out the GCT
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
Also, Penrith currently have a 40 possible by plus on South's at the moment and would be amazed if South's can beat them by that amount. A 20 point margin to South's brings it back so nothing would surprise. Although South's have roosters next week and Penrith have Parramatta in the next 2 weeks. Finishing 2-3 for these 2 makes little difference as semi's will most likely be in Qld so no home ground advantage . Should South's lose this week and next could open up a little as no one would want to finish 4 th and play Melbourne 1 st week so a few mind games by coaches next 3 weeks.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Agree on Cleary but overall you guys need to change it up. Maybe Ivan is keeping it for the finals but the short ball to Kickou is over used. Edwards is down on form, Crichton is playing half paced and you really miss Too. I still think you make the GF again but I would like to see some more spark sooner rather than later.
Joey
Guest
Yet they’d won 8/9 before the last meeting and got absolutely plastered.
Joey
Guest
Cleary first game back and they were looking much more dangerous. Dragons didn’t go to well on the predicting side. Still the only undefeated player in the NRL, and not through luck.
Joey
Guest
If, a small word, but a big question.
Joey
Guest
Nothing game as it stands, but if by Thursday night, Bellamy has thrown the towel in on breaking insignificant records, which is causing his side too much injury, and decides to rest the whole team until September, then Friday’s game could end up being a play-off for the Minor Premiership. Nothing game then?
Dionysus
Guest
Its funny you should say that but I have been thinking the same thing. Teams are beginning to latch onto the fact that if you keep Cleary quiet then the Panthers are gettable. I really do see Souths winning this.
Paul
Roar Guru
I wouldn't be at all surprised to see certain guys sitting out the last 15 or 20 minutes of this match, just to make sure they're available to play in the finals. I reckon there'll be plenty of chirp and both teams have their share of hotheads. The last thing either Club needs is a bloke getting a few weeks holiday for saying/doing something stupid, in a game that doesn't count for much, which is why I reckon they might be spelled if they start getting "frisky"