Finals Week 2 Preview
On paper, it all looks too straight forward.
Final 1 – Sea Eagles v Roosters
We kick off Friday at BB Print Stadium in Mackay Qld with the Sea Eagles v Roosters.
This will be a lot closer than the bookies have made out. The Storm has shown the blueprint in shutting down Tommy Trbojevic last week (and in Round 21). And we all know how poorly Manly fair without Tommy Turbo.
Make Turbo ineffective, and the Sea Eagles cannot win.
The Roosters have won two premierships in the last three years. They have been missing most of their salary cap with injuries, retirements and suspensions throughout the season.
And yet, the Roosters are still ahead of eleven other teams. Hmmm…
Coach Robinson knows how to win big games. His ‘bits and pieces’ Roosters will give the Sea Eagles a run for their money.
Final 2 – Panthers v Eels
Saturday sees the return of the lucky folk at BB Print Stadium for the battle of the West.
There is a lot riding on the outcome of this game with the future of players and coaches under the microscope.
We have last year’s bridesmaids, in a two and out position, against a team that has made this an art form.
The Panthers appear to be mentally stuck with the pressure of winning this season. It flows from the front office, to the coach, down to the playing group.
- Phil Gould saw something in Coach Ivan Cleary to sack him in 2015 and was against his reappointment four years later.
- We had the Cleary v Bennett post-match press conference where the Souths coach wiped the floor with Cleary’s deflection of deficiencies, and, building stress in his own team.
- A journalist this week had the audacity to compare Coach Cleary to perennial bridesmaid Brian Smith’s record.
Make no mistake, in what most deemed a two horse race, this playing group HAS to atone for last year’s Grand Final loss. The pressure is well and truly on.
The Panthers just need to look down the road to Canberra for a reminder of the future.
None of this would ever happen at the Storm.
The Eels have the most to lose.
The Eels are the poster boy of a Club with mental demons. They just can’t get past week two of the finals. Falling this week again will have ramifications throughout the club.
There are already rumblings about Coach Arthur. King Gutho has yet to re-sign. And throughout, we have the unprofessionalism of front-office interference and ex-players trying to relive the golden era of the 80’s.
If the Eels lose… watch this space.
Good luck to all four finalists this week.
NRL Daly M’s Format Changed
The Daly M awards ceremony will now be conducted over two weeks. You can read more about it on the official nrl.com link below.
NRL 2021: Dally M Medal awards format over two nights – NRL
NRL fans have been invited to vote on their favourite try and tackle of the year. Click the link, relive some highlights, and vote away.
Toothless Tigers
And we are still waiting for the Wests Tigers to announce the sacking of another coach after a review by their under performing players.
Poor Madge. Poor new coach. Poor fans.
