How do people think the finals will play out?
Here are my predictions:
pretty much think it will go as you suggest.
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There or thereabouts but I think you may have short changed the Storm.
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This is my thoughts.
Penrith. Fully fit with no injuries, rested players, battle hardened with the experience of last years hard fought finals run. I feel they will shift a gear and go for the throat. I expect them to win Week 1 and get another week to recover. They will be Grand Finalists… and will be 2022 Premiers.
North Queensland. A lot of emotion there right now. I am expecting the Cowboys to beat the Sharks in Week 1. They will appreciate the week off and will be back rested in Week 3. By my predictions they will play the Storm, if this is the case, The rested Cowboys will wear the Storm down with some high paced football. They are my second pick for Grand Finalists.
Parramatta. I don’t think Brad Arthur is the man for the job. They are not primed for the finals, despite having wins over Penrith and Melbourne, there are massive question marks over their consistency with losses to the Bulldogs and wooden spooners Tigers as well as some narrow wins against some bottom tiered sides. I feel they will bow out in straight sets.
Melbourne. Write them off at you own peril. They may be down on troops, but they make up for it with a strong system, and the ability to kick it up a gear in the finals. I think they will win the first two, but the injury toll and two hard fought finals wins will put them in a poor position to win in Week 3.
Sydney. A real X-Factor and one that could mix things up in the finals. I think they will go far into the finals but essentially face Penrith. I also think that a ‘long way’ run into Week 3 will hurt them.
Sharks. Not convinced they are the real deal. Soft Draw and a soft run into the finals. It’s going to be a huge jump in pace for them, and I expect them to fall on their face. I think they will be beat by a eager Roosters outfit in Week 2.
Rabbitohs. They hit their peak weeks ago and it is starting to wear off. I’m not convinced Latrell is 100% fit and having on the field may be more of a liability than an asset in a tough finals match. I expect them to lose in the first week and drop out of the race.
Canberra. Making up the numbers. Nothing more to say.
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My worst fear Mutley, I like Steve’s reasoning…
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An upset tonight with the Storm going down to the Raiders. I’m not totally surprised, the Raiders do have a good record against them, and momentum. The Storm really haven’t looked good since they belted the Broncos.
With Moses potentially out next week, I can see Parra potentially going out in straight sets again.
A 93 minute game for the Sharks against the Cowboys will test their fitness levels next week against the winner of the Roosters v Souths game. Will be interesting to see where the match will be played. I’m guessing they will move away from the home ground of their opponents.
Next week Parra v Canberra will likely be played in Canberra if history is any guide. Cowboys will likely play Canberra at home in week three.
Souths / Roosters v Cronulla week 2 likely would by SFS. Week 3 game against Penrith either Homebush or SFS (the later hopefully), unless they let us play at home (no historical precedent) or maybe at Parramatta (which has been spoken of, but no precedent.
All in all looking like a Panthers v Cowboys Grand final
Pretty sure Parra get the home final next week.
Sharks home region would be SFS, but they might be reluctant to play there if Roosters win today, which would likely see them move the game to Homebush.
Our game against Sharks/Roosters/Souths will likely be at Homebush on the Friday. Have heard a rumour that it could be played at Commbank 
Given results so far, Panthers v Cowboys GF looks odds on to happen, but anything could happen from here.
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Your right on the home finals, since the current top 8 system came in in 2013, the second week home ground goes to the top 4 loser, rather than the bottom 4 winner (to be honest I think this is a bit unfair).
It must of be the pre2012 system I was thinking of. I remember a year when we lost our first game then had to travel to Canberra for the second.
All in all maybe a poll is inorder, where would you prefer the preliminary finals was played? We would obviously pick Penrith, although unless the NRL had a serious change of heart that’s not going to happen.
Hopefully once we get anew stadium we can host week 2 and 3 finals - after all if it’s good enough for Cowboys, Storm etc why not us?
We’ve played 2 finals games in Canberra.
2000 was week 1
2016 was week 2 after beating Bulldogs in 6th v 7th game week 1
You might be thinking of 2010 when we lost to Canberra at home, then played Roosters at SFS, when it would have been Homebush under current set up.
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Drama filled game between Roosters & Rabbitohs. A new record of 7 sin bins in a game!!! The MRC will be working overtime this week. Rabbitohs might be a player or 2 short against Sharks next week.
Really looking like we get to beat the Cowboys in the grand final.
That game set League back years, in relation to community acceptance. It might have pleased Andrew Johns, but how many other people (particularly women, and mothers of potential juniors) were turned off? Don’t those teams know about how seriously the NRL treats attacks to the head? The head slam by JW-H was vicious, dangerous and completely unnecessary. It was as bad as the Storm’s ASF dropping his forearm onto the neck or face of a tackled player on the ground It underscores the widespread opinion that he is a grub. How did the Rorters lift/drive tackle go completely unpunished when Cleary was hit as hard as possible for something not a lot worse? And how does Burgess stay on the field after three penalties for high tackles, yet May is given 10 minutes, then a week’s penalty, for one hit with the wrist?
Laying down now seems to be part of the way the game is played, since it is generally the only way to have an infringement examined. It’s getting too much like soccer.
What a contrast to Friday’s game, which had equal local rivalry, toughness and brilliant football, largely without the uncontrolled aggression of Sunday’s game.
Whoever we play in 2 weeks time is likely to be battered and bruised.
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Well… The Storm was very Un-stormlike this weekend. If they spent as much time playing footy as they did milking penalties and having their hands in the air every playing trying to flag down the ref, they might have won that one. Raiders were okay, but will struggle in week 2 playing like that. Melbourne essentially beat themselves.
It was great watching the Sharks go down the way it did (boy do I hate the sharks). Like I has said earlier, the Cowboys are riding on this wave of confidence and being 8 points down, it would have been fair to assume their number was up. But they dug down and put the sword through the Sharks.
What can I say about Roosters v Rabbitohs… it was a three ring shit show. Nothing in that game seemed like finals footy, as much as the media tried to sell it. It was a sloppy, ill-disciplined hodgepodge of one out running, headhunting and fighting… 7 Sin-Bins! none of which I could argue were unwarranted. All they really have done is made it easier for the Sharks to beat the winner. In any case, I don’t see the Sharks/Rabbitohs beating Penrith in Week 3.
To be honest watching all the games this weekend, I am pretty sure about my pick of Panthers v Cowboys for the Grand Final. They seem like the only two teams that can reach deep inside and pull out a performance that can win.
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I think the media have to take some of the blame for what happened in the Roosters v Souths game yesterday. In recent years they have built both clubs & their supporters up to fever pitch about the rivalry, and emotions are ready to get the better of a lot of players & fans long before kickoff. Having rivalries is a good thing, but the way the media is building up that rivalry in particular is going to lead to games & incidents like we saw yesterday.
I think Jerome Luai has said the biggest take away statement so far…
“Teams aren’t going to break in finals, you’ve got to make them break”
Jerome Luai
I this this sums up why the Panthers and Cowboys are where they are, one game away from a Grand Final. They look for a opportunity to wear down the opposition and then make them pay… once they get the opposition on the back foot, they don’t ease up on the pressure.
I still think that Penrith and North Queensland are the two benchmark teams. Any other sides in the Grand Final would be a great injustice.
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How does it work that our ‘home’ prem final will now be at Accor against possibly souths on their home ground???
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Another of their anomalies. Accor is considered our regional home stadium. Not sure what advantage it will be if we end up playing Souths. I’d suggest moving to Commbank, but they have the NSW Cup & Jersey Flegg Grand Finals there on that day, which probably rules it out.
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