Monday?s Expert League Wrap ?
Finals 2005

Finals Week Two, 17-18 September 2005 The NRL season has come down to four teams with the Broncos and the Storm bowing out over the weekend.

Fifth-placed Cowboys have bounced back from their shellacking from the Tigers in week one to defeat the Melbourne Storm 24-16 at Aussie Stadium. With Dally M winner Jonathan Thurston getting our man of the match, the Cowboys were too good in the first half, racing away to a 16-0 lead. The Storm almost ran them down with a spirited second half display but in the end, the North Queenslanders took the honours.

The Cowboys now advance to next Sunday?s Preliminary Final at Telstra Stadium to take on minor premiers the Parramatta Eels.

The Wests Tigers continue to be the talk of the town after disposing of the Brisbane Broncos by 34-6 at Aussie Stadium on Sunday. The fourth-place Tigers withstood an early barrage from the Broncos before Benji Marshall and Brett Hodgson let loose. Sadly for the Broncos, the match turned into a carve-up as the mid-season favourites crashed to their seventh successive loss and a sorry end to their season.

Wests Tigers now advance to next Saturday night?s Preliminary Final at Aussie Stadium where they?ll take on the second-placed St George Illawarra Dragons.

MATCH RESULTS: MELBOURNE STORM 16 Tries: Bell, King, Orford Goals: Smith (1/1), Orford (1/2) NTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 24 Tries: Williams 2, Bowen Goals: Hannay (2/3), Thurston (2/2) Aussie Stadium Sat 7:45pm Crowd: 16,810 Referee: Paul Simpkins Half Time: 16-0 Cowboys Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - J Thurston (Cowboys) 2 - P Rauhihi (Cowboys) 1 - L O'Donnell (Cowboys)

WESTS TIGERS 34 Tries: Fitzhenry 2, Marshall, Prince, O'Neill, Hodgson Goals: Hodgson 5/6 BRISBANE BRONCOS 6 Tries: Lockyer Goals: Seymour 1/1 Aussie Stadium Sun 4:00pm Crowd: 36,563 Referee: Tim Mander Half time: Tigers 10-0 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - B Hodgson (Tigers) 2 - D Fitzhenry (Tigers) 1 - J Skandalis (Tigers)

Full draw and results ? CLICK HERE

Next weekend?s matches: Finals Week Three, 24-25 September 2005 ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS v WESTS TIGERS - Aussie Stadium - Sat 7:45pm PARRAMATTA EELS v NTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS - Telstra Stadium - Sun 4:00pm

Grand Final, 2 October 2005 Winner Dragons v Tigers VS Winner Eels v Cowboys - Telstra Stadium - Sun 8pm