Penrith punish rusty Roosters
12 hours ago | Aidan Edgecomb
We?ve arrived at the penultimate weekend of rugby league with the best four teams left standing, providing indisputable evidence that every now and then the McIntyre 8 system actually does work.
Sadly, the NRL can still find a way to ruin something with the ?no Sunday finals? policy sending fans irate and leaving a big empty feeling as we sip the Blend 43 whilst poring over the weekend papers. It comes as little surprise that people stayed away in droves.
I called both games right last week but any wisdom to pick who will advance to the Grand Final this year has deserted me. One thing that can?t be disputed is the quality of footy that will be showcased this week.
Bulldogs v Broncos
Friday night gets started at the SFS with what?s sure to be the most physical encounter of the weekend. Due to that factor, perhaps the winner of this game will actually tear themselves up a bit too much and ultimately could play their Grand Final a week early.
Brisbane travel to Sydney for the second week in a row, fresh from destroying Newcastle. That victory would have them oozing with confidence and even Benny is spouting how good they look. They?re playing games with Hunt being selected on the wing but declaring he?ll play fullback. I think that?s a bit strange, why bother? It could be that Hodges will play at the back and I?d say that?s a better way to go. He?s been getting better metres than Hunt and Brisbane will need all they can get their hands on as the Bulldogs pack will be hard to contain.
The Broncos should look to go wide at every opportunity using Tate and Carroll on the fringes against Emelio and Maitua. This could be an area Brisbane can exploit and they certainly did it well last week against the Knights. Up front they?ll be hoping that Webcke and Civoniceva can hold O?Meley, Mason and Ryan whilst Thaiday will add some aggression and randomness to the attack.
The Broncos should also look to the air with El Masri and Utai two of the smaller guys in the comp. Tate, Boyd, Hodges and Hunt could out-jump them and they should target the flanks.
Canterbury are approaching things a bit differently. There?s talk of Roberts coming into the centres with Maitua going to lock and SBW starting from the bench. The impact could be a decisive factor in this situation as Brisbane?s reserves done offer as much, but I?d be worried about the inexperience of Roberts. It?s a big game to throw a kid into and if he does play they?ll run at him.
Asotasi will be taking part in his first game since the injury he suffered against Brisbane a few weeks back. That loss should be a motivating factor for the Doggies and I think they?ll be desperate to put an undesirable recent record against Brisbane behind them. They also lost the 1998 Grand Final to them and that might still be eating away at Folkes.
This game is hard to call but I think Canterbury will win. If they can hold the Broncos early then their bench will run over the top of them in the middle stages of the second half. If I were Brisbane I?d try to capitalise early and get some points on the board, thus throwing a spanner in the works for the Bulldogs. This could lead to a change of game plan by Folkes and unsettle them.
Storm v Dragons
We head out to Telstra Stadium on Saturday night to see who will be the second team to qualify for this year?s big one. This game will probably be less physical but more skilled.
The Dragons have put two really good games together but can they keep it up? It would appear that the finality of this season has struck a chord with some of their players. Barrett is running well, Timmins likewise and the real Jason Ryles has finally stood up. Their defence has been a big talking point, conceding only 4 points in their two semis, but their attack has shaped well also. They?re scoring tries by running the ball more these days with Cooper heavily involved. The whole team are aiming up.
Last year?s choke against the Tigers might have been partly due to disrespect. I can?t see that happening this time around because if you can?t get motivated to play the Storm then you might as well give it away. They have a shocking record against Melbourne though, including the demons of the 1999 Grand Final. Is this redemption? It could be but only for Barrett, Timmins and Brown. The rest of the crew shouldn?t give a rats and ought to forget about all that and just play footy.
For Melbourne, well this is the game they?ve been waiting for. I thought they were terrible against Parra and have been in cruise control for a few weeks. But when they step out onto the Telstra Turf then I expect them to be switched on 100%. Bellamy won?t allow complacency and the team have worked too hard all year to stuff it up now. With all the money on the Dragons to win this one I think it actually takes some pressure off them.
King?s injury is a bit of a worry. I don?t like the sounds that are being made about it but they?ve got a replacement in Webster there if it comes to that. I?m expecting a big game out of Hill. He missed the 99 premiership and he?ll be dying to get a ring on his finger before heading to the UK. He?s not a bad bloke either and deserves it. Crocker off the bench will add aggression to the forwards and it won?t be a teddy bear?s picnic out there. They have a sensational backrow and with White and Cross they have some size behind them.
In another hard one to predict, I?m going to tip the Storm. There?s plenty of people talking up the Dragons and rightly so, they?re playing well. But let?s not forget how good the Storm are. You don?t win the minor premiership by a country mile if you?re doing something wrong. They got a loss out of the way against New Zealand and I reject the suggestions that they?ve peaked too early. If they do beat the Dragons as I think they will, it will be because they?re the better side and not because the Dragons choked.
Enjoy your footy everyone. I think what?s been an average year in terms of excitement is about to take a stunningly sharp turn with this week?s action.