NRL The Finals Round 1

[Aucklander]

So here we are. The best 8 teams in the comp and what a 1st round it should be.

Kicking off friday night with the Broncos v Titans:

Brisbane will go in hot favourite, but with nothing to lose the Titans will be fired up. I don't see much in this game and a GC upset wouldn't come as any surprise to me. Brisbane by 4.

Teams:

Broncos: 1. Darius Boyd, 2. Corey Oates, 3. Tom Opacic, 4. James Roberts, 5. Jordan Kahu, 6. Anthony Milford, 7. Ben Hunt, 8. Josh McGuire, 9. Andrew McCullough, 10. Adam Blair, 11. Sam Thaiday, 12. Matt Gillett, 13. Corey Parker. Interchange: 14. Jarrod Wallace, 15. Tevita Pangai Junior, 16. Jai Arrow, 17. Alex Glenn, 18. Joe Ofahengaue, 19. Jonus Pearson

Titans: 1. Jarryd Hayne, 2. David Mead, 3. Josh Hoffman, 4. Konrad Hurrell, 5. Nene Macdonald, 6. Tyrone Roberts, 7. Ashley Taylor, 8. Luke Douglas, 9. Nathan Peats, 10. Ryan James, 11. Zeb Taia, 12. Chris McQueen, 13. Greg Bird. Interchange: 14. Leivaha Pulu, 15.Ryan Simpkins, 16. Agnatius Paasi, 17. Nathan Friend, 18. Anthony Don, 19.William Zillman, 20. Lachlan Burr

What a line up on saturday. The red hot Canberra Raiders up against a fading Cronulla side in what should be close to a sold out GIO Stadium. Canberra should win and win well, and I personally hope they do. Cronulla will need to lift a heap on past performances or risk being blown off the park. Canberra by 14.

Teams:

Raiders: 1. Jack Wighton, 2. Edrick Lee, 3. Jarrod Croker, 4. Joseph Leilua, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Sam Williams, 7. Aidan Sezer, 8. Junior Paulo, 9. Josh Hodgson, 10. Shannon Boyd, 11. Josh Papalii, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Iosia Soliola. Interchange: 14. Kurt Baptiste, 15. Luke Bateman, 16. Clay Priest, 17. Joseph Tapine, 18. Paul Vaughan

Sharks: 1. Ben Barba, 2. Sosaia Feki, 3. Jack Bird, 4. Ricky Leutele, 5. Valentine Holmes, 6. James Maloney, 7. Chad Townsend, 8. Andrew Fifita, 9. Michael Ennis, 10. Matt Prior, 11. Luke Lewis, 12. Wade Graham, 13. Paul Gallen. Interchange: 14. Gerard Beale, 15. Chris Heighington, 16. Jesse Sene-Lefao, 17. Jayson Bukuya, 18. Kurt Capewell

Game 2 and what a ripper this should be. Minor Premiers Melbourne v the defending title holders the North Queensland Cowboys. This game could go either way and by far it's the hardest game to tip. The Storm will start rightful favourites, but if anyone can win here it's Thurston's team. Melbourne by 4.

Teams:

Storm: 1. Cameron Munster, 2. Suliasi Vunivalu, 3. Will Chambers, 4. Cheyse Blair, 5. Marika Koroibete, 6. Blake Green, 7. Cooper Cronk, 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Cameron Smith, 10. Tim Glasby, 11. Kevin Proctor, 12. Tohu Harris, 13. Dale Finucane. Interchange: 14. Kenneath Bromwich, 15. Christian Welch, 16. Jordan McLean, 17. Ben Hampton

Cowboys: 1. Lachlan Coote, 2. Kyle Feldt, 3. Justin O'Neill, 4. Kane Linnett, 5. Antonio Winterstein, 6. Michael Morgan, 7. Johnathan Thurston, 8. Matthew Scott, 9. Jake Granville, 10.James Tamou, 11. Gavin Cooper, 12. Ethan Lowe, 13. Jason Taumalolo. Interchange: 14. Rory Kostjasyn, 15. Coen Hess, 16. Scott Bolton, 17. Ben Hannant

The Sunday game brings old rivals Canterbury and Penrith together at Alianz. I can only think that, ANZ wouldn't be ready in time to have a game so far away from both teams home grounds. Hopefully this doesn't impact too much on the crowd. With the Bulldogs being out of touch I'm expecting a Penrith win by 16.

Teams:

Panthers: 1. Matt Moylan, 2. Josh Mansour, 3. Waqa Blake, 4. Tyrone Peachey, 5. Dallin Watene Zelezniak, 6. Bryce Cartwright, 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. Leilani Latu, 9. Peter Wallace, 10. Suaia Matagi, 11. Isaah Yeo, 12. James Fisher-Harris, 13. Trent Merrin. Interchange: 14. Sitaleki Akauola, 15. Jeremy Latimore, 16. Chris Grevsmuhl, 17. Zak Hardaker, 20. Moses Leota

Bulldogs: 1. Brett Morris, 2. Tyrone Phillips, 3. Josh Morris, 4. Kerrod Holland, 5. Curtis Rona, 6. Josh Reynolds, 7. Moses Mbye, 8. Aiden Tolman, 9. Michael Lichaa, 10. James Graham, 11. Josh Jackson, 12. Greg Eastwood, 13. David Klemmer. Interchange: 14. Sam Kasiano, 15. Tim Browne, 16. Tony Williams, 17. Raymond Faitala-Mariner, 19. Danny Fualalo

 

[nobbyiscool]

Can't wait for the Raiders on Saturday!

Broncos comfortably
Raiders in a physical game by about 10 points (although I could just as easily see an error from Wighton in the last 5 costing us the game!)
Cowboys in a tight one with Coote scoring 3
Panthers by about 2 tries or so

 

[szhengd]

Gold coast in golden point
Raiders comfortably
Storm Just (maybe a try in it)
Panthers by 20

 

[Gigantic]

Broncos by 10
Sharks by 12
Cowboys by 2
Panthers by 4

 

[tugga]

Who I think will win:
Brisbane
Canberra
Melbourne
Penrith

Who I hope will win:
Titans
Canberra
Melbourne
Penrith

 

[srobbo]

Broncos 6
Storm 8
Raiders 2
Penny 14

 

[raskolnikov]

So hope the Broncos and Cowboys lose. And go the mighty Doggies, even if I can't see us winning. I'll take hope from our AFL counterparts though.

 

[Jatz]

On the Panthers bandwagon. Should outdo the Dogs.

The NRL stadium thing for finals sucks. Penrith either had to play the game at ANZ (Dogs home stadium) or at the SFS (an hour from Penrith). Just stupid.

 

[Aucklander]

Canberra v Cronulla sold out. Well, that's what I've read anyway.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Hope Gold Coast lose because Lame Plane.

Hope Bulldogs lose so Hopoate gets heat for not working Sundays.

 

[Firestarter]

Hope that penalty try doesn't make the difference.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

A lot of empty seats.

 

[Aucklander]

Didn't even know that was a penalty try now. Laughable.


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[Oscarman]

Refereeing is basically guaranteeing the Broncos win.

 

[Aucklander]

That was a flat out disgrace. Bugger me.

 

[Aucklander]

43170. Not bad given the weather.

 

[Aucklander]

Another joke call.

 

[Oscarman]

6 more. WTF? Not played at.

 

[Oscarman]

Sutton is a joke.

 

[Aucklander]

One of the biggest stitch ups I've seen in a while.

 

[Aucklander]

Wasn't that a strip?

 

[Jatz]

Weird game.

 

[Sydney Bloods]

weird game? its ****ing rigged and its ALWAYS the newscorp owned teams getting their dick sucked.

 

[Aucklander]

Weird game.

Looking through Twitter and Facebook, and people are going nuts.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Hayne is a loser!!!