The build up to the finals this week has been temporary overshadowed by the axing of Jason Taylor as South’s coach. JT’s sin was thinking that he was still one of the boys on Stupid Sunday. He should of just wandered in, bought a round and then wandered out again. Hopefully he is not lost to league as he has potential. But John Lang will serve Souths well.
But let’s get to what is happening on the field. Two games this weekend in Sydney and Brisbane. No second chances for anyone any more. The prize, a chance to play for a grand final spot. Shall we?
Parramatta v Gold Coast, Friday 7:45pm, SFS Stadium
If you read around, the Eels are red hot favourites for this game. They shouldn’t be as the Titans are a very good footy side. They may not have the biggest pack around but it is a hard working one with Brad Meyers leading the charges. Bailey, Minichello, Lafranchi, Harrison and Friend are all great players so the Titans deserve their third place finish and a good deal of respect.
Then there is Prince, Zillman, Campbell, Walker and Rogers in the backline. The ability of Campbell to pop up anywhere between fullback and hooker is one of the Titan’s big pluses as is Prince’s kicking game. No true Eels fan is expecting a walk over here no matter what the bookies say.
Where the Eels have an advantage is in the centres and wingers. The Parra back three are better than the Titans and Reddy and Inu are great defensive centres who are more than capable in attack. The Titans right side defence is suspect out wide and expect the Eels to test it out early and often.
The Titans have not had many big wins. Grinding out games has steeled them well for the finals but they have defensive issues. Parra has the ability to be miserly and score tries from anywhere on the field.
I expect a hard forward battle early on and Prince to try and keep Hayne quite with a good kicking game. But as the game wears on, the Eels will find holes in the Titans’ defense and will earn a good but tough win.
Brisbane v St George-Illawarra, Saturday 7:45pm, Suncorp Stadium
What a great game. Even if it wasn’t the finals, St Benny returning to his old parish is intriguing in itself.
The Dragons showed some limitations in attack last weekend. Soward can be dangerous but if the teams expect that close to the line it is either a Soward kick or a sweeping movement to get the ball to Morris, it can be defended. The Dragons will really need to have their attack on song in this game to have a hope.
The hope for the Dragons as they have a good record at Suncorp. And even with Henjak as coach, Bennett will have the insight on the Broncos and their plays. He’ll love plotting the downfall of his old club as he did early in the season.
The Broncos are chasing seven straight wins. Big Dave Taylor is proving to be a handful out wide and surely the Broncos must be gutted that he is going to Souths once the season is done.
The plenty of finals experience in the Broncos will be a great asset. As will the very parochial crowd. I can see the Broncos righting the record against the Dragons.
14 responses so far ↓
Mountain Boy // Sep 18, 2009 at 1:56 am
Will Dan Brown have any more say in NRL ‘09? One would be a fool to think “No”. Tips are with the knowledge that to every point of logic is to be added one grain of salt.
Parra have the luxury of not having to leave Sydney for the rest of the finals series. Titans would have to travel back and forth from Gold Coast (and play away) three weeks straight.
Don’t expect “the best player to ever pull on a boot in 100 years – J.Hayne” to have another blinder. Cartwright will have him well marked this time and he will not be given the time to stride. Teams have shown that cutting his thinking time soon nullifies his effectiveness.
Not counting Parra out. The 8th team can make it. Anyone remember Canterbury making the Grand Final in ‘98 from 9th place when there was a top 10 semi final series?
Dan Brown however – you’ve done it again. The Titans.
Broncos and Dragons. What stat to go for? Recent record at Suncorp? (Dragons) or record playing in finals? (Broncos).
I will go for the latter seeing as their finals wins were played in Sydney and this one’s at home.
Sidepoint – Is it curious that typing the word ROOSTER on your phone, provides the alternative of SNORTER ?
I haven’t quite worked out how PANTHER becomes PANTIES but more than likely associated with their playing like girls’ blouses.
Mungo Amanda // Sep 18, 2009 at 7:46 am
If Saints lose, will it be the most epic choke evah??
Saints.
Parra.
Mountain Boy // Sep 18, 2009 at 8:18 am
Amanda. The biggest or most epic choke – a mute point. When all is said and done it would show in the game’s history as just another one. Choke #17 since 1979.
I’m not saying that they will, but if they do, this is all it will show.
Shaun // Sep 18, 2009 at 10:57 am
Bismark tells me he has put some money on the Eels. I’m moving all mine to the Titans now.
It was exactly 10 years when I ventured north to the ancestral homelands for my Mum’s birthday. During the evening dinner, my Dad and I spend half of it in the car listening to the Eels v Storm final.
In a few hours, I once again venture back to the homelands for my Mum’s birthday. Luckily the dinner is for tomorrow night. Hope that bodes well for the Eels tonight.
Shaun // Sep 19, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Time to finally get revenge for 1998. Bring on the Bulldogs.
Mountain Boy // Sep 20, 2009 at 12:50 am
Shaun – only an 11-word review ? I think the term “keeping a lid on things” may sum that up. At least you are in the position to keep a lid on things, which is a place where others would love to be right now.
Interesting thought on avenging 1998 when there has been at least one other team better than Parramatta for the previous 22 seasons. 9 finals series exits in that time without taking the Holy Grail must gnaw at Eels fans : 6 straight 1997 – 2002, then 2005, 2006,and 2007. The so-near-yet-so-far award must go to the Dragons, but followed closely in second place by the Eels.
All the best for the next two games, it would be great for Parra to win one for you – I’m guessing your first ever over drinking age. Panthers have given me 2 premiership wins over drinking age now – the best part being the “next day happy hangover”.
A thought for the Eels, and this applies as much, if not moreso, to the Dragons. A local golf club legend one Saturday, upon seeing me tighten up a little, gave me a word of advice I will always remember. Coming to stand next to me shoulder to shoulder, he simply said “Don’t be scared to win”.
Its something, I take it, King Benny hadn’t thought to tell his troops at Suncorp tonight. Maybe he hadn’t heard it before? If I was an Eels fan, I would be finding any way I could to get Anderson to use this phrase in his next pre-match talk, and possibly the one after.
Shaun // Sep 20, 2009 at 1:11 pm
With the Eels, the years that hurt were ‘98, 2001 and 2005. Even though we made the preliminary final in 2007, we overachieved that season and fans were satisfied with the effort.
However, Hindmarsh, Cayless and Burt will have memories of those failed campaigns. They will be wanting to move on from the past. And why not this year? Why not be the first team to win the comp from 8th position?
As for “don’t be scared to win” I don’t think that is a problem for the Eels. They are riding a wave and are trusting each other and their abilities to get the job done.
The fact both the Titans and Dragons decided to opt for a penalty goal to open their accounts on the weekend spoke volume about the limitations of the self-belief. There may be a thought that the two points will help in a close game. But it does send the message to the opposition that your offense is not capable of breaking the line.
As for the Dragons, next year will be interesting. They will lose Poore and possibly Sailor. The weight of expectations could prove to be a burden.
The Titans should do well again as they do have the nucleus of a good side. But they need to find some extra strike power to find someway to really put teams away when they have the ascendancy.
I didn’t see last night’s game but I believe Wallace is injured and Hunt may be in trouble for tripping. If both of those players are out, favouritism will swing to the Storm.
Mountain Boy // Sep 20, 2009 at 6:33 pm
The Dragons this year were a lot like Parramatta 2001. Dominant for the regular season, and highly intimidating for all opponents. Minor Premiers. Yet a Grand Final win was beyond them both.
It is far too easy to say Parra has learnt from past losses. They clearly showed in ‘01,’05, and ‘07 that they hadn’t. The question shall remain – as to have they learnt? As mere mortals, there really is no way of knowing the answer until the next fortnight of ‘09 plays itself out. One way or the other, though, this question will get it’s answer with a big Yes or a big No.
Mountain Boy // Sep 20, 2009 at 6:54 pm
..and the evidence on which my case shall rest that the future is indeed a mystery …
“As for the Eels, they were flat and Hayne especially looked out of sorts. That faint glimmer of hope now extinguished. Thank an imaginary sky friend I only have to suffer through 11 more games.”
Bismark O'Measles // Sep 20, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Eels / Broncs final.
Stephen Hill // Sep 21, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Bring back Paul Carige!!!! Now that 1998 semi-final was a freak game Parra up 18-2 with 10 minutes to go and somehow I still don’t know how – but youse guys lost.
Actually It was a freakish semi-final series for the Dogs – we definitely overacheived to make the finals – it was a team of solid plodders that snuck in eighth, and had big come from behind wins against Newcastle, Parra, and I think it was Saints (I recall Barry Ward and Anthony Mundine have some sort of verbal altercation), before being slaughtered by the Broncos
BTW, here is some of Paul Carige’s finest, hope it inspires Eric Grothe Jnr or Luke Burt to oblige us with a repeat performance. Mind you blaming it all on Paul Carige was a bit harsh, as Stu Kelly, that speedy winger Wereat and a few other players made mistakes at vital intervals – and the Parra pack was out on its feet in those last few minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IFLa5fT0yQ
Apparently Carige now works as a teacher at a Brisbane youth detention centre, I feel a bit sorry for the poor guy – even if the two words “Paul Carige” were the perfect words at the end of the last century to wind up a Parramatta fan.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/horror-game-still-dogs-carige/story-e6frexp9-1111114413500
Yeh he had a shocker (actually some of the errors seem to have been exaggerated to monumental proportion – not judging the position of the sideline – taking a bomb near the touchline – it was that kick on the first-tackle which almost offered Polla-Mounter a fifty metre field goal that was the unforgetable “brain-explosion”
Still if there was a Bulldogs player that has similar opprobium it would Scott Wilson – in that grand-final against the Raiders (the one where Martin Bella knocked on from the kick-off). My god that match still hearts, it was the most one-sided grand-final since Manly-Storm.
Shaun // Sep 22, 2009 at 9:37 am
Stephen, my therapist would like to thank you. Just when I thought I was over it I had a breakdown at the mention of Paul Carige.
*Sigh* Hopefully only a few days on the couch this time.
Of course, Hayne the Redeemer shall bring us into glory and exorcise those demons once and for all.
Mountain Boy // Sep 22, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Paul (mis)-Carige may have had a forgettable one there – but any worse than Steve Mavin for Souths v Canberra in ‘89? The most amazing thing to come out of all that, was that the Bulldogs in their wisdom signed him up to play in ‘91. He only played another two games. Thank Buddha/Krishna/Alah/and God that Penrith had no room for him that year !!
I rate the Hodges Origin debut up with these ones too.
VA // Oct 6, 2009 at 8:50 am
With the Eels, the years that hurt were ‘98, 2001 and 2005. Even though we made the preliminary final in 2007, we overachieved that season and fans were satisfied with the effort.
However, Hindmarsh, Cayless and Burt will have memories of those failed campaigns. They will be wanting to move on from the past. And why not this year? Why not be the first team to win the comp from 8th position?
As for “don’t be scared to win” I don’t think that is a problem for the Eels. They are riding a wave and are trusting each other and their abilities to get the job done.
The fact both the Titans and Dragons decided to opt for a penalty goal to open their accounts on the weekend spoke volume about the limitations of the self-belief. There may be a thought that the two points will help in a close game. But it does send the message to the opposition that your offense is not capable of breaking the line.
As for the Dragons, next year will be interesting. They will lose Poore and possibly Sailor. The weight of expectations could prove to be a burden.
The Titans should do well again as they do have the nucleus of a good side. But they need to find some extra strike power to find someway to really put teams away when they have the ascendancy.
I didn’t see last night’s game but I believe Wallace is injured and Hunt may be in trouble for tripping. If both of those players are out, favouritism will swing to the Storm.