The NRL Finals - Week 1 Thread

[THE RED ROOSTER]

No mugs in these line ups.

For a change what I will do is make the case in each game for the visiting side - see if you agree.

Brisbane Broncos v Melbourne Storm

• Brisbane under pressure playing at home
• Melbourne side will line up with Meaney, Munster, Hughes, Grant and Papenhuyzen either on the park or the bench
• Melbourne are experienced in winning finals football - Brisbane less so
• Melbourne won the reserve grade game last week - Maybe a little Psychological edge

Penrith Panthers v New Zealand Warriors

• Panthers not so dominant this season without Kikau and Koroisau
• Paramatta have the secret sauce against the Penny Panthers, a Blueprint for others, suich as thev Warriors, to follow.
• The Warriors can play islander off the cuff football
• Shaun Johnson's absence means other members of the side will step up.

Cronulla Sharks v Sydney Roosters

• Problems for Sharkies at Full Back with Connor TRracey or William Kennedy both with fitness issues whoever plays
• Roosters have Sam Walker playing and he makes a difference to the side.
• Roosters like Melbourne are used to winning in finals footy less so the Sharkies
• JWH is not playing for the Roosters so if Victor the Inflictor Radley stays disciplined they should at least play the 80 minutes with 13 men on the park.

Newcastle Knights v Canberra Raiders

• Newcastle on a nine game winning streak, I do not care how good a side you are that's gonna snap sometime and now there are no comebacks
• The Knights are so heavily tipped, Rickeys Raiders can play secure in the knowledge no one expects them to win.
• Canbera Raiders are the people's team you know that surely.... And there will not be a dry eye in the house when Jarroid Croker bangs over the winning conversion from the sideline.
• Post game a victory ensures that a Ricky Stuart press conference will not be "Parental Advisory"....

Good luck with your tips.

 

 

[DavidM]

Storm , Panthers , Roosters , Knights

[Graham]

Not long to kick off now!

[Graham]

[Graham]

Two cracking line ups. Should be a great game in front of a big crowd.

[Graham]

Broncos have had the better of the first ten minutes 

[Spotty Herbert]

Very nervy start from the Storm.

[Graham]

Try to Broncos.

Staggs broke a tackle and he crashed over.

This on the back of a couple of Storm errors.

[Graham]

4-0 Broncos

The early pressure has told.

[Futtocks]

Hot stuff!

[Graham]

6-0 Brisbane 

Good conversion 

[Graham]

Rain

 

Good kick from Munster.

[Graham]

Even better one from Reynolds

[EastLondonMike]

For every great thing Staggs does in attack - his defensive reads are really suspect.

[Graham]

Paps cobbled up a kick out from under the sticks. Straight into touch.

Penalty goal from in front.

8-0 Broncos 

1 minute to half time.

[Graham]

Broncos deserving of their lead.

Why check that last drop goal attempt, it obviously went under the bar and the ref was close enough to it and facing the ball.

HT

BRONCOS 8 - 0 STORM

[Spotty Herbert]

Broncos might regret only being 8 up given the pressure they have had. Storm won't be so poor in the 2nd half.

[Graham]

Score Summary

K. Staggs 8	Tries
A. Reynolds 9	Conversions
A. Reynolds 39	Penalty Goals

[Futtocks]

Reece Lightning!

[Spotty Herbert]

Decisions not going the Storm's way, but they are royally stuffing this up. Bellamy will be apoplectic!

[Futtocks]

A scrum win against the feed!

[Spotty Herbert]

That just sucks. If anyone deserves any luck with injuries it's Ryan Papenhuysen.

[StandOffHalf]

Poor Papenhuyzen. That is a horribly sad sight.

Melbourne have been as bad as I have seen in years, but injuries like that take the enjoyment out of things. Really feel for the fella.

[Futtocks]

Few in this Brisbane side know what it's like to beat the Storm, let alone nil them.

One of the greatest turnarounds in form I've ever seen, when you remember how absolutely rotten they were only a couple of seasons ago.

[Spotty Herbert]

1 hour ago, Futtocks said:

Few in this Brisbane side know what it's like to beat the Storm, let alone nil them.

One of the greatest turnarounds in form I've ever seen, when you remember how absolutely rotten they were only a couple of seasons ago.

What do you put the improvement down to? Has Kevvie improved or have the players just matured? Mind, Walsh had had a bit of an impact