The NRL Playoffs - Round One

[THE RED ROOSTER]

The NRL playoffs are here with us and there are some absolute  corkers coming up in the four games that we have scheduled all of which are going to be on Sky TV.

 South Sydney v Newcastle Knights  (Fri)

For Souths, Matt Dufty replaces the benched Jye Gray at Fullback and Tallis Duncan replaces the benched Adam Elliott in the Second Row.

Bit of a shuffle at the Knights with the suspended  Jacob Saifiti replaced by Tyson Frizell and Trey Mooney replaced by Cody Hopwood to form a new  front row Pairing  Dominic Young (wing),returns from suspension on the wing in place of the benched Fletcher Hunt, and Phoenix Crossland returns at hooker in place of the benched Harrison Graham.

The bookies heavily favour sale Sydney in this game and they have an impeccable record when it come when it comes to a core stadium however this match is being played at Allianz stadium.There is an expiry date on this South side with Jack whiten Cody Walker winding towards the end of their careers with Keaon Koloamatangi heading off to SGI and of course Alex Walker heading off to PNG in a couple of years’ time. As always, the key player for South Sydney is Latrell Mitchell  if he has his football head on, he is the game changer.

Newcastle Knights see the suspended players return in Dom Young and Tyson Frizzell and they are flying at the moment under the radar. It won't be easy for Souths to beat this Knight's side who gave a good account of themselves despite being reduced to just 12 men in the furnace that is mount smart stadium last time out and they certainly have the ability to put points on the board the question mark for both sides is really about how their defences stand up on this.

My prediction on this would be a Souths win but a win by two points or a drop goal

Tip – Rabbit

New Zealand Warriors v The Dolphins (Sat)

 The Warriors have Selumiela Halasima at centre replacing the benched Adam Pompey, Wayde Egan in at Hooker for the benched Samuel Healy and Kurt Capewell in the second row for the benched Eddie Ieremia-Toeava

The rested Dolphins from last week return , with Selwyn Cobbo, Kodi Nikorema and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki replacing Tevita Naufahu. Jake Averillo and Brian Pouinu on the Wing in the Halves and in the second row, respectively.

There's a lot of money going on the Dolphins who've been on an unbeaten streak but what tends to happen without beaten streaks is that these streaks come to an end when you least expect it and often at the most inappropriate time should the dolphins actually lose in the cauldron that is Mount Smart, they would at least have another bite of the cherry so to speak in the following week.

The Wahs have looked off the boil recently with games being a lot tighter than you would have expected them to be nevertheless they have home advantage here in the whole of New Zealand cheering for them and that is a particularly key point.

The game itself will be settled in the forwards it is really about the Warriors forward pack and can they impose themselves on the game providing the platform for Te Maire Martin. That said the important thing about the Dolphins is they can go 12 points down and still come back to win the game because the Dolphins have the ability to go end to end.

Again, I am expecting a Titanic clown to hear and to be honest I am tipping the Wahs to shade it simply because they are playing at home

Tip – Warrior

Cronulla Sharks v North Queensland Cowboys (Sat)

Return of the starters for the Sharks, with Braydon Trindall and Nicho Hynes back as the halves combination in place of Riley Pollard and Niwhai Puru. KL Iro returns in the Centres for Michael Gabriel Blayke Brailey returns at hooker for the benched Hohepa Puru and Jesse Colquhoun and Teig Wilton replacing the benched Toby Rudolf and Billy Burns in the Front Row and Second Row, respectively.

The Cowboys bring in Zac Laybutt for Robert Derby on the wing and Griffin Neame and  Jeremiah Nanai  in place of the benched Coen Hess and John Bateman in the front and second rows, respectively.

This game's being played at Allianz Park so hardly home advantage for the sharks. In addition to which you have the strange situation where Reuben Cotter has been found guilty of a Grade 2 offence which normally would have given him a one game ban but having been found guilty of that Grade 2 offence was then able to get the actual grading of the offence downgraded to Grade 1 which means that he will be fined and not missed again it's a bizarre decision and the only thing I could say to the panel that made that decision is "Queenslander !".

Braydon Trindall is back for the sharks and that makes a huge difference because if anything his recent absence has proved he is the player around whom the sharks tick they should have a sense of injustice in this game about it being moved from shock barked alliant stadium and I think despite Reuben Cotter being left off I do think the sharks will have the edge in the pack

The problem for the Cowboys in this particular game is that for them to win the game they're going to have to turn the game into a shootout because their defence is leaking points 50 were put on them by Canberra in their last home game and Paul Welland’s future as defensive coach up there is bleak.

I am going with the Sharks because they are clearly the better team.

Tip – Shark

Penrith Panthers v Sydney Roosters (Sun).

Minor changes for the Panthers with Liam Henry going from the front row to the  bench replaced by  Lindsay Smith whop moves from lock to front row with Isaah Yeo returning at lock.

All change at the Roosters as the first-grade returns, James Tedesco returns at Fullback for the benched Cody Ramsay, Billy Smith forms a centre pairing with Robert Toia replacing the Benched Tommy Talau at Centre and Junior Pauga. In the lengthy name’s column, Mark Nawaqanitawase returns on the wing for Rex Bassingthwaighte. Hugo Savala and Dally Cherry-Evans form the halves paring in place of Reece Foley and Toby Rodwell with Reece Robson at Hooker in place of Benaiah Ioelu. A front row pairing of Naufahu Whyte and Lindsay Collins  replaces Taylor Losalu and the benched Spencer Leniu (off to Paramatta next season), Sia Wong replaces Egan Butcher in the second row and finally Victor Radletyy replaces the benched Connor Watson at lock.

The rested Roosters arrive at Comms Bank stadium with the first-grade squad this time having played the NSW cup side last game. If you believe the bookies, you would think that the Roosters have absolutely no chance whatsoever at comms bank but I would need to point out that the last two times the Roosters have played against Penrith at comms bank stadium they've actually won the game. Like their rivals in South Sydney there are a lot of players who will not be with the Roosters next year for varying reasons and it's up to those senior players in the rooster side to aim up and put in the kind of performance that their reputation and wages would justify. Certainly, I do not think that the loss of Sam Walker is going to be that big a factor if Dally Cherry- Evans actually steps up .

The Penrith overall it's a very good record against the roasters they've won every game against the Roosters over the last five years with the exception of these two at Comms Bank a boost to the Panthers is the return of  Isaah Yeo is in fact back in the Panthers side though whether he's suffering any ring rust or not I don't honestly know. However, it is a brave man that tips against the penny Panthers and Nathan Cleary when it comes to the playoffs.

Again I think this game will boil down to whether the Panthers are able to suffocate the Roosters with their forward pack or whether the Roosters are able to stay in the game until the last 20 minutes the longer the game goes on with their only being a one score difference between the sides the more it would favour the Roosters but sticking with my earlier statement about not tipping against the Panthers I can see a Panthers win but by not as convincing a margin as people seem to think.

Tip - Panther

[Spotty Herbert]

Game 1 : Dont Souths look incredibly strong when they are all fit? I can't see an understrength Knights pack living with them, which is a shame when you consider the improvements Holbrook has managed this year.

Game 2 :Put the Phins backs in the same team as the Wahs forwards and without a doubt you have the NRL champions. Can't see the Dolphins coming back from a sizeable early deficit in this one.

Game 3 : Whoever wins is just extending their season by a week. On recent form, the two weakest teams in the 8.

Game 4 : The toughest game to predict, but I have a feeling the Panthers are building up to another title. Or is DCE going to go out in style?

[Anita Bath]

Souths, Phins, sharks, panthers.

[Futtocks]

Good morning everyone!

Heart says Knights, head says Bunnies.

Edited September 11 by Futtocks

[Futtocks]

First blood to the Knights, as Dom Young catches a high ball among static defenders and passes to McEwan for an unopposed run to the try line.

Conversion comes back off the far post.

SOU 0:4 NEW

[Futtocks]

Mitchell just took a swing at Gagai. Looks like Gagai got in a sly one first, on replay.

No binnings.

[Futtocks]

Getting a bit tetchy, this game.

[Spotty Herbert]

Souths defence looking very dodgy. The Knights have got to Latrell and he needs to get his focus back on the game, not getting one over Gagai.

[Futtocks]

Gagai makes it an eight point lead, which will no doubt make Latrell even angrier.

[Spotty Herbert]

Just now, Futtocks said:

Gagai makes it an eight point lead, which will no doubt make Latrell even angrier.

Brilliant from Gagai.

[Futtocks]

Cody Walker down hurt. Looks bad.

Edited September 11 by Futtocks

[Futtocks]

Humphries on for Walker.

[Spotty Herbert]

4 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

Cody Walker down hurt.

Time for England's Jamie Humphries to shine. Shame for Cody.

[Futtocks]

Campbell Graham in at the corner for Souths.

[Futtocks]

Knights getting sloppy.

[Spotty Herbert]

10 - 6 Knights at half time. Momentum with Souths in the last few minutes, but they had a lot of defending to do in the first 30 that may have left them low on energy for the 2nd half. If Knights had taken one more of the many chances they made they would be home and dry. As it stands, Knights slight favourites?

[Futtocks]

6:10 at HT and it's anybody's game.

[Futtocks]

Souths start the second half with more pressure, but Dom Young saves what looked like a certain try.

[Spotty Herbert]

Knights looking very clunky close to the Souths line. Bunnies still hanging on and the longer it stays this way the more likely they are to win.

[Graham]

Knights looking to have the upper hand atm. Souths handling error through fatigue.

[Spotty Herbert]

Stripped or dropped by AJ? for me, it was not stripped. No try.

[Futtocks]

Sullivan in for Souths, but was that a knock-on in the build-up? Looks like a rip, but we're down to individual frames now.

Bunker says... NO TRY!

[Futtocks]

No try at the other end for Crossland.

[Spotty Herbert]

Knights blow another good chance. 20 to go. Still anyone's game.

[Futtocks]

McEwan gets his second, off some good passing and a Dom Young break.