The entree is over and now the main course is ready to be served. Who will be the masterchef of the NRL Finals series and end up as the champions?
After a late stutter and stumble, the Dragons rebounded to finish as the minor premiers. They had a great win against Parramatta and funnily enough will be playing them again in the first week of the finals. The loss was neither here nor there for the Eels as had they won they would still be playing the Dragons in this sudden death situation.
The Bulldogs were hammered by the Tigers and now have to play a Newcastle Knights side which is full of confidence. The Bulldogs should have too much firepower for the Knights who have bounced back remarkably since the Brian Smith debacle.
A Queensland derby looms as the Gold Coast Titans host the Brisbane Broncos. The Titans have done very well to finish third in just their second season in the NRL and John Cartwright and his team can be very proud of all that they have achieved. The Broncos have fought back well since they looked like they could be on their way out of the top 8.
Again Melbourne plays Manly, but this isn’t the Grand Final but fourth vs fifth. A big game but on the other hand but sides should be playing in the following week so it really doesn’t matter too much.
As far as the sides which missed the finals, it was a shocking year for both the Cronulla Sharks and Sydney Roosters. The Rooster finish last after virtue of an inferior points difference. The Sharks gave them a chance after losing in the final minute to Souths. This meant a Roosters win could see them climb to second last. They were 16-0 up but ended up losing 32-16.
Penrith finished in 11th spot but would have had eighth spot had they defeated the Knights. Like all the teams which missed the finals they were just too inconsistent. Next year the Tigers, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Raiders and Warriors will be hoping to do much better.
As for a finals prediction, who really knows how it is going to play out? That has been part of the attraction of the great NRL season. NRL betting really isn’t sure what to. On field it has been a great regular season and it should be an even greater finals season.
David Wiseman is looking forward to the NRL finals and following that working out his Melbourne Cup betting.
