We are just two weeks away from our premiers being crowned, and we’ll be treated to two outstanding NRL semi-finals this weekend.
The Sea Eagles were comfortably beaten by Premiership favourites the Storm last week, and they’ll now take on the Roosters for a place in next week’s prelim with South Sydney.
In Saturday’s semi, the Panthers are poised to take their frustrations out on the Eels, with one-eye on a mouth-watering showdown with the Storm on Saturday week.
A replay of the 2013 Grand Final will see the Manly Sea Eagles take on the Sydney Roosters in Mackay on Friday night.
The fears of Sea Eagles fans everywhere were realised last week, when the Melbourne Storm effectively shut down Tom Trbojevic, rendering the side almost useless.
While the Sea Eagles’ fourth placing ensures this second bite of the cherry, they simply cannot afford another lacklustre effort, but frankly, I think they will be back to their best.
It’s one thing to say you’re going to ‘target’ and ‘shut down’ Turbo, it’s another thing to do it. I firmly believe that the only two clubs capable of doing it are the Storm and the Panthers, and they are now both on the other side of the draw.
After holding a position in the top four for a lot of the regular season, the Roosters all but limped into the final eight, and it is fair to say that they were lucky to sneak past the Titans last weekend.
This is a whole different kettle of fish, a big step up in class, and I genuinely believe that they might have now played their GF.
With the spray that Dessie has undoubtedly given his boys this weekend taken into serious consideration, I think that the Sea Eagles will bounce back in a big way, highlighted by another glittering night for Turbo.
Semi-final number two will see the Paramatta Eels charged with the unenviable task of taking on the Penrith Panthers, who will eager to atone for last weekend’s shock loss.
It is stunning to see the Panthers in action this weekend, but all credit to South Sydney for putting them there. While obviously not impossible, it has made their hopeful path to Premiership glory infinity harder, and they’ll now need to beat the Storm next week before then lining up against another side in a GF.
The reason I didn’t include the Eels in that previous sentence is because I think that they stand almost no chance of winning this week.
They’ve been good enough to make the finals, but I really haven’t been blown away by anything that Brad Arthur’s men have achieved this season, and they really are just there to make up the numbers.
They were pushed by a pretty average Knights outfit last week, and they run into a side that is jam-packed with talent, angry, and who simply will not return a rushed/frightened performance two weeks in a row.
I think that the Panthers will win this game and give the Storm a serious run for their money in next weekend’s blockbuster prelim.
Brian To’o crossed for multiple tries the last time that Penrith played Parra, and I am anticipating a similar performance.