Oscar Pannifex breaks down Week 2 of the NRLW Finals, offering his usual expertise, analysis, and betting plays on the neds blog!
It’s difficult to make a case for the Canberra Raiders here and the bookies clearly feel the same.
For the second week in a row they fought past Wests Tigers but not without making things difficult for themselves throughout. With 21 errors and 17 penalties in their last two outings (and just one try scored last week), the Raiders hardly bring winning form into this contest against a fresh Roosters pack.
Put simply, the only way Canberra win this is if Easts beat themselves.
The most productive backline in the competition lays a platform for the deepest forward rotation in the competition right now, consistently giving Tarryn Aiken and Jocellyn Kelleher positive looks with the ball in attack.
Happy to punch straight through the ruck as they are shifting to the edges, the hardest part about tipping Easts this year has been picking where the points will come from.
They’ve got a wonderful knack of identifying a weakness in the opposition throughout games and going at it relentlessly until they get a result. I think that weakness might appear around the ruck on Sunday once fatigue sets in.
Aiken is a chance of running herself at a retreating defensive line but Sariah presents a bit more value running off Kelleher on the left tram line while Easts backline fans out behind here.
Tips: Sydney Roosters 13+ @ $1.32
Anytime Tryscorer: Tarryn Aiken @ $3.80, Sariah Paki @ $3.40
While the first finals game profiles as fairly one-sided, there’s a bit more to play for in this one.
The Gold Coast Titans have comfortably been the second-best outfit all year while Brisbane’s title defence has been a little more shaky. Three straight losses while Ali Brigginshaw was suspended highlighted the influence she has on this side but the Bronx have played themselves into form at the right time of the year and will make this a contest.
Key to Brisbane’s turnaround has been a return to the wing for Julia Robinson. Her productivity on kick returns and early in the tackle count has a tangible flow-on effect in Brisbane’s yardage game and they should work up the field cleanly enough again through Robinson in this one.
Where it gets more difficult for the Broncos this week is closer to the ruck.
The Titans middle is owned by Georgia Hale at hooker and Sienna Lofipo at lock. Both women get through a mountain of work each week to ensure the Gold Coast rarely concedes cheap metres in yardage.
If this game settles into a grind like it profiles to, the difference will come in moments.
For Brisbane, they’ll look to Tamika Upton to orchestrate points. Brigginshow and Jesse Southwell both have a role to play in setting up their star fullback but the Titans defence will know where to send the extra number on Sunday afternoon.
The Titans have a few different options to turn to when the game is in the balance. Teagan Levi is lightning at five-eighth, Ivanio Isa’ako is a gamebreaker in the backrow and Lauren Brown can create scoring chances from nothing with a pass, run or kick.
In a low scoring grind, it’s the Gold Coast who are better equipped to win their moments and defend from there.
Tips: Gold Coast Titans to Win @ $2.15,
Anytime Tryscorer: Destiny Mino-Sinapati @ $2.20, Teagan Levi @ $2.90
