It's the best weekend of the year! Here are the talking points looking ahead to two massive grand final qualifiers.
The battle of Queensland
It’s Maroons v Maroons in Friday's clash between Brisbane and Melbourne. Coaches Bennett and Bellamy will have been working overtime this week, but both for slightly differing reasons. For Bennett, the return of skipper and fullback Darius Boyd is a huge inclusion, and he should finally be able to settle on his preferred spine combination. He will be wary, though, that his players aren't relying on Boyd's return to fix what ails them. The Broncos have been scrappy, and haven't totally recovered their balance since the Eels trampled all over them a month ago. What they have been doing, with the exception of the final 3 minutes against the Roosters, is grinding out wins despite not being at their best. This week they will have no choice but to play the game of their season, otherwise they will very quickly be despatched by a clinical Storm team.
Craig Bellamy will not be feeling too comfortable, though, despite most pundits thinking his team are certainties. If there is one chink in the Bellamy armour, it is that on occasion, he has struggled to have his team at 100% after a week off in the finals. It is an eternal conundrum, whether the week off is help or hindrance. Most would surely take it, relishing the chance to freshen up and give the niggles an extra week to recover. But like a thoroughbred first up after a spell, you are never quite sure how they will come out of the barriers. They are deserved favourites, make no mistake, but a 10 point line for the Broncos is mighty tempting. Can't wait!
Fairytale run
The Cowboys have been the fairytale story of this year's finals series, knocking off the Sharks and the Eels in consecutive weeks to find themselves 80 minutes away from a grand final. The ruthless manner with which they dispatched Parramatta last week will have the Roosters on edge for this one, and Trent Robinson's men will have to start with a bang to knock the wind out of the Cowboys’ sail. Do this, and they will run over the top of the North Queenslanders, but if the Cowboys can hang in for 60 minutes, you would be backing Michael Morgan to find a way to get them home. This game rests squarely on the shoulders of the Roosters pack. Good line speed, leg drive on the hit ups, and gang tackles at the advantage line will all be written in bold in the play book. Their first 20 minutes will be explosive. But can they do it for the entire 80? History would suggest not, which might be all the opportunity Morgan needs to pinch another upset. In fact, the 8 points start looks a shot in this one too.
This will be a cracker! Enjoy your footy!
For the latest NRL Preliminary final odds, click here.
Words: Cameron Stokes
