Showdown in halves key to securing major rugby league prize
There are some big match-ups all over the park but this game will be won in the halves with both teams having players that can turn the grand final.
Ipswich
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Bomber’s Blast
Anthony Breeze
Sunday is the culmination of the NRL season with the second-placed Penrith Panthers playing third-placed South Sydney Rabbitohs in the grand final.
The NRL season has undergone some changes along the way because of Covid. However, it has powered ahead and given the Queensland public who support teams other than the Broncos, Titans and Cowboys an opportunity to see their heroes in the flesh.
The Melbourne Storm were the gun team achieving a 19 game winning record but unfortunately that meant nothing when defeated by a gritty Panthers outfit last week.
Penrith’s grand final opponents Souths have looked good all the way through the final series and will strive to again produce a performance that enables them to roll the Panthers.
There are some big match-ups all over the park but this game will be won in the halves with both teams having the calibre players that can turn this match.
Souths will look to Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker for their spark while Penrith have the mercurial Nathan Cleary and Jerome Luai who will be in all the Panthers attacking raids.
Respective forward packs are strong and it will be the one that can get over the advantage line that will put their team on the path to title success.
Who wins this one?
I am going for the Rabbits as they have the more flair and excitement.
Adam Reynolds will steer his team around to perfection.
Tip: Souths 1-12 with Damian Cook to win the Clive Churchill Medal.
Stars unite to end 57 years of torment
The AFL Grand Final was played last weekend with a 57 year hoodoo broken when the Melbourne Demons won their first flag since 1964.
Melbourne were the best team all season and came to play with a brilliant first quarter before going to sleep in the second and then powering home to win by an ever widening 74 point margin.
The team was superbly led by captain Max Gawn but he had plenty of great teammates on the big day, none better then midfielder and Norm Smith medallist Christian Petracca who polled the maximum 15 votes. Other players to star were Clayton Oliver 37 possessions, Christian Salem (27), Angus Brayshaw (25) and Jack Viney (25).
Bailey Fritish was also in the action kicking a record six goals on the big stage while fellow forward Ben Brown contributed three.
The final siren didn’t just end the game. It ended the torment of the legion of Demon supporters who have suffered over the 57 year period.
The market has opened for the 2022 flag with bookmakers having Melbourne as favourites at $4.50 to go back-to-back.
Quick thoughts
WINNERS: 1. Brisbane who finally got the official news that they will definitely get a second NRL team.
2. Alexander Volkanovski who retained his UFC Featherweight belt with a point decision over Brian Ortega.
3. Oleksandr Usyk as he stunted the world with victory over Anthony Joshua to claim the World Heavyweight belt.
LOSERS: 1. The Cricket lawmakers who have changed batsman to batter to make it gender neutral. What has the world come to?
2. The Western Bulldogs who after a great first half in the AFL Grand Final, produced a poor second half to get flogged.
3. Team Europe in the Ryder Cup who were handed a smacking by Team USA. The Americans were in super form.
NRL UPWARDS: 1. The South Sydney Rabbitohs who dominated their semi-final and now have the chance to win the title for coach Wayne Bennett.
2. The Penrith Panthers who caused a boilover defeating the Melbourne Storm. They now have a chance to go one better than last year.
NRL DOWNWARDS: 1. The Sea Eagles and Storm who both lost their semi finals and now look to 2022.
2. The Storm boofheads who apparently have bought the game down with their silly antics.
3. Warrior Reece Walsh who admitted to drug possession. He should be punished for stupidity.
Birthdays September 30
1. 1963: Greg Williams - Australian rules footballer nicknamed ‘Diesel’ who played his career with Carlton and won Brownlow Medals in 1986 and 1994.
2. 1980: Martina Hingis - Champion Swiss tennis player who won five Grand Slam titles.
On this day
1. 1854: 1st cricket match was played at the MCG between Cricket Club members.
2. 1981: The IOC announces Seoul, South Korea as the host of the 1988 Summer Olympics.
3. 1988: The Soviet Union def Yugoslavia 76-63 to win the basketball gold medal at the Seoul Olympics.
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