NRL finals 2017: Looking back at great finals matches between this weekend’s opponents
IT’S a gift from the footy gods — an opening finals weekend packed with great teams and historic rivalry. All four clashes have been played before — and we’ve picked the best to look back on.
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IN of those strange footy coincidences, all four finals clashes this weekend have been repeated in the past.
In fact, apart from Sea Eagles-Panthers, each of the week one opponents have played in the finals at least three times.
To get you good and pumped up for this weekend’s action, we’ve fired up the wayback machine to select the best finals game between each of the clubs appearing in week one.
ROOSTERS VS BRONCOS
These two have met in the finals five times with Brisbane winning four of those matches, including the 2000 grand final.
The 14-6 victory by Wayne Bennett’s side was impressive in a clinical sort of way but the 2008 qualifying final between the two takes the cake here.
In a pulsating, back and forth match that was highlighted by some breathtaking attack and brutal defence, Brisbane came back from 14-2 down to win 24-16.
The highlight of the match was a brilliant try to Denan Kemp that came at the end of a 13-pass movement that went through nine sets of hands.
Brisbane went on to lose in heartbreaking fashion against Melbourne the next week in the final game of Bennett’s first stint as Broncos coach while the Roosters were beaten by the Warriors.
The Brisbane victories in the 1998 and 2015 prelim finals may have been more spectacular and the Roosters win in the 2002 prelim may have had higher stakes but in terms of overall quality this match is the clear winner.
STORM VS EELS
Melbourne have met Parramatta four times in finals football with the Storm winning all four matches and the clear winner for this section is the 2009 grand final, one of the more underrated deciders of the NRL era.
After 68 minutes Melbourne led 22-6 against the fairytale Eels and looked to be cruising before Parramatta fought back, scoring two quick tries first to Joel Reddy and later to Fuifui Moimoi. The Moimoi try is one of the best in grand final history, a death or glory charge to the corner that defied belief as he barrelled towards the line leaving a trail of Storm defenders in his wakes.
It put Parramatta within six with seven minutes left and for a moment a grand final miracle looked in the offing until a Greg Inglis field goal iced the premiership for the Storm. Special mention must go to the 1999 prelim, where Melbourne scored an upset win over the title favourites in an 18-16 victory that put the Victorians into their first grand final.
PANTHERS VS SEA EAGLES
Penrith have only played Manly in the finals once but the match was of such significance to Penrith as a club it’ll take some beating as the greatest finals clash between the two.
The Panthers and Sea Eagles faced off in a playoff for fifth spot in 1985 with Penrith’s first ever finals berth on the line. Playing under lights at the SCG on a Tuesday night, the match was level at 6-all at full-time.
A Paul Vautin field goal put Manly on top early but Penrith managed to claw their way back and win 10-7 to qualify for the finals for the first time since entering the competition in 1967.
SHARKS VS COWBOYS
The Cowboys bundled Cronulla out of the competition in emphatic fashion en route to their first title in 2015 and the Sharks returned the favour the following season but the classic finals encounter between these two has to be the qualifying final from 2013.
In one of the wildest games of the season, the Cowboys opened the scoring with a scrum play straight out of ARL 96 that put Brent Tate across before the Sharks replied with a try to Beau Ryan that was scored on the seventh tackle. Another try to Ben Pomeroy put Cronulla up 12-8 at the break but the Cowboys levelled up with a length of the field intercept try from rookie Wayne Ulugia.
Jason Taumalolo, in his first starring performance at the top level, crashed across soon thereafter. Back to back Cronulla tries put the Sharks up 20-18 and a final, desperate Cowboys attack fell short when Kane Linnett latched onto a pass in the corner but failed the ground the ball.
A desperate tackle from John Morris saved the day and the season for the Sharks in an absolute classic.
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