Desperate Dragons try to secure top eight spot for their passionate fans
FATHER’S Day? Sunday is Finals Day! After 26 rounds and 190 matches, the crucial top eight for the 2017 final series will be confirmed at 6pm on Sunday.
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FATHER’S Day?
Forget about it, Sunday is Finals Day.
After 26 rounds, 190 matches and 15,243 minutes, the crucial top eight for 2017 will be confirmed at 6pm on Sunday.
On a special Sunday of uncertainty, nothing is more assured — hearts will be shattered and premierships imagined after what shapes as the most important 80 minutes of the NRL season.
The Dragons, who face Canterbury at ANZ Stadium at 4pm, hold all the cards.
The equation is simple — if the ninth-placed Dragons win, eighth-placed North Queensland will be relegated from the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
If Paul McGregor’s Dragons lose, their season is over and the Cowboys will cling onto eighth position.
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St George Illawarra will start favourites against a Bulldogs side which has spent 26 weeks besieged by drama.
Victory by the Dragons, who boast a favourable +89 points differential, would propel them to seventh and run directly into a headstrong sixth-placed Manly side at Allianz Stadium, most likely next Saturday night.
Thanks to the Sea Eagles’ ambush of Penrith, the Sharks — despite facing the Knights in Newcastle on Sunday afternoon — are assured of fifth spot.
If the Dragons can beat the Bulldogs, the Sharks will meet the Panthers in an elimination final bout at Allianz, most likely next Sunday afternoon.
If the Bulldogs cause an upset, then Cronulla would host the Cowboys and frighteningly for Panthers fans, they would be forced into a rematch with the Sea Eagles at Allianz next Saturday night.
“I feel like we’ve performed our best this season when we’ve been under pressure — and next week (elimination final), is one of those occasions,’’ Manly’s Daly Cherry Evans said.
“We’re going to leave nothing in the tank.’’
What is also certain is that the Roosters (second) will host Brisbane (third) on Friday night at 7.55pm at Allianz Stadium, while Melbourne (first) will tackle Parramatta (fourth) at AAMI Park on Saturday at 4.10pm.
For now, all eyes are on the Dragons, who will be boosted by the return of representative star Josh Dugan — dropped after missing last week’s bus to Penrith.
He returns in the centres aware that defeat will be his final appearance in the Red V before joining premiers Cronulla next season.
Emotion will be high in the Bulldogs dressing rooms also.
Not only is the year from hell over for coach Des Hasler and the boys from Belmore, but so too is the playing career at Canterbury of one of their favourite sons, Josh Reynolds.
Bound for the Wests Tigers next year, Reynolds has been cleared to return from a calf injury for the Dogs — his final appearance at the club where he made his debut in 2011.
“A lot of the Bulldogs fans I know say ‘the only teams you have to beat this year are the Dragons and Parra’,” Reynolds said this week.
“It has fallen in a great position and I’m sure the fans would want us to have the bragging rights, so they can have them for the rest of the year.
“We want to finish on a high and they want to make the finals. It’s going to be a great game. Two big clubs with two big fan bases.”
Departing Dogs duo Sam Kasiano and Michael Lichaa will also receive farewells.
The match could also be Canterbury captain James Graham’s last for the club.
Canterbury’s salary cap debacle has forced the big Englishman to prepare to play for the Dragons in 2018.
In the final days of talks with Dragons officials, Graham is due to make a decision on whether to accept the three-year deal and leave Canterbury, within the next 72 hours.
One thing the Bulldogs know, is how to beat St George Illawarra.
The Dragons couldn’t score a try in their round 16 Queen’s Birthday 16-2 defeat to Canterbury at ANZ Stadium and they haven’t beaten the Bulldogs since 2015. Of the 18 matches played at ANZ, Canterbury have won 12.
However, this match isn’t just the focus for St George-Illawarra and their Red V army.
This is the match that fans from as far as Townsville are sweating on.
This is more than just Father’s Day.
This is Finals Day.
MEMBER APPRECIATION AT ANZ STADIUM ON SUNDAY
• A capped ticket price of $25 for adults and $40 for families, with free entry for juniors 12 and under.
• No reserved seating on the eastern side of ANZ Stadium.
• All tickets include free return train travel.
• Dragons and Bulldogs members entitled to free entry as part of their 2017 club memberships;
• $3 pies and sausage rolls at ANZ Stadium until kick-off
Originally published as Desperate Dragons try to secure top eight spot for their passionate fans
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