We put every NRL finals team under the blowtorch, revealing their strengths, weaknesses ... and who needs to stand up
They’ve racked up 15 straight wins and just one defeat for the entire season — but one nagging question remains for Nathan Cleary and the Panthers. NRL FINALS FORMGUIDE
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Paul Crawley runs his rule over the NRL finals sides and reveals the players who must stand up to be counted at the business end of the season.
PANTHERS
Fifteen straight wins and just one defeat for the entire season. Now Ivan Cleary’s giant killers take on the reigning back-to-back premiers with the chance to finally settle this ongoing debate about whether the white-hot Panthers have the experience and composure to aim up under the finals blowtorch. Everything they’ve done this season suggests they’re ready. Nathan Cleary is in exceptional form, and his halves partner Jarome Luai doesn’t get near the credit he deserves. And while their forwards are tough and fearless, across the park they have strike, size, speed and, just as crucially, this season’s best defence (238 points conceded). Forgot to mention, at basically full strength.
Casualty ward/Suspensions: Charlie Staines (hamstring, indefinite)
TAB ODDS
This week: $1.75
Premiership: $3.50
ROOSTERS
If the Roosters take one positive out of Friday night’s flogging it’s that they now don’t have to travel to Queensland to take on the Storm this week. While it’s debatable if the Panthers will be any easier, what’s a certainty is that the team lapped by the Rabbitohs won’t run out with the same underwhelming attitude this week. Also factor in Joey Manu and Brett Morris returning to strengthen the right edge, along with Isaac Liu and Lindsay Collins in the middle. But the big concern surrounds Jake absenec, with young Freddy Lussick and Lachlan Lam facing a big task to fill the crucial dummy half role.
Casualty ward/Suspensions: Victor Radley (knee, season), Sam Verrills (knee, season), Billy Smith (knee, season), Jake Friend (concussion, TBC)
TAB ODDS
This week: $2.05
Premiership: $3.50
BUZZ:
Compromise that sealed Walters as Broncos coach
Robbo’s secret meeting with Bryce Cartwright
$800m pub baron chasing Panthers rookies for Dogs
STORM
Have won 18 straight in Queensland and now host the Eels back in their adopted state. Should be back at near full strength but yet to see if all this speculation about Craig Bellamy and Cameron Smith’s uncertain futures could unsettle the coming weeks. Even so, it’s hard to see too many negatives for the premiership favourites. In big matches, big match experience matters, and Cameron Smith is playing as well as ever. Cameron Munster is also in fine touch, while the excitement machine that is Ryan Papenhuyzen gets better by the week. Have a monster pack and go into the finals as the team to beat despite finishing second.
Casualty ward/Suspensions: Marion Seve (knee, season)
TAB ODDS
This week: $1.22
Premiership: $3.25
EELS
Finished third and still almost everyone is ready to write Parra off before the finals even kick off. And they’ve beaten the Storm this year, albeit an understrength Melbourne at Bankwest. This time it’s in Queensland and the man under most pressure is Mitchell Moses. The halfback really needs to stand up this week and play with composure and trust in himself and his teammates. It doesn’t help Dylan Brown’s still missing, although it would have been a huge relief for Brad Arthur to see Will Smith escape a judiciary charge. Clint Gutherson’s leadership continues to be their inspiration, leading the way with energy and commitment.
Casualty ward/Suspensions: Dylan Brown (ankle, finals week two), Peni Terepo (personal leave, indefinite)
TAB ODDS
This week: $4.25
Premiership: $21
RAIDERS
Take on the Sharks at home with their spirits high after the Raiders’ B-team gave John Morris’s side a workover. When Josh Hodgson went down this year you wouldn’t have blamed Ricky Stuart for giving up hope right then and there. Yet pretty much every week this team turns up and gives everything they’ve got. While injuries have mounted to other key forwards, their self-belief has not been broken. Stuart was heavily criticised for resting so many players last weekend, with talk it potentially surrendered their top four hopes. Yet the Eels’ win over the Tigers put that to bed regardless. Now Ricky’s gamble could prove his finals’ trump card.
Casualty ward/Suspensions: Josh Hodgson (knee, season), Emre Guler (ankle, indefinite), Corey Horsburgh (foot, indefinite), Curtis Scott (leg, indefinite), Bailey Simonsson (shoulder, season)
TAB ODDS
This week: $1.20
Premiership: $11
SHARKS
Haven’t beaten a top eight team all season, but at least the Sharks remain alive to give it one last crack. Yet there is no way of sugar-coating what happened in the final round against a second-string Raiders. It was shocking, which is why it is almost impossible to see how they can turn it around when Canberra has its big guns returning this week. Wade Graham needs to provide the inspiration. Also go into the play-offs with by far the worst defence of any top eight team, conceding 480 points in total. To put that in perspective, it’s more than 100 points above next worst Newcastle (374), and a long way behind top ranked Panthers (238).
Casualty ward/Suspensions: Shaun Johnson (Achilles, season), Matt Moylan (hamstring, season), Royce Hunt (knee, season), Bronson Xerri (suspension, indefinite), Cameron King (knee, season)
TAB ODDS
This week: $4.50
Premiership: $151
RABBITOHS
Any talk the Rabbitohs were in the finals to make up the numbers was well and truly silenced with a 60-8 demolition of the reigning champs. Cody Walker is in phenomenal touch and how good is Corey Allen going after taking over from Latrell Mitchell at fullback? There’s no question Souths have the firepower to match the big guns. But the point Wayne Bennett made after the win over the Roosters goes to the heart of where they are at as a footy team heading into this finals series. As Bennett said: “No one has to ask the question if we can beat the teams in the top four, because we can. Our challenge is to be that team every week.”
Casualty ward/Suspensions: James Roberts (pectoral, indefinite), Ethan Lowe (neck, season), Tom Amone (knee, season), Braidon Burns (knee, season), Latrell Mitchell (hamstring, season)
TAB ODDS
This week: $1.35
Premiership: $15
KNIGHTS
Surrendered a home final by going down to the Titans, which has left a huge question mark hanging over the Knights heading into this sudden death shootout with the big scoring Bunnies. Consistency has been Adam O’Brien’s issue all year, and it’s concerning they still haven’t sorted it out. Still, this will be Newcastle’s first finals appearance since 2013 so they have everything to play for. It is going to be exciting to see what Kalyn Ponga can deliver in finals footy. If Ponga fires and the Knights play to their potential they can upset Souths. But this ugly racial vilification allegation made against Mitch Barnett hasn’t made their week any easier.
Casualty ward/Suspensions: Tim Glasby (concussion, retired), Andrew McCullough (hamstring, season), Connor Watson (Achilles, season), Jayden Brailey (knee, season), Blake Green (knee, season)
TAB ODDS
This week: $3.20
Premiership: $101