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NRL Week Three Finals Preview

Preliminary finals time in the NRL means another exciting week of NRL and another week of potential bookmaker payouts.

The final four almost mirrors the table at the conclusion of the regular season with the only exception the Bulldogs making it through from 7^th place at the expense of the Manly Sea Eagles.

After last week’s thrillers it is very difficult to separate the four remaining teams. Picking a winner this week could be tougher than dinner with the in-laws, and just imagine how tricky next week’s grand final will be too.

Let’s look at the games individually.

Roosters v Rabbitohs

The Rabbitohs will lazily head to ANZ stadium as the favourites in my view. I say lazily as the week off would have given them an opportunity to put their feat up and watch last week’s nail biting from a distance. Although the teams have already met twice this year and shared the spoils the Rabbitohs have appeared more composed in their finals performances thus far. They closed out Manly expertly, whereas the Roosters have struggled with leads in bug games. Having said that the last time these sides met the Roosters targeted the Rabbitohs up front, in particular Sam Burgess. While some of their tactics were questionable (Dylan Napa was shoulder charging everything in sight) it did upset the Rabbitohs powerful forward pack.

There remain some question marks over Adam Reynolds’ finals caliber – Can he lead his team around the park as well as he did against Manly? Equally though Anthony Minichiello has mistakes in him, and Sonny Bill Williams has been either rocks or diamonds every time he’s carried the ball in this finals series.

Odds courtesy of Tom Waterhouse:

South Sydney Rabbitohs $1.76

Sydney Roosters $2.10

Rabbitohs by 7.

Panthers v Bulldogs

Some would argue that the Panthers got in the way of what could have been the greatest Grand Final the sport has ever seen when they knocked over the Roosters in week one of the finals. The truth is they deserve their spot in the last four. They play with passion and dedication. Ivan Clearly and Phil Gould have galvanized this club to the point where they are very much in contention.   In Matt Moylan, Jamal Idris and Josh Mansour they have three game changing backs who could run rings around the Bulldogs relatively inexperienced backline.

The Bulldogs on the other hand run most of their set plays through big Englishman James Graham. With his ability to mix brutality with deft distribution he can set the likes of Tony Williams and Josh Jackson on to the so-called defensive frailties of Jamie Soward.

Penrith Panthers $2.15

Bulldogs $1.73

Bulldogs by 10.

Random Tip – A multi on draws at half time in both games ($11 and $23 respectively).

Related posts:

NRL Week One Finals Review NRL Week Two Finals Review 2014 NRL Grand Final Preview Rugby League: NRL Round 2 Review