The run to the finals

[SpaceMonkey]

roosters aren’t really a threat. Sharks and Broncos are. We need to beat Manly next week. Both Sharks and Broncos have tough games, although Storm and Bulldogs might rest players

I don’t think the chooks are a serious premiership threat but they’re good enough to give us problems. I think the Sharks have just as much of a soft underbelly.

 

[Meth]

I don’t think the chooks are a serious premiership threat but they’re good enough to give us problems. I think the Sharks have just as much of a soft underbelly.

oh yeah, they could beat us for sure. I just meant in terms of finishing above us on the ladder

 

[Burns]

Can’t finish below 6th place.
Assuming results follow as expected, it’ll be a Week 1 elimination home final against Penrith (6th v 7th).

eek.

 

[Meth]

Can’t finish below 6th place.
Assuming results follow as expected, it’ll be a Week 1 elimination home final against Penrith (6th v 7th).

eek.

I don’t think Sharks and Broncos are sure things to win next week.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

oh yeah, they could beat us for sure. I just meant in terms of finishing above us on the ladder

Just as well, that second half was quite the turnaround!

 

[Meth]

Assuming the Broncos beat the Cowboys today and the Sharks beat the Knights, where we finish will be determined by 3 games.

Warriors v Manly
Broncos v Storm
Bulldogs v Sharks

If we win and the Storm and the Bulldogs win, we're 4th.

Unfortunately for us, this is a perfect game for the Storm and the Bulldogs to rest players. Melbourne are finishing 2nd and the Bulldogs are finishing 3rd.

So, yeah, I have us playing the Panthers at home week 1 and that'll be the year.

 

[nswarrior]

Assuming the Broncos beat the Cowboys today and the Sharks beat the Knights, where we finish will be determined by 3 games.

Warriors v Manly
Broncos v Storm
Bulldogs v Sharks

If we win and the Storm and the Bulldogs win, we're 4th.

Unfortunately for us, this is a perfect game for the Storm and the Bulldogs to rest players. Melbourne are finishing 2nd and the Bulldogs are finishing 3rd.

So, yeah, I have us playing the Panthers at home week 1 and that'll be the year.

We will play Roosters or Panthers at home and pull a surprise win with Ford as MoM

 

[Meth]

A tigers win would probably help us

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Assuming the Broncos beat the Cowboys today and the Sharks beat the Knights, where we finish will be determined by 3 games.

Warriors v Manly
Broncos v Storm
Bulldogs v Sharks

If we win and the Storm and the Bulldogs win, we're 4th.

Unfortunately for us, this is a perfect game for the Storm and the Bulldogs to rest players. Melbourne are finishing 2nd and the Bulldogs are finishing 3rd.

So, yeah, I have us playing the Panthers at home week 1 and that'll be the year.

My maths says that, too.

The Panthers might rest those guys again this week.

Can we imagine playing the four-time premiers with their whole 17, or near on, coming off a two-week rest - fresh as daisies? That is frightening.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Mind you, it just as easily could be the Roosters at home, now that I look at it.

Will Penrith rest guys? Would they rather play us at home, or the Sharks? You'd have to presume Brisbane will beat Melbourne as the Storm will rest players, the Dogs likely will too so the Sharks are a red-hot chance, so Penrith will likely think a win = us in NZ, a loss = Sharks in Sydney. Will having to travel as part of their finals campaign come into the thinking too heavily?

Wow, what an intriguing week and team naming it's going to be.

And hey, we should reflect that whilst it's incredibly disappointing we are not going to make the top 4 (likely), we are still guaranteed top 6 and a home final. That is a hell of an achievement coming from where we were in Vegas, last year, injuries etc. Still hurts a bit that we dropped games like the Titans at home, the Eels etc, of course.

 

[Meth]

Storm not resting players, Bellamy says

 

[vvvrulz]

And hey, we should reflect that whilst it's incredibly disappointing we are not going to make the top 4 (likely), we are still guaranteed top 6 and a home final. That is a hell of an achievement coming from where we were in Vegas, last year, injuries etc. Still hurts a bit that we dropped games like the Titans at home, the Eels etc, of course.

Agreed, I almost don't think it even matter anymore if we finish top 4 or not.
Finishing 4th is almost a guaranteed loss in week one and then we're back to a knock-out at home anyway.

At least this way we have a chance to gain some momentum against Manly, not be exhausted by another trip and intense match, ready to pump everything we have into it in front of our home fans. Sure it's a long ride to the final from there, but let's be real getting to even the prelim would be a miracle.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Its just good to be discussing finals in a season where it was expected we'd be talking fighting off the spoon.

Bring it on

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Its just good to be discussing finals in a season where it was expected we'd be talking fighting off the spoon.

Bring it on

100% right.

Hey we're either getting a life or a home final (obviously with the life we get it, as well). That's a huge result.

I heard a rumour Eden Park was being considered for the home final? Surely not.

 

[Meth]

Star’s big Panthers resting hint; Hasler’s final throw of the dice: Teams Chat LIVE

Star’s big Panthers resting hint; Hasler’s final throw of the dice: Teams Chat LIVE

www.foxsports.com.au

"Any chance of Melbourne resting multiple players was thrown out the window after last week’s 40-0 second-half drubbing at the hands of the Roosters. A seething Craig Bellamy will want to make sure his players are switched on ahead of the finals so outside of those with genuine niggling injuries, you can expect a close to full-strength Storm side. With that in mind, Xavier Coates, Nick Meaney, Eliesa Katoa and Josh King should return after getting a rest last week while Jahrome Hughes is set to play his first game since injuring his shoulder. “He prefers coming back a week before the finals rather than coming back in a finals game,” Bellamy said of Hughes. “He is really keen to get back next week. If the medical people think it is not plausible or it is a real big risk, well we probably won’t do it... we’re really keen to get him back out there next week and he is keen to do it. He thinks he is feeling okay with the shoulder so hopefully the week will turn out okay.”

"There won’t be mass restings for the Bulldogs, even if they can’t improve their position on the ladder. But coach Cameron Ciraldo did confirm in an interview with ABC Sport that any players carrying niggling injuries would get a break. “When you’re resting players, it depends on what part of the journey you’re on,” Ciraldo said. “Melbourne and Penrith are ahead of the journey, so it’s easy for them to rest. If we have some niggles I’m not going to throw them out there. We will rest them if we have to.” Both Jacob Kiraz (foot) and Harry Hayes (hamstring) will remain sidelined while the Bulldogs will probably be incentivised to give Viliame Kikau(illness) a hit-out if he is 100 per cent and ready to go. It sounds like that is the case, with Ciraldo telling reporters after the Penrith game that Kikau would be “refreshed and energetic and back at training tomorrow”.

 

[JJ]

that story says Cam Murray could be back? Why on earth would Souths do that??

 

[Penrose Warrior]

that story says Cam Murray could be back? Why on earth would Souths do that??

He probably really wants to play. He’s a competitor

 

[JJ]

He probably really wants to play. He’s a competitor

Sure, but still a dumb risk imo, he’s so important

 

[Matua]

Its just good to be discussing finals in a season where it was expected we'd be talking fighting off the spoon.

Bring it on

TBH, I don't think I've ever worried we'd get the spoon, in fact there were times I wished we'd actually get it to jolt the club into not being so tutae.

 

[ozenzud]

Well in the words of Rod Stewart, "tonight's the night'. We are gunna find out if we are alright. Because, oddly enough, if we lose against Manly, and the Sharks and Brisbane win, we finish in exactly the same position, as if we win.

In other words, for anything meaningful to happen, the Sharks and Brisbane have to lose. We have to win against Manly of course. I'm not picking that result, but hoping for it.

Manly have a mathematical chance of qualifying, but its only that. They have to turn around an 80 for and against deficit agin the Rorters and have other results go their way. It would be a miracle.

So tonight, everyone will be cheering for the Harry Grant-less Storm.