Well sports fans the SGB games this week for spots in the semi-finals will be very interesting especially with respect to some of the key match-ups. Here our my thoughts on the key head-to-heads.
PANTHERS v BULLDOGS
The most important for mine will be the half-back battle. Soni Luke is an absolute demon off the scrum break and has scored a host of tries when he has caught his opposite number napping. He has also done the same when he has come into dummy half, catching tired forwards of guard. Nevertheless he will be up against the current NSW half-back in Bredan Cox who is equally good, and perhaps a better defender than Luke.
However Cox seemed to sustain a serious injury on the weekend and he may not be there this week so it will probably fall to Brad Keighran to manage the explosive and elusive Luke. If the role does fall to Keighran he and the inside forwards will want to be on guard as the ever reliable Ben Johns doesn't look like he will be returning anytime soon to sure up the defence in the middle. Mind you the Panthers will have to be mindful of Keighran's passing game which was on point last Saturday!
The next battle will be between the forwards, in particular the the battle between the rampaging Moses Leota and the Bulldogs captain courageous (and current NSW prop) Anthony Semrany. This will be an awesome battle as both are hard running props with NO HAND-BRAKES. The next on my list will be the confrontation between Royce Hunt (if he isn't moved to wing again) and Peter Tia Tia, and should be good as both are solid and fast running back rowers. Hunt certainly knows his way to the try line when he gets a sniff of it!
And last but not least the centre match-ups. The speedy Toi Toi for the Dogs who has had a marvellous season will be coming up against an equally great centre in the hard runnning and tackle busting Tia Kilifi. That is of course if Tia Kilifi makes it back onto the field as he too seemed to sustain a serious injury on Saturday. The playing style of these two players are very different and will make for a great spectacle.
A similar battle will take place between the Panthers freakish scoring machine Naden and the current NSW centre Morgan. In terms of points on the board, Naden certainly has the running, and like Luke and Tia Kilifi, has been a go to player for points this season. Nevertheless the deceptively speedy and tackle breaking Morgan is coming off two great weeks of football (and from games which were do or die for the Dogs)!
SOUTHS V BALMAIN
When these two teams met earlier in R5 the Bunnies dished out a footballing lesson, however in my opinion the Tigers did have key players missing. Most notable for mine was Rhys Armstrong (a current NSW rep). For mine this game will be won in the forwards, and battles should be epic, that is of course if South's turn up to play and don't take the opposition for granted like they did last Saturday.
I am particularly looking forward to the Whitelaw and Saena versus Tatola and Sokobalava hit-out. Saena and Tatola will probably end up as team mates in the NSWCCC u/18 team this year but there is sure to be no love lost when the Samoan meets the Tongan come this Saturday! I'm expecting bone breaking hits when these four meet as all are renowned hitters (and sometimes not legally either ... Lol).
Another key match-up for me will be the Satterthwaite and Cotterell battle out on the flank. The former has been a try scoring machine for the Tigers but he is up against a strong defender in Cotterell. Should be good.
Though they are not a key match-ups for me, the following players involvement the game will have an impact. Firstly, captain courageous for the Tigers, Matt Wood, and secondly there hard hitting all round workhorse Armstrong. For the Bunnies their x-factor of Alex Johnson (current Australian and NSW Rep). Johnson has been very quiet this season, whereas it has been the total opposite for Wood. Nonetheless when Johnson fires he goes like a rocket!
Thoughts anyone!
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