So the Panthers went into last week's final with 92 combined finals+Origin games. Less than the Roosters, but also red hot favorites, indicating their superior ability. In the game day thread merkins were asking how the Chooks were still in the game. The answer is that they had all that big game experience, while the Panthers didn't. They still had nearly 30 games worth more than us though.
The Souths side they will face this weekend is much better than the battered Roosters, but not as good as the Panthers. Souths are at similar odds to us last week. Is it because they are seen as chokers or that Cleary is a better coach than Bennett? No it's because they have proven their quality over 21 games. But the finals are a different proposition, with a lot more noise and bullshit that the players need to block out.
I'm keen to see how they go. In order I'm supporting Canberra, Penrith and Souths. I expect Melbourne to beat Souths in the grand final, which will suck.
