Broncodroid's Grandfinal Prediction

[Broncodroid]

Let's start with the game itself leading on the first try scorer, clive churchill medal etc.

The Game

Why is the "Grandfinal everyone wanted ?"

* We have the games best defensive side in the Roosters (368A) vs the best attacking side we have seen in some in the Bulldogs (760F).

* We have the minor premiers in the Roosters vs the second place getters in the Bulldogs.

* In 2002, the Bulldogs were the best team in the competition stripped of 37 premiership points for breaching the salary cap with Roosters going on to win the competition from 5th. Unfinished business.

* This season, the Roosters vs Bulldogs head to head battle stands at 1 game a piece, where in Round 3 the Roosters where 35-0 winners in which the Dogs returned serve in Round 13 smacking Sydney City 40-12. Going into the game 3 in the series decider and Grandfinal decider, the Bulldogs combined are 40, the Roosters are 47.

The above 4 points are IMO the main points of interest in this game. Throw in the head to head battler like O'Meley vs Morley, Mason vs Fitzgibbon, Finch vs Sherwin and Fittler vs Anasta, this is a game no true Rugby League fan is going to want to miss.

The Roosters this season have again set the bench mark in the competition when looking at the table, with the loss of Ricketson perhaps Flannery, both proven represenative players, the Dogs go into the game favourites even without inspirational captain Steve Price.

Let's look at the Roosters vs the top 8 teams in the competition:

R3 vs CANT - W 35-0
R4 vs PEN - L 6 - 22
R5 vs BRIS - L 14 - 26
R7 vs STG - W 11 - 8
R8 vs CAN - W 28 - 8
R13 vs CANT - L 12 - 40
R17 vs NQ - W 32 - 22
R19 vs STG - W 18- 14
R21 vs MEL - W 26 - 10
R23 vs PEN - W 44 - 12
R24 vs CAN - W 38 - 22

SM1 vs CAN - W 38 - 12
SM2 vs NQ - W 19 16

Impressive to say the least winning 10 from 13, 321pts for and 212 pts against. Looking at the averages; Sydney City score 25 pts allowing 16 pts vs top 8 teams.

The strength for the Roosters is their up and in your face defence which will have to be intact vs the Dogs who can put points on at will. This style of defence suffocates their opponent frustrating them into forced passes, dropped ball and looking for the big play that is not there to break the line.

The Roosters will need to ensure Hodges and Walker do not overplay the occasion and fall trap to defensive lapses or looking for the home run play each opportunity in attack. If they play well, the Roosters are looking good.

Attacking wise, the Roosters depend on the kick return of Minichello to start things off. Minichello is the best returner in the game and despite his size, he is as strong as any in the team pound for pound. Mini will eat up the meters if Canterbury choose to kick to him and he will provide the start to a solid go forward in which the Roosters are awesome at the quick play the ball. Inspiring forward Fitzgibbon will lead the hit up department and Morley will relish another opportunity where last year he was a one man wrecking crew with ball in hand or when defending.

On the back of a quick play the ball, look for Finch and Fittler to turn the ball inside to the speed men Walker and Heggarty as well as pushing it wide looking for the hole. I think you will see Fittler run the ball more in this game in which Minichello, Finch, Walker and Heggarty will be trailing in support.

Craig Wing will be a factor at some stage in his game as I believe you can catch the Dogs around the middle of the ruck with tiring big guys like Shrek, Perry, Mason and Asotasi.

Kicking wise, near the line, the Roosters will look too Utai who was exposed in the finals early in the piece with the cross kick. Finch may also look for the grubber to the posts with Walker and Minichello speeding through.

Now Canterbury...

Losing Price was huge, but replacement Asotasi showed he is a handy replacement in tandem with O'Meley. O'Meley will be huge in tomorrow's game IMO taking this battle with Morley and Crocker personal which could lead to blows as many have tipped.


R3 vs SYD - L 0 - 35
R8 vs BRIS - W 25 - 18
R10 vs STG - W 38 - 12
R12 vs PEN - L 29 - 40
R13 vs SYD - W 40 - 12
R15 vs CAN - W 24 - 20
R16 vs NQ - W 32 - 18
R18 vs MEL - W 25 - 18
R21 vs PEN - W 46 - 20
R22 vs NQ - W 36 - 16
R23 vs BRIS - W 46 - 18
R24 vs MEL - L 12 - 22

SM1 vs NQ - L 22 - 30
SM2 vs MEL - W 43 -18
SM3 vs PEN - W 30 - 14

Equally as impressive as Sydney City winning 11 from 15, 448pts for and 311 pts against. Looking at the averages; Canterbury score 30 pts allowing 21 pts vs top 8 teams.

Canterbury like the Roosters rely on the big men to get the go forward happening and even with Price out, the Roosters will still be in for a tough afternoon with O'Meley, Asotasi, SBW, Ryan and Mason. If the Roosters can prevent the Dogs rolling forward, the afternoon for playmakers Sherwin and Anasta gets that much harder.

Sherwin is the playmaker and if he is on his game, a direct result from good play from the forwards, the Dogs normally win. His kicking game will be a factor in the outcome on Sunday afternoon, whether it be 40/20 kicks, grubbers behind the line, cross kicks to the flying El Masri or Utai...Shifty has to be playing well for the Dogs to have a hope. I think there is more pressure on Sherwin to play well than so for Finch who has Fittler who can take the game by the reins. Anasta I am still not sold on in running a team on his own.

The second phase play of Canterbury is brilliant to watch if it is in full swing, look for Mason, O'Meley to pop balls to Patten, Perry and a roving El Masri.

I envisage Canterbury looking to attack Hodges and Walker. Hodges is more of a defensive liabilty than Walker and he will have nightmares of the last time he met Willie Tonga who tore him a new one in round 13. If the Dogs ask Hodges to make a defensive decision, the occasion and lack of a footballing brain IMO, could see the floodgates open.

Defensively, the Dogs can be guilty of being a little lazy around the ruck and I read with interest that Perry last weekend missed 7+ tackles which is not good enough to beat Sydney City with the lightning quick Wing. If Folkes leaves a guy like Mason out too long when he is blowing the big one's due to fatigue, look for Wing to run on the Dogs whenever he can.

Finally on the Dogs, the goalkicking of El Masri will be vital, and poor discipline from Sydney City could be a factor. I do not envisage this from a Stuart coached team, though if it was a likely event, El Masri will pot them from anywhere on the field.

The Outcome

I am tipping the Roosters to secure victory in which the decision was made a little easier when hearing Price has had to withdraw. The 'us against them' mentality and Brad Fittler's farewell will see them pound the Dogs into submission and I think personally the spectacle will not effect the 'been there, done that' Roosters as much as it will effect the like of Anasta, Utai and co.

Sydney City 27 defeating Canterbury 20

First Try Score: Chris Walker off inside ball from Fittler or Finch.

Enjoy the night !

 

[brenno]

Dogs by 12. Finch to choke under pressure and the dogs will play with passion and heart without price, something which the Roosters lack. Sonny Bill to star off the bench with some big hits and offloads. Chris Walker and Hodges to have shockers.

 

[TheEye]

Finch to choke under pressure and the dogs will play with passion and heart without price, something which the Roosters lack. Sonny Bill to star off the bench with some big hits and offloads. Chris Walker and Hodges to have shockers.

Is there any original thought in that or is that just a quick snap-shot summary regurgitating all the anti-rooster posts from this week? :lol:

BroncoDroid - nice summary

 

[Stranger]

* In 2002, the Bulldogs were the best team in the competition stripped of 37 premiership points for breaching the salary cap with Roosters going on to win the competition from 5th. Unfinished business.

They werent the best team in the comp because they cheated. They didnt deserve the 2002 Premiership.

Sherwin has a poor ball playing game but a strong kicking game.
Finch will choke like he did when canberra were beating the knights and he kicked it out on the full. (Canberra lost because of it :lol: )

Omealy will be best on ground for dogs with mason
Ryan Cross will have a great game getting a double.Craig Fitzgibbon will get Churchill meadle for best on ground over all.

 

[strong_latte]

* In 2002, the Bulldogs were the best team in the competition stripped of 37 premiership points for breaching the salary cap with Roosters going on to win the competition from 5th. Unfinished business.

It's a very good summary, but I would argue any doubts over the 2002 premiership credentials of the roosters was settled when easts knocked off the doggies in last years semi final to get to the GF....

 

[Earl]

Its not Sydney City.

 

[Dragon Fanatic]

Its Eastern Suburbs.

 

[Dragon Fanatic]

Too close to call for mine.
Saints to win Reggies and Easts to win Flegg.

 

[JW]

They're good reads these posts of your's Broncodroid.

Well done

Cheers.

 

[gregstar]

good effort horseoid!

 

[LaCuna Coil]

Great post Broncodroid, hope your prediction is correct.

 

[Kris_man]

Broncodroid = absolute meataxe of a poster

I reckon the Roosters are gonna win, and i'm gonna have $50 on it happening. go you Chooks! i reckon the Bulldogs pack is better with guns like Mason, Sonny-Bill and O'Meley, but the Roosters have the better backline (more spark. Bulldogs player like Harris, Patten and El Masri are good, but don't have the flair of a Hodges, Walker or Minichiello). the halfs are about as good as each other, although the Bulldogs halfs have the better kicking game. Roosters have the advantage, though, of a third option kicker in Craig Wing.

the reason i tip the Roosters, though, is mainly their impenetrable wall of defence - i think it's gonna be rock solid on the night. and i can't see a repeat of last year's premiership decider where they saved their worst game til last. Roosters by 8 - a late try sealing the game.

 

[Broncodroid]

First of all, thanks for the kind words guy, much appreciated ;-)

Secondly, I have to add my Clive Churchill Medal winner which is missing from the opening post. I have simply copy / pasted from the poll I started for the award on page 2 of this forum.

My Vote

I am supporting the Sydney City Roosters in this one and think they will get the job on Sunday night, going off this, I cannot go past:

Craig Fitzgibbon who I rate alongside Nathan Hindmarsh as the best forward running around in the world. Fitzgibbon will be on the field for 80 mins, he will be in the top 3 tacklers in this game, he will be top 3 in the hit up department and will be the leading pointscorer for the Roosters 99% of the time given he is the goalkicker.

Fitzgibbon reminds me of Brad Clyde, a tireless player who inspires teammates with the amount of work he does in attack and defence. Even in a losing side on Sunday, he is still going to figure in calculations ala Brad Mackay in 1993 for St.George.

The most impressive thing about Fitzgibbon is the fact he comes up big in big games wether it be for the tri colours, sky blue or green and gold jersey. A previous winner, if he manages to secure the medal for a 2nd time, he will join an elite company.

If the result goes the other way, I would place my money on Mason, Sherwin or O'Meley.

 

[Broncodroid]

Well, I got the first try scorer albeit of a Fittler kick across his body to Walker and not the inside ball, I did mention Mason as one of 3 to take the Clive Churchill Medal if the "result went the other way" as well. The most important part, the small subect of who I thought was going to win, I got wrong :lol: The Canterbury Bulldogs are our premiers of 2004! A deserved win.

My random thoughts:

* Mason, O'Meley, Asotasi, SBW and Ryan all stood up to the Roosters laying the platform for the win. Mason had an unbelievable 235m in a Grand Final, Mason my friend, you came of age last night on one of the biggest stages in the game. Congraulations !

* Justin Hodges, before coming to Bronco's, I would suggest taking a long, hard look at yourself. You obviously recognise the fact you have lost speed which effects your whole game, but cut the BS. Tonga once again showed why he is a better player than yourself in which you react in a rather childlike manner whatever chance you got. Whilst you were more concerned with niggling Tonga, you were a non-event in attack which hurt your team equally as much as Walker's failure to read the attack twice in defence dropping 2 balls in a rather hapless night for you both.

* Brad Fittler tried to ignite this team, but with teammates guilty of not showing up mentally, he was not able to end his great career on a fairytale high. Best of luck in the future.

* Ryan Cross, seemingly you have escaped some criticism today which I think is wrong. You played rather poorly letting your side down on 2 occassions from memory which could of led to scoring chances simply failing to hold the ball running off Freddie.

* Anthony Tupou played strong last night and what about that bust he made setting up Mini to end scoring in the 1st half. Another solid performance, you can hold your head high this morning.

* Adrian Morley, where were ya' big fella' ? There were flashes of GF 2003 about you, but there was not enough of it for mine. I was disappointed in Morley last night who needed to take the fight to O'Meley, Mason and SBW.

* Sonny-Bill Williams, once again, showed why he is rated so highly by respected League identities. He hit hard, AGAIN, he showed poise, AGAIN, and in attack seems to have all the time in the world popping brilliant balls at the right time rarely making a bad decision.

I could go on, but there is more posting to do and I fear I may just be repeating myself :lol:

Congrats to the Doggies and their fans, a year which could of went belly up before it started and you guys are now sitting atop of the pile ! Awesome effort, simple awesome and enjoy the celebration !

p.s. Andrew Ryan, classy act calling up captain Steve Price last night. Apart from playing brilliantly, you showed the Dogs will inherit another captain who will continue to be a shining light out at Belmore.

Here's hoping you are not duped by Aussie selectors for BK!

 

[JW]

Justin Hodges, before coming to Bronco's, I would suggest taking a long, hard look at yourself. You obviously recognise the fact you have lost speed which effects your whole game, but cut the BS. Tonga once again showed why he is a better player than yourself in which you react in a rather childlike manner whatever chance you got. Whilst you were more concerned with niggling Tonga, you were a non-event in attack which hurt your team equally as much as Walker's failure to read the attack twice in defence dropping 2 balls in a rather hapless night for you both.

Hope you have fun ruining the Clydesdales chances next year Mr. Hodges :evil:

Cheers.

 

[mightypanther]

Dogs by 12. Finch to choke under pressure and the dogs will play with passion and heart without price, something which the Roosters lack. Sonny Bill to star off the bench with some big hits and offloads. Chris Walker and Hodges to have shockers.

:lol: You must be psychic :lol: