Finals Week 1 - Tips & Crowds

[mattyg]

Fri 8.30pm (6.30pm AEST): New Zealand Warriors v Parramatta Eels - 26,400
Parramatta looked dangerous against the Broncos today...they really showed what they are capable of. I think Parramatta might just get the Warriors in this game, but it will be a very close game. Really looking forward to this match.

Sat 6.30pm: North Queensland Cowboys v Canterbury Bulldogs - 24,200
This one could really go either way. For mine its all about attitude. Bulldogs show up with the same attitude as last week and we'll get toweled by 40...however if we turn up like we did against Manly earlier in the year, we could do the opposite. I think we'll get our heads together this week (hopefully) and be too strong across the park for the Cowboys.

Sat 8.30pm: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles v South Sydney Rabbitohs - 21,300
This could be an upset if Souths play as they did in Rd 23 and 24, however the sudden drop in form for the Roosters game has me worried for them. I think Manly will be too strong for the Bunnies, who have done well to finally make the top 8.

Sun 3.45pm: Melbourne Storm v Brisbane Broncos - 14,500
Broncos coming off a massive loss with several players out will really struggle here...Melbourne will be looking for revenge for last years grand final. I think Melbourne might put a decent score on Broncos in this one

:crazy:

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Sunday September 9

Game 4- Sunday afternoon (3:30pm) Storm v Broncos @ Olympic park
First Qualifying Final, Geelong V Kangaroos MCG 2:30pm.

 

[ByRd]

That AFL wont effect the Storm game to much, i think they will still get over 14/15k easily.

 

[jumbo]

Final 1...Warriors win 13+
Final 2....Cowboys win 13 + if Willams does'nt play.
Final 3....Souths win 1-12
Fianl 4....Storm win,just. 1-12
Bring on the Finals.

 

[pcpp]

Don't see any upsets, but I reckon the Saturday games should be very close.

Should be a near sellout round - full houses in NZ, QLD, NSW and hopefully very close to one in VIC.

 

[gong_eagle]

Fri 8.30pm (6.30pm AEST): New Zealand Warriors v Parramatta Eels - 28,408


Sat 6.30pm: North Queensland Cowboys v Canterbury Bulldogs - 26,119


Sat 8.30pm: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles v South Sydney Rabbitohs - 20,008


Sun 3.45pm: Melbourne Storm v Brisbane Broncos - 13,590

 

[Timmah]

All grounds will sell out - 27k @ MSS, 26k @ DFS, 21k @ Brookie and 15.5k @ Olympic.

Eels, Dogs, Souths and Storm will win. Bye bye Brisbane and NZ.

 

[Mox]

They are adding more seats to the ground in Auckland

Should be around 29,000

 

[gong_eagle]

All grounds will sell out - 27k @ MSS, 26k @ DFS, 21k @ Brookie and 15.5k @ Olympic.

Eels, Dogs, Souths and Storm will win. Bye bye Brisbane and NZ.

I can see you Baracking for Manly if your dogs lose before manlys game:sarcasm:

 

[Rovelli]

New Zealand Warriors vs Parramatta Eels
Crowd: ~29,000
Score: Warriors 26 Eels 18
Home advantage is huge in this game. If Parra were at home, I'd back them to tip us over, and perhaps quite comfortably too. The fact that this is a night game, though, means the dew factor could come into play. Could even rain. This means whoever can complete their sets will have the upper hand. Both sides have to be really disciplined because both sides can score from anywhere on the park. I'm a Warriors fan and can't tip against them here. The home ground advantage for me.

North Queensland Cowboys vs Bulldogs
Crowd: ~22,000
Score: Cowboys 22 Bulldogs 30
This could be an absolute ripper. SBW should be suspended for this game. In a big game like this, I can see the Bulldogs turning up and spoiling the party in FNQ. I'm taking the Bulldogs here, by the same score that the Cowboys beat them in 2004.

Manly Sea Eagles vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Crowd: ~21,000
Score: Sea Eagles 23 Rabbitohs 10
It's been a brave season for the Rabbitohs, but I feel that their season will end here. They just don't offer enough in attack. Manly, if they play with good discipline, will win this game. Manly have to be horribly off their game for them to lose. A lot has been said about this being the upset of the first week of the finals, but I don't see it, personally.

Melbourne Storm vs Brisbane Broncos
Crowd: ~13,000
Score: Storm 28 Broncos 8
The Broncos will be demoralised after the loss to Parramatta today. They'll put up another brave fight, at least until halftime, before Melbourne puts the foot down, and ends Brisbane's season.

Finals Week 2:
New Zealand Warriors vs North Queensland Cowboys, Mount Smart Stadium - winner plays Manly Sea Eagles in Finals Week 3

Bulldogs vs Parramatta Eels, Telstra Stadium - winner plays Melbourne Storm in Finals Week 3

 

[JW]

Warriors - 25,000

Warriors simply because a) they're at home and b) I just can't pick Parra. There's every chance they'll head over to NZ this week and produce another sluggish performance. Or they could destroy the Warriors in the blink of an eye as they did to the Bronc's this afternoon. The Warriors consistency in recent times gives them my tip.

Bulldogs - 24,000

Toss of the coin job. Hope the Cows can do the job, but i've got a (all be it terribly unreliable) gut feeling about the Dogs.

Sea Eagles - 18,000

Won't be surprised at all to see the Bunnies get up, but I have doubts about the their ability to contain Manly for the entire match whilst at the same time cracking their execptional defence enough times to get the cash.

Storm - 15,000

A commited Brisbane side could contain them in similar fashion to their last encounter and finish their season with respectibility, but in the end a Storm win is as close to certain as you can get.

 

[Apey]

Warriors 1 - 12
Bulldogs 1 - 12
Eagles 13 +
Storm 13 +

 

[jimmy_the_greek]

Warriors,Bulldogs,Eagles and Storm are my tips to win.

 

[Timmah]

Lots of support for the Dogs. Interesting considering how poor they were for 60 minutes on Friday :crazy:

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

From Radiosport nz

Zealand league fans are confused about the start time for Friday's Warriors' home semi-final.


New Zealand league fans are confused about why this week's Warriors match will be starting a little later than normal. The game will kick off at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland at 8.30 this Friday night.


Warriors' chief executive Wayne Scurrah says the game will be televised live into Australian homes, so the time has been set to accommodate Channel 9's nightly news programme. Mr Scurrah says the channel has to can one of their other shows to air the match, so he says it is a pretty reasonable compromise.


This will be The Warriors' first home play-off match since 2002.

 

[woodyk2]

Can Brooky hold 21,000?

 

[Y2Eel]

If SBW plays the doggies will get up...

If Hegerty Doesnt Play the Bunnies will win..

Warriors and eels will be interesting i'll tip

and Melbourne Will Win..

 

[Hutty1986]

Warriors
Cowboys
Eagles
Storm

 

[Jono078]

Warriors V Eels
Cowboys V Bulldogs
Sea Eagles V Rabbitohs
Storm V Broncos

 

[jimmy_the_greek]

Lots of support for the Dogs. Interesting considering how poor they were for 60 minutes on Friday :crazy:

the last 20 looked promising, which i hope we walk into saturday's game with that attitude.

even without Williams (i think he will get rougly around 2 weeks), it would be good to see Te Maari back in FG.