Souths reach their first grand final in 40 years.

[TheDalek079]

souffs are specials to make the grand final

 

[BranVan3000]

Souths are a better team then Manly personel wise at Club level

but there are elements at play here that will make this Grand Final qualifier a different kettle of fish

forget this .. Manly will be exhausted crap
with Brett Stewart at Fullback
( even though I think Hiku has been a revelation) they will be a vastly improved team & they know whats what at this time of year in these big games , their team is chocked full of seasoned professionals who have played with injury & exhaustion & won ... many times over the last 6 years.

Souths know everyone except maybe diehard Manly fans expect them to make their first big dance in 42 years
that weight of expectation will be huge ... it will add massive extra pressure to their players well above a club game or even a week one final.

will the bunnies be startled rabbits in headlights

we'll know about 9.30pm next Friday

pretty sure I heard this same argument last week

 

[KiamaSaint]

Only a hammy in it.

 

[ceagle]

Counting chickens and hatching come to mind.
Manly are under no pressure. They have all the excuses in the world if they need them. Nothing to lose.
Souths, all the pressure, all the expectation, no excuses. Everything to lose. They are carrying a forty two year burden as well.

The mind is a funny thing, even the collective one.

This, no one will be backing us this week. Souffs will have all the spotlight and pressure on them during the week.

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

Only a hammy in it.

Ha!

 

[BunniesMan]

South Sydney v Newcastle grand final...said no one ever.

For a long time now it has been looking like Souths v little brother. And as it gets closer to the GF it is only looking more and more likely.

Manly and Melbourne look exhausted.

BUT anything can happen in a grand final qualifier. Stranger things have happened in 80 minutes of rugby league.

Having said all of that, Souths v Easts is still the most likely outcome.

 

[ag6858]

Still not confident. As a roosters fan, I'm banking on a Souths v Storm grand final. I just don't think we have the big game experience yet to beat the Storm in the preliminary final. If the Knights win tonight, then it's another matter entirely.

 

[Big Sam]

Only a hammy in it.

That's why Luke Keary's there.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

If either Manly or Storm reach the GF their big game experience will get them through for sure.

I can see Rabbitohs house of sand crumbling at the foundation next week against the Seaeagles.

 

[BunniesMan]

Some peoples inability to see past the status quo is ridiculous. "They've won it recently so they'll win it again" is a stupid argument. Saying Easts and Souths have no hope against Manly and Melbourne is ridiculous. By your logic how did Melbourne ever manage to win in 2007, or Manly in 2008. Surely the more experienced teams should have smashed them back then.

 

[Garts]

If Manly get to the GF I will be pretty confident we will win it. However getting through next week is going to be bloody tough. We need Stewart back and we need to be right on our game. It will be a cracker of a game and very little in it.

 

[Loudstrat]

Some peoples inability to see past the status quo is ridiculous. "They've won it recently so they'll win it again" is a stupid argument. Saying Easts and Souths have no hope against Manly and Melbourne is ridiculous. By your logic how did Melbourne ever manage to win in 2007, or Manly in 2008. Surely the more experienced teams should have smashed them back then.

In 2007 Melbourne were the most experienced team in the GF because they were in it the previous year. In 08 without Smith and King, Manly were the most talented, and also experienced.

I know that's complex, but you'll get it eventually!

 

[firechild]

Some peoples inability to see past the status quo is ridiculous. "They've won it recently so they'll win it again" is a stupid argument. Saying Easts and Souths have no hope against Manly and Melbourne is ridiculous. By your logic how did Melbourne ever manage to win in 2007, or Manly in 2008. Surely the more experienced teams should have smashed them back then.

Melbourne and Manly both lost grand finals the year before they won those. Big game experience is a huge factor.

 

[STORM.99/07]

Good luck manly ..hope we meet you in the big one.

 

[BunniesMan]

St George crumbled in straight sets the year before they won. Wests missed the finals the year before they won. Broncos went out in straight sets the year before they won.

Didn't stop them from winning.

We made a prelim last year playing infront of 70,000. Similar atmosphere to round 26. That's plenty of experience compared to some previous premiers.

 

[some11]

Crowds & atmosphere determine experience.

Brilliant.

 

[Hutty1986]

Will be a cracking prelim. Souths will roll thru Manly imo

 

[BunniesMan]

Crowds & atmosphere determine experience.

Brilliant.

That's not everything but it is part of it. My point was our players have played in big games with lots riding on them over the last couple of years. And they've had as much experience as some previous winners.

And crowd and atmosphere can be a massive deal. Many players are used to playing infront of crowds of 10 and 15 and 20 thousand. They might never have played infront of a really big and loud crowd until a GF.

 

[firechild]

You're changing your argument DunniesGimp. All we're saying is that big game experience is a factor (one of several) and Manly have far more of it than Souffs. You're saying it's not a factor yet trying to justify Souffs having some.

 

[BunniesMan]

You're changing your argument DunniesGimp. All we're saying is that big game experience is a factor (one of several) and Manly have far more of it than Souffs. You're saying it's not a factor yet trying to justify Souffs having some.

Some are using it as the primary reason why Manly and Melbourne should be premiership favourites and why either of them will win a grand final against Souths or Easts.

I'm saying the "experience" factor is bullshit as we have as much or more of it as several recent premiers.