The Road to the Finals

[vvvrulz]

All the bottom teams can start doing us favours now by upsetting everyone around us.
Cheers Newcastle.

 

[Diesel]

Two things in our favour is the Panthers haven't faced a finals bound team in 4-5 weeks and were at home.

There was definite rust in the Warriors team on Saturday night which I hope having a game under their belts will help this week.

How are the Panthers going injury wise and with any suspensions? Excluding Jamal they should have close to a full strength team so it'll be interesting to see where we are at.

Have you ever noticed the Australian media call a game at Mt Smart a "tough away game and having to travel to NZ" yet nothing is made of the Warriors having a tough away game when travelling to Australia?

 

[Blair]

Have you ever noticed the Australian media call a game at Mt Smart a "tough away game and having to travel to NZ" yet nothing is made of the Warriors having a tough away game when travelling to Australia?

I hate talking up the Super 15 and Rugby Championship guys but I'm sure they all have a good chuckle when they hear the poor Warriors moan about their frequent trips across the Tasman - to the east coast! With no connecting flights! - to play.

 

[TheDMC]

If results go our way this weekend we could be as high as 7th come Sunday night (even 6th if Broncos smashed).


But most likely if we beat the Panthers, we will be 9th, as Storm, Eels, and Tigers and Broncs all have easyish matches.

If we lose, we could drop to 11th if the Cowboys upset the Rabbits.

Real problem with a loss would mean we would most likely be 2 wins behind the top 8...

Big match!!

 

[WithTheDawn]

Going through expected results, we finish next round in 10th still, even with a win. With a loss we are in 10th as well, but fall 4 points behind 9th.

I don't even have us making the 8 after the bye - still in 9th. Of course thats just with favourites winning, and there are upsets every week. The ladder is very congested, so we will sudden be right up into the 8 if we can string a few wins together. From recent form, I can see everyone below us quickly falling away and out of touch - the Cowboys are out of form and have a tough run the next few weeks, and the Dragons and Titans are really struggling. The three below them are already out of contention. I think within a few weeks this could be a 10 horse race - or 9 if we lose a few as well.

 

[WithTheDawn]

If results go our way this weekend we could be as high as 7th come Sunday night (even 6th if Broncos smashed).

Can't imagine the Broncos getting smashed playing in Brisbane against the Sharks. Be interesting to see if the Sharks can actually score a point this week, seeing as they haven't managed to since a month ago.

 

[TheDMC]

Can't imagine the Broncos getting smashed playing in Brisbane against the Sharks. Be interesting to see if the Sharks can actually score a point this week, seeing as they haven't managed to since a month ago.

No neither...just throwing out possibilities...you're right about us probably staying 10th for the next few weeks too... I should have used the NRL ladder predictor; much easier and more accurate than my fried brain.

We shouldn't be favourites this weekend...no way. I hope we win and think we can, but we will have to play very well.

 

[TheFrog]

How are the Panthers going injury wise and with any suspensions? Excluding Jamal they should have close to a full strength team so it'll be interesting to see where we are at.

The only suspension is Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, the winger from NSW Cup, who would be playing NRL were he not suspended. He's back for Round 18.

David Simmons, the winger, is injured for another month. Isaac John out for the season. That's pretty much it. We've been really lucky with injuries so far this year.

 

[WithTheDawn]

Amazing, the Sharks just beat the Broncos, in Brisbane after being doing 22-0 with 20 minutes to go...final score 24-22. Ones like that certainly help us!

 

[TheDMC]

Yeah that was pretty choice. Watched the whole game even when Cronulla 22 nil down, which is a bit sad cause a) Cronulla are crap to watch and b) it was Friday evening in Bangkok...

Now if St George can upset the Storm, things will be looking good as long as we do the needful and take care of Sunday's game.

 

[JJ]

Had wondered whether to back the Sharks, didn't ultimately.

But, on paper they finally had a good side - and the didn't make the finals last year by accident. If they have the right attitude and keep their stars on the field, they'll mess up the plans of several top sides in the run home

 

[Diesel]

Would've been really good for us had the Raiders got that penalty goal tonight, still at least we're not the Broncos

 

[LeagueNut]

Thank you Newcastle

GO THE BLOODY DRAGONS in Monday Night Football!!!

 

[WithTheDawn]

Can't believe how many of these other results are ticking over our way. Unlucky not to have the Tigers lose as well. Dragons have a good chance, and with the way things are going I would just about back them to do us a favour as well.

Sharks may have...pissed away their chances of causing further troubles for the teams around us though.

 

[vvvrulz]

Sharks may have...pissed away their chances of causing further troubles for the teams around us though.

:lol: :lol:

While its great some of the bottom teams are doing us big favours... we should be good enough to make the eight without relying on them.

 

[JoeD]

Should have put some money on it but all my should wins have come through. Cross another one off.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Looking at our bye next week we only need one result to go our way for us to finish in the eight after next weekends games- and you'd think given the Tigers injuries the Panthers should get the job done there.
That will leave us in the eight by the time we play our next game, and our run into the finals will be in our own hands.

 

[Meth]

Thank you Newcastle

GO THE BLOODY DRAGONS in Monday Night Football!!!

Never been keener for the Dragons to get up

 

[WithTheDawn]

Yup, we need just one of the Dragons beating the Storm tomorrow or the Panthers beating the Tigers and we will be in the 8 after next week.

Having a look at things, the run of the next 3 games could be quite challenging - Eels at Mt Smart, Broncos in Brisbane and Sea Eagles at Mt Smart. None of those are easy games, and if we play a bit disjointed like we have in significant parts of the last few games then we could be in trouble. As nice as we look on the table now, we would want to bag 2 of those 3 to cement our spot - Sea Eagles being the most likely to lose I imagine. Three "easier" games after that with the Raiders, Sharks and Knights, so could hopefully bag some points from those...

Assuming 30 points will be enough this year, we are needing to with 5 more games to hit the finals - should be very doable from here.

 

[Meth]

If St George lose tonight, I expect us to be 8th at the end of round 17. If they win, we might be 6th.

Crazy