While some teams are just getting over their Mad Monday celebrations, the eight squads left in the race to hoist the Provan-Summons trophy are ready for finals football. The Sydney Roosters will go into the finals as overwhelming favourties after winning their third-straight minor premiership, but never count out the likes of the resurgent Broncos, the Johnathan Thurston-inspired Cowboys or the defending premiers the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Finals football is here!
Friday night: Qualifying Final 1 - 7:30pm Allianz Stadium
(1) Sydney Roosters v (4) Melbourne Storm
The Storm just scraped into the top four and the all-important double chance after results fell their way on the final weekend of the season. Their reward, however, is a match-up with a rampant Sydney Roosters side, who are currently on a 12-match winning streak. Even without injured duo Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and skipper Mitchell Pierce, the Roosters have not missed a beat, smashing fellow premiership contenders the Broncos and Rabbitohs in recent weeks. The Storm, however, will rely heavily on veterans Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk to lead the way, but with Warriors-bound Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in devastating form for the home side, there should only be one winner in this contest ... and it lives in Bondi Junction.
2015 meetings:
Round 7: Storm 17 def. Roosters 16
Round 12: Roosters 24 def. Storm 2
Saturday Night: Elimination Final 1 - 5:50pm ANZ Stadium
(5) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v (8) St George Illawarra Dragons
Both these sides have sort've limped their way to the finals. Even though the Bulldogs currently haven't lost in their last five matches, ugly wins against competition cellar dwellers the Knights and Warriors in recent weeks shows you can never take your foot off the pedal so close to the finals. However, Des Hasler has proven time and time again that he is a master of finals football and his chargers should be too strong for a Dragons outfit without linchpin Gareth Widdop. Expect the Bulldogs to dominate this one.
2015 meetings:
Round 6: Dragons 31 def. Bulldogs 6
Round 13: Bulldogs 29 def. Dragons 16
Saturday Night: Qualifying Final 2 - 7:55pm Suncorp Stadium
(2) Brisbane Broncos v (3) North Queensland Cowboys
Easily the most anticipated match of the finals in week one pits a resurgent Broncos outfit led by head-coach Wayne Bennett against a JT-inspired Cowboys side. Both these sides slipped off the pace towards the back end of the regular season, handing the Roosters the minor premiership, however come Saturday night these two arch rivals will be ready and roaring to go. The Cowboys not only have to battle the Broncos, but also the demons from past finals encounters after controversial exits in recent finals series (Kieran Foran hand of god in 2012, Cronulla's seven-tackle try in 2013 and JT's no try in 2014) but they will be hoping for a change of fortune this time around. In front of a big crowd at Suncorp, this game should be one for the ages.
2015 meetings:
Round 3: Broncos 44 def. Cowboys 22
Round 10: Cowboys 31 def. Broncos 20
Sunday Afternoon: Elimination Final 2 - 4:00pm Allianz Stadium
(6) Cronulla Sharks v (7) South Sydney Rabbitohs
Cronulla had a top four berth snatched from their grasp last weekend by the Sea Eagles and will now have to dog it out in an Elimination Final with reigning premiers South Sydney. With exciting live-wires Jackson Bird and Valentine Holmes playing free-flowing attacking football for Cronulla, which will suit tense finals football matches, this could prove the difference between the two sides. The Rabbitohs' premiership defence has crumbled into obscurity in recent weeks; after being smashed by the Bulldogs, Broncos and Roosters, they plummeted from the top four to finish a disappointing seventh. However, the timely return of skipper Greg Inglis could revive the premiers' campaign and help mount a charge for the grand final.
2015 meeting:
Round 7: Sharks 18 def. Rabbitohs 10
