NRL Finals Week 2 Tips & Previews
Eels vs. Raiders
September 16th
The Eels faced the biggest test in Rugby League last week against a powerful Penrith Panthers outfit.
While they fell short of securing an unlikely victory, they do have a second chance and can be confident that they still have what it takes to be a premiership contender.
But they have to do it the hard way now, and a game against an in-form Canberra is no guarantee.
Much of the lead-up has centred around Mitch Moses’ head injury and whether he is at full fitness to take the field this week. If he is at full capacity, Moses could present a big challenge for the Raiders.
The Eels have the recent experience in finals football to know what is required, and with a few tweaks to the gameplan, especially on the defensive side, should present as a much more unified outfit. A solid early start is vital to their chances.
The Raiders come into this one with a head full of steam after defeating the Storm last week. That win continues their strong second half of the season, and there is a solid argument to suggest their finish in eighth position undersells their strength.
Josh Papalli’s physical dominance and Jack Wighton’s ability to score will play a big part in the Raiders’ chances this week, while Joseph Tapine was unstoppable in his role in last week’s win.
Canberra will sorely miss Adam Elliott, who has already been ruled out of the game, and their depth will face a significant test against what looks to be a superior team.
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Sharks vs. Rabbitohs
September 17th
An emotive win by South Sydney over the Roosters last week has them brimming with confidence, but their challenge is to contain themselves and maintain composure in the heat of finals football.
The game now known as ‘Sin-Bin Sunday’ saw Rabbitohs players being sent off four times, a number they will look to reduce for the rest of their finals campaign.
One player with no such concerns is Alex Johnston, who has smashed records on his way to 30 tries for the year, including two last week. Few NRL players can match Johnston’s ability to score, and he could well prove to be the thorn in Cronulla’s side this week.
Johnston is perfectly complemented by Latrell Mitchell, who all eyes will be on after a spirited couple of clashes with his former team Sydney. Mitchell may relish a step back from the spotlight, not that it seems to have affected his conversion last week.
The Rabbitohs coaching staff will be racking their brains looking for ways to curtail Sharks star Nicho Hynes who has been a consistent performer this year and their best player in last week’s loss to North Queensland. Hynes and Toby Rudolph are two to keep an eye on for Cronulla and carry significant momentum into this game. If they can continue their ways, there is no reason to see why the Sharks can’t win through to the Preliminary Final.
