We have our final four and, as it turns out, they were the best four teams of the NRL regular season. Now, they’re preparing to battle it out for a spot in the Grand Final.
Sea Eagles Soar Into Prelim
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles were in no mood to slog out a close win on Friday night. Up against a Sydney Roosters side that would only grow into the game the longer it was close, the Sea Eagles made sure to push the scoreboard out early.
Tries in the 5th, 11th and 16th minutes blew the scoreboard out to 18-0 a quarter of the way into the match. Having been on the receiving end of early tries and seen how the Storm handled the lead a week earlier, the Sea Eagles employed similar tactics. They made the most of the six-again rule and applied some of the dark arts in the ruck to slow the game down when needed. With the ball, they targeted the advantage line and patiently waited for a breakdown.
https://twitter.com/JasonNRL/status/1438830003752366085?s=20
The approach translated into a convincing 42-6 win and reinstalled some faith in the Sea Eagles as premiership contenders. Although, they are on the fourth line of betting at $6.50 to lift the Provan-Summons Trophy in a fortnight. They’ll first need to get past the South Sydney Rabbitohs ($1.73) as $2.12 and +2.5 underdogs on Friday night.
Panthers Slip Past Eels
It’s a game surrounded by controversy – as usual – but for those that like rugby league more than talking about referees, the Penrith Panthers 8-6 win over the Parramatta Eels is one of the great NRL Finals matches.
Physicality defined the 80 minutes. Neither side took a backwards step as the Storm watched on in excitement as the two sides bashed each other up. Craig Bellamy’s side knew that regardless of which team made it through with the win, they would be heading into the Preliminary Final on the back of a battering.
Panthers! Woah. That game! Lowest scoring yet most stressful as a fan 😂 Next up Storm. Not impossible.. On ya Penny! #NRLPanthersEels
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) September 18, 2021
Waqa Blake opened the scoring in the 10th minute before Kurt Capewell’s try in the 16th minute levelled things up. A Nathan Cleary penalty goal on the stroke of halftime is all that separated the two sides in the end. Neither really got going with the ball in hand. While excellent in defence, there weren’t too many tough questions asked by either club.
Penrith’s eight points scored will be of some concern heading into next week. They’re playing the best-attacking team in the competition and a side that will only be better for the rest given the injuries and niggles they’ve dealt with throughout the year. Jarome Luai’s left edge, in particular, looked clunky and out of time. Matt Burton wasn’t put into the actions he otherwise has been this year.
At $3.35 and +8.5 against the Storm next week, the Panthers have a lot of work to do if they’re to book a place in the 2021 NRL Grand Final.
Premiership Winner Update
12 gone and only four teams remain.
The best four teams.
The Melbourne Storm are heavy $1.90 favourites to win the 2021 NRL premiership from here. They’ve been the best and most consistent team all season and will enter their Preliminary Final against a bruised and battered Penrith Panthers side as beneficiaries of a week off to rest and recover. It’s that difficult path to the NRL Grand Final that has the Panthers out to $4.50 in the Premiership winner market. From one physical and intense match to another, this is a big change for a Panthers side that cruised through most of the regular season without being put under a lot of pressure.
On the other side of the draw, the South Sydney Rabbitohs are favourites this week but remain on the third line of betting to win it all at $5.50. Preliminary Final week is an all too common ending point to a Rabbitohs season and plenty will see value in the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at $6.50 to win the premiership given South Sydney’s history of falling one game short of Grand Final Day.
