Finals Week 1 vs Rabbitohs - 7:50pm Friday 11th of September - Allianz Stadium

[waynesworld]

They are going to do whatever they can to get Manu on the field in week 1 of the finals. The whole game plan relies on the running threat of the back rowers so the outside defence can’t shoot out on Ponga. Manly weren’t too worried about Friz/Cant in Rd 25 and really rattled Ponga I thought. Week later with Manu back we were back to normal absolutely carving up the edges.

 

[MBQLD]

It’s a catch 22 with Saulo. Some big minutes in Cup would be ideal for his fitness but I don’t know if he can risk another injury to our middles.

Knowing our luck we’ll rest him and he’ll get an injury watching the game on TV.

Yeah you gotta watch the socks on those polished floors.

 

[Grandpa Joe]

Souths are absolutely not good enough IMO. A prelim is their absolute ceiling and I guarantee you they will look almost dead from fatigue by the 55th minute in that game.

This week and last week with Jai will have mentally destroyed Walker and his close mates, there will be nothing left in the tank and fully expecting a shocking effort from them.

 

[Grandpa Joe]

Well he is due

Been nothing short of a cat last 2 games.

 

[Lefty]

As others have posted on here, I would say that Ponga is carrying an injury.

 

[HarVeeGee13]

Also when there's a send off he has to spend the whole game sprinting behind the line and finding different places to plug in to fill holes.

 

[Apey]

Souths are becoming overrated honestly with some of the comments I've read about them. They're behind Warriors, Panthers, Dolphins. Us at full strength.

No arguments for Sharks, Cowboys.

Roosters is tricky, because they're playing like absolute ****. Their best is way better than Souths though, probably even without Walker.

 

[Ranga89]

Roosters at full strength (minus Walker atm) should be considered favs over Souths any day of the week even in the rut they're in.

From the teams in 5-8, i think we are the most capable of putting up a challenge to the top four. Sharks are doing their usual thing of going to water when things start to get tough, Souths and Cowboys have some strike in attack but their defense is pretty custard.

 

[frankLauda]

Unfortunately I’m not as confident with us after losing SAF and Mooney. Manu back maybe. Sharks fell off a cliff since they lost Tridall. I think he will be back for finals, so they should be better.

On the Sharks V Melbourne game and Souths v Roosters. Melbourne could put a score on the Sharks, they have been looking good the last few weeks. And souths could run up a reserve grade side Roosters.

There’s a slim possibility Souths could slip into 5th. 70 points differential. So if Souths win by 35 and Sharks lose by 35.It would be funny if that happened.

 

[Billy]

Star Knight makes huge finals fitness call after surgery

Also, the Danny Buderus Medal leaderboard revealed for 2026.

www.newcastleherald.com.au

Article that says Crossland has got through 2 training sessions and is good to go.

Article also gives the top 5 for player of the year and says Crossland was 5th mid season and only went ahead of Lucas by getting 13 votes in the last 12 games.

18 Crossland
17 Lucas
13 Saifiti
12 Smith
11 Sharpe

 

[krustykraz]

If Souths win by a fair bit (35ish points) and Sharks lose by similar (35ish points), we could play Sharks next week.
Which is very possible with Sharks and Chooks resting.

 

[Die Hard]

If Souths win by a fair bit and Sharks lose by similar, we could play Sharks next week.
Which is very possible with Sharks and Chooks resting.

Aye, watching this match keenly, hoping Rabbitohs put on as much points as possible against Roosters.

 

[mozza]

Souths are pretty average. We’d give them a touch up if we weren’t missing so many players.

 

[Die Hard]

Knights wouldve been thinking about playing Rabbitohs all week, and trained a little Proactively about facing them. Perhaps it is best to face them first week, especially with the quality they are showing tonight, and Trindall probably being back.

 

[Lynchyknight]

After that first half I think it’s safe to say we are playing Rabbitohs at there home ground next weekend

 

[krustykraz]

I give us a good chance against either team.
This year we seem to play our best footy when we are at long odds.

 

[The Artist Formerly Known as Aku'd]

After that first half I think it’s safe to say we are playing Rabbitohs at there home ground next weekend

Will it be Allianz or Accor ?

 

[EASBay17]

I reckon we need to start psami and hopwood. Tell psami to empty the tank like he did in that game earlier in the year (think it was dogs game, and the best game ive ever seen him play). We need frizz for that middle third of the game.

 

[JOJO82]

Hoping we don't get the Friday game, our record has been shocking this year.

 

[Lynchyknight]

Hoping we don't get the Friday game, our record has been shocking this year.

It will be Friday night