Finals Week 3 – Panthers vs Bulldogs
Overview
Wow a few weeks ago we definitely didn’t except to be previewing theses two teams in a Preliminary Final, but both have come in absolutely fizzing especially the Doggies. The team from Belmore was on the vets table awaiting injection before somehow transforming into a completely different side in the finals. Coach Des Hasler said the finals were like a different comp and lucky for him he has a better team to play with.
The Panthers are fresh from a weeks break and the fans at the foot of the Blue Mountains haven’t been this excited since 2003 when the hair bears and Wayne Rooney carried them to a Premiership. Wayne Rooney? Oh maybe it was Luke, they do look very similar.
Both sides deserve a crack at the GF after the seasons they have had and it could take the game of the season to decide who gets that chance.
Players to watch
Jamie Soward – A man who wears his heart on his sleeve and often polarises opinion. Arguably in the form of his career, his try assists this season are only marginally outnumbered by the number of tears he has shed. But hey this is 2014 and men are allowed to cry. Sowie needs to keep his cool because this game is going to be tough. One thing is for sure, no matter what the result, it will be an emotional journey.
Trent Hodkinson – Nerves of steel and golden boot. Not only his Trent’s right hoof won NSW Origin this season but it has also catapulted the Doggies into the prelim final with not 1 but 2 1 pointers that equate to 2 points. He may need to do it all over again this Suds Saturday. Trent is used to being thrown into the deep end and this knock out final is definitely sink or swim.
Result and score prediction
When will Penrith’s fairytale come to and end? Were the Dogs playing dead for the month leading into the finals? These are both questions you need to ask yourself when picking a winner here. Keeping in mind we are 0/4 from finals picks so far this is going to be hard to call. A Sydney team will win and it will be tight. So after saying that it will probably be a blow-out and then the Cowboys will be reinstated. But all jokes aside lets jump on the Panthers 18-14
Most likely to cross the chalk
The Mansauce Manasaurous can’t stay away from the white line, of the try line. It get’s all up in his beard. Someone with a similar habit is Tim Lafai and smart money is that both these blokes will dot down again in this match.
Most likely to have visited Advanced Hair Studio
Being a coach in the NRL is extremely stressful, just look at how many coaches got the sack this year. Stress is a known contributor to hair loss – and yet the coaches from both these teams have exquisite heads of hair. Something doesn’t add up and it is potentially the receipt from Des and Ivan’s last visit to Advanced Hair Studio.