WEEK 2 Manly - Nth Qld - almost a 50/50 imo - lets say Manly Souths - raiders - Souths will bounce back this week WEEK 3 Manly - Storm - ???? Manly Dogs - Souths - Dogs get a soft win imo GF Dogs - Manly/Storm/Cows I dont like to say it but the Dogs have a pretty nice run into the GF & must be rated a 75% chance of being there. All other 3 teams can get them on the day but all face harder hurdles along the way imo. The week off is not always a great thing & whoever plays them in the big game will get out the blocks better, but have less in reserve for the final 20 minutes. The Seaeagles have to overcome massive obstacles in coming weeks, far more than 2008, 2011 - but this will only make the victory sweeter if the GF victory is achieved.
I reckon if you asked any of the other 6 sides in the top 8 whether they would have liked to face us week 1 of the finals, they would have said no. So I don't see how they were rewarded for finishing first in that respect. Dogs took us on and won though, they now get the benefit of the easier run in. Could have been us if we had won last Friday.
If we can't be there, I would love a Canberra v Cows GF, with Canberra winning .... but I know I'm dreaming.
Canberra will miss Croker too much I think. I can only assume their fallback position there is Thomson out of the back row. Souffs have lost King as well so that might even it up a little, but I think they have better depth to cover that loss, not the least of which is putting Inglis there and Merritt to fullback and bringing in a winger (Corrigan / Hunt). Anyway It'd be nice to see Canberra win, but I'd be backing the Rabbits if I was a gambling man (which I am)
