tookey
First Grader
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles meet the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium on Friday, September 12 in the second NRL qualifying final. The match kicks off at 7.55pm (AEST).
What: NRL Finals Week 1
Who: Sea Eagles v Rabbitohs
When: Friday, September 12 – 7.55pm
Where: Allianz Stadium
I Can Watch It On: Channel 9
Form Guide
Sea Eagles: LWLWL
Rabbitohs: WWLWL
Luxbet odds
Sea Eagles – $2.90
Rabbitohs - $1.43
Things You Need To Know
The Sea Eagles have named superstar full-back Brett Stewart (ankle) and prop Brenton Lawrence (knee) to return after both were late scratching from Saturday's 30-16 shellacking at the hands of the Cowboys. Both trained on Wednesday and are expected to play. Hooker Matt Ballin (leg) is still at least another week away while key back-rowers Glenn Stewart and Jamie Buhrer are both out for the season with knee injuries. Geoff Toovey's side have lost three of their last five games and are badly out of form after looking like premiership favourites six weeks ago. They finished second on the NRL ladder.
Rabbitohs half-back Adam Reynolds returns from a one-week suspension. He joins Luke Keary in the halves, forcing John Sutton into the second row. Greg Inglis is battling a hip complaint and won't train fully this week but is a definite starter. The Bunnies trailed the Roosters 22-4 before piling on three tries, eventually going down 22-18. They have lost two of their last three games heading into the finals.
Reason To Watch
It's finals footy! As is normally the case at this time of year there are mouth-watering match-ups all over the park in this one. Sam Burgess is a man on a mission in his final weeks before heading to English rugby union. GI is wounded but is still capable of winning the game on his own. We're also about to find out if the Sea Eagles can actually get it together for one final push at a premiership before senior players jump ship in the off-season.
Reason To Turn Away
If you're a Sea Eagles fan and the same mob that travelled to Townsville turn up at Allianz on Friday night. Or if you're a Bunnies fan and they blow a 14-0 lead like they did in last year's preliminary final against Geoff Toovey's men.
Say What
"We're a united bunch at the moment and it doesn't matter what's been said and what's going on off the field, we know we've got a job to do on the field and all we're doing is concentrating on this game on Friday night and getting things right for that," – Manly five-eighth Kieran Foran.
"It is not that bad, it does give me grief throughout the week and in the games, but at the end of the day I have a job to do and that is to do the best I can for the team," – Souths full-back Greg Inglis on his troublesome hip.
Final Word
The Bunnies overpowered The Sea Eagles 23-4 in Round 22. An injury to Steve Matai after an ugly chicken wing tackle didn't help the Sea Eagles' cause that night, but the giant Bunnies' pack were the difference between the two sides. The honours are even since Michael Maguire and Geoff Toovey took over in 2012, with three wins apiece from six meetings. They also split their two clashes this season. The Sea Eagles ended the Bunnies season with a 30-20 preliminary final defeat in 2013 but we can't see them getting up this time around. The NRL haven't done Manly any favours, giving them two days less to prepare than the Bunnies. We think the six-day turnaround and the Sea Eagles' injury toll tips the scales heavily in the Bunnies' favour and expect Maguire's men to win and win well. Rabbitohs by 13.
http://www.sportal.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/nrl-2nd-qualifying-final-preview-sea-eagles-v-rabbitohs/1w226xv8el9kt1wkyqdeoj03r1
What: NRL Finals Week 1
Who: Sea Eagles v Rabbitohs
When: Friday, September 12 – 7.55pm
Where: Allianz Stadium
I Can Watch It On: Channel 9
Form Guide
Sea Eagles: LWLWL
Rabbitohs: WWLWL
Luxbet odds
Sea Eagles – $2.90
Rabbitohs - $1.43
Things You Need To Know
The Sea Eagles have named superstar full-back Brett Stewart (ankle) and prop Brenton Lawrence (knee) to return after both were late scratching from Saturday's 30-16 shellacking at the hands of the Cowboys. Both trained on Wednesday and are expected to play. Hooker Matt Ballin (leg) is still at least another week away while key back-rowers Glenn Stewart and Jamie Buhrer are both out for the season with knee injuries. Geoff Toovey's side have lost three of their last five games and are badly out of form after looking like premiership favourites six weeks ago. They finished second on the NRL ladder.
Rabbitohs half-back Adam Reynolds returns from a one-week suspension. He joins Luke Keary in the halves, forcing John Sutton into the second row. Greg Inglis is battling a hip complaint and won't train fully this week but is a definite starter. The Bunnies trailed the Roosters 22-4 before piling on three tries, eventually going down 22-18. They have lost two of their last three games heading into the finals.
Reason To Watch
It's finals footy! As is normally the case at this time of year there are mouth-watering match-ups all over the park in this one. Sam Burgess is a man on a mission in his final weeks before heading to English rugby union. GI is wounded but is still capable of winning the game on his own. We're also about to find out if the Sea Eagles can actually get it together for one final push at a premiership before senior players jump ship in the off-season.
Reason To Turn Away
If you're a Sea Eagles fan and the same mob that travelled to Townsville turn up at Allianz on Friday night. Or if you're a Bunnies fan and they blow a 14-0 lead like they did in last year's preliminary final against Geoff Toovey's men.
Say What
"We're a united bunch at the moment and it doesn't matter what's been said and what's going on off the field, we know we've got a job to do on the field and all we're doing is concentrating on this game on Friday night and getting things right for that," – Manly five-eighth Kieran Foran.
"It is not that bad, it does give me grief throughout the week and in the games, but at the end of the day I have a job to do and that is to do the best I can for the team," – Souths full-back Greg Inglis on his troublesome hip.
Final Word
The Bunnies overpowered The Sea Eagles 23-4 in Round 22. An injury to Steve Matai after an ugly chicken wing tackle didn't help the Sea Eagles' cause that night, but the giant Bunnies' pack were the difference between the two sides. The honours are even since Michael Maguire and Geoff Toovey took over in 2012, with three wins apiece from six meetings. They also split their two clashes this season. The Sea Eagles ended the Bunnies season with a 30-20 preliminary final defeat in 2013 but we can't see them getting up this time around. The NRL haven't done Manly any favours, giving them two days less to prepare than the Bunnies. We think the six-day turnaround and the Sea Eagles' injury toll tips the scales heavily in the Bunnies' favour and expect Maguire's men to win and win well. Rabbitohs by 13.
http://www.sportal.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/nrl-2nd-qualifying-final-preview-sea-eagles-v-rabbitohs/1w226xv8el9kt1wkyqdeoj03r1
