NRL FINALS 2010|=| NRL Elimination Finals 2010 Preview
|=| NOT The Footy Show Episode 42 Podcast & Video
 |
| Benji Marshall & the Tigers are down... but not out yet. |
Friday 17/9: Raiders v Tigers
(Winner plays Dragons in Preliminary Final)
Saturday 18/9: Roosters v Panthers
(Winner plays Titans in Preliminary Final)
At the end of Round 26 - Eight Teams were culled from the premiership race, now after the first week of the semi finals - two more have been added to the 2010 scrap heap.
(Winner plays Dragons in Preliminary Final)
Saturday 18/9: Roosters v Panthers
(Winner plays Titans in Preliminary Final)
At the end of Round 26 - Eight Teams were culled from the premiership race, now after the first week of the semi finals - two more have been added to the 2010 scrap heap.
Despite finishing 5th the Warriors have been eliminated after losing to the Titans and although Manly had a dig against the Dragons - they too are done for 2010.
There was a handy game of Rugby League at the SFS when the Tigers were over-run in a 100 minute epic by the Roosters that saw Benji Marshall injured (left) and Canberra held off the Panthers at CUA on Saturday Night.
This means that the Dragons & Titans get a week off to prepare for Preliminary Finals, the Warriors & Sea Eagles are gone, and the Raiders, Tigers, Roosters & Panthers get to entertain us in Week Two of the 2010 Finals Series.
|=| See below for our Previews, Podcasts & Videos for the Elimination Finals in Week Two.
Full Qualifying Finals Results September 10-12:
|=| Don't miss the NRL Tweet Player of the Year Awards - they were Announced 6pm Tuesday September 7th!
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Get the New NOT The Footy Show Podcast!This Episode 42 - Part 1 & 2 of the Elimination Finals Preview Thursday Sept 16
Via iTunes or the media player below.
NOT The Footy Show Episode 42Part 2 -
Subscribe by following this link on iTunes:
NOT The Footy Show on iTunes
Who Plays Who In Week Two of the 2010 NRL Finals?
|=| ELIMINATION SEMI FINALS - September 17 & 18.
CANBERRA RAIDERS v WESTS TIGERS
On Friday Night September 17 - Canberra Stadium will be rocking. As of Tuesday Night the game was officially a sell-out and a crowd in excess of 27,000 is expected - the biggest crowd to a Raiders game in recent memory. The Tigers have injuries a-go-go but still have the class to worry the Raiders - who will go as far as their (error free) game plan takes them. The winner of this game travels to ANZ Stadium next Saturday Night to play the St.George-Illawarra Dragons.
SYDNEY ROOSTERS v PENRITH PANTHERS
On Saturday Night September 18 - the Sydney Football Stadium will hopefully host a game just as good as the epic semi final 7 days before. The Sydney Roosters won that game to earn 'another' home final at the SFS and they host the Panthers who are reeling from not only their loss to Canberra at CUA but season ending injuries to key forwards Trent Waterhouse and Frank Pritchard. The winner of this game travels to Suncorp Stadium next Friday Night to play the Gold Coast Titans.
|=| WEEK TWO BYES
DRAGONS & TITANS
As the highest ranked winners in Week One - both the St.George-Illawarra Dragons and Gold Coast Titans will have Home Preliminary Finals in Week Three. The Dragons will play the winner of Raiders-Tigers at ANZ on Saturday September 25. The Titans will play the winner of Roosters-Panthers at Suncorp on Friday September 24.
|=| ELIMINATED TEAMS
WARRIORS & SEA EAGLES
One team had a year that exceeded expectations, the other struggled to live up to their premiership contenders tag... in the end neither could muster a victory when it really mattered.
8:00pm Friday Night @ Canberra Stadium
CANBERRA RAIDERS
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WESTS TIGERS
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WESTS TIGERS
Important Team News 14/9 with help from SMH:
The Canberra Raiders recalled skipper Alan Tongue from a calf injury on a six man bench. While Tongue is considered a good chance of playing, young hooker Travis Waddell is looking like the poor bloke to miss out despite being crucial to the Canberra run that has them with wins in 89of the last 10 games - and 6 on the trot. Danny Galea is 19th man. Canberra's only unavailable players are Joel Thompson & Adam Mogg.
The Wests Tigers have major injury worries. Benji Marshall will play despite a knee problem that forced him from the field before the end of regular time against the Roosters - he won't be close to 100% but will still play. Chris Heighington and Robbie Farah have ankle concerns but will play. Gareth Ellis is keen to play despite a debilitating back injury that also shut him down prematurely in the qualifying final against the Roosters. Blake Ayshford has been named despite the odds being very good he has glandular fever - while his likely replacement Chris Lawrence is trying to make a comeback from a fractured jaw he's just had un-wired. Liam Fulton, Keith Galloway and Bryce Gibbs will play despite injury concerns as well. Tim Sheens has named Sean Meaney at fullback but despite not being named Wade McKinnon (hamstring) may be a late call up for this clash. Geoff Daniela aggravated his hamstring strain in the Roosters game and is out. Sam Latu, Daniel Fitzhenry and Mark Flanagan are other new faces on the bench alongside last week's debutant Ben Murdoch-Masila. Get all that?
The Canberra Raiders recalled skipper Alan Tongue from a calf injury on a six man bench. While Tongue is considered a good chance of playing, young hooker Travis Waddell is looking like the poor bloke to miss out despite being crucial to the Canberra run that has them with wins in 89of the last 10 games - and 6 on the trot. Danny Galea is 19th man. Canberra's only unavailable players are Joel Thompson & Adam Mogg.
The Wests Tigers have major injury worries. Benji Marshall will play despite a knee problem that forced him from the field before the end of regular time against the Roosters - he won't be close to 100% but will still play. Chris Heighington and Robbie Farah have ankle concerns but will play. Gareth Ellis is keen to play despite a debilitating back injury that also shut him down prematurely in the qualifying final against the Roosters. Blake Ayshford has been named despite the odds being very good he has glandular fever - while his likely replacement Chris Lawrence is trying to make a comeback from a fractured jaw he's just had un-wired. Liam Fulton, Keith Galloway and Bryce Gibbs will play despite injury concerns as well. Tim Sheens has named Sean Meaney at fullback but despite not being named Wade McKinnon (hamstring) may be a late call up for this clash. Geoff Daniela aggravated his hamstring strain in the Roosters game and is out. Sam Latu, Daniel Fitzhenry and Mark Flanagan are other new faces on the bench alongside last week's debutant Ben Murdoch-Masila. Get all that?The NRL Tweet's Early Tip 14/9:
Canberra have the momentum and will have a huge crowd behind them, the Tigers are coming off a 100 minute epic that they lost and have some huge injury concerns. But it is only Canberra by a whisker at this stage - Tigers' class just too much to completely ignore.
NRLTweet's Prediction: RAIDERS BY 4 POINTS|=| |=| |=|
2nd Elimination Final8:00pm Saturday Night @ Sydney Football Stadium
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Despite some heavy legs and niggles from the 100 min epic against the Wests Tigers - the Sydney Roosters have the same squad from that match and added Lopini Paea, Mose Masoe and gun rookie Joseph Leilua to the bench. 
The Penrith Panthers have been hammered by key injuries from their loss to Canberra - with Frank Pritchard (hamstring) and Trent Waterhouse (pectoral tear) out for the rest of the season. Lachlan Coote was not named to return from a groin problem but remains a chance to play. Nathan Smith and Gavin Cooper move from the bench to link up in the second row while captain Petero Civoniceva returns from suspension in the front row for the injured Tim Grant (who was named on the bench but is unlikely to play). Frank Puletua, Wade Graham and Daine Laurie all join the bench. Adrian Purtell is the man most likely to make way for Coote if he plays, while Graham's presence on the bench could be a worry for Travis Burns at five-eighth.Like the Raiders - the Roosters are now riding some momentum after breaking the Tigers' hearts in Extra Time. Shaun Kenny-Dowall's intercept try sealed the game but it was Todd Carney's two try assists that put the Roosters back in the match - this proved his mantle as the game's best player in 2010 was well earned but the Panthers will give this game an almighty shake. Head leaning Roosters, but fancy Penrith with the heart.
NRL VIDEOS:
NOT THE FOOTY SHOW EPISODE 42 -
GATORADE BOLT RACE CALL + ELIMINATION FINALS PREVIEW
NOT THE FOOTY SHOW EPISODE 41 -
QUALIFYING FINALS REVIEW + FOOTBALLER LOOK-A-LIKES
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NOT THE FOOTY SHOW EPISODE 42 -
GATORADE BOLT RACE CALL + ELIMINATION FINALS PREVIEW
NOT THE FOOTY SHOW EPISODE 41 -
QUALIFYING FINALS REVIEW + FOOTBALLER LOOK-A-LIKES
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For fans of teams who are done in 2010... better luck next year.For fans of teams who made it to the Big Dance in 2010... Good Luck!
Who is your pick to contest the Grand Final?Because it won't be these guys in 2010...
Follow The NRL Tweet - for all your real time news & opinion on the NRL Finals.
