Official Match Day Thread: Roosters v Panthers

[2000bluester]

I think we can win this, if we play to our ability and cut out the silly mistakes, we definitely have enough fire power to beat them. Nervous wait til kickoff but I have belief and confidence in the team!

[Chook]

Unleash us upon them!!

Chook.

[FREEMAN89]

The build up to the game gives me the same feel we had at this same stage last year.

We got dusted by south's in the final round and then had the play them week 1 of the finals.

I Had no confidence at all leading into that game and we broke them within minutes and never took our foot off of their throat.

But,
South's weren't riding the wave of momentum last year that Penrith are on this year.

We will need to stamp our authoriry early on in the contest and not let up, otherwise Penrith will sense their in with a chance and capitalise on their wave their on.

[2000bluester]

I feel we need to put Penrith off their game and put pressure on them, not many teams have been able to do that this year, in fact it's been the other way around where they have held teams scoreless in the first 20. I'm expecting a cagey opening stanza where both teams want to play safety first footy, before the forwards tire and the game opens up, I'm guessing that's where Lam might get thrown in to counter Koroisau.

[roosterproud]

good chance if we win we play them again in the granny.

[Johnny Brass]

I must admit a couple of key outs have dented my confidence a little but I still think we can knock off the Panthers.
Traditionally penalty counts drop in the finals and hopefully Sutton stays out of it and let's the players decide the result.
We need our defence to be back to its brick wall best to keep these young, hungry Panthers at bay.
SST has been a beast for us all year and we need him leading from the front after Toops starts our sets off.
Cords has to punch holes early and Keary won't play like he did last week.
Teddy has earned his best player in the game title over the last two years and we need him bobbing up everywhere causing problems.
I think last week was an aberration and we'll be back to our best and make a statement that the back to back premiers aren't ready to lie down yet.
Easts to win

[zac]

we've got the team to do it. in teddy and keary we've got two of the best backs in the comp. for that reason i hope flanno doesn't feel the need to overplay his hand. he's not going to become a match winning running back overnight so he just has to organise, pass, tackle and kick well. if he takes the line on every now and then so much the better but we've got enough strike power in this team to score points without him dominating.

[MCMLXVI]

Bird is the word... Easts to win!

[Stewie Griffin]

Move on from last week Matty. A different side will be showing up tonight. And for the first time in a long time they have a point to prove.

You are right Thirteen about the point to prove thing.

Robbo is a deep thinker and meticulous planner. Don't rule out last week being half planned, for this weeks resolve.

Easts to make a statement tonight.

[Johnny Tobin]

Robbo looked very confident in his press conference. If we play close to our ability we win. Simple as that.

[Johnny Tobin]

And that is the key... teams have been playing nice footy with them hoping to beat them whilst we have been hunted by many trying to beat the champions, which goes with the territory. What Penrith should find is the intensity of the game to lift to a level they haven't experienced to date. Since round 16 they have played the Tigers, Broncos, Parra, cowboys and dogs. All weak ass teams including a Parra that has been lost since we beat them in round whatever. Of course our experience means nothing if last weeks game wasn't a tactical move by Trent.

They only played us and Storm once this season - both at home.

[Team Evil]

They only played us and Storm once this season - both at home.

We play them at home again.
Are finals crowds split evenly in regards to ticket sales?

[top_joe]

We have the firepower so it is ours to lose.

Side question - who from their team would have in ours? I can only think of Cleary, Fish (in 17, not over JWH/SST), and Kikau (on RHS).

[ROC181]

We play them at home again.
Are finals crowds split evenly in regards to ticket sales?

Yesterday I said what Tobin said but also, they played Canberra and souffs once as well AT HOME. Being that we already played Penrith at home and being that due to covid and not having had a chance to play them in our home ground, the NRL should have acted fairly in this rare occasion and played tonights game at ANZ, but of course the losers will be crying out that we are being assisted to get a 3Peet.

[OMR]

An opening 20 by SST & JWH like 2018-2019 GF shall establish our victory.