Friday night’s NRL finals game between the NZ Warriors and the Sydney Roosters is going to be a cracker. The Warriors have won 9 of their last 11 including last week’s victory over the minor premiers and are a far cry from the rabble that started the season.
This isn’t the first time the Warriors have played the Roosters in the Finals. They met in 2002 in the Grand Final. Unfortunately the result didn’t suit us. The Roosters didn’t so much as win that game as obliterate us in it. Stacey Jones played superbly (he was at the height of his powers and arguably one of the top 3 players in the competition) and scored a sublime try just after half time to put us ahead but that seemed to wake up the Roosters and they ran over the top of us.
History is not going to repeat this week. The Warriors are playing winning football based around go forward from their impressive pack and the occasional burst of razzle dazzle from the likes of Manu Vatuvei and Jerome Ropati. The Warriors defence has improved markedly as well and it’s hard to believe they’re the same side that was leaking 40 or so points every week.
The one area where the Roosters shade us is in the halves but then it’s the same situation most weeks and the Warriors have just kept on winning.
Another big advantage is the Warriors playing at home. The game is a sell out and the crowd are probably worth a try or two in themselves.
Last week’s victory was the greatest in club history. This week’s victory won’t match that for drama and storylines but it will happen.
The Warriors by 8
Future Ramblings 