It’s been two years since the best reserve grade and junior talents have been able to taste finals football, and there are some mouth-watering clashes for the opening week of the NSWRL’s NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg finals.
While minor premiers Newtown (NSW Cup) and Sydney Roosters (Flegg) enjoy a well-earned week off, there's still plenty going on for Finals Week 1.
NSW Cup Finals
Qualifying Final
Penrith Panthers (2) v North Sydney Bears (3)
St Marys Leagues Stadium, Saturday September 3
3.10pm (Channel 9)
In the NSW Cup, it will be interesting to see how the Panthers fare following reports that Ivan Cleary was set to rest up to 13 players from the NRL squad.
That decision is bound to have a roll-on effect to the NSW Cup side, with half Kurt Falls and regular features like J’maine Hopgood, Robert Jennings, Eddie Blacker and Chris and Lindsay Smith likely to be called up to the first-grade ranks.
The depleted Panthers will face an in-form North Sydney, who are riding a four-game winning streak that has included two 60-point hauls. The Bears are a point-scoring machine, with the competition’s top scorer (Adam Keighran) and top try scorer (Tom Carr) in their ranks. They've clearly learned to live without Joseph Suaalii.
Elimination Final
Canterbury Bulldogs (4) v Parramatta Eels (5)
St Marys Leagues Stadium, Saturday September 3
5.15pm (NSWRLTV)
The opening game will be immediately followed by the Elimination final between the Canterbury Bulldogs and Parramatta Eels, with both teams winning three of their last five games during the lead-in.
Both squads have plenty of NRL experience in their ranks, with the Bulldogs benefitting from Tevita Pangai Jnr’s demotion in their final round contest against minor premiers Newtown. They also have Jayden Okunbor, Declan Casey, Brandon Wakeham and Ava Seumanufagai in their ranks.
The Eels, meanwhile, can count the likes of 210-game veteran Mitch Rein and former under-20s Player of the Year Bryce Cartwright, as well as Jakob Arthur, Ofahiki Ogden and Bailey Simonsson, who have all featured in Brad Arthur’s NRL team at some point during the season.
Jersey Flegg Finals
Qualifying Final
Newcastle Knights (2) v Penrith Panthers (3)
St Marys Leagues Stadium, Saturday September 3
12.45pm (NSWRLTV)
The state’s under-21 competition is also reaching the pointy end, with the second-placed Knights and third-placed Panthers facing off as the curtain raiser to the NSW Cup games in St Marys. Both teams are enjoying comparable form, but it will be interesting to see how Newcastle fare away from home, despite being the ‘home’ team.
Up in Newcastle the young Knights have a league-best 9-2 record, but their away form is the worst in the top five. Meanwhile, Penrith have a perfect record at this venue. The teams split the season series with one win apiece.
Elimination Final
St George Illawarra Dragons (4) v Wests Tigers (5)
Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Sunday September 4
10.30am (NSWRLTV)
The Red V were on the cusp of slipping out of the finals places before arresting a three-game losing streak with some late wins to secure fourth place - including a victory just last week against the team they face again, Wests Tigers.
Meanwhile, the Concord club are the form team of the Flegg finals, on a four-game streak of their own before being undone by the Red V, and they’ll be desperate for revenge. Though they have beaten the Dragons at home this year, that result took place in Wollongong.
