After a longer wait than usual, the NRL Finals are here on Nine, starting with four blockbuster match-ups.

This weekend also sees the start of the women’s competition, the 2020 Telstra NRLW Premiership.

Tomorrow night in the first NRL Qualifying Final, the Sydney Roosters, premiers in 2018 and 2019, head west to Penrith Stadium hoping to put an end to the Panthers’ incredible 15-match winning streak.

It’s a tantalising clash between the Roosters’ Luke Keary and the Panthers’ Nathan Cleary – both touted as 2020 NSW Origin halves – as they scheme to gain the upper hand.

Saturday is a bumper day of footy with four top games, beginning at 11.30am AEST with the first round of the NRLW competition getting underway: Roosters v Dragons and Broncos v Warriors. Stars of the game including Kezie Apps, Ali Brigginshaw, Isabelle Kelly and Corban McGregor will all be in action.

On Saturday afternoon, the Sharks head to Canberra to take on the Raiders in a sudden-death Elimination Final. While Canberra edged out Cronulla last week, a legion of rested stars like Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Josh Dugan are returning for both sides, making this a whole new ball game.

The action then switches to Suncorp Stadium for the second leg of the double-header as the Storm face the Eels in the other Qualifying Final. Amid all the question marks over Cameron Smith’s future, Melbourne are displaying the same brand of clinical brilliance as always, while Mitchell Moses and the whole Parramatta side need to showcase the deadly form they exhibited early in the season to upset Melbourne.

The fourth blockbuster is the second Elimination Final on Sunday afternoon when the Knights tackle the red-hot Rabbitohs at home. After scintillating recent performances by the halves pairing of Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker, Souths will be a tough challenge for any team in the finals – but when Kalyn Ponga is “on” for Newcastle, he’s as good as any player in the competition. This one might be closer than many predict.

For further information please contact Nine Publicity:
Jason Evans
E jaevans@nine.com.au
P 02 9965 2052

Thursday, October 1, 2020