Finals Week 2 Teams

Author: Words: Tom Skolarikis
Timestamp: Wed 17 Sep 2014, 09:15 AM

While the Rabbitohs lay in waiting this week, four teams will fight it out in week two of the NRL Tesltra Premiership Finals Series, for the right to progress to face the red and green’s and the Penrith Panthers.

The Sydney Roosters and the North Queensland Cowboys will put their seasons on the line this Friday night when they face off in an epic showdown for the right to face the Rabbitohs on the 26^th of September at ANZ Stadium.

After going down to the Penrith Panthers in a week one thriller, the minor premiership winning Roosters will be bolstered by the return of hooker Jake Friend, with Mitch Aubusson set to return to the bench after deputising in Friend’s absence against both the Rabbitohs and the Panthers in recent weeks. Lock-forward Aiden Guerra will also return this week after serving a one-match suspension for dangerous contact on Kyle Turner in round 26.

The Cowboys earned their place in week two after knocking out the Brisbane Broncos last weekend and will pose a real threat to the Tricolours. The Cowboys will be without Tariq Sims after the forward was rubbed out for five matches by the match-review committee. Glenn Hall moves into the North Queensland starting side.

Meanwhile, the Panthers await the victor of a cross-city battle between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the second Semi-Final to be played this Saturday at Allianz Stadium. The victor will earn the right to face the Panthers on Saturday 27^th September at ANZ Stadium in the Preliminary Finals.

The Sea Eagles will be without the services of star forward Anthony Watmough, after the back-rower was charged for a dangerous throw on Greg Inglis in week one of the finals – Tom Symonds is set to cover for Watmough. The north-siders have named hooker Jayden Hodges despite the young-gun suffering a neck injury that saw him taken to hospital at half-time of last week’s clash against the Rabbitohs.

The Bulldogs camp has named an extended 20-man squad for the clash including the likes of Reni Maitua, Moses Mbye, and Harlan Alaalatoa on the bench.