I still think it's just not the same now that the NRL don't start their finals the same week as the AFL. Anyway, here's the final round:

Fri 7:30 Penrith vs Brisbane
Sat 5:30 Newcastle vs W.Tigers
Sat 7:30 NQ Cowboys vs Sharks
Sat 7:30 Canberra vs Souths
Sun 12:00 NZ Warriors vs Bulldogs
Sun 2:30 Manly vs Melbourne
Sun 3:00 Syd Roosters vs Parra

My Ratings:

Penrith by 8
Newcastle by 4
NQ Cowboys by 8
Canberra by 10
Bulldogs by 12
Melbourne by 2
Syd Roosters by 18

I'd prefer to back manly and the tigers.

Cowboys v Sharks - Cowboys by 20
Sea Eagles v Storm - Storm by 30
Knights v Wests Tigers - Tigers by 4
Panthers v Broncos - Panthers by 12
Raiders v Rabbitohs - Raiders by 2
Roosters v Eels - Roosters by 12
Warriors v Bulldogs - Bulldogs by 12

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

Hidden finger, the film

Rugby League bad boy John Hopoate and his infamous onfield fingering scandal have been immortalised in a Hollywood film starring Alec Baldwin and Matthew Broderick.

The film, The Last Shot, has nothing to do with rugby league and its American writer-director Jeff Nathanson is not a fan of the sport and knows little about it. Nathanson, however, thought a brief, out-of-the-blue mention about Hopoate's notorious 2001 finger probing incident in the offbeat, witty comedy would fit well in a scene, despite it having nothing to do with the context of the film.

In the scene Tony Shaloub, who plays an eccentric mobster, is watching a game on TV and begins ranting about how a player was banned for sticking his fingers in other players' rear ends. "You'll notice Tony Shaloub is always watching some obscure sporting event, some weird thing like bowling, so it was something to do," Nathanson said.

Nathanson was holidaying in Europe in 2001 when he first read about Hopoate's notorious 12-week suspension for putting his fingers up the backsides of three North Queensland players during a game. "I was travelling in Europe and I was reading the newspaper and reading about the incident and just kept it in the back of my mind," Nathanson said.

The Last Shot, which also stars Calista Flockhart, Ray Liotta and Australian actress Toni Collette, is scheduled to open in Australian cinemas in October.



[ This Message was edited by: sportznut on 2004-09-01 07:22 ]

PANTHERS v BRONCOS

Panthers have won only won 2 of their last 9 against the broncos including 1 of the last 4 at penrith against them. The panthers have won 8/10 at home this year while the broncos have 9 wins + 1 draw from 11 away.

last 4 H2H:
R 1 2003 BRONCOS 24-20 @ PENRITH PK
R22 2003 PANTHERS 13- 6 @ SUNCORP
FNL 2003 PANTHERS 28-18 @ PENRITH PK
R 7 2004 BRONCOS 32-14 @ SUNCORP

KNIGHTS v WEST TIGERS

The knights have won 4/7 against the w/tigers including all 3 played at newcastle. At home this year the knights have won 4/11 while the tigers have won 5/14 away from home.

last 4 H2H:
R23 2001 W/TIGERS 36-32 @ CAMPBELLTOWN
R15 2002 W/TIGERS 28-12 @ CAMPBELLTOWN
R 7 2003 KNIGHTS 34- 6 @ NEWCASTLE
R20 2003 W/TIGERS 52-12 @ CAMPBELLTOWN

COWBOYS v SHARKS

The cowboys have won 2/15 against the sharks,winning 1/7 at dairy farmers against them.This year the cowboys have won 5/11 at home [the last 5 played there]while the sharks have won 6/12 away.

last 4 H2H:
R15 2002 SHARKS 46-16 @ DAIRY FARMERS
R24 2002 SHARKS 36-14 @ TOYOTA PK
R16 2003 SHARKS 34-28 @ DAIRY FARMERS
R 5 2004 COWBOYS 36-10 @ TOYOTA PK

RAIDERS v SOUTHS

The raiders have won 8 of their last 11 against souths,in the last 10 years only 4 games have been played at bruce with the raiders winning 3.AT home this year the raiders have won 7/11[losing their last 2 to the storm,roosters]while souths have 1 win[manly] + 1 draw[cowboys] from 11 games away from home.

last 4H2H:
R 2 1999 SOUTHS 21-12 @ S.F.S
R 2 2002 SOUTHS 30-22 @ BRUCE STADIUM
R10 2002 SOUTHS 26-20 @ S.F.S
R 8 2003 RAIDERS 34-12 @ S.F.S

WARRIORS v BULLDOGS

The warriors have 8 wins + 2 draws from 17 against the bulldogs,winning 5/7 at ericsson against them.At home this year the warriors have won 4/11 while the bulldogs have won 8/13 away from their home grounds.

last 4 H2H:
R 2 2003 WARRIORS 24-20 @ ERICSSON
R 8 2003 BULLDOGS 18-12 @ W/PAC,WELLINGTON
FNL 2003 WARRIORS 48-22 @ SHOWGROUNDS
R 6 2004 BULLDOGS 24-18 @ W/PAC,WELLINGTON

MANLY v STORM

The storm have won 7/10 against manly/nthn eagles[4/5 manly,3/5 nthn eagles]winning 1/3 at brookvale, back in 1999, 19-18.At home this year manly have won 5/11[won last 3]while the storm have won 5/12 away.

last 4 H2H:
R22 2001 NTHN EAGLES 20-12 @ GOSFORD
R16 2002 NTHN EAGLES 36-22 @ BROOKVALE
R 6 2003 MANLY 20-14 @ BROOKVALE
R26 2003 STORM 40-10 @ OLYMPIC PK


ROOSTERS v EELS

Since 2000, 4 games have been played at the S.F.S between them with the roosters having 1 win + draw.At home this year the roosters have won 10/12 while the eels have won 4/11 away.

last 4 H2H:
R15 2002 DRAW 12-12 @ S.F.S
R 1 2003 ROOSTERS 32-14 @ S.F.S
R 8 2003 ROOSTERS 44-12 @ PARRA STADIUM
R18 2004 EELS 26-12 @ PARRA STADIUM





[ This Message was edited by: goldmember on 2004-09-01 12:35 ]

This is the most interesting round for years, would be advisable to bet day by day,panthers should win,looking to hold a top 4 spot with A.ROBERTS,R.GIRDLER,F. PRITCHARD back, and the broncos already got 3rd wrapped up and rumours that a few players might be rested,still no LOCKYER ,FRAWLEY and maybe no WEBKE, but BERRIGAN is back.

Both the knight and tigers WILL be trying in this game,for the ALLAN MACMAHON shield[BALMAIN great, KNIGHTS 1st coach]Tigers wanting 8th spot and knights last home game sending off B.KENNEDY, R.O'DAVIS,M PARSONS and T.TAHU.

If the tigers win the previous game i wonder if the sharks will try ?,the cowboys get back K.CAMPION and maybe M.SING and G.MORRISON

Both souths and raiders will be trying, the raiders, if w/tigers lose, can get 8th spot,while souths are trying to avoid the wooden spoon The raiders get back A.MOGG,R.WIKI and T.SMITH while souths lose L.HOOKEY.

Even if souths win or lose the warriors will be out to smash the bulldogs [ like they did against the roosters],trying to avoid the wooden spoon,Warriors get back C.TOOPI,B.WEBB,R.VILLISANTI and the bulldogs get back C.HUGHES and S.BILL WILLIAMS.

The storm can finish 4th if the knights win by 50pts,highley unlikely,will probably finish 5th or 6th, might rest some players while manly only playing for pride.

The roosters can rest a few play also if the bulldogs get beaten aerlier in the day,winning the minor premiership ricky stuart could change the line up. Roosters get back C.FITZGIBBONS,while the eels get back J.LANGI and lose C.STAPLETON.

Put your mind at ease,Sportznut.It's not the same.But this time next year it will be the same.Unless the NRL change it again,then it won't be the same.

I think i'll bet game by game,no multis, or scoring options might be a better gamble.Anyone with FOXTEL can watch the cowboys/sharks on foxsport 1 and the raiders/souths game on the main event channel at the same time.

[ This Message was edited by: goldmember on 2004-09-01 13:34 ]

Bad week to rate teams as who knows what teams or players will try or take it easy,but here goes nothing:

PANTHERS by 12
KNIGHTS by 12
COWBOYS by 8
RAIDERS by 4
BULLDOGS by 4
MANLY by 7
ROOSTERS by 8