Finals Week 1
Sydney Roosters 16 l. Brisbane Broncos 24

2008 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Comment: Bennett wins mind games
Mon September 15, 2008
The Sydney Roosters came out breathing fire in the opening semi final against Brisbane, however, the game was won and lost before kick off.

Experienced Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett, who has taken Brisbane to 17 successive finals appearances, coached Canberra to a grand final in his own season there and coached Brisbane Souths to success in 1985 knows what big time football is all about in the coaches box.

Roosters coach Brad Fittler was one of the all-time great players, he was one of just three five-eighth's in the last 60 years to captain his club to a premiership and his coaching record so far has been very impressive.

When Bennett was asked about Fittler bringing in former Roosters coach and now TV commentator Phil Gould in prior to the game for a motivational speech, Bennett immediately said Fittler was risking 'information overload' and that Fittler was doing a fine job in his own right.

In that very moment the cagey Bennett would have put doubt into Fittler's mind and Fittler would have been cautious in what to say.

At half time the Roosters led 16-8 and at one stage led 14-2 playing the near perfect first half performance. Bennett was more talkative than usual at half time, but he was still his relaxed self all the same. Bennett's comments about 'information overload' would have ringing through Fittler's mind at the same stage.

The second half was a different story with Brisbane coming out more determined and a much different side. The Roosters lost their way as Mark O'Meley ran out of puff and their once mighty kicking game was defused with ease by the Broncos.

Brisbane's 'reward' for defeating the Roosters is they are now in the same pool as Melbourne and Cronulla enroute to the Grand Final. To win a premiership a side has to beat the best teams along the way. However, Brisbane will be boosted by a home semi final on Saturday night. Bennett though prefers playing the Sydney sides at the SFS or ANZ Stadium in the big matches.

Fittler will learn from his debut finals match as coach against one of the real pros in the game. The Roosters get punished by traveling to Auckland on Friday night, but will really fancy their chances. The Roosters through Braith Anasta have the best bomb and kicking exponent in the game and out on the left wing for the Warriors is Manu Vatuvai. The Roosters forward pack will be able to match and come on top of the Warriors for size and force, which leaves Anasta as the key factor for the game and Anasta is due to deliver in a big game.

A victory by the Roosters will see them up against Manly in week three with the game most likely at ANZ Stadium. The Roosters put the cleaners through the Sea Eagles the last time they met and will have confidence heading into the next two weeks.

Much depends on how much Fittler learns from the experience of being out performed by Bennett before a ball was kicked.

Readers can send in their articles to website@rleague.com (news or editorial) or just add comments to this blog.


Broncos Starve Roosters In Finals Victory
Sat September 13, 2008
Source: www.broncos.com.au

THE WOW Brisbane Broncos have shut down the Sydney Roosters to win a gripping qualifying final in Sydney tonight.

The Broncos came from 16-8 down at halftime and starved the Roosters of points to record a 24-16 victory.

The Roosters were physically dominant in the first 40 minutes but that stopped when the Broncos got ball in the second stanza.

"We just needed halftime to get some composure," said captain Darren Lockyer.

"I thought we were okay on the scoreboard even though we were behind. But we needed that break at halftime."

The Broncos got back in the match with a broken-play try that featured 12 passes.

It went from one side of the field to the other and in the end winger Denan Kemp's speed shot him through a gap and he went over.

Michael Ennis kicked a handy goal and it was back to 16-14 not long after the break.

And Ennis 40/20 kick from dummy half would prove valuable.

From the resulting scrum the Broncos were on the attack and Peter Wallace floated a ball to David Stagg, the lock's good line beating the defence.

Stagg touched down to make it 18-16 and the Broncos were in front for the first time.

The Broncos got a scare in the 53rd minute when the Roosters appealed for a try only to have the video referee rule a knock-on by Setimata Sa.

Brisbane then went close but Kemp couldn't handle a Greg Eastwood pass that put him in the clear.

They bombed another certain try when after a long Justin Hodges break Joel Moon spilled the ball near the line.

But they would not be denied a third time.

With field possession again Tonie Carroll ran a simple straight line and Darren Lockyer delivered the pass for an easy try with 20 minutes left.

Ennis kicked the goal and the Broncos were eight points ahead. They hung on from there.

In just the third minute Joel Clinton felt the full force of Mark O'Meley's shoulder and was knocked cold, Ashton Sims called on to immediately replace him.

The turnover also gave the Roosters field position and they took a 2-0 lead with a sixth minute penalty from Craig Fitzgibbon.

But a late tackle by Queensland Origin forward Nate Myles on Peter Wallace in the eighth minute allowed Corey Parker to slot a penalty of his own.

The Broncos handed the Roosters six points when a Darren Lockyer pass was intercepted by Sia Soliola and he jogged around underneath the posts.

Fitzgibbon landed and it was 8-2 to the Roosters.

The home team had injury troubles of their own with hooker Riley Brown breaking his arm.

In the 25th minute the Roosters went ahead 14-2 when Anthony Tupou ran a good short ball off Braith Anasta, Fitzgibbon again saluting with the conversion.

But the Broncos were able to hit back before halftime.

Wallace took advantage off a good lead play by Parker to jink his way over near the posts.

Parker knocked it over and the Roosters led by six.

With a minute to go before the break Greg Eastwood and Michael Ennis were warned for late tackles and from the resulting Fitzgibbon penalty goal the Roosters had a 16-8 advantage at the break.

BRISBANE BRONCOS 24 (P Wallace, D Kemp, D Stagg, T Carroll tries; C Parker 2, M Ennis 2 goals) defeated the SYDNEY ROOSTERS 16 (S Soliola, A Tupou tries; C Fitzgibbon 4 goals) at the Sydney Football Stadium.
Referee: Tony Archer
Crowd: 18,343

Report Source: www.broncos.com.au

Tue September 9, 2008
• 'A Footy Fanatic's Guide to Week 1 of the Finals'
  
Tue September 9, 2008
• Broncos at full strength for Roosters Semi
  

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