Sea Eagles Crash Land in Week One of the Finals
September 16th 2009 12:24
Sea Eagles Crash Land in Week One of the Finals
With week one of the 2009 NRL finals series now gone, the Telstra Premiership remains as evenly matched and unpredictable as it has in recent memory. The outcomes from the weekend past have done nothing but muddy the waters when trying to predict the team most worthy of this year’s title.
As it stands, the results from the weekend saw the Newcastle Knights finally succumb to a season filled with both controversy and promise as they were knocked out of the finals and relegated to eighth place, while the Gold Coast Titans stumbled in their first finals appearance. Meanwhile, the cruel reality of the NRL Finals system was felt by Manly-Warringah as last year’s premiers were knocked out in only the first week despite finishing in fifth position of the regular season.
Most shocking of all was the events that transpired in Sunday’s match between the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Parramatta Eels. It was only one week prior that the Dragons overwhelmed the Eels on the same ground when they run out comprehensive winners in a 37-0 drubbing. In the ultimate showcase of the unpredictability of this year’s premiership however, the Eels somehow managed to reverse the outcome in only nine days by taking the match 25-12.
It proved to be a fifty point turnaround in dramatic circumstances as for the second time in history; the minor premiers were beaten by the team that finished eighth.
In all that has transpired during this season and in the week of finals that has just passed, it is supremely evident that the team that finally takes the premiership will be the one most willing to display the greatest hunger and commitment in each and every one of their remaining games. Whichever team that ultimately proves to be is anyone’s guess, as at this stage, more than at any point in the history of the game, the final six teams possess equal amounts of ability and talent to win the 2009 premiership.
Obviously the Grand Final will finally determine the team worthy enough to take the 2009 title. A year which has proved to be one of, if not the most, unpredictable and intriguing seasons in Australian rugby league history...and with many more thrills and spills in the three weeks to come.
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