Andrew Johns says one of Manly’s biggest strengths could be their undoing tonight as they bid to upset minor premiers the Storm in their qualifying final.
Powered by superstar Tom Trbojevic, the Sea Eagles are considered by many to be a big chance of a boilover that would put them one win away from a grand final but Johns says their best chance may have been squashed by the luck of the draw.
Scroll below for the current leaderboard and week one finals tips by Johns, Fittler and all Nine’s expert tipsters!
The Storm v Manly clash will take place at Sunshine Coast Stadium and Johns says the dewy surface that is a hallmark of the venue will stop them from unleashing their best attacking plays.
Under Des Hasler’s coaching this season, Manly have become one of the most adventurous attacking teams from within their own half, regularly spreading the ball early in sets to create opportunities for the lethal back three, with Trbojevic chiming in on both sides of the ruck.
Johns sees width in attack as a vital weapon to pull the Storm’s swarming defensive line apart yet that game plan is hard to pull off on a slippery surface.
“I think the big advantage for the Storm, I’ve been watching the games at Sunny Coast Stadium and it’s been really dewy,” Johns told Brad Fittler for Wide World of Sports’ Freddy & Joey’s Tips.
“So to beat the Storm, you obviously need to hold the ball, high completions, but you need to move the ball laterally and move it around, offload and play a bit of ad lib.
“I think that’ll restrict Manly because of the conditions and the slippery ball, so for me Storm will suffocate Manly and win in a low-scoring tight game.”
Fittler also tipped the minor premiers to advance directly to the preliminary final by winning tonight, citing the Sea Eagles’ finals inexperience as the difference between the two sides.
“One of the things I feel Manly could suffer is they have a fair bit of inexperience, especially in the back-row,” Fittler said.
“I think when you’re talking about the dew, what you need to do is get a bit deeper and when you don’t quite hold your nerve, that’s what seems to happen is you creep up on the ball. So I feel a little bit the same. I feel (Melbourne) got to their back-rowers in the last game; they got a try out of (Haumole) Olakau’atu lying on the ground close to the try line and then Jahrome Hughes cut (Josh) Schuster in two and they scored off the back of that as well, so I feel like the back-rowers, their inexperience might just cost them.”
Andrew Johns: Storm, Roosters, Panthers, Eels
Brad Fittler: Storm, Roosters, Panthers, Eels
Wally Lewis: Storm, Roosters, Panthers, Eels
The Mole: Storm, Roosters, Panthers, Eels
Darren Lockyer: Storm, Panthers, Roosters, Eels
Billy Slater: Storm, Roosters, Panthers, Eels
Ruan Sims: Storm, Roosters, Panthers, Eels
Mat Thompson: Sea Eagles, Roosters, Panthers, Eels
James Bracey: Storm, Roosters, Panthers, Eels
Peter Psaltis: Storm, Titans, Panthers, Eels
Tim Elbra: Storm, Roosters, Panthers, Eels
Ben Glover: Sea Eagles, Roosters, Panthers, Eels
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