NRLW finals updates: Upton’s confidence a scary sight for Titans in Queensland derby

We are underway at Cbus Super Stadium for the last preliminary final of the NRLW season. Who will meet the Roosters next week? The Titans or the Broncos?

We will find out shortly.

A strong crowd has shown up to support the two Queensland sides today.

“This is going to be a classic football game,” Allana Fergusin said on Nine.

Jaime Chapman and Tamika Upton have delivered similar messages ahead of this game, although both had a different tone when speaking to Nine.

Chapman, a Titans superstar, was relatively calm after an extra week of preparation ahead of this final, whereas Upton made clear that the Broncos needed last week’s game against the Knights for confidence reasons.

There is no doubt that hearing that Upton and her Broncos teammates have found a new level of confidence as they battle for a spot in the grand final.

“A confident Tamika Upton is a worry to any opponent,” Allana Ferguson said on Nine’s NRLW Wrap.

“Her combination with Jesse Southwell in particular is crucial. She will be sniffing in and around all the work of her forwards, but when those two are on ... they are the biggest threat without a doubt on that football field.

“It will be about the Titans trying to nullify the work (Upton and Southwell) will do.”

Yellow heat protocols will be in action for this afternoon’s preliminary final at Cbus Super Stadium, NRL officials have confirmed.

It is currently 26 degrees with 56 per cent humidity in the Gold Coast. The yellow heat protocols mean players will have more water run out to them by trainers.

We are just over 10 minutes away from kick off. Who is going to get the win?

Sydney Roosters gun Jayme Fressard is under an injury cloud ahead of the grand final next weekend after suffering a shoulder injury against the Knights.

Fressard is set to undergo scans today to determine if she will be fit to play.

Millie Elliott gave fans an update on her teammate’s injury on NRLW Wrap.

Newcastle fans making the trip to Accor Stadium this afternoon have been advised to consider alternative transport options amid train delays.

Trains are currently not running between Fassifern and Wyong in both directions due to an issue with a freight train at Warnervale.

Transport NSW confirmed repair crews are on site and working to get services back up and running as soon as possible.

Replacement buses are in operation from Morisset.

Here is how both teams will be lining up this afternoon.

Titans: 1. Lily Patston 2. Destiny Mino-Sinapati 3. Jaime Chapman 4. Georgia Grey 5. Indie Bostock 6. Teagan Levi 7. Lauren Brown 8. Laikha Clarke 9. George Hale 10. Fanua Rimono 11. Evania Isa’ako 12. Ivana Lolesio 13. Sienna Lofipo 14. Lily Kolc 15. Eta Sikahele 17. Takoka Thompson 20. Jasmine Solia

Broncos: 1. Tamika Upton 2. Kerri Johnson 3. Deleni Paitai 4. Georgia Bartlett 5. Julia Robinson 6. Ali Brigginshaw 7. Jesse Southwell 8. Shannon Mato 9. Jada Ferguson 10. Brianna Clark 11. Lauren Dam 12. Romy Teitzel 13. Lillian Yarrow 14. Rhemy Hickesman 15. Chelsea Lenarduzzi 16. Reegan Hicks 17. Harlem Walker

With Latrell Mitchell set to hit the market on November 1, the NRL world is eager to see where one of the game’s best talents will land.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs will be eager to keep him at the club, but Mitchell will need to accept a significantly lower pay cheque to what he is currently on.

If he were to depart, Andrew Johns feels there is one team who should target him.

“I don’t think Perth have really nailed a marquee player,” Johns said on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.

“If you nail Latrell, he’s the figurehead of your club. There’s your marketing piece. I think everyone even in AFL land would know who Latrell Mitchell is.

“Obviously, there would have to be some clauses about how many games he plays for bonuses, et cetera. We all know he has a presence and he’s an x-factor. They get the best out of Latrell – he can be one of the best in the world.”

Billy Slater questioned whether Mitchell would want to move to the other side of the country given how much he loves his farm in Taree.

Johns then flagged that there has been speculation that Bradman Best could depart Newcastle, meaning Mitchell may have an option closer to home.

“Bradman is a left centre. Newcastle to Taree is about an hour and a half away,” Johns replied.

After Kylie Minogue’s AFL grand final extravaganza on Saturday and the NRL still awaiting a new entertainment contract, Marlee Silva came up with a more unique idea for what the alternative could be.

“I was thinking about ... a holographic recreation of Cathy Freeman’s 2000 run because we are in Sydney Olympic Park,” she said on the NRLW Weekly podcast.

“Wouldn’t it be amazing?

“And technology can work like that, right? We can do a hologram of Cathy doing the run. And imagine a full Accor Stadium feeling that moment, cause I go back and watch that video at least three times a year.

“Anytime I need a pump up I will go back.”

Cameron Munster spoke on Sunday morning to the Wide World of Sport panel, explaining that he believes the Knights can pull off an upset tonight against the Panthers.

“They definitely can. We spoke about it…when they played against the Warriors that no one gave them a chance, and you can probably tell from KP’s (Kalyn Ponga) post-match chat that he’s been reading the critics or reading all the quotes about the Newcastle Knights not being up to it, and it put a little bit of fire in their belly,” he said.

“But you know what Penrith look like in September, and they’re built for it.

“It all depends on Nathan Cleary’s kicking game and how he’s going too. There’s obviously so much speculation about him, and we’ll find out today.”

Knights fans could be in for a long trip to Sydney!

Train delays due to freight train is stuck on the line at Warnervale meaning trains are cancelled and thousands of fans are stuck, either having to wait or drive down to Sydney from Newcastle.

Trains from Newcastle heading towards the City are currently suspended until the freight train moves.

The state government did put in place extra trains down to cope with the amount of fans movement for Sunday’s game, but Knights fans have been warned to plan ahead and look for alternative routes.