Tips: Telling Cleary call exposes vulnerable top four team
Ivan Cleary has in recent years built a reputation for resting his gun players in the final round.
So Tuesday’s team lists raised eyebrows for a different reason this week, when the Panthers named virtually a full-strength team for the last game of the round against the Tigers.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary. Getty Images
Cleary’s decision to roll into the finals series with momentum rather than freshening up his best players has sparked a number of theories, given that several other finals bound coaches opted to give their stars a rest.
According to Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler, the Cleary call underscores the importance the Panthers are putting on finishing top of the ladder, not due to the $200,000 prize money but for the reward of meeting a wounded opponent in a qualifying final.
The Panthers face the Tigers at 4pm on Sunday, giving them the added advantage of knowing exactly what is required to finish as minor premiers, given the Warriors will have played their round 27 game the day before against Manly.
The Warriors currently sit top by one solitary for and against point. Therefore, if they beat the Sea Eagles by 10 points, the Panthers will know that they need to beat the Tigers by 12 points or more to pip their title rivals across the Tasman.
No matter the gulf, the Panthers will back themselves to rack up the margin required by fielding their best team against a Tigers side that sits 14th and has nothing other than pride to play for in their final game of the season.
Tellingly, Johns believes the Panthers picking their full-strength team reflects their opinion of the Dolphins and the Roosters. Clearly, says Johns, the Panthers would prefer to meet the Roosters in week one of the finals.
“It’s interesting their tactics,” Fittler said on Wide World of Sports’ NRL Tips. “Like a lot of times in the past they’ve rested their entire team at different stages so…”
“They want to come first,” Johns interjected.
“$200,000, $100,000 goes to the players,” Fittler continued.
“I think it’s more, well the Roosters, this will be three in a row they’ve lost,” Johns replied, predicting they would lose to the Rabbitohs on Friday night, due to the inexperienced side named by Trent Robinson.
“I think coming first and playing the Chooks first, I’d rather play the Chooks, because of their injuries, than the Dolphins.”
The Roosters will be missing gun halfback Sam Walker in the finals in a blow that has been compounded by a poor run of form on the eve of the biggest games of the year.
By resting a critical mass of his side, Robinson has almost waved the white flag for Friday night’s match against the Rabbitohs. If the Roosters lose that match and the Dolphins win their clash against the Titans, Kristian Woolf’s side will be guaranteed a third place finish and the Roosters will face the minor premiers in week one of the finals.
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