Roosters and Tigers to win | Thebigtip

And then there were four. The NRL preliminary finals are here and every team has an even chance of going on and contesting next week’s Grand Final. The Titans and Dragons may have home ground advantage, but the Tigers and Roosters have the skill and flair necessary to upstage their opponents on their own turf.

GOLD COAST TITANS V SYDNEY ROOSTERS

The Roosters are one win away from gaining the opportunity to do what no club has done in over 70 years â€“ win a premiership barely a season after obtaining the wooden spoon. Indeed it has been a remarkable transformation for a Roosters side which was a disgrace both on and off the field 12 months ago. But under the tutelage of Brian Smith, the Roosters are now a team filled with the skill, speed and belief necessary to make their first Grand Final since 2004. Securing a spot in the decider however won’t be easy. Brian Smith’s men must travel to Suncorp Stadium to play the in-form Gold Coast Titans, who have won seven of their past eight matches. Like Minor Premiers, the Dragons, the Titans are a methodical and disciplined side capable of taking a match away from their opposition. In Scott Prince, the Gold Coast possess arguably the most experienced and clinical halfback in the NRL. However, the Roosters are also very well served with Todd Carney and Mitchell Pearce in the halves. Whichever team shuts down the massive influence of the opposition’s halves pairing will almost certainly progress to the Grand Final.

Titans key man – Scott Prince

Although his passing and kicking game have been extensively lauded, it is Prince’s experience in these big matches which could prove the key in allowing the Titans to make their first Grand Final appearance. In his only previous finals campaign, Prince was the linchpin behind the Wests Tigers fairytale Premiership victory in 2005, winning the Clive Churchill medal for best player afield in the Grand Final against the Cowboys. Since that crowning moment, Prince has never looked back, with his status as the NRL’s premier half only thwarted by current Test and QLD Origin team-mate Johnathon Thurston. The Titans have managed to win matches without Prince before, but in a preliminary final against the high flying Roosters, they will need all of Prince’s magic to post enough points to contain arguably one of the NRL’s most potent outfits.

Roosters key man – Todd Carney

From Rugby League outcast , to the NRL’s best player – that says a lot about the talent of a footballer now capable of finishing his career as one of the true legends of the game. Having been gifted a second chance at rugby league; Carney has finally fulfilled the expectation cast on him ever since he made his first grade debut for the Canberra Raiders back in 2004. Although Carney has experienced his fair share of off field dramas, it’s great to know that the Goulburn product is making more headlines on the field rather than off it. His coronation as the 2010 Dally M Medalist confirms Carney’s ascension from wasted talent, to a supreme footballer capable of changing the course of a match at will. Having forged a wonderful combination with Mitchell Pearce in the halves, Carney has become almost unplayable at times. With his ability to break the line, chip kick or produce a killer pass, Carney seems to have the football under a spell on most occasions. If Carney is allowed to open up his bag of tricks against the Titans, he will certainly make the Gold Coast’s maiden Grand Final hopes disappear.

Tip – Roosters