McIntyre: Here’s how the NRL 2021 finals play out over the next four blockbuster weeks

Four weeks of NRL finals stretch out ahead of us, with more than 40,000 different ways the 2021 postseason can play out as the Panthers, Sea Eagles, Storm, and more battle for a premiership ring — here’s how The Sporting Base’s rugby league writer Isaac McIntyre sees the month of finals ending up.

The finals are finally here, and what a blockbuster run it is.

Eight teams enter: Melbourne, Penrith, Souths, Manly, Sydney, Paramatta, Newcastle, and the Gold Coast. By the first week of October, we’ll have crowned a 2021 premier, whether it be favourites Storm, the driven black Panthers machine, or another challenger.

This Sporting Base writer has a big NRL 2021 prediction too: the stage seems set for us to see a massive ‘fairytale’ turnaround this postseason. Here’s how the rugby league playoffs play out.

Week 1 — Storm vs Manly

This will be the first of a few shocks in my tips: I see the red-hot Sea Eagles, and more importantly Tom Trbojevic, dominating in the Thursday night opener. ‘Turbo’ has been simply sublime this year, and it’s potentially the best individual season we’ve ever seen from a star player.

Melbourne boasts a number of their own red-hot stars, including Grant, Munster, Hughes, and the Hectic Cheese, but Turbo’s scintillating 2021 will continue unabated in week one of the finals.

• Prediction: Manly def. Storm ($3.15 on Top Sport).

Week 1 — Roosters vs Titans

The Roosters may be absolutely blasted with injuries, but nothing from the Titans convinces me that this eighth-place team can do enough in finals. Expect them out in the opening week as Sydney goes big against a middle-of-the-pack Gold Coast squad.

• Prediction: Roosters def. Titan (-11.5 at $1.85 on Top Sport)

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Week 1 — Eels vs Knights

Much has been made of the 2001 grand final battle heading into finals, but more important to this game is the fact the Knights are clearly on the rise, while the Eels have been bruised and battered coming into the postseason. They’re shot, and it showed in their 3-6 run since June.

On paper, it’s an upset, but Ponga/Pearce will lead Newcastle to the second week of finals.

• Prediction: Knights def. Eels ($2.92 on Top Sport).

Week 1 — Panthers vs Rabbitohs

This Saturday evening battle in Townsville should be a mouthwatering meeting, but one team is without their talismanic young star, and the other has finally got theirs back in their ranks and firing.

Cleary runs out on Saturday, Latrell doesn’t. It’s as simple as that, and that means Panthers win.

• Prediction: Panthers def. Rabbitohs ($2.92 on Top Sport).

Semi-Final 1 — Storm vs Roosters

It didn’t matter against the Titans, but the fact the Roosters are running on empty and missing a number of big stars will definitely play a role in their Melbourne duel in week two. The Storm will be looking to bounce back from their Sea Eagles loss, and the Roosters will be spent after a long season playing youngsters and second-stringers.

There’s a chance this goes big, just like Sydney against the Gold Coast, but the other way round. Melbourne’s arsenal of explosive stars should run amok to make their seventh consecutive preliminary finals appearance.

• Prediction: Storm def. Roosters (Melbourne $2.40 to win title on Top Sport)

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Semi-Final 2 — Knights vs Rabbitohs

Sorry Newcastle fans, this is where the 2021 journey ends.

I’m not expecting anything massive, especially if Ponga and Pearce are playing at their top levels, but the Rabbitohs should ease home here. Their quality just outshines the Knights, even with Latrell Mitchell already on the beach ahead of 2022.

This is Cody Walker’s big chance to step up in a crunch-time moment too. Reynolds is on his way out, and Walker needs to shake off the “flat-track bully” moniker he’s picked up in recent years.

• Prediction: Rabbitohs def. Knights (Souths $10 to win title on Top Sport)

Prelim. 1 — Sea Eagles vs Rabbitohs

And now sorry Rabbitohs fans, this is where the journey ends for you, one week later.

Without Latrell, the battle of the fullbacks comes down to Turbo vs rookie Blake Taaffe. The kid has played five games in his entire NRL career. Compare that to Turbo, who scored more tries than that in the past two weeks alone. It’s David vs Goliath, but this time Goliath doesn’t even look twice at David’s little sling as he runs in try after try after try.

The big question here is can the rest of Manly lift alongside Tommy Turbo as he continues his incredible 2021, and I think they can do that. Trbojevic brings the whole team up when he’s on.

• Prediction: Sea Eagles def. Rabbitohs (Manly $6 to win title on Top Sport)

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Prelim. 2 — Storm vs Panthers

Perhaps the biggest upset of the finals campaign; The Sporting Base tips Penrith to knock the defending champions out of the playoffs, getting revenge for their 2020 defeat in the process.

Expect Nathan Cleary to stand tall in this big game, which should go down to the wire.

• Prediction: Panthers def. Storm (Penrith $2.60 to win title on Top Sport)

Grand Final — Sea Eagles vs Panthers

Look, we said there’d be a few upsets here in the tips, and here’s the big one: Manly win the premiership.

Yep, that’s right. This battle comes down to Cleary vs Trbojevic in my eyes, and right now there’s is no one in the game better than Manly’s 24-year-old fullback. Nathan Cleary has been incredible, but his time away from the game this season has dulled him a little compared to 2020, while Turbo has just lifted in every game he plays.

This should be a tight battle, but the Sea Eagles should get the job done in an incredible, incredible turnaround. Remember, they were 0-4 to start the season, winning just one before Turbo returned in Week 6.

It will be a fairytale story to tell for years, even if you hate Manly like everyone else.

• Prediction: Sea Eagles def. Panthers (Manly $6 to win title)

So to wrap up, here’s how the finals play out:

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