Round 21 Preview - Pick your Top 8

Hello and welcome footy fans to the footyfootyfooty Round 21 preview. We're going to look at this weekend's matches and run the rule over the draws for each team battling to make the finals. At the end of it, FFF will be offering prizes for those who get closest to tipping the final top 8!!

ROUND 21

Fri- 7:35pm - Souths v Bulldogs. Fresh from taking the wind out of the Warriors sails and welcoming back their key man Isaac Luke it's hard to look past the Bunnies in this one. Bulldogs have a point to prove but they're probably a couple of weeks late in proving it. FFF are tipping the Bunnies despite the losses of Taylor and Champion.

Fri- 7:35pm - Penrith v Nrth Qld. Surely North Queensland have stopped thinking about playing footy and started planning where they'll be holidaying come September. Penrith have shown inconsistent form this year and the verdict is still out on whether they can beat the best in the business. This is only the first of many winnable games for the mountain men though so expect them to be there when it matters.

Sat- 5:30pm - Eels v Roosters. Dubbed by our friends from NRL.com as 'Game of the year', this should be an all out attack-a-thon, with each side showing in previous weeks they can score them, and let them in. It's such a tough one to pick and we at FFF believe the papers are being unfair to Hayne with their 'Hayne v Carney' build up of the game. Roosters are hardly a one-man-band. More likely it will be "Hayne v CarneyPearceAnastaMinichiello', poor guy. FFF have stuck with their hearts and gone the Eels with their current form and the dynamic man at the back finding his feet (or tyres) again.

Sat- 7:30pm - Tigers v Sharks. Tigers need some momentum back after a run of narrow wins was followed by a convincing loss to Manly last week. A 'limp over the line' effort will only see further doubts creep into the minds of Tigers fans about their premiership credentials. FFF thinks Tigers will race out of the blocks in this one to win convincingly.

Sun- 2:00pm - Warriors v Titans. Their ladder position is almost identical but the mood in either team couldn't be more contrast. The Titans have just snapped a losing streak that dates back to round 15 (and that was by 1 point!) to beat table-topping St.George (also by 1 point). The Warriors, after their energy-sapping win over Penrith two weeks ago finally ran out of steam against the Bunnies last week and must be out on their legs. Despite this, FFF think the Warriors can stand up at home and do enough to get over the line.

Sun- 2:00pm - Storm v Raiders. We hope both these teams take it seriously, they have every reason to struggle for motivation. FFF thinks the Storm's class will get them a win at home.

Sun- 3:00pm - Dragons v Broncos. It's a reality check for the Broncos who will use this game as a yardstick (poor Dragons, always the yard stick) for the up-and-down Broncos who haven't strung two wins together since round 14. The Dragons will be stinging after their 1 point loss to Titans and FFF thinks they'll have too much for the see-sawing Broncs.

Mon- 7:00pm - Knights v Sea Eagles. Coming off a strong win against fellow top-eight-iens Wests Tigers, FFF thinks Manly will have too much for the brave Knights. All the inspiration from all the Kurt Gidley's in the world (there must be more) won't help the coal-sifters across the line in this one.

Check back next week for our 'Round in review' for celebratory chest pumping or embarrassing retractions.

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Now on to the even more challenging task of selecting what will be the final top 8. footy footy footy will be offering a signed, official* Nrl football (don't know who but it will be signed) and a supporters shirt of the winners chosen club to the person who gets closest to the actual top 8.

And even if you don't win it all, FFF will be giving you the opportunity to put us to shame. We have selected what we think will be the make-up of the final 8 and will be posting it next Tuesday. Here's your chance to show us up by getting your tips closer than we could. Give it a go. To make it easier, here are the draws, current standings and current for and against for the 11 teams still in the running;

1^st. St. George(30)+188: Broncos (a), Roosters (a), Sea Eagles (h), Raiders (a), Knights (a), Souths (h)

2^nd. Panthers (26) +97: Cowboys (a), Raiders (h), Tigers (h), Souths (h), Bulldogs (a), Sharks (h)

3^rd. Roosters (26) +9: Eels (a), St.George (h), Sharks (a), Titans (h), Sea Eagles (h), Cowboys (a)

4^th. Tigers (26) 0: Sharks (h), Rabbitohs (a), Panthers (h), Eels (a), Storm (h), Titans (a)

5^th. Sea Eagles (24)+74: Knights (a), Storm (h), St George (a), Warriors (h), Roosters (a), Bulldogs (h)

6^th. Warriors (24) -21: Titans (h), Sharks (a), Knights (h), Sea Eagles (a), Broncos (h), Eels (a)

7^th. Titans (24) -25: Warriors (a), Eels (h), Cowboys (h), Roosters (a), Sharks (a), Tigers (h)

8^th. Souths (22) +77: Bulldogs (a), Tigers (h), Storm (a), Panthers (a), Eels (h), St. George (a)

9^th. Broncos (22) +37: St George (h), Cowbos (a), Eels (h), Knights (a), Warriors (a), Raiders (h)

10^th. Eels (22) -12: Roosters (h), Titans (a), Broncos (a), Tigers (h), Souths (a), Warriors (h)

11^th. Raiders (20) -50: Storm (a), Panthers (h), Bulldogs (a), St George (h), Cowboys (h), Broncos (a)

Let us know positions 1-8 and how many points each will be sitting on at the conclusion of the regular season.

You can post it as a comment, or reply to your footy footy footy email. Not on the list? Shoot us an email  and we'll add you.

Yours in eager anticipation of another cracking weekend of football.



*official here taking the meaning of 'officially' purchased from Rebel Sport