Rugby leagues finals feast gets under way on both sides of the globe tomorrow.
The NRLs finals begin with the South Sydney-Melbourne blockbuster at ANZ Stadium tomorrow night but Super League has the first finals say tomorrow morning NZ time with the top-placed Huddersfield Giants at home to fourth-placed Wigan (the match kicks off at 8.00pm on Thursday local time, 7.00am NZT) .
The Giants finished top of the league for the first time in 81 years but their play-off record isnt impressive with just two wins in their previous nine finals matches. The Wigan Warriors, who were leading the competition for a long stretch, have been in indifferent form despite winning the Challenge Cup final at Wembley last month. Theyve lost seven of their last nine matches.
Wigans line-up hasnt been confirmed yet but the clubs 2013 squad includes former Vodafone Warrior and Kiwi Epalahame Lauaki, Auckland-born ex-Kiwi Harrison Hansen and former Vulcans back rower Anthony Gelling.
Former Vodafone Warrior Ukuma Taai and ex-Kiwi hooker David Faiumu are on Huddersfields roster.
Then the focus switches to ANZ Stadium tomorrow night, the Vodafone Junior Warriors up first against South Sydney in their NYC elimination final followed by the NRL qualifying final between South Sydney and 2012 premiership winners the Melbourne Storm.
This is how the finals action maps out over the weekend:
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
Super League (qualifying final): (1) Huddersfield Giants v (4) Wigan Warriors, John Smiths Stadium, Huddersfield, 7.00am NZT (no television coverage in New Zealand)
NYC (elimination final): (6) Vodafone Junior Warriors v (7) Wests Tigers, ANZ Stadium, Homebush, 7.15pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 7.00pm)
NRL (qualifying final): (2) South Sydney Rabbitohs v (3) Melbourne Storm, ANZ Stadium, Homebush, 9.45pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 9.30pm).
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
Super League (elimination final): (6) Hull FC v (7) Les Catalans Dragons, KC Stadium, Hull, 7.00am NZT (Maori Television coverage shown on Sunday, 3.30pm).
New South Wales Cup (elimination final): (6) Auckland Vulcans v (7) Wests Tigers, Remondis Stadium, Cronulla, 2.00pm NZT (no television coverage)
New South Wales Cup (qualifying final): (1) Cronulla Sharks v (4) Windsor Wolves, Remondis Stadium, Cronulla, 4.00pm NZT (no television coverage)
NYC (qualifying final): (2) Penrith Panthers v (3) Sydney Roosters, Allianz Stadium, Randwick, 3.30pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 3.30pm)
NRL (elimination final): (5) Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v (8) North Queensland Cowboys, Allianz Stadium, Randwick, 6.00pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 5.30pm)
NRL (qualifying final): (1) Sydney Roosters v (4) Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Allianz Stadium, Randwick, 9.00pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 8.30pm)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
Super League (qualifying final): (2) Warrington Wolves v (3) Leeds Rhinos, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington, 2.00am NZT (Maori Television coverage shown on Monday, 10.30pm)
Super League (elimination final): (5) St Helens v (8) Hull Kingston Rovers, Langtree Park, St Helens, 4.00am NZT (no television coverage in New Zealand)
New South Wales Cup (elimination final): (5) Newtown Jets v (8) Wentworthville Magpies, Leichhardt Oval, Balmain, 6.00pm NZT (no television coverage)
New South Wales Cup (qualifying final): (2) Newcastle Knights v (3) North Sydney Bears, Leichhardt Oval, Balmain, 8.10pm NZT (no television coverage in New Zealand)
NYC (elimination final): (5) Wests Tigers v (8) Brisbane Broncos, ANZ Stadium, Homebush, 1.15pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 1.00pm)
NYC (qualifying final): (1) Canberra Raiders v (4) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, ANZ Stadium, Homebush, 3.30pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 3.15pm)
NRL (elimination final): (6) Canterbury- Bankstown Bulldogs v (7) Newcastle Knights, ANZ Stadium, Homebush, 6.00pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 5.30pm)
The NRLs finals begin with the South Sydney-Melbourne blockbuster at ANZ Stadium tomorrow night but Super League has the first finals say tomorrow morning NZ time with the top-placed Huddersfield Giants at home to fourth-placed Wigan (the match kicks off at 8.00pm on Thursday local time, 7.00am NZT) .
The Giants finished top of the league for the first time in 81 years but their play-off record isnt impressive with just two wins in their previous nine finals matches. The Wigan Warriors, who were leading the competition for a long stretch, have been in indifferent form despite winning the Challenge Cup final at Wembley last month. Theyve lost seven of their last nine matches.
Wigans line-up hasnt been confirmed yet but the clubs 2013 squad includes former Vodafone Warrior and Kiwi Epalahame Lauaki, Auckland-born ex-Kiwi Harrison Hansen and former Vulcans back rower Anthony Gelling.
Former Vodafone Warrior Ukuma Taai and ex-Kiwi hooker David Faiumu are on Huddersfields roster.
Then the focus switches to ANZ Stadium tomorrow night, the Vodafone Junior Warriors up first against South Sydney in their NYC elimination final followed by the NRL qualifying final between South Sydney and 2012 premiership winners the Melbourne Storm.
This is how the finals action maps out over the weekend:
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
Super League (qualifying final): (1) Huddersfield Giants v (4) Wigan Warriors, John Smiths Stadium, Huddersfield, 7.00am NZT (no television coverage in New Zealand)
NYC (elimination final): (6) Vodafone Junior Warriors v (7) Wests Tigers, ANZ Stadium, Homebush, 7.15pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 7.00pm)
NRL (qualifying final): (2) South Sydney Rabbitohs v (3) Melbourne Storm, ANZ Stadium, Homebush, 9.45pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 9.30pm).
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
Super League (elimination final): (6) Hull FC v (7) Les Catalans Dragons, KC Stadium, Hull, 7.00am NZT (Maori Television coverage shown on Sunday, 3.30pm).
New South Wales Cup (elimination final): (6) Auckland Vulcans v (7) Wests Tigers, Remondis Stadium, Cronulla, 2.00pm NZT (no television coverage)
New South Wales Cup (qualifying final): (1) Cronulla Sharks v (4) Windsor Wolves, Remondis Stadium, Cronulla, 4.00pm NZT (no television coverage)
NYC (qualifying final): (2) Penrith Panthers v (3) Sydney Roosters, Allianz Stadium, Randwick, 3.30pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 3.30pm)
NRL (elimination final): (5) Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v (8) North Queensland Cowboys, Allianz Stadium, Randwick, 6.00pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 5.30pm)
NRL (qualifying final): (1) Sydney Roosters v (4) Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Allianz Stadium, Randwick, 9.00pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 8.30pm)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
Super League (qualifying final): (2) Warrington Wolves v (3) Leeds Rhinos, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington, 2.00am NZT (Maori Television coverage shown on Monday, 10.30pm)
Super League (elimination final): (5) St Helens v (8) Hull Kingston Rovers, Langtree Park, St Helens, 4.00am NZT (no television coverage in New Zealand)
New South Wales Cup (elimination final): (5) Newtown Jets v (8) Wentworthville Magpies, Leichhardt Oval, Balmain, 6.00pm NZT (no television coverage)
New South Wales Cup (qualifying final): (2) Newcastle Knights v (3) North Sydney Bears, Leichhardt Oval, Balmain, 8.10pm NZT (no television coverage in New Zealand)
NYC (elimination final): (5) Wests Tigers v (8) Brisbane Broncos, ANZ Stadium, Homebush, 1.15pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 1.00pm)
NYC (qualifying final): (1) Canberra Raiders v (4) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, ANZ Stadium, Homebush, 3.30pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 3.15pm)
NRL (elimination final): (6) Canterbury- Bankstown Bulldogs v (7) Newcastle Knights, ANZ Stadium, Homebush, 6.00pm NZT (SKY Sport 2 coverage starts at 5.30pm)
