NRL fans divided over 'strange' detail as Week 1 finals schedule announced

The NRL has done away with tradition in a brilliant move that ensures Warriors fans can watch their side in action against the Panthers in the first week of the finals. The NRL traditionally schedules the 1st v 4th game as the first match of the finals series - putting it in prime time on Friday night.

But a 7.50pm start for the Panthers and Warriors would have meant fans in New Zealand wouldn't see the game until 9.50pm their time - meaning it would finish around midnight. Instead, the NRL has put the Panthers-Warriors game at 4pm on Saturday afternoon (6pm in New Zealand).

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The Broncos and Storm (2 v 3) will instead play on Friday night in a rematch of their encounter from round 27. It marks the first time since 2019 that the 1 v 4 game hasn't been played as the first game of the finals.

The NRL could have easily struck with tradition and dudded fans in New Zealand. But considering the Warriors didn't play a single game at home for two years during the Covid pandemic, the slight change is the least the NRL could do. While some fans felt it looked 'strange' that the Panthers and Warriors had effectively been relegated to 4pm on Saturday, others felt it made complete sense considering everything the Warriors have done for the game over the last few years.

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The first week of the finals has a master v apprentice feel about it, with Newcastle to take on the Raiders and the Sharks battling the Roosters. Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon is relishing testing himself against former long-term mentor Trent Robinson.

"It is a good opportunity for us and our club," said Fitzgibbon, who worked under Robinson for more than a decade at the Roosters. "Any semi that you play is a privilege because you earned the right through a lot of hard work, a lot of sacrifices from staff and players.

"So any one of them is a privilege, irrespective of who you're playing. All that stuff (with Robinson) will heat up later in the week."

Broncos coach Kevin Walters was also on Storm mentor Craig Bellamy's staff for a number years. He will be seeking revenge against Bellamy and Melbourne on Friday after the Storm prevented the Broncos from claiming the minor premiership in the final round of the season.

Eighth-placed Canberra face the trickiest task of the finals, heading to Newcastle to face a Knights side on Sunday who haven't lost at McDonald Jones Stadium since April. The Raiders have won just two of their last seven games and on top of having a depleted forward pack, Sebastian Kris is facing a lengthy suspension after being sent off for a spear tackle against the Sharks.

"I don't know if anyone knows we're in the finals," Canberra coach Ricky Stuart said after their loss to Cronulla on Sunday. "I'm so proud of these blokes, they've exceeded all (external) expectations.

"Good on (Knights coach) Adam O'Brien, he was getting sacked three months ago. He's turned it around and shoved it up all those people."

NRL Week 1 finals schedule:

(2) Brisbane Broncos v (3) Melbourne Storm - Friday 7.50pm, Suncorp Stadium

(1) Penrith Panthers v (4) Warriors - Saturday 4.05pm, BlueBet Stadium

(6) Cronulla Sharks v (7) Sydney Roosters - Saturday 7.50pm, PointsBet Stadium

(5) Newcastle Knights v (8) Canberra Raiders - Sunday 4.05pm, McDonald Jones Stadium

with AAP

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