It’s that time again…footy fever and a Panthers win?

Well, dear fellow footy watchers,

My family and friends are all selecting their clothes to wear to the semi finals, preliminary final and Grand Final of the NRL. I have my very old Penrith Panthers jersey ready this year as my team the Eels did not make it to the semi finals.
I know this an exciting and serious time for the teams, coaches and clubs; there are quite a few injuries among the players and some teams are not at full strength. Although on the day, I know that the teams will play the best game of footy that they can, as it is a time that all players look forward to all season.

My partner Deane played rugby league in his ‘hey day’ and loves the sport with a passion. He knows all of the players’ names, strengths and weaknesses; he often comments about the way the players respond well with old and new coaches. He never misses watching a game: even this last week while he was struggling to breathe in hospital, the first thing he asked for was a television to watch the games. He has emphysema and is on oxygen 24 hours a day with heaps of medication. Then he also developed pneumonia, so his doctor hospitalised him over a week ago. He may be coming home today as the hospital doctors and nurses have done well; they treated his pneumonia. Deane will still need lots of nursing at home, so I will need to ‘play nurse’ through this trying time for him.

I was going to get Deane to write an introduction to the finals for Starts at 60, because he is very knowledgeable on his footy. Although, with him unwell you are left with me to write the introduction so here is how I see the footy playing out over the next couple of weeks. I am not up with the rules of the game so I will give my version of how I see the forthcoming games being played out:

– The Sea Eagles are sitting in the semi final position waiting to devour the Bulldogs after they swoop and peck them into a thousand pieces.
– The Roosters will await the Cowboys in their semi final; crowing as they are known to do, although the Cowboys run out on the field with all six shooters blazing, feathers flying, until the last Rooster crows his final cock-a-doodle-do.
– In the preliminary final, the exhausted Sea Eagles play the fresh, well-trained young Panthers team, led by Jamie Soward, so the Panthers will play hard and fast as panthers are known to do, so they will win.
– The Cowboys will take on the fresh Bunnies in the preliminary final and as we all know a fresh bunny is always a winner, they also know how to jump the Cowboys’ bullets, so the Rabbitohs will win.
– Then on Grand Final day, the Panthers will rip open the Bunnies; entrails flying and win the Grand Final.

Have fun and good luck with all of your teams – I was only joking with my introduction above. My Parramatta Eels slipped out early flying out aboard the ‘Hayne Plane’ and I am a sore loser.
The Panthers are my partner Deane’s team and as Deane is sick in hospital and the Eels are out of the game, for a bit of fun I now forecast his team to win.

Go Penrith Panthers.

Enjoy your footy everyone,
Sylvia

Are you an NRL footy fan? Or do you prefer AFL? Who’s your favourite team? And who do you think will win the finals? Tell us below!