Graham Lowe: Watch the champions step forward

New Zealand's national airline has long trumpeted the slogan that "being there is everything".

And certainly, that will be the feeling of the eight coaches whose teams have made the cut for this year's finals series.

Conversely, those who are packing up their kit and caboodle will be feeling like the bloke whose car broke down on the way to the hottest date of his life.

The week leading to the first round of finals footy can play tricks on a coach's mind like no other week of the year.

First, the relief of still being in the hunt at the business end of the season comes as a massive weight off the shoulders.

And it will be even more difficult for a club like the Tigers, who were given no show at the start of the year. Some will have the mentality that getting there is enough.

But semifinals football is also the stage on which the champions of the game come into their own.

With this in mind, perhaps the best way to pick winners from here on in is to look for the champions. These are the blokes who can deliver the truly match-turning moments, the ones who produce touches of brilliance and courage that go beyond what is considered normal.

A great example of this happened during the Roosters-Panthers grand final in 2003.

Roosters winger and current Warrior Todd Byrne broke away down the left touch line on what should have been a try-scoring run to lock up the game.

Panthers loose forward Scott Sattler, not especially noted for his speed, was the only player within cooee of the Roosters speedster.

But it was one of those grand-final moments when sheer courage and determination triumphed. Incredibly, Sattler ran Byrne down, made the tackle and bundled him into touch.

It was a moment of inspiration that lifted the Panthers to an 18-6 win against the favourites.

Coincidentally - but perhaps not if one believes pedigree is important in producing champions - Scott is the son of legendary South Sydney captain and front-rower John Sattler, who produced plenty of his own inspirational moments.

The occasion etched into the folklore of the game in Australia happened in the 1970 grand final between Manly and South Sydney.

John Sattler was king-hit in back play in the opening moments by huge Manly forward John Bucknell. The punch broke Sattler's jaw but the tough Rabbitohs front-rower kept it quiet from his team-mates and went on to not only complete the game but lead from the front in a hard-fought 23-12 win.

Teams respond to these moments of inspiration.

This week the coaches must decide on tactics, and this is where I see the possibility of upsets.

Because most of these teams play a similar style of football, they can anticipate the opposition's play.

The introduction of a dose of kick-and-clap from the first 10 pages of the rugby manual could do the trick.

Possession is seen by most as the key to winning a game of league.

Something unexpected but calculated could deliver the magic needed - particularly for teams such as Manly, who will need a miracle to beat the Eels on Sunday.

An aerial bombardment on early tackles from all field positions would give away possession, but it would also turn the opposition around and chances are, keep them disorganised at their own end of the park.

This game plan, backed up with aggressive defence, could force mistakes that lead to tries.

Of course, if the defence can't back up for a long period of the match it could spell disaster.

But Manly will not beat the Eels if they take their normal game plan into the match. They are simply not good enough.

Cronulla are another team who should consider this kicking game against the red-hot Dragons. Like Manly, they have good kickers and should use this ploy as their main weapon. If the Sharks play their normal game, they too will get flogged.

And it's important the Dragons and Eels play the same game that has got them this far and don't get sucked into being too conservative and risk-free.

The biggest risk is not to take one. Despite that, I'm picking the Cowboys to roll the Tigers, Brisbane to beat Melbourne, the Dragons to beat the Sharks and, in my dreams, Manly to beat the Eels.

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It is great news for the Kiwis that Stacey Jones has come out of international football retirement for the two tests against Australia next month.

Jones is a champion and well needed by the Kiwis. Kiwi coach Brian McClennan and his assistant, Graeme Norton, are the types of coaches who will get the best from Jones. That aside, who else is there to play halfback?