Richie Barnett: Inexperience could cost, but Canberra are no easybeats

The Gold Coast Titans have a perfect balance to win big matches. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion

The NRL playoffs have epitomised what league has achieved this year.

In terms of style of play, it's been such exciting football to watch, and that was typified for me by the Roosters-Tigers game last weekend, one of the best I've seen in a long time.

Calling the winners of this weekend's pair of games is tough, but that's as it should be. After all, we're at the business end of the competition, the best teams are still standing, so there should be no easy rollovers.

I just hope the refereeing doesn't unduly influence the weekend's games.

Some of the calls we've seen recently have been atrocious. They can impact hugely on a game, and make the difference between winning and losing.

From a player's perspective, you simply have to mentally dig deeper. When you get bad calls, just deal with it the best you can.

Out in the middle during finals footy, with the season on the line, is not the time to stress on it.

However, that can be easier said than done when you've just been wrongly marched 30 or 40 metres and end up on the ropes instead of being within sight of the opposition tryline.

Tonight's game has me edging towards the Tigers.

The Canberra Raiders have a massive pack and they're on a terrific run of form, nine wins from the last 10 games, so they'll be feeling good about themselves - and they're at home.

The respective coaches will be a key element. Here you have Tim Sheens at the Wests Tigers, one of the most experienced operators in the game, and David Furner, in his first time in the playoffs. Sheens' wise head has to come into play at some stage.

In the Tigers pack, Gareth Ellis reminds me of the Kangaroo great Wayne Pearce. They tend to mould their game around players like that and feed off their inspiration.

Certainly the Tigers have a pack which can match anyone, with industrious and seasoned back rowers such as Chris Heighington and Ellis, and Robbie Farah in the middle. That's experience in key positions.

The Tigers will be smart to move the Raiders pack around the park, look to tire them out and play an up-tempo style. Trying to tackle the Raiders head-on would not be a clever strategy.

The Raiders certainly have real momentum. But I wonder about players like Jarrod Croker, Terry Campese and Josh McCrone. They're inexperienced, and I wonder when the pressure is applied how they'll deal with it.

Tomorrow night's contest should be a cracker, too. The Roosters will have home advantage at the Sydney Football Stadium, but that's not the only reason I lean towards them advancing.

The Roosters have hung on in a lot of games and come good in the closing stages of many matches. At times their defence has been extraordinary.

I feel they're in a good space right now and coach Brian Smith has helped create a culture of believing in themselves. That's made a substantial difference.

Todd Carney has been a revelation this season. He's controlled games very well and there's plenty of talk saying that if you control Carney you control the Roosters. Certainly he's been the dominant figure.

They like to play a quick game, and when they're in the mood and are allowed to play that style they are a hard team to beat.

This is a contest of speed against size, although the Penrith Panthers will be hurting through losing big men Frank Pritchard and Trent Waterhouse to injury. Petero Civoniceva's return from suspension could not be better timed.

But in my book, none of those four is the premiership favourite. At this point my money is on the Gold Coast Titans.

They have a perfect balance to win big matches; class playmakers and forwards with Origin written all over them.

They've got Scott Prince and Mat Rogers to lead them around the park, and experience in the likes of Anthony Laffranchi, Mark Minichiello and Ashley Harrison.

Their average age is 28, and they're the best in the competition going head to head when games are in the balance.

I've felt for the past couple of months that the Titans are in the box seat.

Nothing I've seen recently has changed my opinion.