Friday first game for NRL Finals Week 3 is between South Sydney Rabbitohs and Manly Sea Eagles with the opening kick to commence at 7:45pm local time. The game is to be played at ANZ Stadium with the favourite for the match being South Sydney Rabbitohs. View our NRL live scores, odds and results for the game between South Sydney Rabbitohs and Manly Sea Eagles.

WHERE AND WHEN: ANZ Stadium, Friday 7:45pm AEST

Opening Odds Comparison:

South Sydney Rabbitohs	1.45	1.42	1.39	1.42	1.45	1.44
Manly Sea Eagles	2.85	2.95	3.05	2.95	2.85	2.80

Preview:

The first game kicks off on Friday night at 7.45pm, with the Rabbitohs taking on the Sea Eagles at Allianz Stadium. Most of the money will be on South Sydney to win this one, who have had a great season and will be keen to make amends after losing to the Bulldogs last year. The Rabbitohs made their first preliminary final since 1968 last season, only to have Canterbury rip their dreams apart. While Manly are capable of doing the same this weekend, they will have a tough time against what is a stronger and more confident Rabbitohs outfit.

Manly are not in the best shape going into this game, after suffering from multiple injuries over the last few weeks. They are experienced in finals football, however, and known exactly how to approach these kind of situations after winning Premierships in 2008 and 2011. The Sea Eagles are also a very dangerous side with the football in hand, ranking second in 2013 for total line-breaks including a competition-best 45 from busts. Daly Cherry-Evans has been particularly good for the Sea Eagles, and he will need to be in top form if Manly are to have any chance in this game.

Where Manly might struggle is in the forwards, with the mighty Souths pack capable of damaging an already hurting Manly outfit. The likes of Greg Inglis, Issac Luke, John Sutton, and Adam Reynolds will test Manly’s defence, and the Sea Eagles wont be able to rest for a second. If the Rabbitohs pack start to worry Manly in the first half, it might be hard for the Sea Eagles to hold on. However, Manly are no slouches at finals football, and a tight gruelling encounter all the way to the final whistle is much more likely.

Teams:

South Sydney Rabbitohs
Greg Inglis, Nathan Merritt, Bryson Goodwin, Dylan Walker, Dylan Farrell, John Sutton, Adam Reynolds, Luke Burgess, Issac Luke, Dave Tyrrell, Sam Burgess, Ben Te’o, Jeff Lima
Interchange: Jason Clark, Roy Asotasi, Chris McQueen, George Burgess, Ben Lowe, Luke Keary, Matt King (three to be omitted)

Manly Sea Eagles
Brett Stewart, Jorge Taufua, Jamie Lyon, Steve Matai, David Williams, Kieran Foran, Daly Cherry-Evans, Brenton Lawrence, Matt Ballin, Brent Kite, Anthony Watmough, Justin Horo, Glenn Stewart
Interchange: Richie Fa’aoso, Jamie Buhrer, Tom Symonds, George Rose, Peta Hiku, James Hasson, David Gower (three to be omitted)
Referees: Ben Cummins/Gerard Sutton

NRL to probe blood test crime link

NRL chief operating officer Jim Doyle has confirmed the code’s integrity unit is investigating how blood test results from Sydney Roosters players found their way onto the phone of an organised crime figure.

Doyle said he was unconcerned by a Fairfax Media report claiming six Roosters players returned blood test results with elevated readings for Human Growth Hormone (HGH).

He is also comfortable with the club’s response after informing the integrity unit of the readings earlier this year.

Two days before their NRL preliminary final against Newcastle, the Roosters say they having nothing to hide after it was revealed a sports nutrition company was sacked when six players returned tests with elevated readings for HGH.

The company, Nubodi, was hired at the end of last year to help finetune detox diets for players before being dismissed in January.

“We’re not concerned, really,” Doyle told AAP on Thursday.

“We were aware of these matters earlier this year. So from my point of view, it’s not new.

“There’s no reason for us to suspect there’s a doping issue there. The (HGH) levels are high but that doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s a doping issue.

“ASADA are obviously aware of it. They have been for quite some time and I’m not aware that ASADA’s actually doing any investigation on their part for those particular matters.”

But Doyle said revelations the blood tests of players including Sam Moa, Boyd Cordner and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck ended up on the mobile phone of an alleged crime figure raised big concerns.

The trio were later re-tested by the club and did not return elevated levels of HGH and there’s no suggestion they acted improperly.

“How that happened, obviously I’m not sure,” Doyle said.

“It’s not the type of information that would normally be out in the domain and being texted around.

“For us, we’ll look into that and try to determine how that took place.

“We’ve already been speaking to various people about that as to … where that’s come from.

“But certainly the results itself we’re aware of and they’re not overly concerning to us whatsoever.”

The Roosters said in a statement there had been “full voluntary disclosure” with the integrity unit over the matter and they hadn’t received any contact from ASADA about the matter.

“As is the case with all clubs, players have been regularly and extensively tested throughout the season by ASADA and the club has fully cooperated with the organisation’s routine tests,” the statement said.

“We reinforce that the club maintains the absolute highest standards in its own policies and governance and, as a club, we have nothing to hide.”

Sean Carolan, who runs Nubodi, has denied the inconsistent growth hormones among some tested players was a result of taking illegal supplements.

HGH, which is used to strengthen connective tissue and reduces the probability of injury, is not only banned by ASADA but illegal in Australia.

A spokesperson for the Rugby League Players Association said it had spoken to one of the Roosters players concerned and would await any further developments before acting.

“They haven’t asked us to take any action as of yet, but we are concerned that allegations have been bandied around without due process,” the spokesperson told AAP.