User:Avatar5991/sandbox

<!--Only four teams remain in the race for this year’s NRL premiership, with the Eels, Panthers and Rabbitohs to carry the hopes of the state of New South Wales into this weekend’s preliminary finals, while the Cowboys will continue to fly the flag for Queensland.

First off, the Cowboys will start favourites in their home preliminary final against the Eels, who will go into the final four on a high after thrashing the Raiders by 40-4 in their semi-final last Friday night.

The other preliminary final is a rematch of last year's Grand Final, between the Panthers and Rabbitohs, with this to be the third consecutive year they meet inside the final two weekends of the year.

A win by the Eels in Townsville this Friday night will guarantee that the premiership trophy will remain in Sydney, and also edge them closer towards ending a 36-year premiership drought - currently the longest by any side in the NRL (excluding the Titans and Warriors).

However, the Cowboys will be determined as ever to bring some premiership joy back to north Queensland, which tasted the ultimate success just seven years ago.

Here is your preview to the two preliminary finals this weekend.

North Queensland Cowboys (3rd) vs Parramatta Eels (4th) Friday, September 23, 7:50pm Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville

This season: Cowboys defeated Eels 35-4 at TIO Stadium, Darwin in round eight.

Last meeting in a final: Cowboys won 24-16 at Accor Stadium, first semi-final, 2017.

North Queensland will be buzzing when the region hosts its first ever NRL preliminary final this Friday night and it is the Parramatta Eels who will be thrown to the wolves against the Cowboys as they attempt to edge closer to ending a 36-year premiership drought.

Any doubts over the Eels' finals credentials were emphatically quashed as they thrashed the Canberra Raiders by 40-4 at Commbank Stadium last Friday night, the result sending them through to the final four for the first time since 2009.

For the winner: a berth in next week's Grand Final; for the Eels the chance to end a 36-year premiership drought or for the Cowboys the opportunity to add a second premiership trophy to their cabinet to go with their 2015 success.

For the loser: season over.

Prediction: Cowboys by 18 points.

Penrith Panthers (1st) vs South Sydney Rabbitohs (7th) Saturday, September 24, 7:50pm Accor Stadium, Sydney

This season: Panthers won 26-12 at Bluebet Stadium in round four; Panthers won 26-22 at Accor Stadium in round 23.

Last meeting in a final: Panthers won 14-12 at Suncorp Stadium in the 2021 Grand Final.

Last year, the Panthers and Rabbitohs squared off for the premiership.

But this year, they'll be fighting it out for a place in the Grand Final, with both sides facing each other one weekend earlier than many had hoped for.

The Panthers go into their preliminary final fresh off a week's break after dominating the Eels 27-8 in their qualifying final at the foot of the mountains, the victory led by Nathan Cleary's towering bombs in his first match back from a five-match suspension.

For the winner: a berth in next week's Grand Final; for the Panthers the opportunity to go back-to-back or for the Rabbitohs the chance to put an end to an eight-year premiership drought.

For the loser: season over.

Prediction: Panthers by two points.

-->