By Michael Atkinson

It’s hard to believe, I know, but this Sunday is the first week of finals and marks just a fortnight of club footy left this year.

Our four finals sides are locked in – have been since round 17 – and we know who will face who in the major and minor semi-finals.

To wet the appetite for Sunday’s semis, we’re going to release a little preview of each side over the course of the week.

A slow, tantalising build-up to a HUGE double header at Ballymore.

First cab of the rank, defending premiers University of Queensland.

Ladder position: First
Number of wins: 12
Last five games: WWWWW

Surprise, surprise, UQ have finished on top of the table. It’s the third straight year the Red Heavies have collected the minor premiership, although they were made to work for it a bit more this season.

The past two years, UQ have dropped just one game in the home and away rounds, but in 2018 the competition was far tighter and the Students dropped four matches.

However, it’s the way they finished the season that will have their other finalists worried.

The Heavies come into the post-season in the best form of any side, not just in the final four, but in the competition. They’re on a seven game winning streak, and haven’t lost since their 38-27 defeat to Easts back in round 10, in early June.

What’s even scarier is that this side just knows how to win finals, and win premierships. Their record speaks for itself: nine straight finals appearances (including this year), five grand final appearances since 2010, and four premierships.

Key moment this season:

It’s hard to look past that impressive win over GPS at St. Lucia two weeks ago. It was a top of the table clash and the Heavies just demolished the Gallopers.

The 54-17 victory sent shockwaves through the competition and a huge warning shot to their finals rivals. GPS will have it in the back of their minds on Sunday.

Key player: Tom Court

One of the criticisms (they aren’t easy to find) of UQ over the past four or five years is that they’re a young side. It’s often been thought that while they are supremely talented, they lack a bit of a hardened edge. If a team out-muscled them, bullied them a bit, they’d get found out.

It happened against Brothers in the 2016 finals series, and GPS found it to be effective a couple of times last season.

The inclusion of former Ireland prop, Tom Court, has brought experience, a hard edge and the bit of grunt that has been missing. He has played a fair bit of footy from the bench, but it’s a nice weapon for coach Mick Heenan to have after his fit, fast youngsters have set the early pace and they need an experienced old head to come on and finish the job.

Court plays loose head prop and his battle with Ruan Smith will be great viewing, but when GPS unleash their reserve prop, the battled hardened Freddy Burke, the contest will really come to life.