On a weekend in which even the most insatiable sports fan can be fully occupied, the NRL will be well pleased that its two semi finals matches look like being very even contests.

The way the “McIntyre Finals System” operates, the first week of the finals was almost guaranteed to have a couple of mismatches and that is how it eventuated.

But the second finals weekend is a very different story. Unlike last week when six of the eight teams were guaranteed another match even if they lost, this weekend is sudden death stuff.

And the contrast between the two matches could hardly be sharper. Tomorrow night it is long time Sydney rivals the Bulldogs and the Eels – they have met 120 times since they entered the competition – including 11 times in finals matches. On Sunday afternoon in Townsville the Cowboys will meet the Warriors – they have met just 22 times, and never in a finals match.

Tomorrow night’s Telstra Stadium match will be shown live on Nine in NSW and Queensland, and should be a ratings winner. And it may draw up to 50,000 spectators, a very good number for the NRL.

The Eels are marginal favourites with the betting agencies, mainly on the strength of very recent form. The Eels caused the one upset of the first weekend of finals when they accounted for the Warriors in Auckland – something not many teams have done this year. The Bulldogs have won their last two games – but both were against the Cowboys in Townsville.

Sonny Bill Williams returns from a weeks suspension and that probably accounts for the closeness in the betting.

And there is another interesting twist in the contest. The Eels are coached by Michael Hagan – who has a distinguished 80 match playing career with the Bulldogs.

The second game will be played in the Townsville heat at 4pm on Sunday. That should benefit the home team – but the Cowboys have played virtually all their games at night!

Before a capacity home crowd, the visiting Warriors face a daunting task – but if they can shut down Jonathan Thurston and Matt Bowen they will have a chance of redeeming last week’s surprise loss.

But you really sense that the weekend’s winners will only be granted a reprieve.

In the preliminary finals on 22-23 September, this weekend’s winners will meet the Melbourne Storm and the Manly Sea Eagles, who, thanks to McIntyre has this weekend off.

But at least this weekend offers two intriguing contests – on a weekend the sports addicts long for.