BATTLE OF THE FORWARDS IN NRL PRELIMINARY FINALSCRONULLA VS NORTH QUEENSLANDNorth Queenslands forwards are an average of five kilograms bigger than their Cronulla opponents, and they know it. Theyre no fuss, no frills, but they get the job done. Theyve out-run their Sharks opponents by 43 metres per game this season, despite taking eight less runs than them per match.Relying on sheer power, they bend the oppositions defensive line with brute strength, making on average 9.62 metres per run. Both Scott Bolton and Matt Scott average exactly 10 metres per run, while wrecking ball Jason Taumalolo has gone at 10.9 per metres per carry, busting through 78 would-be tacklers along the way.In comparison, Cronullas forwards offer plenty for their team close to the line. Theyve produced 197 offloads this year, 108 more than their Cowboys opponents. They also have the ability to break the line open, busting through an average of 13.65 tackles per match, four more than the North Queensland big men.KEY STAT LEADERS:Metres per game: 169 - Jason Taumalolo (NQ)Runs per game: 22.1 Paul Gallen (CRO)Metres per run: 10.9 - Jason Taumalolo (NQ)Tackles per game: 33.4 - Michael Ennis (CRO)Offloads: 63 - Andrew Fifita (CRO)Tackle busts - 87 - Andrew Fifita (CRO)PACK VS PACK - AVERAGE MATCH STATS:Metres: CRO 862 - NQ 905Runs: CRO 103 - NQ 94Metres per run: CRO 8.38 - NQ 9.62Offloads: CRO 10 - NQ 4Tackle busts: CRO 14 - NQ 9Tackles: CRO 218 - NQ 220Average size (kg): CRO 101 - NQ 106MELBOURNE V CANBERRAA Canberra forward onslaught awaits Melbourne in Saturday nights preliminary final at AAMI Park.While both packs make near-identical number of metres, the Raiders have broken some 60-more tackles than their Storm opposition this season. Queensland enforcer Josh Papalli leads the way with 51 tackle busts but its Ricky Stuarts bench that will have Craig Bellamy worried. Joseph Tapine makes more than 10 metres a run, while Paul Vaughan contributes a team-high 118m per match.For the Storm, prop Jesse Bromwich is a cut above the rest. The New Zealand international makes more runs (14.7) and metres per game (139) than any other forward in the team, to go with 43 offloads and 41 tackles busts for the year. Fellow Kiwi Tohu Harris looms as a danger on the fringe, having scored eight tries in 2016.In the battle of the hookers, English import Josh Hodgson has set up 17 tries, the same number as halves Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer combined.Cameron Smith isnt far behind with 15 try assists but the Raiders will need to be wary of the Storm skippers boot. Smith tops the NRL for 40/20s, with five.KEY STAT LEADERS:Metres per game: 139 - Jesse Bromwich (MEL)Runs per game: 14.7 - Jesse Bromwich (MEL)Tackles per game: 38.1 - Cameron Smith (MEL)Offloads: 43 - Jesse Bromwich (MEL)Tackle busts: 51 - Josh Papalii (CAN)PACK VS PACK - AVERAGE MATCH STATS:Metres: MEL 822 - CAN 826Runs: MEL 91 - CAN 90Metres per run: MEL9.03 - CAN - 9.18Tackles: MEL 239 - CAN 220Offloads: MEL 134 - CAN 116Tackle busts: MEL 215 - CAN 280Average size (kg): MEL 105 - CAN 103* Stats courtesy Fox Sports StatsFake Air Max 2019 . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Cheap Air Max 1 Mens .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft. http://www.airmaxsneakersonsale.com/ . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. Cheap Authentic Air Max 95 . PETERSBURG, Fla. Buy Air Max Plus Tn . Roman Josi had a goal and an assist to lead the Predators to a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Monday night.LOS ANGELES -- Jeff Carter is powering the Kings while they wait for the return of Anze Kopitar.Carter scored his team-high seventh goal, helping Los Angeles beat the New Jersey Devils 4-2 on Saturday.Peter Budaj had 21 saves, and Los Angeles also got goals from Tanner Pearson, Alec Martinez and Jake Muzzin.Kopitar has missed four games with an upper-body injury, but the Kings are 2-1-1 in that span thanks largely to Carter. He has goals in consecutive games and five in his past eight, and he leads the team with 14 points.Hes carried the team on his back, Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. Hes shown a lot of leadership and been really, really good for us.John Moore and Nick Lappin scored for New Jersey, which has lost two straight since ending a five-game winning streak. Cory Schneider made 24 saves and has allowed six goals on 50 shots over his past two starts.We werent ready, at certain times in the game, to have the right type of intensity we needed to be able to control the territory like we wanted to, Devils coach John Hynes said.With 2:32 left, Lappin scored during a goalmouth scramble to cut the lead to 3-2, but Muzzin got an empty-net goal with 28 seconds left.We pressed and got it within one and had a chance to tie it, Schneider said. I think we know that wasnt a full 60-minute effort from us. But you have to give some credit to the Kings. I thought we responded the way we were supposed to, but against that team, its hard to get down and come back.Just 45 seconds into the third, Carter scored on a 2-on-1 rush by grabbing his own rebound and pushing it undder the goalie for a 3-1 edge.ddddddddddddPearson gave the Kings a 2-1 lead with 1:40 left in the second period. The Devils turned over the puck trying to clear the zone, and Pearson caught it and teed off from the left circle, sending it off Schneider and into the net.Nic Dowd set up Martinezs goal 4:58 into the second period. Dowd faked a shot, spun around and found Martinez in the high slot. Martinez beat Schneider with a hard shot through traffic to make it 1-1.Moore scored in a similar manner 3:38 into the first, launching a long shot past a screened Budaj.One thing weve got to be good at is coming out stronger in that first period, Pearson said. We let another first one in, but we battled back and were able to get the win at home.Game notesThe Kings honored former goaltender Rogie Vachon before the game for his recent induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. ... Kopitar missed his fourth straight game. ... Martinezs goal was his third goal of the season and 42nd of his career, surpassing Robert Murdoch for ninth on the Kings all-time goals list among defensemen. ... The Devils are 0 for 25 on the power play in the last eight games. . Kings D Tom Gilbert was a healthy scratch. ... Devils LW Mike Cammalleri and C Jacob Josefson were a healthy scratch. ... Devils D Yohann Auvitu missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury.UP NEXTDevils: Finish a four-game trip in San Jose on Monday night.Kings: At Anaheim on Sunday. ' ' '