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Nathan Cleary says he would not be surprised if Penrith faced Parramatta again in the NRL grand final after putting a spell on the Eels with his bombs on Friday night.
Cleary's finals-opening performance was arguably the best of his season , with Parramatta coach Brad Arthur conceding the Penrith half had kicked his team "to death".
Eels winger Waqa Blake felt the most pain, dropping three of Cleary's floating bombs with two errors leading to Penrith tries.
Off the back of a five-week ban, Cleary's clinic served as a serious warning shot to the rest of the competition with Penrith well on track to defend their title.
And if the Panthers do qualify for a third straight grand final, Cleary could easily see Parramatta as their opponents on October 2.
"I think there's definitely a chance," Cleary said.
"You look at the last three weeks before this and how well they were playing.
"They were playing well (on Friday night) too. So I think there's a big chance.
"The finals series this year is so wide open. Anything can happen, so it wouldn't surprise me (if Parramatta recovered to make the grand final)."
If that was to be the case, Parramatta would follow the same path Penrith took last year after losing to South Sydney in the qualifying final.
The Eels have also beaten Penrith twice already this season, with Friday night's result marking their first loss to the Panthers in 2022.
But it would also take some recovery to beat Penrith again if they did meet in the decider, after Cleary's masterclass.
The Panthers No.7 admitted he felt a sorry for his former Panthers teammate after fulltime, with Arthur also desperate to point out the loss was not on Blake.
"Not at the time (I didn't feel bad) but a little bit after," Cleary said.
"But Waqa is a great player and I know he will bounce back next week.
"Once we got one result I thought it was pretty good place to keep going back to.
"It's just a bit of a feel thing and a bit of experience as well. In the past I've had a few games where I just try and (put up a floating bomb) every kick.
"You've just got to pick your times. It's just the feel of the game and where we are and the position we were getting in."
Penrith meanwhile are now far better placed than they were at this time last season, with their only concern out of Friday's win being Taylan May hurting his hamstring and facing a ban for a high tackle.
Otherwise, the majority of Penrith's players will enter the preliminary final off the back of having to play just one game in 28 days as they push to go back-to-back.
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Aaron Finch believes his T20 form will serve him well in next month's World Cup title defence despite announcing his retirement from one-day international cricket.
Out of form in ODIs and with his spot in that side in doubt, national white-ball skipper Finch has confirmed Sunday's fixture against New Zealand will be his last in the format for Australia.
Due to his consistent form in T20s, backed by his batting average this year, he's confident about leading Australia's side in pursuit of back-to-back triumphs in that format.
"My T20 form has been pretty good for a little while now, totally different format," he said.
"Over the last little while my numbers in T20 have been reasonably good and ODIs haven't.
"It will be a really exciting time and to have that World Cup in Australia again is going to be really special trying to defend that."
Whether he continues in the 20-over format after the World Cup and summer's Big Bash League will be a decision for another day, he said.
For now his focus remains on a T20 title defence on home soil.
"I'd like to," Finch said of whether he'd continue in T20s following the summer schedule.
"Being able to spend a little bit more time at home with (wife) Amy and (daughter) Esther, watching her grow up as well is important.
"My family sacrificed a lot for me to be able to do what I've done, and what I've loved doing, so it's probably my turn to repay the favour a little bit."
Australia's leader since 2018, Finch has played 145 ODI matches - 54 as captain.
One of the most damaging opening batters in the world when at his best, he has made over 5000 runs in the format and averaged close to 40.
But those numbers have taken a significant hit in recent years, averaging 14.6 in 2022 while failing to pass 20 in his last seven innings.
His form in T20s paints a different picture, averaging 30.87 this year atop the order.
However, the call to retire from ODIs came after his fifth duck across all formats this year.
Finch debuted against Sri Lanka in 2013, with his 17 centuries fourth behind only Ricky Ponting, David Warner and Mark Waugh in one-day cricket for Australia.
The right-hander played a key part in Australia's 2015 one-day World Cup success before leading the team to the semi-finals in the 2019 tournament.
Finch's decision leaves Australia searching for a new one-day captain ahead of next year's World Cup, with Test skipper Pat Cummins previously indicating he does not want to lead the side.
Finch said he sees no issue with former captain Steve Smith retaking the reins four years after the sandpaper-gate scandal had him stripped him of the role.
But he also said Cummins has the leadership qualities to manage both the Test and ODI sides.
"Whichever way they go, which I've absolutely got no idea, it'll be for the betterment of the team no doubt," he said.
David Warner has been released from the squad ahead of Sunday's dead-rubber final ODI against New Zealand due to a heavy workload ahead while Marcus Stoinis has been ruled out of the game with a low-level side strain and will return to Perth for rehab ahead of the series against India.
Nathan Ellis has joined the squad.
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Australia's prime minister and other political leaders have laid wreaths at Parliament House to honour the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Governor-General David Hurley and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton marked the monarch's passing with a ceremony at the Queen's Terrace on Saturday morning.
The wreath-laying comes more than 30 years after the monarch opened the new Parliament House in 1988, which included unveiling a statue of herself.
The Queen's eldest son became King Charles III immediately after her death in the early hours of Friday morning at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
In a speech overnight, the new king promised to serve the crown's realms and territories across the world with "loyalty, respect and love".
"As the Queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself," King Charles said.
Shortly after the wreath-laying, Mr Albanese pointed to the King's comments on the "affection, admiration and respect" the Queen inspired, which became a hallmark of her reign.
"That's why so many Australians have made moving tributes and are mourning this enormous loss," he said.
"She was a constant reassuring presence with her compassion, her decency, her commitment to service which is an absolute inspiration."
Mr Dutton said the King had shown he was continuing with the same selfless spirit as his late mother.
"That continuity is an essential part and King Charles had demonstrated his commitment to his country and to the realms," he said.
"His dedication to the throne will mean an enormous amount, not just to the United Kingdom but to Commonwealth countries as well."
Across the country, Australians continue to mark the passing of the Queen, with hundreds of people laying flowers at Government House in Sydney and Melbourne.
NSW Police will ramp up their presence at memorial sites in Sydney, including the Royal Botanic Gardens and state parliament.
On Sunday, a Proclamation of the King ceremony will be held outside Parliament House in Canberra, followed by a 21-gun salute.
This will be echoed by similar proclamation ceremonies by state governors.
On Friday evening, a 96-gun salute took place in the federal parliament forecourt - one round for each year of the life of the Queen, who reigned for 70 years.
The sails of the Sydney Opera House, which Her Majesty opened in 1973, were illuminated in her honour. So too were monuments in other cities, and flags were flown at half mast around the nation.
Since news broke of the monarch's passing Australians have gathered to lay flowers, sign condolence books and raise a glass to the Queen.
"Now she's gone, we feel a little older, and we feel that loss," said John Myers of Hawthorn in Melbourne's east.
"She had so much humour and dignity and love for her country and the Commonwealth," Melburnian Pettifleur Berenger told AAP.
"She was the grandmother of the Commonwealth," Sydneysider Oliver Pasusuwin said.
Mr Hurley and Mr Albanese will fly to London on Thursday to attend the Queen's funeral, the date for which is still to be confirmed.
No official mourning period has been declared in Australia, unlike in the UK which has begun 10 days of mourning.
Queensland and federal parliaments have suspended their sitting days next week, while NSW, Victorian and West Australian MPs will sit on Tuesday to hear condolence motions.
Also this weekend, the AFL and NRL will observe one minute's silence at all games on Saturday and Sunday, with one-minute silences also expected at cricket and soccer matches on Sunday.
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Aaron Finch plans to fight on into next month's Twenty20 World Cup, despite the white-ball captain announcing his retirement from one-day cricket.
Out of form and with his spot in the side in doubt, Finch confirmed Sunday's ODI against New Zealand would be his last in the format for Australia.
"Being a bit over 12 months out from the 50-over World Cup, I thought the timing was right now," Finch told reporters in Cairns.
"I could have tried to play another series - the series against England post World Cup - and that would have been a bit of a fairy tale finishing at the MCG, but I think that's never been my style to be self-indulgent in any kind of way."
Finch still intends to lead Australia's charge in the T20 format, with Cricket Australia confirming he plans to lead the country in next month's world title defence.
Whether he continues in the 20-over format after the World Cup and summer's Big Bash League, that will be a decision for another day, he said.
For now his focus remains on a T20 title defence on home soil.
"I'd like to," Finch said of whether he'd continue in T20s following the summer schedule.
"Being able to spend a little bit more time at home with Amy and Esther, watching her grow up as well is important.
"My family sacrificed a lot for me to be able to do what I've done, and what I've loved doing, so it's probably my turn to repay the favour a little bit."
Australia's leader since 2018, Finch has played 145 matches - 54 as captain.
One of the most damaging opening batters in the world when at his best, he has made over 5000 runs in the format and averaged close to 40.
But those numbers have taken a significant hit in recent years, averaging 14.6 in 2022 while failing to pass 20 in his last seven innings.
His call to retire came after his fifth duck across all formats this year.
He debuted against Sri Lanka in 2013 with his 17 centuries fourth only to Ricky Ponting, David Warner and Mark Waugh in one-day cricket for Australia.
The right-hander played a key part in Australia's 2015 one-day World Cup success before leading the team to the semi-finals in the 2019 tournament.
Finch's decision leaves Australia searching for a new one-day captain ahead of next year's World Cup, with Test skipper Pat Cummins previously indicating he does not want to lead the side.
Finch said he sees no issue with former captain Steve Smith taking the reigns four years after sandpaper gate stripped him of the role.
But also said Cummins has the leadership qualities to manage both the Test and ODI sides.
"Whichever way they go, which I've absolutely got no idea, it'll be for the betterment of the team no doubt," he said.
© AAP 2022
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