Sydney Roosters vs Brisbane Broncos – Friday night – Allianz Stadium
Second plays third and this will be the third time these sides meet this season. Back in round 6 the Broncos were convincing winners at home (32-8). Dominant the Broncos were, but they had quite a bit to deal with that night – Corey Oates withdrew before kick-off, Ben Hunt went off injured just after half time, Korbin Sims went off injured with 20 to go and Josh McGuire played much of the game with one good arm. Despite all that, the Broncos were simply too good. Later in the season these sides met at this very venue and it was the Chooks who prevailed in a tighter contest (18-16). That game was played during the Origin period and both teams had playmakers unavailable (Milford and Pearce). Note that Benji Marshall played in the halves in that game, as he will on Friday night. The big difference in this game compared to that last encounter is the Brisbane spine, with Boyd and McCullough unavailable. Nikorima slips into the all-important number one jersey. It's a big ask, but note that this Broncos spine played for 40 minutes against the Cowboys last week. The Cowboys, with everything to play for, couldn't get through the Broncos defence until the 80th minute. The Roosters have shown all year that they can win the tight games. They've been in 11 games where the margin was 4 points or less this season, and they won 9 of them. The Broncos by comparison, have lost 4 of the 7 games they played where the margin was 4 or less. The Chooks are a warm favourite but I'm willing to take them on here. We should have a dry track in Sydney on Friday night and that will, in my opinion, favour the visitors. Last weekend Phil Gould suggested that the Broncos were no hope of beating the Roosters this weekend. One of us is going to be wrong.
Verdict – Broncos by 10
Result – Roosters by 2
Melbourne Storm vs Parramatta Eels – Saturday afternoon – AAMI Park
To give the Eels fans a glimmer of hope they were the last team to beat the Storm – way back in round 18, and that was played in Melbourne too. Here's where I take that glimmer of hope and rudely stamp on it in my size 11 steelcaps – in round 18 the Storm didn't have Smith, Slater, Cronk, Munster, Chambers and Glasby. While I don't think this game is as good as over, I simply can't ip the Eels to win. It really is that simple.
Verdict – Storm by 13
Result – Storm by 2
Manly Sea Eagles vs Penrith Panthers – Saturday night – Allianz Stadium
How much can change in a week? These sides faced off just seven days ago and the Sea Eagles led 26-0 until the 75th minute. The Panthers scored a few late tries to make the final score less awful but if was a pretty convincing display by the Eagles against a genuinely disappointing opponent. The team line-ups are much the same unless Dylan Edwards is a late call-up for the Panthers at fullback...but that's unlikely. The big difference between this game and the round 26 game is the venue. Manly fans are notoriously poor travellers so the Panthers will probably end up with the lions share of support in the stands. Is that enough to turn the result from seven days ago? Possibly, but I doubt it.
Verdict – Sea Eagles by 7
Result – Panthers by 12
Cronulla Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys – Sunday afternoon – Allianz Stadium
If the Cowboys run out of room in their casualty ward the Sharks could probably help them out. The Sharks might not be in the form they were in last season but their best seventeen (or close enough to it) are fit and available on Sunday. The Sharks prevailed in the two previous encounters between these sides this season and they are a red-hot favourite on Sunday. I give the Sharks next to no hope of a repeat premiership and I'm barely convinced they will win this, but I think they can scrape home. And I mean scrape. The Cowboys have had a few extra days to prepare for this and they'll need that time just to strap up their troops. The Sharks will no doubt benefit from some dubious decision at some point and Cowboys fans will collectively shake their heads and say 'here we go again'. I can't tell you much I hope I'm wrong.
Verdict – Sharks by 2
Result – Cowboys by 1
Wally Lewis - round twenty six selections (in bold)
Note: tips from Wally will be published on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.
- ROOSTERS vs Broncos
- STORM vs Eels
- SEA EAGLES vs Panthers
- SHARKS vs Cowboys
Comments
Submitted by The Thinker on
On the time wasting thing....just throwing ideas up in the air on the run here.
You could give the referees the ability to rewind the clock. If a team (that is leading) deliberately wastes time, the ref awards a time wasting penalty and rewinds the game clock sixty seconds.
That would put an end to the gamesmanship pretty quickly.
I realise everyone does it, but like some others here I don't like it one bit.
Submitted by newbie from perth on
Sharks v Cowboys
WOW! What a great game that was. All you Cowboys fans out there must be feeling pretty good at the moment. Against all odds they’ve managed the “impossible” and made fools out of all us experts. Well done Cows. Let’s all head on down to the saloon to celebrate…
Yee-Harrr...
Submitted by mark ashford on
I guess there's some talk about James Maloney and his contribution to the Sharks loss.
Maloney has become a real grub of a player ever since the biff was banned. Prior to that he was aware he might cop a few from the big guys if he overstood his mark so behaved himself.
now he does whatever he wants, mainly grubby play and today's send off is a just reward for his actions
a shame really James as you are a very good player
Submitted by a on
WTF was Shane Flangen blowing up about Sharks did not lose cause of the refs they lost fair and square their 1st try should have not been a try
Bring on next week hey Baggy
Submitted by Tailspin on
I agree Mark, maloney is a dead set grub, good to see the cowboys get one back on the sharks. Ye ha.
Submitted by christine on
I thought gallen dropping the ball was wonderful,it really couldn't have happened to a better person ...
Submitted by a on
Twice in 3 games Gallen have costed Sharks the game
Submitted by Tailspin on
Well I think the Storm, Eels game was awesome. Eels done their homework and it nearly paid off for them, great hard game and 2 points in it.
Then we have the Roosters, Broncos game, another great game with only 2 points in it.
Then there was the Eagles, Panthers game. Everyone thought the Eagles would beat them again, but the Panthers did their homework from the last game and give it back to the eagles. I thought it was a good game to watch.
And last but not least, the Sharks and Cowboys, it had Karma written all over it. Another close game and good to watch.
There has to be a winner and a loser, and from what I watched over the weekend, I thought the winners deserved to win. So bring on next week. Ye Ha.
Submitted by Baggy_Gee on
Can they back up from a big 90 minutes to take on a team that kept the Storm honest?
Submitted by The Thinker on
It always seems to be someone else's fault when Paul Gallen loses. He just cannot find it in himself to lose with an ounce of grace or sportsmanship.
You got to play at home against a team that had to travel more than 2000 kilometres to get to the ground...you got to play the team that finished 8th. You named your best seventeen and you were playing a team that has nearly half their salary cap injured. You were the $1.30 favourite with the bookies.
Your completion rate was 60% today to the Cowboys 80%. You missed 34 tackles to the Cowboys 15. You made 17 errors to 10. You conceded 11 penalties to 5. You had less line breaks, less offloads, less metres.
You lost by a point in extra time...and you blame someone else.
Not a shred of sympathy from me. You'll lose sponsors because you're a pack of whinging mongrels before you'll lose sponsors for not making the last six.
Congratulations to the Cowboys for defying the odds. An outstanding effort.
Submitted by a on
Yes they can
Submitted by Johnny Awesome on
Hi all,
Fair call Mr Thinker regarding the stats in the Cronulla/Nth Qld game. I take it you are a bit of a closset Cronulla/Gallen fan? Have you been invited to their mad Monday celebrations Mr Thinker?
Seriously though Nth Qld deserved the win. The end stats say iit all, Nth Qld made less mistakes and won the game. Cronulla have been relatively poor all year regarding their handling and like Canberra they got what they deserved in the end. But gee it was still an exciting game of footy. Good to see all these close games for the start of the finals. Cheers from Mr Awesome.
Submitted by christine on
Johnny awesome The Thinker hates paul gallen with passion he thinks gallens a grub ...
Submitted by Mary S on
Hi Christine, Johnny A was being sarcastic in his remarks about bully-boy Gallen. I think he's a grub too! It would appear that Gallen is just one of those people we love to hate.
It was a great weekend of footy wasn't it? Hope you have had a good weekend Christine.
Submitted by Johnny Awesome on
Hi all,
Thanks Christine and Mary S, yes you are right, it was a tongue in cheek comment, I hope Mr Thinker forgives my waywardness and doesn't come down too hard on the error of my ways.
Anyway, here is a little sample of Paul Gallens record.
2003: Sent off round 11 for a high shot on Sean Rudder
2004: Found guilty of contrary conduct for fighting
2007:
1.Gallen took a dive against Saints after a so called high shot, then winked at his team mates as he got up. Gave Ben Creagh a high himself in the same game.
2. Gallen does a high shot on Patrick Ah Van against New Zealand
3. Third game of State of Origin 3 Gallen does a high shot on Tonie Carroll then begins a massive fight in the match.
4. Head butted Shane Shackleton
5. Gallen and Reece Williams had an altercation at Dustin Cooper’s house.
2008:
1. Facial assault on Anthony Laffranchi, trying to rip his stitches out
2. High shot on Cooper Vuna
2009: Racially abused Mickey Paea
2011: At the centre of the Cronulla drug cheating fiasco
2013: Got stuck into Nate Myles with undefended punches which helped bring in the of sin binning for punching.
2014: Pleaded guilty to banned peptide use.
2016: During the presentation ceremony in 2016 State of Origin loss Gallen walked away while Cameron Smith was accepting the shield.
Gee it looks like Gallen is a little misunderstood.
Cheers from Mr Awesome
Submitted by a on
What about his twitter comment to the NRL boss
And he also took a dive aganist Aroon Woods this year
Submitted by Mary S on
That's quite a list Johnnie A - thanks for that. Bet Gallen was a school bully too!!
Submitted by Johnny Awesome on
Hello all,
I have thought on the time wasting scenario you put forward Mr Thinker and a goid one at that. At what point would you use it? Last 3 mins? Also if the referee reckoned they were time wasting time shouldnt the wasted time that was handed back also accompany a penalty? Why are they not penalising them now consistently? When Melbourne did it against Parramatta, I saw Cameron Smith talk to his players near the end and it stopped. I reckon being the sportsman he is he also thought Melbourne were above that sort of play and didnt want a win that way. Cheers from Mr Awesome
Submitted by a on
Looks like the Coaches who blamed the refs will be fined
Submitted by Johnny Awesome on
Hello Mary S and Mr 'a' yep I agree the list would probably stretch back a long way. The three most distasteful ones for me were when the Laffranchi incident, the racial slur and turning his back on Cameron Smith during STate of Origin presentation. The rest of the stuff as you've said is bully boy stuff and even though he has lightened up in recent years it's part of his nature. It's a shame really, because he could have easily been a tough footballer without the rubbish but chose not to. I remember when Gordon Tallis gave it to a young Ben Ross in 2003. That was gutless in my view, Tallis had boxing experience sparred with Mundine and gave it to a young bloke who didn't have a chance. Didn't like that one bit considering he wasn't game to throw one against Terry Hill when he went nose to nose game 2 1999 State of Origin. Hill was meaner than a junk yard dog in a fight and Tallis knew it. I guess like you Mary S and Christine I don't like bully boys. In saying that, that was the only time Tallis crossed the line so to speak.
Cheers from Johnny Awesome.
Submitted by christine on
Johnny awesome & mary s I kind of had a feeling the comment was sarcasm but it was after I had already posted my comment so sorry about that & yes it was a great weekend of footy ...
Submitted by The Thinker on
Gallen played for a penalty. The ref was right in front of him and saw right through it. Gallen fires up because his cheating wasn't rewarded.
Have a look where the ball ends up after Gallen loses it. If Bolton stripped the ball, would it really end up more than a metre behind Gallen?
It's not the first time he's done it (example below) and no doubt he'll be at it again:
http://www.smh.com.au/video/video-sport/video-rugby-league/paul-gallen-a...
Submitted by a on
I find it very funny that he accused Boyd Cordner of taking a dive a few weeks ago when hers the one who always does it
Submitted by mark ashford on
Glad to see we are all on the same page when it comes to Mr Gallen
A lifetime player for the Sharks which should attract some accolades
A tough hard player...yes
A much hated grub...yes
He won't be remembered for anything except his dirty play
Does anyone know if he's going to do it all again next year?
Tailspin you are spot on the best 4 teams won this weekend
Disappointed with the Broncs performance but the Chooks were the better team.
Eels gave the Storm a big fright in Melbourne. Are they the smokies for the big prize this year?
Submitted by Johnny Awesome on
Hi all,
Mr Thinker I agree Gallen has fine tuned NRL milkgate affair, but I recall Daly Cherry Evans having a doosey earlier on in the year and Dugan from my Dragons tends to lie down a bit as well. Have you got ny other offenders on your list? At one stage I thinkMerrin was fine tuning the art as well from memory?
cheers from Mr Awesome
Submitted by christine on
Mark I can tell you gallen is going to be playing again next year & I believe he will be club captain & no doubt still being a grub & up to his same old tricks as usual, what was more funny gallen dropping the ball or fifita ? i'm so glad cowboys beat them ...
Submitted by Johnny Awesome on
Hi all,
Mr Mark Ashford, you are right, Gallen is a one club career man, he’s also resilient, a handy player and can make a wasp look cuddly. He ain’t no sportsman though and has made it clear on many occasions he will push the limits for a win. Like I’ve said earlier on, it’s a shame because with he’s football skills and tenacity he could have been a good role model, but sadly he’s not.
Cheers from Mr Awesome
Submitted by mark ashford on
Hi Chris
thanks for the info on Gallen. I too was happy to see Cowboys knock them out.
maybe next year he'll try to be a nice guy and be remembered for his final year but I doubt it.
Johnnie A he will be remembered as one of RL's hard men but as one of the biggest penalty players how much did he cost his team and his state
Submitted by a on
Yes Gallen is playing for one more year at least he will still be a grub for sure
Submitted by Mary S on
Some grubs turn into butterflies!! Now that tickles my sense of humour trying to imagine a gallen butterfly!!! BigPete or Pabdul, you could probably suggest a song to humm............
Submitted by a on
Well I not BigPete or Pabdul but I got a song named butterfly here
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6FEDrU85FLE
Submitted by Johnny Awesome on
Hi all,
Nice choice Mr 'a' catchy tune.
Cheers from Mr Awesome
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