Round twenty five selections

Brisbane Broncos vs Parramatta Eels – Thursday night – Suncorp Stadium

A lot can change in a month. The Gold Coast need a new coach. Ms Thinker has completely different coloured hair and the Broncos are a raging hot favourite to beat the Eels on Thursday night. Astonishing really, given the Eels ran roughshod over the Broncos just four weeks ago when they won 28-14. The longer that game wore on the stronger the Eels looked – they won the last 70 minutes of that game 28-2.  On the back of that performance I'd pencilled the Eels in as a team that could give the premiership a shake...so what's changed? Well...in the three weeks since the Broncos haven't looked like losing, conceding just 22 points while they scored 110. Those are compelling figures at the business end of the season, particularly when two of those games were against teams that really wanted to win. The Eels have had three games in a row against teams outside the top eight, so they'll need to lift here, but given what happened four weeks ago they should, at the very least, go into this game with some self-belief. I'm tipping the Broncos, because this weird Thaiday/Hunt strategy seems to be working a treat, and the Milford/Nikorima halves pairing hasn't lost a game all season. Note the return of Frank Pritchard on the bench for the Eels – I'd all but forgotten he was still in the NRL. What a game on Thursday night folks – round 25 peaks early.

Verdict – Broncos by 4

Result – Eels by 18

Canberra Raiders vs Newcastle Knights – Friday night – GIO Stadium

There was talk that the Raiders finals hopes were dashed with their loss to the Panthers on Sunday, but that isn't strictly true. They will need to win their last two games (which may not be as hard as it looks on paper) and they'll need games they aren't involved with to go their way. Once you're facing that equation you're in a spot of bother...but this isn't over until Dave Taylor sings karaoke in a backpacker bar in Thailand. Whatever happens this is the last home game for the Raiders this season, and I hope they give their loyal followers a performance worthy of The Clap (note to Dave Taylor – take care in Thailand my good man). Theoretically the Knights can still avoid the wooden spoon...but I think that's more unlikely than the Raiders making the eight.

Verdict – Raiders by 10

Result – Raiders by 18

Wests Tigers vs North Queensland Cowboys – Friday night – Campbelltown Stadium

Unlike the Raiders the Cowboys finals prospects are still in their hands. If they win their last two games a top eight finish is theirs. Some big inclusions for the Cowboys in Cooper and Coote but note that they are named in the 21 man squad and not the 17 man squad – that leaves me thinking they are very unlikely to play. The Tigers have played three games at Campbelltown this season and been comprehensively flogged every time. If this were their last home game of the year I'd be tipping Tigers, but I might save that tip for next week. The Cowboys have lost four in a row but their opponents in all four games (Roosters, Storm, Panthers, Sharks) were better teams than their opponent on Friday night. I'm tentative...but Cowboys

Verdict – Cowboys by 2

Result –Cowboys by 8

Gold Coast Titans vs Canterbury Bulldogs – Saturday afternoon – Cbus Super Stadium

Des Hasler you fox you! For months we've all been wondering when you were going to get the sack, and here you are, the penultimate round of the season and you're taking the lads up to the Goldie for the weekend. And you're playing a team that just sacked their coach. And you won last week against a team you used to coach. Well played Des Hasler. Well played indeed. I have no idea how the Titans are going to respond on the field following the dramas off the field in the last week, and I doubt they know how they'll respond either. I'm going to assume Jarryd Hayne will have a bloody blinder, because the only way to get him to pull his finger out is to put a rocket under him. He needs to show the fans on the Coast that he actually cares enough to make a positive difference instead of tearing the joint apart. I think he can do that....for one game.

Verdict – Titans by 4

Result – Bulldogs by 12

Melbourne Storm vs South Sydney Rabbitohs – Saturday night – AAMI Park

The purple machine have wrapped up the minor premiership so it's worth watching for significant changes to the Storm line-up. If there were ever a game for Bellamy to rest a few players this would be it. To demonstrate just how dominant the Storm have been this season the team in second place (and the second favourite to win the premiership) played the Storm at home and got absolutely towelled up. They've lost just once since then (to the Eels) and in the last seven weeks they've been conceding (on average) around 12 points per game while scoring (on average) more than 27. The Rabbitohs most prolific try-scorer is unavailable with injury, and I can't possibly imagine how the Rabbitohs can score anywhere near enough points here. Unstoppable.

Verdict – Storm by 16

Result – Storm by 58

Cronulla Sharks vs Sydney Roosters – Saturday night – Southern Cross Group Stadium

Take note tipsters – I haven't had a ton of success tipping for or against the Sharks this season. While their performances at home have been pretty ordinary this season this is their last game at home for the year. Also note that when these sides met on the Central Coast not so long ago the Sharks gave us arguably their best performance of the season. They've been beating up on the Roosters for a while now and I suspect they can do the same on Saturday night. Third plays fourth and there's much at stake. These teams need to decide if they want to travel to Melbourne or Brisbane in the first week of the finals. Decisions Decisions...

Verdict – Sharks by 4

Result – Roosters by 2

New Zealand Warriors vs Manly Sea Eagles – Sunday afternoon – Mt Smart Stadium

I can't believe I'm saying this – I miss the old unpredictable Warriors. I used to tune in every single time they played, because there was about a 30% chance they would deliver the most entertaining rugby league you were going to see all weekend. But now...now I don't even have to watch them. My eyes deserve better than that, and your eyes don't need to read me crapping on about them either. So instead, I'm just going to sing my Manly song (which isn't Eagle fricken Rock).

Oh Manly. Well you came and you gave without taking. But I sent you away. Oh Manly. You keep losing and I am not learning. And I've tipped you again. Oh Manly.

Verdict – Oh Manly by Barry Manilow (and by 8)

Result – Oh Manly by 1

Penrith Panthers vs St George Illawarra Dragons – Sunday afternoon – Pepper Stadium

The Panthers are on a seven match winning streak, and I don't know how many teams can say they've won seven games in a row this season. While many of their opponents during this run have been pretty ordinary, seven wins is seven wins, and my early tip for the Premiership this season can still, believe it or not, finish in the top four this year. While the Panthers were winning seven games in a row the Dragons have lost five of their last seven. Their only two wins during that period were over the 14th placed Titans and the 16th placed Knights. Moylan is out for the Panthers but they have another exciting young talent stepping in to take his place. Last week when the game was there to be won, Tyrone May walked off the bench and into the game and scored the winning try. Two Tyrones in the one team...it wouldn't have happened in my day. Three Garys maybe. Four Steves sure. Even a couple of Alans in the backline. The names have changed to protect the innocent.

Verdict – Panthers by 8

Result – Dragons by 2

Wally Lewis - round twenty five selections (in bold)

Note: tips from Wally will be published on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

  • BRONCOS vs Eels
  • RAIDERS vs Knights
  • Tigers vs COWBOYS
  • Titans vs BULLDOGS
  • STORM vs Rabbitohs
  • SHARKS vs Roosters
  • Warriors vs SEA EAGLES
  • PANTHERS vs Dragons

Barry Manilow - Mandy • TopPop

Comments

Steel Panther's picture

Baggy....no lol

The Thinker's picture

Josh Dugan missed the bus....not playing

I'll take a punt that he was watching the Mayweather fight and lost track of time.

Steel Panther's picture

In summary just too many errors from the Warriors. On top in golden point big Mamalo gets pushed out over the sideline swinging the momentum back to Manly. Down the field they go & DCE kicks the field goal.

Baggy_Gee's picture

Well looking at Manly's track record since Curtis got injured, they haven't been closing out the games that mattered. If the panthers win today that's Manly locked into the eight.

Steel Panther's picture

Great win by St George!!!

mark ashford's picture

Manly just sneaks home against the Warriors.
DCE brilliance pinches a win.
Saint George takes a win over the arrogant Panthers at their home.
Round 26 won't make a lot of difference to the top 4.
The winner this year as in past years will come from the top 4.
Can't see anyone beating the Storm.
Only chance is the Eels or Broncos

mark ashford's picture

Thinker
Maybe Josh Dugan was having a brevvy or two on a roof somewhere.
Thank heavens the dragons could win without him.
Apparently he turned up late but senior players said f off.
He may be left out of the Dogs game next week.
Can you hear Ricky Stuart sniggering....just a little bit.

BigPeteBx's picture

Yes 'a' Storm look the goods, but Craig B wont have that, this early.
He knows what can happen in Finals Footy. Its a different ball game, where sudden death is out and winners prevail and continue on.

Mark my words though, Craig Bellamy (comes from around Johnny Awesome, mine and Doggies home bases, or once did), would be working out the team he wants, against the team they play......right through to the G/Final.

He's been doing that much of this year, with the players he has to his advantage. He's an opportunist and a great reader of the game. I'd reckon he'd have Storms dressing sheds wall, with a poster pinned with the final 8 pencilled in and bracketed where they'll be each week and what they have to do. Such is a great student, that he is a forecasting judge.

Keep well mate and have a great week
Big Pete

BigPeteBx's picture

Evening Steely,
Often hard to take when games are so close.
Manly should have had it won, at regular fulltime.
Their test is next week at Brooky.

Mind you Panthers were all over the park today, standing dead at times in second half, as to who wanted to receive the ball. They had their chances and didn't make use of it. They sure wanted to defend in the number of times they handed the ball over, in their defending half, in those last 10 minutes. Their claws were blunt or they needed supa glue.

Dragons attacked stronger and no taking the win away from them.
They got the 2 points - they are smiling.

Cheers - Big Pete

BigPeteBx's picture

Just thinking Thinker.
Maybe Dugan and Hayne should become flat mates.
Their street could be Trouble St.

Cheers mate and have a great week.
Big Pete

BigPeteBx's picture

Mark A - regarding your comment on Semi and his physique/look.
I cast my mind back to athletics, when I was coaching and a certain Ben Johnson look.
Ran with speed, had the correct posture in his technique and ran like a Bondi bus bearing down on us. Plus Semi and Ben had similar suntans.

You could stop him and anyone could, but the game today doesn't allow Terry Randalls. You were tackled, you were tackled ankles and all.
I actually like Semi's style, because he is hard to contain.

The Thinker's picture

Greetings football fans

I've updated the tipping comp and the NRL ladder...Raiders sigh!!!

While there weren't any monumental upsets this round there were a lot of what I would call 50/50 games (or close enough to that). As a result plenty of us got 4 or 5 from 8, but there were a few of you that impressed with 6 this week.

I'll have the round 26 page published soon for those that need to tip early. Note that this competition goes all the way through to the finals series.

Prizes for our top three. I'll have to go back and check what I said the prizes were, but they're not too shabby. Remember that I am not eligible for a prize. Scott M is looking solid in front but there are about ten more tipsters that are still in with a chance of a top three finish.

All the best

Steel Panther's picture

Morning BigPete.....my mob gifted you the two points. We had our foot on your throat twice in the dying stages only to make basic mistakes giving Manly field position of which they took full advantage of. Manly will have to lift considerably next weekend after struggling to put away a team that can at best be described as a rabble...the last round sure has cooked up some mouth watering match ups no more so than your game v Penrith. With the ways things are now you could see either the Cowboys, Manly or Penrith dropping out of the eight on for and against if St George can beat the Bulldogs on Sunday. Round 26 sure is shaping up to be a bumper round. Good luck!!

Geoffo's picture

I changed my Tigers tip to the Cowboys last minute when my mate told me Luke Brooks was out. Then the Tigers started winning and was angry, but the Cowboys came through in the end. I ended up with 6 from 8. But the guy behind me only tipped 4 right so his double points of 8 has not hurt me. I'm still in the lead!

Thanks to the Thinker and everyone on here for all your comments and tips!

BigPeteBx's picture

Evenin Steely - Manly playing over at beautiful Shaky Isles let themselves down. Your guys knew they were playing their Sydney brothers and laid it on for a hard game.
Round 26 will see a lot of things happen - if they happen.
Under the circumstances, it could be the round of the season.
Manly will need to get a go on early and not let off the gas as Penrith will come hunting. Beware of stray Panthers - its at Brooky, but Eagles will be flying low and aware.
Don't write Bulldogs off to beat Drags. Its quite possible at ANZ.
Dogs get a good following there.

Keep well Steely - enjoy your week.
Big Pete

BigPeteBx's picture

Its a great site Geoffo - wherever you hail from and whoever you follow. Hang around, we get some top discussion points going and even the lady folk throw their ten pounds worth in and know what they are on about. Good scouts also.

Big Pete

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