Round 10 kicks off on Friday night with the annual Suncorp Stadium double header. The brainchild of Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg, this event has become a festival of Queensland Rugby League and a highlight of the NRL calendar. Game 1 has the Broncos hosting the Eagles in a match between two of the competition heavyweights. With both clubs set to lose troops to origin in the coming weeks, the two premiership points become even more vital.
Injuries to key playmakers Peter Wallace and Kieran Foran take some of the shine away from this game, turning into a defensive struggle but one that will still entertain. With noted nigglers Sam Thaiday, Glenn Stewart and Anthony Watmough all enjoying an origin entree before the main course begins in a fortnight. Brisbane refuse to lose two in a row but it will be a close one with the home side holding on in the end.
My tip: Brisbane 16-14
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs v Gold Coast Titans
Part 2 of your Friday night double header has the Bulldogs taking their home game to Suncorp to face the Titans. Canterbury would be on an emotional high after destroying their hated rivals last week and even more-so, since their attack has been played into form by the helpless Eels. The ‘Dogs had failed to score more than 10 points for a month but erupted for 46 last Friday night including that 1st half explosion with 3 tries in 5 minutes.
The Titans will not fold so quickly. They play with pride every week, for 80 minutes, no exceptions. An agonising loss to the Tigers last week would have left a horrible taste in their mouths and getting up for this game will be another huge challenge for this struggling football team. They meet this challenge in the opening 40 minutes but the class of the opposition will prove too much, just as it did 5 weeks ago when these clubs met. Pritchard and Barba the difference.
My tip: Canterbury 24-18
New Zealand Warriors v Sydney Roosters
A couple of footy teams playing with wisdom beyond their years. The Warriors have been patient; reversing a bad run of form to now look more like the Grand Finalists of last season. The Roosters, meanwhile, have played like a cagey old veteran in 2012. Winning games ugly in the opening rounds and last week bouncing back from a heartbreaking ANZAC Day loss to destroy the Knights. Both clubs showing toughness while not showing their cards too early.
So, the scene set for Saturday night at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland and what a beauty it will be. A bunch of Roosters playing on their native soil, two of the hardest hitting forward packs in the competition, a couple of superstar halfbacks and the visitors with an 8.5 start. Match of the Round for mine and in big games like this, tough to tip against the home side. Warriors finish stronger behind the play of Mateo and Maloney.
My tip: New Zealand 21-20
Newcastle Knights v North Queensland Cowboys
Alarm bells for Newcastle after last week's performance against the Roosters. Why? The Knights have followed a win/lose form line all season and have struggled with their attack a times... but last week, for the first time, they were treated with complete disdain by the opposition. The big men from Bondi were simply not scared - and at times hardly even concerned with Wayne Bennett's forward pack.
So, without emotional leaders Kurt Gidley and Danny Buderus on the park, where do the Knights get their motivation to toughen the hell up before Saturday night's home match against the visiting Cowboys? Nowhere. If the Novocastrians thought Kennedy and Waerea-Hargreaves were a handful, best prepare themselves for a dose of M. Scott, J. Tamou and young Sims. If the visitors are fair dinkum, they roll right over the home side and win well.
My tip: North Queensland 30-14
Canberra Raiders v Parramatta Eels
Can it get any worse for the Parramatta Eels? Can it possibly get any worse for Nathan Hindmarsh? We've seen losing streaks before and we've seen teams in poor form, but this week, the Eels stood up in front of their members and suffered the humiliation of essentially having their pants pulled down in public. Men and women from the mean streets of Parramatta looking Stephen Kearney and the Eels square in the eye and telling them how to win games... Almost hilarious.
Almost.... it would be funny if Hindmarsh was not involved. Rather than a parade or pat on the back, or even a premiership chance, this superstar and Eels legend is forced to finish his career with a group of players not fit to tie his shoes. So, just when things are looking their worst, the Eels travel to our nation's capital on Sunday to freeze their backsides off against a team with a chip on its shoulder after being hard done-by at Brookvale last week. One wonders if these Eels 'fans' with travel with them.
My tip: Canberra 30-18
Cronulla Sutherland Sharks v The Melbourne Storm
1 v 3 on the ladder but 1 v 16 in your hearts. Sydney league fans will see this as a David and Goliath matchup and just to add to the flavour, no team is more hated outside of Manly than the Melbourne Storm. The Sharks are making friends and fans by climbing out of the cellar, playing entertaining footy and winning games against the bigger clubs. No better story than a rags to riches one and Paul Gallen and his men are certainly not rags any more.
This is their biggest challenge. The Melbourne Storm coming to Toyota Stadium with a flawless record and an aura of invincibility. Cameron Smith v Isaac DeGois, Cooper Cronk v Jeff Robson, Billy Slater v Matt Wright.... sounds like a mis-match doesn’t it? Indeed, it does, but on Sunday afternoon in the Shire, reputations will not matter. What will matter most is the Storm's defence. Todd Carney won't be able to break it down and that will be the difference in a cracker.
My tip: Melbourne 14-8
Penrith Panthers v St George Illawarra Dragons
In the first season of challenges put forward from other codes in the battle of Sydney's West, the invaders from the south would be finding the going quite easy right now. The Eels, Panthers and Tigers wouldn't be attracting the swinging voters at this stage of the season and the future does not look bright. The Panthers in particular have been plagued by injury and are losers of their last 5 to be 2nd last on the ladder.
Can they turn things around? Sure, but not this week. The Dragons travel to the foot of the mountains on Monday night after getting smacked by the Cowboys and they won't be interested in losing two in a row. The Hornby/Soward combination responds to last week's shellacking with a clinical display to get on top of the brave but out-gunned Panthers. Soward in particular will be keen to play well after being ignored for origin duties.
My tip: St George Illawarra 24-12
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