Ya kinda want the semi's to start now don't ya? Any team
worth their salt and worth a punt for the premiership is in the 8 and the rest can
only hope to be cannon fodder if they sneak in to the finals. So, we should
shorten the season and have standalone Origin matches. Cool with everyone? OK.
Round 23 kicks off with a Melbourne team that have crawled their way through
the rep season, and a Titans team that have finally stood up.
Its been a tough year for John Cartwright and his crew
but they have fought back; this latest surge from the Robina boys is timed
perfectly. Speaking of surges, they'll need an almighty one this Friday night
at AAMI Park to cause an upset and whilst they always play well again the
Storm, victory is a different proposition altogether. Things are back to where
they should be as Melbourne defend as we know they can and run away late.
My tip: The Melbourne Storm 22-10
South Sydney Rabbitohs v Manly Sea Eagles
The timing of this fixture couldn't be more perfect.
Along with the swell of momentum and support behind the Bunnies comes the same
amount of criticism and most of these are about South Sydney's ability to
handle pressure in big games. So, testing themselves against the reigning
premiers should answer these questions on Friday night at Bluetongue Stadium.
Your match of the round.
The Eagles sit 4th on the ladder and more importantly, at
a moment when their back-to-back premiership chances looked thin, have come up
with two massive victories in the last fortnight. Over to Perth and up to
Townsville, they found ways to win. Now north to Gosford, Manly must be
exhausted but as always, will stay in the hunt until the 80th minute and longer
if needed. This one decided in the final moments with Souths holding on in a
beauty.
My tip: South Sydney 21-20
Parramatta Eels v Sydney Roosters
Team 16 up against team 14 scheduled for the 5.30pm Satdi
game. The notorious black hole of fixtures every weekend makes this one even
more interesting so if you've just finished a horrible day on the punt,
get ready to go again as the Bondi boys travel west to Parramatta Stadium.
Markets midweek suggest a close one but picking the winner might not be your
best bet. The Eels and the Roosters are the two worst defensive teams in the
NRL.
What rugby league greatness awaits us in this one? The
mind boggles. Parra average 28 points allowed per game this year while the
chooks let in about 25. The forecast rain might keep this match restricted to
less than a cricket score so get your bets on before the clouds start looming.
Jokes aside, the Nathan Hindmarsh Farewell Tour continues so Eels fans should
fill the stadium to watch one of the best ever and pay homage as they should.
My tip: Sydney Roosters 30-24.
North Queensland Cowboys v New Zealand
Warriors
A sad finish to 2012 for the once mighty Warriors but
things aren't all beer and skittles in Townsville either. Thurston and the
Cowboys have lost two in a row against top 8 teams and are in need of a
confidence booster. The first 20 minutes of this match will be a window into
the soul of both clubs. Will the Warriors have anything left after a
heartbreaking month of disasters? And will the Cowboys be ruthless enough to
punish the visitors if they don't?
Saturday night at Dairy Farmers Stadium will be
unforgiving to New Zealand, especially with so many changes to their line-up.
Cohesion will be an issue, their motivation will be fragile and their defence
will be challenged for 80 minutes. A big test of character for the Warriors
after getting destroyed at home last week with their season on the line. Too
much to overcome for the visitors as the Cowboys put in a big one.
My tip: North Queensland 32-12
Wests Tigers v St George Illawarra Dragons
The last meeting between these clubs, round 3 this year
at Kogarah Oval, was punctuated by the Tim Moltzen story and his defection back
to the Tigers after signing with Saints. How quickly we move along in Rugby
League. Now, nobody cares and these two teams have shown in recent weeks that
they need more than Tim Moltzen to find success. The Dragons came apart last
week; at a moment when they could have saved their season.
The Tigers have only just resurrected their season, but
still remain in poor shape with an unimpressive defensive record and winning
only two of their last seven matches; against the Panthers and the Eels. So, at
Allianz Stadium on Saturday night, the Tigers hope to stay in the semi-final
picture while the Dragons focus on mathematical equations. Saints rarely win
away from Kogarah or Wollongong anymore and the same happens here. Robbie Farah
the standout.
My tip: Wests 20-18
Penrith Panthers v Canberra Raiders
Aside from Michael Gordon, the Panthers entire roster
would all hoping for jobs next year and with their Toyota Cup squad sitting
equal third on the ladder, there's plenty of pressure. They'll play well at
home with this motivation and bounce back strongly from a big loss in Melbourne
last week, you can be sure. One thing we cannot be sure of is the Green
Machine. Inconsistency plagues the boys from Canberra so bookies have them as
outsiders.
The saying, "you're only as good as your last
game" should mean that the Raiders win by 50 but whoever coined this
saying should have their brain removed. Forever. I've seen it done overseas. It’s
a simple operation. Takes about 2 hours….. To digress... The Luke Walsh/Lachlan
Coote experiment continues improving and with Panther Pride on the line, the
home team comes up with the goods. Tim Grant v Dave Shillington up front a
highlight.
My tip: Penrith 24-18
Canterbury Bulldogs v Brisbane Broncos
This time last year, the Bulldogs had fired their coach
but still plating with plenty of pride. This pride has turned into something
special as season 2012 looms as their best for some time. 10 wins on the trot, redefining
the way rugby league is played, the best defence in the land and boasting,
arguably, the most entertaining footballer we've seen for some time. Ben Barba
will surely be remembered a long time after he is done with the greatest game
of all.
So, before we just hand them the premiership, the
Brisbane Broncos come to ANZ Stadium on Sunday afternoon to take their medicine
and go home. The visitors' forwards still boast some big names and will matchup
to the 'dogs forwards well, but not for 80 minutes. If he plays, the Hodges v
Morris battle is juicy but the home side has the advantage of momentum and
confidence. The Broncos lose their 4th straight.
My tip: Canterbury 24-14
Newcastle Knights v Cronulla Sharks
A cracker. The Sharks signalled their return to form by
eviscerating the Warriors in Auckland last week and whilst they won't meet that
same flimsy defence in Newcastle on Monday night, they'll be brimming with
confidence. Add to that the rumours that Nathan Gardner could return and you
have a potent attack and impressive defence that won 4 of their first 6 games
to start the season with a healthy roster.
So, they take this form up to Hunter Stadium as slight
underdogs against a Knights team who were on their way back to form before
running into the Bulldogs last week. A forgiveable loss, if there is such a
thing, but the Sharks will bring just as much to the table and will prove too
strong. Bennett ball has the home team playing patient football, waiting for
their opposition to make mistakes but Paul Gallen and Todd Carney refuse to
oblige.
My tip: Cronulla
18-12
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