Friday night from the insular peninsular and this will be
a beauty. The Broncos have a great record on the road this year and have a
number of young footballers who’d be willing to test themselves against the
best in the Eagles. Pity nobody in Brisbane feels the same way. The Broncos
decision makers certainly think it’s time for change and with Anthony Griffin
on his way out, it’s hard to imagine how he will motivate these youngsters
against the league leaders.
Manly have won 5 from their past 6 under a cloud of
player dissatisfaction with the board. Whatever. This weekend is supposed to be
about superheroes, or something, so let’s talk about them. DCE and Kieran Foran
will once again strike fear into the opposition defence and after they’ve had
their say, Manly will walk off into the sunset after beating the bad guy
(Justin Hodges), saving the world (the Northern Beaches) and winning the girl
(Tom Waterhouse).
My tip: Manly 26-18
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs v Penrith Panthers
As the Panthers continue reeling from the news that Peter
Wallace will miss the remainder of the season, coach Ivan Cleary has given up
on the Matt Moylan five eighth experiment and promoted 22 year old Newcastle
junior Will Smith to the number 6 jersey. Fingers crossed he plays like a
superhero to get Penrith’s season back on track. I’m thinking one of the cats
from Voltron. Voltron was awesome. I think we had the Blue one at my house.
Moving on. The Bulldogs come into this match as favourites
but with the Panthers already having beaten them once this year and the ‘Dogs
in some poor form of late, it’s hard to agree with the bookies. More so, if you
watched the Bulldogs attack against North Queensland last week, it’s even
harder to agree with them. Both teams needing a lift this Friday night after
both losing 2 in a row. It’s not a time in the season when you want to be
slumping.
My tip: Bulldogs 18-16
Cronulla Sutherland Sharks v Parramatta Eels
Mad Monday time for the Sharks. Granted, they’ve won 3 of
their past 5 including a few magnificent comebacks and amazing upsets, but its still
Mad Monday time. So, as Todd Carney goes to Bali on scouting missions for this
team’s end of season preparations, the rest of the Sharks get set to face the
Eels on Saturday afternoon at Remondis Stadium. Parra are only slight
favourites but certainly will be the hot tip considering Superman himself is
wearing the blue and gold number 1 jersey.
The Eels are specials here. Even though their away record
doesn’t inspire confidence, a dry track in the shire on Saturday should inspire
plenty in Jarryd Hayne. The Eels forwards should give him a head start with Tim
Mannah fully fit and the legendary Fui Fui Moi Moi playing his 200th
first grade match. So many great memories, thanks Foo. The Plane the difference
again here after proving he is not a bird or an actual plane, just super.
My tip: Parramatta 26-16
North Queensland Cowboys v Gold Coast Titans
The Cowboys had lost Co-Captain Matt Scott and then Brent
Tate after game 2 of the origin series; they were counted out as a premiership
threat because of their paltry away record over a decade; Johnathan Thurston was
exhausted and they had been destroyed by the struggling Newcastle Knights.
Falling to pieces. But then -– somehow, after the bye, they beat South Sydney
at home and went on to win 2 away games in a row?
That’s not really a question. Just some punctuation to
explain the upwards inflection in my voice when yelling in disbelief at my
computer. Congrats to Paul Green and Jonathan Thurston for believing and never
giving up. Just like Iron Man, or something. This week, the Cowboys head home
to face the 13th place Gold Coast Titans and they won’t get a better
chance to solidify a spot in the 8. Matt Scott has been named and the home side
will be riding high.
My tip: North Queensland 30-12
Sydney Roosters v St George Illawarra Dragons
Saturday night at Allianz Stadium and its Iron Man v
Captain America. The Kids love it. What they don’t love is how the Roosters
lost last week. Chooks fans cooked themselves up into an oily mess watching
their heavily favoured, defending premier, star studded football team lose to
the Knights in Newcastle and get shafted by the referees at the same time.
Hilarious to the rest of us footy fans who support clubs with no cash, but not
so funny for the tri colours.
This week, they head home to Moore Park to face a very
dangerous Dragons team. Saints seem to be playing with a weight off their
shoulders and some freedom in their attack. They’ve won four from their past 5
and the Gareth Widdop/Benji Marshall combination is shining. It will need to
shine a hell of a lot brighter against James Maloney and Mitchell Pearce. Smart
money says they will. Michael Jennings returns and the Chooks bounce back.
My tip: Roosters 28-18
Canberra Raiders v New Zealand Warriors
Sunday afternoon in the nation’s capital and you won’t
hear me mention the weather, for once. The Raiders and the city of Canberra
have bigger problems to deal with aside from the occasional bloody cold snap
that lasts for 3 months, and can awaken the dead, and make you wish for the
fires of hell to consume you, and make your ears fall off your face like shiny,
frozen crystals and then watch them shatter on the icy ground. Canberra, feel
the power.
Sorry, the Raiders have bigger problems. They’ve lost 6
from their past 7, they are getting dressed up like Hulk this weekend and more
depressingly for the green machine, the Warriors are coming to town. Granted, New
Zealand have lost two in a row but they are getting dressed up as an actual
Warrior. So, this is a mismatch right from the start with the home side
representing a doctor who can’t control his rage and the visitors turning up to
GIO Stadium to get back into the top 8.
My tip: Warriors 32-22
South Sydney Rabbitohs v Newcastle Knights
Barlow Park in Cairns will host your Sunday afternoon
match as the Newcastle Knights continue one of the most difficult seasons in
their proud history. After an improbable victory last week, they take up the
fight against the heavily backed Rabbitohs in the tropical north. Perhaps a
tough week for Souths with a short back up from Monday night in Canberra to
travel to Cairns, but that’s not their biggest concern.
If Sam Burgess, John Sutton and Greg Inglis are
struggling with injury, the Knights could be in this up to their eyeballs. Burgess
50/50 they reckon, Sutton certainly out and GI – well, you never know. Keep
your eye on the market in this one. If it’s just Sutto who’s missing, Souths
will welcome the ever improving Luke Keary into the halves and they will be too
good. Kurt Gidley returns for Newcastle to replace the injured Jarrod Mullen
but the Bunnies defence gets them home.
My tip: Souths 26-10
Wests Tigers v Melbourne Storm
Round 21 comes to a close with Monday Night Football from
Campbelltown Stadium and what can the visiting Storm possibly expect to see here?
It could be anything, really. The Tigers are limping to the finish line in 2014.
Emotionally, physically and mentally. Or as Phil Gould would say, ‘Mently’.
They can’t possibly be emotionally ready for this match; their captain won’t
come to training and their board of directors won’t back their coach.
Physically, they are in even more strife with at least 7
first grade players out with injury. Lucky it’s only the likes of Cooper Cronk
and Craig Bellamy coming to town – both very sensitive souls who don’t take
winning very seriously and will take pity on the Tigers and not want to
embarrass them too much. Melbourne by 50. Jokes – but this will be a test of
character for everyone in the Tigers franchise; a greater challenge they will
not face.
My tip: Melbourne 30-12
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