Brisbane v Cronulla
The second meeting of the season between these clubs after the round 13 match at Toyota Stadium was dominated by Brisbane. In fact after this loss, the Sharks reportedly went to the room of mirrors to have a good, long, hard look at themselves and promised to turn their season around. They won their next 4 but just to prove how hard the grind of the NRL is, they have since lost their last two by big margins.
Can they get motivated by this and turn another corner in this fluctuating season that is the Cronulla tilt of 2011? No. Even though the Broncos lost the ‘wrestle’ last week against Melbourne, this week they get to play footy again and they will. Darren Lockyer edges closer towards the curtain of his career by leading his troops to another demolition of the Sharks.
My tip: Brisbane 30-12
Manly v Wests Tigers
Match of the Round for mine: and don’t the people of the Central Coast deserve it. The recent announcement that the NRL’s expansion plans for the near future involve another Queensland team, rather than the mighty Bears, would have been a kick in the guts for this Rugby League nursery. Fingers cross they find some joy when the Eagles host Benji Marshall and his boys on Friday night.
They won’t be disappointed. Manly’s methodical and almost violent approach to its football, pitted against a Tigers team looking to come home with a wet sail and rip their way into the finals. Fantastic. The on-field battles between Chris Lawrence and Jamie Lyon, Benji facing Kieran Foran and two angry forward packs going head to head will ensure this is a beauty.
My tip: Manly 19-18
Eastern Suburbs v Canterbury
In beating the Eels last Friday and notching their first victory in 4 weeks, the Bulldogs did not show a lot of improvement but did step up their enthusiasm. Joel Romelo and Josh Reynolds led the way in this department in what could be a sign of the times at Belmore. The next generation of stars could be ready to replace this current crop.
Before they do though, the ‘Dogs attack still needs an overhaul as they have averaged just over 12 points per game in the last 10 rounds. The Roosters attack can sympathise with this plight but the boys from Bondi may not be able to do much else. Their cohesion is shot but their spirit seems, somehow, intact. This will keep them in the hunt for 70 minutes on Saturday, but will not get them home. Dogs in a tight one.
My tip: Canterbury 24-22
North Queensland v Penrith
Must give credit to the boys from Townsville. With a bit of luck, a monster pack of forwards and Matthew Bowen playing out of this world, they sit 4th on the ladder and have won 2 from 3 without Jonathan Thurston. Whilst it might be too early to tell if they can maintain this form for another few weeks, a tip of the hat to them nonetheless.
Bowen, in particular, is in white hot form and considering what he has been through and how others have fared after suffering similar injuries, he is special. Not too many athletes in world sport could come back the way he has after multiple knee surgeries. So, taking a rest from my position as president of the M. Bowen fan club, the edge here goes to the home team against a Panthers squad with a less than impressive away record.
My tip: North Queensland 26-20
NZ Warriors v Canberra
The statistics tell an interesting story in this match at Mt Smart stadium on Sunday. Well, more to the point it’s an obvious story. The away team in this fixture is very often up against it and understandably so: It’s a long trip. Whilst the Raiders would be high on confidence after tasting success at this venue last year, they will come to Auckland as underdogs and rightly so.
Even after their brilliant win against the Dragons last Monday Night, the visitors will struggle against a disciplined and in-form New Zealand outfit. James Maloney continues to impress to the point where he should be mentioned in the class of great five eighths in the NRL. Speaking of impressive, two very exciting fullbacks on show here in a wonderful battle between Kevin Locke and Josh Dugan. The future looks bright.
My tip: New Zealand 30-18
Newcastle v Gold Coast
As Titans’ coach John Cartwright prepares for season 2012, the make-up of his team changes every week but the results remain the same. This week, it’s time for young Jordan Rankin to have a crack at the fullback position where a host of others have tried this season. Rankin is a much heralded star from the Titans NYC nursery and should go well.
The Knights sit 8th on the ladder and are desperate to stay in contention for the finals. No better opportunity presents itself than this match at home against the cellar dwellers of the competition on Sunday afternoon. With so much more to play for, not many will be game to back against Newcastle, even with question marks over the fitness of Jarrod Mullen. Should also be interesting to see Beau Henry against his former teammates.
My tip: Newcastle 24-22
St George Illawarra v South Sydney
Pre merger days, this fixture had more meaning and more history behind it than any other. I was weaned on its legend. The 1965 decider when 78,000 turned out at the SCG; The Semi Final in ’68; The Grand Final in ‘71. Folkes used to talk about it at the dinner table with a sparkle in the eye and sideburns in their hearts. Post merger, the bad blood still exists but in Souths’ case; oh how the mighty have fallen.
Their forward pack ravaged by injury, their coach out of ideas, their half and five eighth playing random good footy when the mood strikes and their souls with nothing left to give: The South Sydney Rabbitohs head down the Princes Highway to Wollongong to take their medicine and go home. In possibly the only highlight for Souths’ fans, Greg Inglis gives it to Mark Gasnier one last time.
My tip: St George Illawarra 32-12
Parramatta v Melbourne
A recent rivalry with plenty of feeling sees its next chapter written this Monday night when the competition leaders travel to Parramatta stadium. Eels fans simply do not like the Storm and feel as though they were robbed of a premiership in 2009. Even if they have gotten over it, we find out this week that Melbourne are apparently the ‘dirtiest’ team in the comp and this could reignite the fire.
Fingers crossed it does and sets the scene for more fireworks, more head butting, less wrestling and frequent meetings between Billy Slater and Jarryd Hayne. They have plenty to talk about I’m sure but at the end of the day, the Storm defence will do all the talking as the home side simply can’t find a way through. Smith and Cronk the standouts in a close one.
My tip: Melbourne 18-12
For live updates throughout the weekend go to http://leagueunlimited.com/
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Paully's Picks - Round 20
Canterbury v Parramatta
One week too late. There is no greater rivalry over the past 15 years and there was no bigger club football match in NRL history than the semi final played between these teams in 2009. Going back further for you historians out there, hard to argue against the fact that Canterbury and Parramatta hated each other more than anyone in the 80’s except for maybe the US and Soviet Union.
Speaking of cold wars, the last meeting between these famous Sydney clubs was in round 6 this year and what a ferocious battle it was. Hindmarsh v Ennis, Payne v Hayne and another great chapter written in the Eels v Bulldogs rivalry. This Friday, when they meet again at Homebush, we might not see as much good football played with these teams sitting 12th and 13th on the ladder, but you will get plenty of effort and this is where Parramatta have been faultless in recent weeks.
My tip: Parramatta 24-12
Melbourne v Brisbane
1st versus 4th on the ladder and compared to the other Friday Night Football game to kick off round 20..... well, there is no comparison. The Storm have rebuilt from last year using discipline and defence whilst the Broncos continue to build for the future using a perfect balance of youth and experience. Soon-to-be superstars like Josh Hoffman, Alex Glenn and Jack Reed are learning from the best each week and coming into their own.
On paper, the hosts for this blockbuster at AAMI Park don’t seem to have the same athletic ability as their opponents but they don’t need to. Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk have the highest Rugby League IQs in the NRL and this will prove the difference on the night. Home ground advantage and their resolute defence keep the Storm driving towards the finals in a cracker and easily the Match of the Round.
My tip: Melbourne 14-12
Gold Coast v North Queensland
A few weeks ago we tipped the smallest crowd in Rugby League history to turn out for a Roosters v Raiders Monday night game. If this Saturday’s match between the Titans and the Cowboys will prove anything, it will be that records are meant to be broken. The over/under betting for attendance to this one must start at about 3000 people but the poor folk from the Gold Coast won’t know what they are missing.
Beau Henry gets his first start for the Titans and in an ominous sign for his future and for the new culture of footballers; this is his 3rd club in two years. William Zillman has been named to play centre for the home side in another effort by John Cartwright to turn the club around from a disastrous season. Finally, Tariq Sims starts for the Cowboys and that is enough for many to tune in and probably enough to get the Cowboys home.
My tip: North Queensland 24-18
Cronulla v Newcastle
Plenty of league commentators have predicted that only 4 teams can win the competition this year. If this is fact, nobody came to that realisation quicker the Knights and the Sharks last week. Both teams were crushed by competition heavyweights in rivalry round after putting in good performances in the weeks before. A harsh lesson for two clubs on the cusp of the top 8 and further proof that perhaps our post season structure needs an upgrade.
Before we do that though, it is still a sign of success if you can make the semi finals and winning this match at Toyota Park on Saturday night will help one of these teams do exactly that. It could be a cold, wet and windy welcome for the Newcastle boys and the toughness of the Sharks forward pack will make the task even harder for Kurt Gidley and his crew. Cronulla bounce back from last week to keep their season alive.
My tip: Cronulla 24-14
Wests v Easts
Rugby League fans are generally a forgiving and loyal bunch. We can get over players leaving our clubs and the NRL treating us like fools, we can deal with all the off-field drama and salary cap issues... but when it comes to Leichardt Oval and the Tigers on a Saturday night, this forgiveness is thrown out the window. The place will be baying for blood with the memory of last year’s semi finals still keeping them up nights.
On that occasion it was the Roosters who stole a win from the Tigers in extraordinary circumstances and the Leichardt faithful will not have forgotten. They will turn out in numbers and Benji Marshall and co will thrive on this atmosphere and deliver for the masses. On paper, this is essentially the home side’s best 13 and they play like it to blow the visitors off the park early and cruise home to start their finals run.
My tip: Wests 40-14
South Sydney v NZ Warriors
A credit to coach John Lang and South Sydney for still finding a way to compete after injury had annihilated their forward pack. They’ve played with purpose recently but, as expected from the bunnies, played with utter confusion at times as well. What they are not confused about anymore, it seems, is how to play with Greg Inglis. “Get him the ball and get out of the way” seems to be the game plan.
The Warriors, on the other hand, have been under no illusions about how their football team should attack. Just do whatever James Maloney tells you to do. Maloney has been a star for two seasons now and this Central Coast product is the perfect link between a hard working forward pack and a very aggressive backline. His leadership in the final quarter of this match will be the difference in a close one.
My tip: New Zealand 20-18
Penrith v Manly
The Panthers are yet to lose at home since Steve Georgallis took over as head coach; in fact they have not lost at Centrebet Stadium since round 6 this year. A Sunday afternoon kick off out west has the boys from Manly very cautious this week and rightly so. If Luke Lewis is fit and ready for this match, it will be closer than the bookies are predicting and closer than competition ladder suggests.
The Sea Eagles have lost only one from their past 8 matches on the back of superb play from their spine and a pack of forwards that never lets you breath. They win the wrestle in defence and find your weakness in attack. You can bet they will be running at old teammate Travis Burns this weekend, as well as Luke Walsh in attempt to stifle the Panthers’ offence. It works, but only just. Jennings v Jamie Lyon an absolute highlight.
My tip: Manly 24-22
Canberra v St George Illawarra
Can the mighty St George Illawarra Dragons actually be jinxed? Are they really incapable of beating the boys from our nation’s capital, no matter what advantage they have? It can’t be that far a road trip from Wollongong to Bruce, can it? Can my questions get any more annoying... can they?!?! Monday night Football heads south to the ACT this week as the Dragons try to beat Canberra for the first time since round 17, 2007.
If the Raiders are any chance of another upset in this bizarre rivalry, they will have to score early and get themselves a decent head start before the visitors acclimatise to the conditions. Once they do, the near negative temperatures will not be a hindrance and Saints will finish stronger. If the home side fail to get on top early, there is a real danger that they will go 160 minutes without scoring a point. Stranger things have happened.
My tip: St George Illawarra 25-0
For live updates throughout the weekend, go to http://leagueunlimited.com/
One week too late. There is no greater rivalry over the past 15 years and there was no bigger club football match in NRL history than the semi final played between these teams in 2009. Going back further for you historians out there, hard to argue against the fact that Canterbury and Parramatta hated each other more than anyone in the 80’s except for maybe the US and Soviet Union.
Speaking of cold wars, the last meeting between these famous Sydney clubs was in round 6 this year and what a ferocious battle it was. Hindmarsh v Ennis, Payne v Hayne and another great chapter written in the Eels v Bulldogs rivalry. This Friday, when they meet again at Homebush, we might not see as much good football played with these teams sitting 12th and 13th on the ladder, but you will get plenty of effort and this is where Parramatta have been faultless in recent weeks.
My tip: Parramatta 24-12
Melbourne v Brisbane
1st versus 4th on the ladder and compared to the other Friday Night Football game to kick off round 20..... well, there is no comparison. The Storm have rebuilt from last year using discipline and defence whilst the Broncos continue to build for the future using a perfect balance of youth and experience. Soon-to-be superstars like Josh Hoffman, Alex Glenn and Jack Reed are learning from the best each week and coming into their own.
On paper, the hosts for this blockbuster at AAMI Park don’t seem to have the same athletic ability as their opponents but they don’t need to. Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk have the highest Rugby League IQs in the NRL and this will prove the difference on the night. Home ground advantage and their resolute defence keep the Storm driving towards the finals in a cracker and easily the Match of the Round.
My tip: Melbourne 14-12
Gold Coast v North Queensland
A few weeks ago we tipped the smallest crowd in Rugby League history to turn out for a Roosters v Raiders Monday night game. If this Saturday’s match between the Titans and the Cowboys will prove anything, it will be that records are meant to be broken. The over/under betting for attendance to this one must start at about 3000 people but the poor folk from the Gold Coast won’t know what they are missing.
Beau Henry gets his first start for the Titans and in an ominous sign for his future and for the new culture of footballers; this is his 3rd club in two years. William Zillman has been named to play centre for the home side in another effort by John Cartwright to turn the club around from a disastrous season. Finally, Tariq Sims starts for the Cowboys and that is enough for many to tune in and probably enough to get the Cowboys home.
My tip: North Queensland 24-18
Cronulla v Newcastle
Plenty of league commentators have predicted that only 4 teams can win the competition this year. If this is fact, nobody came to that realisation quicker the Knights and the Sharks last week. Both teams were crushed by competition heavyweights in rivalry round after putting in good performances in the weeks before. A harsh lesson for two clubs on the cusp of the top 8 and further proof that perhaps our post season structure needs an upgrade.
Before we do that though, it is still a sign of success if you can make the semi finals and winning this match at Toyota Park on Saturday night will help one of these teams do exactly that. It could be a cold, wet and windy welcome for the Newcastle boys and the toughness of the Sharks forward pack will make the task even harder for Kurt Gidley and his crew. Cronulla bounce back from last week to keep their season alive.
My tip: Cronulla 24-14
Wests v Easts
Rugby League fans are generally a forgiving and loyal bunch. We can get over players leaving our clubs and the NRL treating us like fools, we can deal with all the off-field drama and salary cap issues... but when it comes to Leichardt Oval and the Tigers on a Saturday night, this forgiveness is thrown out the window. The place will be baying for blood with the memory of last year’s semi finals still keeping them up nights.
On that occasion it was the Roosters who stole a win from the Tigers in extraordinary circumstances and the Leichardt faithful will not have forgotten. They will turn out in numbers and Benji Marshall and co will thrive on this atmosphere and deliver for the masses. On paper, this is essentially the home side’s best 13 and they play like it to blow the visitors off the park early and cruise home to start their finals run.
My tip: Wests 40-14
South Sydney v NZ Warriors
A credit to coach John Lang and South Sydney for still finding a way to compete after injury had annihilated their forward pack. They’ve played with purpose recently but, as expected from the bunnies, played with utter confusion at times as well. What they are not confused about anymore, it seems, is how to play with Greg Inglis. “Get him the ball and get out of the way” seems to be the game plan.
The Warriors, on the other hand, have been under no illusions about how their football team should attack. Just do whatever James Maloney tells you to do. Maloney has been a star for two seasons now and this Central Coast product is the perfect link between a hard working forward pack and a very aggressive backline. His leadership in the final quarter of this match will be the difference in a close one.
My tip: New Zealand 20-18
Penrith v Manly
The Panthers are yet to lose at home since Steve Georgallis took over as head coach; in fact they have not lost at Centrebet Stadium since round 6 this year. A Sunday afternoon kick off out west has the boys from Manly very cautious this week and rightly so. If Luke Lewis is fit and ready for this match, it will be closer than the bookies are predicting and closer than competition ladder suggests.
The Sea Eagles have lost only one from their past 8 matches on the back of superb play from their spine and a pack of forwards that never lets you breath. They win the wrestle in defence and find your weakness in attack. You can bet they will be running at old teammate Travis Burns this weekend, as well as Luke Walsh in attempt to stifle the Panthers’ offence. It works, but only just. Jennings v Jamie Lyon an absolute highlight.
My tip: Manly 24-22
Canberra v St George Illawarra
Can the mighty St George Illawarra Dragons actually be jinxed? Are they really incapable of beating the boys from our nation’s capital, no matter what advantage they have? It can’t be that far a road trip from Wollongong to Bruce, can it? Can my questions get any more annoying... can they?!?! Monday night Football heads south to the ACT this week as the Dragons try to beat Canberra for the first time since round 17, 2007.
If the Raiders are any chance of another upset in this bizarre rivalry, they will have to score early and get themselves a decent head start before the visitors acclimatise to the conditions. Once they do, the near negative temperatures will not be a hindrance and Saints will finish stronger. If the home side fail to get on top early, there is a real danger that they will go 160 minutes without scoring a point. Stranger things have happened.
My tip: St George Illawarra 25-0
For live updates throughout the weekend, go to http://leagueunlimited.com/
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Where this is no smoke, there is no fire.
The Rugby League media exposure regarding the Wests Tigers' signing of Adam Blair has been akin to reading a tabloid magazine. Not surprising given the fact that these days, most tabloid magazines present themselves as Newspapers... however, that’s a story for another day.
Can we lay off the Tigers please...???
All we are hearing through the league media is about the apparent resentment coming from Benji Marshall and other Wests players towards Tim Sheens. Why? Because Sheens has had to release a few players to make room under the Salary Cap for Adam Blair. Basically, the Storm second rower is coming so the club has cleared the decks for him and the playing group is filthy because of this. Really?
When did the Wests Tigers 1st grade squad become a sewing circle? Why is the media trying to create a soap opera where these players are behaving like private school girls? Where they start refusing to speak to the coach and management? Perhaps journalists think every working environment is as horrible and back stabbing as their own? Unlike corporate Australia - I am guessing footballers don't bitch and complain like a bunch of office receptionists. I bet they don't discuss what the others are wearing to training.
What they do is very different to this, what they do is take up the battle for themselves, as was the case for Andrew Fifita as reported in this article. The Tigers front rower, heading to Cronulla in 2012, was happy to share with a journalist that he went looking for Blair to exact some personal revenge during the Tigers' round 15 match against Melbourne. Says he sledged Blair a few times, letting him know that he didn’t appreciate the Melbourne forward taking his piece of the Salary Cap and forcing Fifita to move to the Shire.
Fantastic. This is a great angle and one worth pursuing. On-field battles are always more exciting than off-field dramas and much easier to prove. Which brings us to the the major problem. The Sydney media have no proof of any internal squabbling at Wests but this has not stopped them from reporting as much. Remember the rumour going around earlier in the season about one Tigers player sleeping with another's wife? Ridiculous.
We understand that many league journos have personal vendettas against a certain club or a certain coach and they use and abuse their positions to 'resolve' these differences, but it’s starting to get boring. Read any Danny Weidler 'articles' lately? He thrives on gossip. Read any News Limited press? The battles they have waged on the likes of Brian Smith, Wayne Bennett and more recently on the very fabric of human decency!!!...... well, you get the idea. Personal vendetta rather than honest reporting of the news. Sensationlism and soap opera rather than searching for the truth.
Get over your obsessions with tabloid journalism and please start reporting about football or if not, perhaps the truth is a good place to start - not the latest episode of some drama you have created in your very weak minds.
How did the Tigers respond to all of this? They flew up to Townsville and put 40 on the Cowboys. Why can’t you write about that? This recent attack on Tim Sheens and his club from the media has resulted in two things happening...a) one of the great NRL coaches being harassed at a press conference with questions that deserved no response and b)... Benji Marshall being forced to explain that "yes... me and sheensy fight sometimes", what a scoop this was for one Sydney metro paper... seriously. Is this all we have to write about?
Enough with the gossip, drama, secret boardroom leaks and personal vendettas... please. Give these professional athletes a little more credit, or did Lote Tuqiri and Robert Lui actually start whispering to each other about who Robbie Farah slept with last night... or why Chris Lawrence wore those pants with that top.... or did Liam Fulton actually sleep with Bryce Gibbs' wife and if so is she pregnant with his baby whilst her mother is being arrested for murder? Tune in next week.
Can we lay off the Tigers please...???
All we are hearing through the league media is about the apparent resentment coming from Benji Marshall and other Wests players towards Tim Sheens. Why? Because Sheens has had to release a few players to make room under the Salary Cap for Adam Blair. Basically, the Storm second rower is coming so the club has cleared the decks for him and the playing group is filthy because of this. Really?
When did the Wests Tigers 1st grade squad become a sewing circle? Why is the media trying to create a soap opera where these players are behaving like private school girls? Where they start refusing to speak to the coach and management? Perhaps journalists think every working environment is as horrible and back stabbing as their own? Unlike corporate Australia - I am guessing footballers don't bitch and complain like a bunch of office receptionists. I bet they don't discuss what the others are wearing to training.
What they do is very different to this, what they do is take up the battle for themselves, as was the case for Andrew Fifita as reported in this article. The Tigers front rower, heading to Cronulla in 2012, was happy to share with a journalist that he went looking for Blair to exact some personal revenge during the Tigers' round 15 match against Melbourne. Says he sledged Blair a few times, letting him know that he didn’t appreciate the Melbourne forward taking his piece of the Salary Cap and forcing Fifita to move to the Shire.
Fantastic. This is a great angle and one worth pursuing. On-field battles are always more exciting than off-field dramas and much easier to prove. Which brings us to the the major problem. The Sydney media have no proof of any internal squabbling at Wests but this has not stopped them from reporting as much. Remember the rumour going around earlier in the season about one Tigers player sleeping with another's wife? Ridiculous.
We understand that many league journos have personal vendettas against a certain club or a certain coach and they use and abuse their positions to 'resolve' these differences, but it’s starting to get boring. Read any Danny Weidler 'articles' lately? He thrives on gossip. Read any News Limited press? The battles they have waged on the likes of Brian Smith, Wayne Bennett and more recently on the very fabric of human decency!!!...... well, you get the idea. Personal vendetta rather than honest reporting of the news. Sensationlism and soap opera rather than searching for the truth.
Get over your obsessions with tabloid journalism and please start reporting about football or if not, perhaps the truth is a good place to start - not the latest episode of some drama you have created in your very weak minds.
How did the Tigers respond to all of this? They flew up to Townsville and put 40 on the Cowboys. Why can’t you write about that? This recent attack on Tim Sheens and his club from the media has resulted in two things happening...a) one of the great NRL coaches being harassed at a press conference with questions that deserved no response and b)... Benji Marshall being forced to explain that "yes... me and sheensy fight sometimes", what a scoop this was for one Sydney metro paper... seriously. Is this all we have to write about?
Enough with the gossip, drama, secret boardroom leaks and personal vendettas... please. Give these professional athletes a little more credit, or did Lote Tuqiri and Robert Lui actually start whispering to each other about who Robbie Farah slept with last night... or why Chris Lawrence wore those pants with that top.... or did Liam Fulton actually sleep with Bryce Gibbs' wife and if so is she pregnant with his baby whilst her mother is being arrested for murder? Tune in next week.
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