NRL Rd 22

[Bird]

Dragons 1-12 The Dragons have lost their last 2 matches and now have to face one of the form sides in the Tigers, this week they get Dean Young back and that will give them better options in attack. The Tigers on the other hand have won their last 3 matches but last week had to come back to win after looking well gone at half time, they have no changes for tonight's big clash. I'm going with the Dragons in a close match,they need to find some form to instill confidence and I think the last 2 weeks of heartbreaking losses will See a great effort that will get them home, but I fully expect the Tigers to be right in this match to the end. Cowboys - 1.5 The Bulldogs get Morris back for tonight's match but that is the only positive for them after winning only one game in their last 5 and that was in golden point 2 weeks ago. The Cowboys are unchanged for this match and come into this match having won their last 2 matches and 3 of their last 4. The Cowboys have a great forward pack and some real excitement in the backs while the Bulldogs have some players who are just not trying, most notably Jamal Idris, which does not bode well for tonight's match. Even without Thurston the Cowboys have experience and toughness across the field and since the Bulldogs have allowed 20 or more in 4 of their last 5 as have the Cowboys I expect some points on offer tonight, but I also expect the Cowboys to muscle their way to a victory. Storm 1-12 The Storm came back to beat the Eels in a good MNF match last week while the Panthers went down to the Cowboys after Luke Lewis went off right on half time. The Storm side remains the same as Monday nights match and so again no Gareth Widdop which is a big loss for this Storm side, for the Panthers Lewis will play and they will need him, still no Coote for the Panthers. The Panthers have lost 3 of their last 4 but have remained close in those matches playing some very tough footy, their record against the Storm is poor having lost their last 8 against them whether home or away, but their last 10 matches against the Storm only 3 matches have seen a blowout scoreline and the last 4 in Melbourne have seen narrow Storm wins and a Panthers win.The Panthers season is on the line and they are playing like that, I'll look for them to keep it close but fall again in heartbreaking fashion. Warriors + 6.5 Both sides get a boost tonight with Teo back for the Broncos and Brown back for the Warriors. The Warriors will get good support here and will be in this match, I'm tempted by the Broncos 1-12 as I really don't se this game being a blowout, The Warriors enter in good spirits as will the Broncos after the thrashing of the Sharks last weekend, however this is not the Sharks and the scoreline should be closer tonight. I fancy the Warriors to spring a surprise here across the park they have more experience than this Broncos side, should be a great game with plenty of ups and downs , maybe a true Top 8 battle is on the cards. Sharks - 7.5 Tonight the Sharks are boosted as they get Gallen back as well as Paul Aiton, Isaac Gordon and Ricky Leutele, while the Titans also make whlsesale changes. The Sharks were in a rich vein of form but have lost their last 3, however those losses came against Teams in good form in the Broncos, Knights and Dragons while the Titans are being dealt to at every turn, If this match was at Skilled park I would be tempted to take the Titans but it's not and with Gallen and co in for this match and the Sharks latest losses I fully expect the Sharks to muscle up here and win well. The Sharks have scored 28 or more in their last 3 home matches against the Titans and in 4 or their last 5 at home when facing the Titans and have won by 13 or more in 4 of those matches and 8 in the other, but I think the Sharks will play well and win well tonight. Knights 1-12 The Knights are flying high after 2 comprehensive wins while the Raiders came crashing back to earth last weekend against the Warriors. Both sides have injury worries but have named and stated that the players in question will play. I think the Raiders will show up here and play well, their forward pack is very strong and should they compete well the Raiders are a chance in this match. The Knights also have a tough forward pack with Joel Edwards playing great defensive footy, any kids out there wanting to learn how to tackle should watch Edwards whose timing is impeccable. The Knights are hot favs but really eve though winning have only beaten the Titans and Sharks in their last 2 matches so they are hard to trust to much,but they are at home and have won their last 4 at home against this Raiders team, I'm looking for a hard game today with the Knights edging the Raiders i a close game. Sea Eagles 13+ The Sea Eagles will welcome this match against the Roosters after last weeks meltdown against the Tigers while the Roosters may of beaten the Bulldogs but have not faced anyone of note in their last 5 matches and have leaked points like a faulty running toilet. When the Sea Eagles have lost this season they have bounced back well the following weekend and I expect them to repeat that this Sunday. Souths 1-12 and Dave Taylor to score at anytime The Bunnies get Dave Taylor back tonight while the Eels are without Robson for the rest of the season but do have good backup in McGuire. The Rabbitohs should be up beat after beating the Dragons in the way they did last weekend but should be wary of a meltdown here against the Eels this week, while the Eels should be all out for respect after losing from a winning position last Monday night against the Storm. It does scare me a bit that every time that the Bunnies have caused an upset they have then lost the following weekend but the Eels just cannot win their matches, but they sure can stay in them till the end and I think they will do that again tonight, but the Bunnies in a close one with Dave Taylor busting through out wide are my picks for this match. Good luck to all this weekend if you are betting on the NRL.

[Bird]

Re: NRL Rd 22 The Cowboys/Dogs game has changed a bit in the last few days with Andrew Ryan saying he will retire come seasons end and I now think the Dogs will lift and maybe get away with this game, I am still going with the Cowboys to win but am also now taking Frank Pritchard to score a try at anytime as if the Bulldogs do lift tonight their forward pack will need to play well with Pritchard leading the way. I am also taking total combined points to be high in the ranges of 51-60 points and 61-70. That's based on either sides porous defensive frailties

[blackcrow]

Re: NRL Rd 22 Agree with much you say about this weeks games, bird :cheers Dragons win by 1-12 margin @ 2.95 centrebet Dragons have folded in the last 2 weeks to the Raiders and Rabbitohs, so expect them to be very focused for this game, and keep their defensive line solid for the full 80 minutes. They do have the players to win this, it is just a matter staying switched on, especially as marshall starts to come into his own in the second half when the forwards begin to tire. Would have expected quite a few words were saide at the Dragons training this week, as they cannot afford another lapse in concentration. As for the Tigers, they are bouncing along nicely with a good solid forward pack, and Marshall and Farah around the rucks controlling the play. Still when looking at the two sides, the Dragons have more talent, especially in the backs, and like them to edge this one, but this could go down to the wire. Cowboys win by 1-12 margin @ 3.15 centrebet This will probably be a high scoring game as both teams like to attack but their defence can be found out, and expect to see the little men, Barba and Bowen do well here as the big packs of forwards start to tire in the second half. The Cowboys have been playing well without Thurston to guide them, as their forward pack, with the likes of Scott, Johnson and Sims ploughing into the opposition. This will more than likely where the Cwboys will end up winning it, as their forwards have been giving them a good roll on while with the Bulldogs, you just don't know what you are going to get. With their captain Ryan announcing his retirement, they may lift a bit more for him in this game, but the Cowboys have been doing enough to suggest that they will win this, even though the Bulldogs have won the last 3 meetings.

[YorkshireFootyFan]

Re: NRL Rd 22 A bit late but bad team news for Cowboys with Scott and FuiFui out. Sorry about the spelling on FF.

[blackcrow]

Re: NRL Rd 22 Dragons win by 1-12 margin @ 2.95 :( Dragons led 8-0 at half time and then 14-12 but could not hold onto the lead to lose 16-14 Cowboys win by 1-12 margin @ 3.15 :(

[blackcrow]

Re: NRL Rd 22 Storm win by 1-12 margin @ 3.15 centrebet Storm are off a come from behind win over the Eels, and may come out flat for this game, seeing how much more effort they had to exert to get the win. The Panthers have a very big pack of forwards to compete with the Storm, but they do not have enough in the backs, as especially with Cronk and Slater, they have two of the better players in those positions. Expect the Storm to be much better defensively than they were against the Eels, and they will need to be with Lewis coming back into the side for the Panthers as he can get them going forward, but the Storm will be content to grind out another win, and doubt it will be the flogging most expect it will be. Broncos win by 1-12 margin @ 3.00 centrebet Both teams are coming off big wins last week and this should be a very hard fought game as both sides are based on good defences, who also can move the ball. The Warriors have won 4 straight games and have momentum but they travel to Brisbane where 40,000 locals wait for them, and like Lockyer to make the most of a Warriors defence that does give up alot of missed tackles, so can see him creating holes in this defence with his range of passing and kicking. It will not be easy for them, but the Broncos have enough in them to suggest that that will edge this one. Sharks win by 1-12 margin @ 3.00 centrebet Both sides have fallen off the pace of late, and with not much to play for, then this could be a very open and attacking game, or a dour , mistake-riddled one. For the Sharks they get Gallen back and their inspirational skipper should lift them for this game while the Titans have lost Bird which takes oen of the very few good attacking options that they have. The Sharks have won the last 2 games between the two sides and the last 3 home meetings, so take them to win this, but not by much.

[blackcrow]

Re: NRL Rd 22 Storm win by 1-12 margin @ 3.15 :( Panthers collapsed in the second half Broncos win by 1-12 margin @ 3.00 :D Great game. Could have gone either way in the end Sharks win by 1-12 margin @ 3.00 :@ They butchered this game

[blackcrow]

Re: NRL Rd 22 Knights -9.5 @ 2.00 centrebet Knights were in great form last week to smash a poor Titans side while the Raiders were also well beaten by the Warriors, and ending their semi final hopes. Hard to see the Raiders being motivated for this game, with not much to play for, while the Knights need to stay focused as they sit 7th with other teams looking to take their spot. While both sides have injuries, the Knights have Mullen and Gidley in form, and they will look to open up the Raiders defence, and as the Knights have won 11 of the last 15 games to the Raiders, with wins 8 of the last 9 home games, so hard to see them coming into Newcastle and getting much out of it. Sea Eagles -12.5 @ 2.02 centrebet Sea Eagles should be pretty pissed after allowing the Tigers back into the game last week while the Roosters won a mistake riddled game against the Bulldogs. Doubt that the Sea Eagles defence will allow the Roosters those kind of chances as their defence is much better. Expect the Sea Eagles to come out hard against them so as blow them away early, and if that happens, as the Roosters have little to play for, this could be a landslide win. The Sea Eagles have won 6 of the last 8 games, as well as 9 of the last 11 home games against the Roosters, averaging 40 points in their last 4 games at Brookvale against the Roosters. Like the Sea Eagles to bounce back and they devour the Roosters - "winner winner chicken dinner".

[blackcrow]

Re: NRL Rd 22 Knights -9.5 @ 2.00 :D Sea Eagles -12.5 @ 2.02 :D[url=http://www.punterslounge.com/bookmakers/centrebet]

[blackcrow]

Re: NRL Rd 22 Eels @ 2.27 centrebet Eels -7.5 @ 4.00 centrebet Rabbitohs off a big win over the Dragons and though they made a huge comeback, the concern is how easily they allowed the Dragons to score 20 points, and it was a case of the Dragons getting complacent as much as the fighting spirit of the Rabbitohs. The Eels have not been able to finish teams off as they have led only to be run down in the last few weeks, and their effort against the Storm was as good as what the Rabbitohs produced last week. They are due to win a game after what they have put in, and with the Rabbitohs being an inconsistent side, good chances to do it here. The Eels should be much better at half back with McGuire there instead of Robson, and like the fact that Hayne is getting better at 5/8 while Sutton continues to regress. Just feel that the Rabbitohs will have a shocker this week, as they tend to be inconsistent, while the Eels are fighting not to get the wooden spoon.

[blackcrow]

Re: NRL Rd 22 Eels @ 2.27 :$ Eels -7.5 @ 4.00 :$