NRL Round Two Preview

The Titans and the Tigers manufactured last minute magic to bring home the bikkies - photo: source - Top: www.espn.com.au; Bottom: www.theguardian.com

What an amazing start to the NRL season, anyone who correctly tipped that round is either related to Nostradamus or so whacked in the head they belong in the White House. The NRL this season is looking harder to pick than ticks off a gorilla with a hangover. The underdogs came out firing lock, stock and two smoking barrels and beat the odds slapping a cream pie into the pundit’s boat race! Take a bow the Knights, Warriors, Titans and especially the Tigers. They saw Cooper Cronk and James Tedesco across the pitch and said shove that in your sombrero and wear it! That is how we league!! Now the emotion has gone out of the sensational season openers they have to knuckle down and back it up.

The Hunt becomes the hunted in the Shire - photo: source - www.sportingnews.com

Cronulla Sharks v St George Illawarra Dragons

A southern Sydney derby gets round two off and cracking. The Dragons are buoyant after a brilliant start to the Ben Hunt era. His stunning debut allowed Gareth Widdop to step back and inject himself when Widdop wanted. The forwards were superb especially Paul Vaughan and Tyson Frizzell, while James Graham revelled returning a Saint in a different hemisphere. The Sharks were gallant in defeat in Townsville, no shame there, and will enjoy being back at home. No firing up necessary with the Red V flaring the nostrils of Paul Gallen and Andrew Fifita. The Sharks halves were clunky and it may take time for Matt Moylan to find his feet, though if Valentine Homes continues to spill the pill his time at fullback may be limited and Moylan may end up being shifted. I’m on Dugan watch as Josh will want early ball against his old team mates and douse the Dragons derby dreams.

Sharks by 4

Moses Mbye was top dog last week - photo: source - www.bulldogs.com.au

Sydney Roosters v Canterbury Bulldogs

Two first up losers but the Bulldogs kennel will be far happier than the scratchy Chook pen, no surprise man’s best friend is always so upbeat. The Dogs exhibited good signs in their encouraging defeat to the defending premiers the Melbourne Storm. Kieran Foran was excellent and if his forwards can set the platform Foran will unleash a quality Bulldogs backline. Moses Mbye has already made the custodian position his as he was superb and will be a major threat. The Dogs need to tighten their ruck though and it’s here where the Roosters will look to slice through via Cooper Cronk and James Tedesco who were a bit flat in their club debuts, at least Cronk had some sort of excuse reportedly bitten pre-game by a stingray in the surf! Though being Bondi it may have been a drunk British backpacker mistaking Cronk’s foot for a chicken kebab. The enthusiastic Tigers exposed the Chooks soft underbelly up front. Premiership favourites, not on your Nelly! The forwards better fire up or Trent Robinson will swing the axe, two losses to start the season with this squad is not acceptable. Here’s a free tip, give Latrell Mitchell some ball! Luke Keary is back from injury and beside Cronk, assuming he’s manoeuvred around the marine life this week, injects the sting to the attack that will see the Roosters sail home.

Roosters by 7

JT King of the NRL and the kids - photo: www.cowboys.com.au

Brisbane Broncos v North Queensland Cowboys

I know it’s only one round but gee the Broncos looked ordinary last week, Wayne Bennett had a reason to look gloomy after that performance, though they could have won by fifty and Benny’s face would be the same. The halves were invisible, that was until Bennett tore them a new one at training in full view of the media, so expect more energy from Kodi Nikorima and Anthony Milford and double bagging it downstairs. Sam Thaiday looked like he’s gone one season too many but a visit from arch enemy the Cowboys is enough to spur this old Bronco into action. Matt Lodge was sound on his NRL return but a trampling from the Cowboys forwards will feel like a week at Rikers Island with the CCTV down. The Cowboys steamrolled the Sharks, first Scott, followed by Taumalolo and McLean then Hess blasts off the bench, it is relentless! Jonathan Thurston showed his wand still has some magic in it after 300 games and JT will need to wave it as Michael Morgan has been ruled out, Te Maire Martin again rides shotgun with JT. The Broncos will surely be better than last week’s shocker but it’s the Cowboys to ride out of town with two points leaving behind a trail of destruction and Bennett’s boys in tatters.

Cowboys by 10

Shaun Johnson wowed the footy fans in the west - photo: source - www.wwos.nine.com.au

New Zealand Warriors v Gold Coast Titans

One of these teams will begin the year 2 and 0! No, I’m not bloody joking, I’m as shocked as the players. The Warriors weren't using special calm breathing techniques in those post-try huddles they were hyperventilating because they were winning. The Titans were most people’s pick to end in the outhouse but they’ve started the year in the penthouse after a stirring come from behind win against the Raiders. Ash Taylor put on a clinic, he holds the Titans season in his brilliant hands he is that good and his battle with Shaun Johnson is must see TV. Ryan James edge running wreaked havoc on the Raiders and he’ll cause the Warriors to worry. The Warriors were wonderful in skinning the Bunnies in Perth, it may have been the early game but Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck lit up the new Perth Stadium, they didn’t need the fancy colour-coded light show the Storm and Dogs got. The key was a new hardness to the Warriors missing in previous years. New buys Adam Blair, Tohu Harris and Blake Green settled the side and kept the structure allowing Johnson and RTS to strut their stuff, a repeat dose will see the Warriors take down the Titans.

Warriors by 20

Nathan can see clearly now Matt Moylan's gone - photo: source - www.nrl.com

Penrith Panthers v South Sydney Rabbitohs

Call off the hounds Gus, Anthony Griffin has the Panthers playing with pride. A resounding second half mauling of the Eels has set them up for a fast start to the season. The halves were hot, Nathan Cleary carved up and Viliame Kikau kicked arse, while Waqa Blake burst the Eels on multiple occasions and his match up with Greg Inglis will be a beauty. GI looks short of a gallop but his best will come. The Bunnies attacked well against the Warriors with Damien Cook revelling in his full game role but their defence had more holes than a rabbit warren. Sam Burgess had his usual barnstormer but he can’t tackle everything though may have to as he’s been shifted to prop, his mission: imitate Selleys ‘No More Gaps’ for 80 minutes. In bad news Adam Reynolds is out for at least two weeks with a knee injury, rookie Adam Doueihi steps in and will step up. New coach Anthony Seibold will want a win to get his career and the Rabbitohs season off and running but it won’t be this week. Another packed house will push the Panthers past the winning post.

Panthers by 14

Cameron Munster the Storm's jack of all trades - photo: source - www.au.yahoo.sports.com

Melbourne Storm v Wests Tigers

The Tigers bus drove into the 2018 season loaded with new guns and car-jacked the Roosters. Ivan Cleary’s pack mauled the Chooks, their impressive line speed launched an upset no one saw coming. The fly in the ointment for the Tigers is for all their enthusiasm they barely looked like scoring and crossing the stripe against the Storm is the toughest assignment in rugby league. Luke Brooks and Benji Marshall’s game management is the key to springing another shock. The Storm were threatened early doors by the Bulldogs, but once they clicked into gear the Melbourne machine rolled away handsomely. Cameron Munster starred at fullback and with Billy Slater returning for game 300, congrats Billy what a champ the kid has been, Munster has shifted back into the halves but he’s such a natural you could play him at prop and he’d still stand out. Not easy to do with Nelson Asofa-Solomona packing beside you at scrum time. Big Nelson has grown in class – ‘The Column’ is about 10 feet tall now - and quickly turning into a game breaker. Josh Addo-Carr started where he left 2017 scoring a double and he’ll look to add to the tally and as he speeds away flash the Tigers his tail and remind the Wests club he was one that got away and the Storm will get away with this one in a canter.

Storm by 24

The Eels were second stanza speed bumps in the western Sydney derby - photo: source - Twitter @nrl

Manly Sea Eagles v Parramatta Eels

Always a big game the 1980s rivalry takes on early season significance as the loser will be 0 and 2 and while not flat lining the year it makes the throat tighten a bit. The Sea Eagles were victims of the Knights passionate charge as they jousted for nearly 90 minutes until their wings were clipped. Manly impressed in all aspects of their game, it took some Kalyn Ponga brilliance to stop the Sea Eagles flying away, and they have the weapons to gut the Eels. Jake Trbojevic’s old school lock forward ball playing adds a dimension that takes the red dot off Daly Cherry-Evans forehead allowing DCE to conjure up his magic tricks with immaculate timing. The Eels fell apart in a derby which is a worrying sign, their much-heralded forward pack couldn’t stop the mountain men’s momentum and you can guarantee they’ll be fired up to make amends this week. They have immense strike power out wide and classy halves Mitchell Moses and Corey Norman should get more room to shake their money maker and take the cash and two points back west.

Eels by 8

Mitchell Pearce nailed his Knights debut - photo: source - www.wwos.nine.com.au

Canberra Raiders v Newcastle Knights

Can the Knights back up last week’s rousing win minus the emotive home support and were the Raiders scarred by the Gold Coast’s titanic last-minute comeback win? Expect the Raiders to blast out of the blocks (again) feeding off their adoring home fans raising the decibel level on the Viking Clap to 11. Mitchell Pearce’s Knights dream debut was a 10 out of 10 and he’ll aim to pick holes in the Raiders defence that was leakier than a Viking ship made of Jarlsberg cheese. Wunderkind Kalyn Ponga was sensational scoring and stopping tries and he will run riot if the Raiders defence is stuck on a leaky loop. The mantra all week will be ‘Stop The Pong’. The Green Machine need to re-boot, keep it tight or it won’t be a good night under the Sunday lights. Edge back rower Joseph Tapine is out which moves the always impressive work horse Elliott Whitehead out wide and he’ll renew his productive partnership alongside Leipana. Canberra fans don’t panic, the Raiders had bugger all ball after their initial onslaught last week, led by their dazzling backs expect a bounce back via a Jordan Rapana led try-fest and a reality check for Newcastle.

Raiders by 16