NRL Round 24 Preview

Andrew Fifita takes aim - photo: source - www.nrl.com

The upsets and intrigue keep coming, just when you think the Roosters are looking good they get ram raided in Canberra, the Storm win but now are ravaged by injury and suspension, the Dragons spark back to life vaulting into fourth and the Sharks look as ominous as the look Shane Flanagan will give Andrew Fifita at training this week after a post try spray directed at his coach that will be chicken feed compared to the response Flanno will deliver! Being a coach in the NRL might be hard and precarious but at least it’s got more job security than being Prime Minister! What a brilliant finish to the season coming up, just two points separate 1^st and 6^th leaving the minor premiership and all important Top Four spots up for grabs while in the cellar last place looks like coming down to the loser of Spoon Bowl as the Cowboys take on the Eels in JTs final home game!

Benji and the Tigers found the Dragons too big a hurdle to overcome last week - photo: source - www.zimbio.com

Wests Tigers v Manly Sea Eagles

While the Sea Eagles get caught up in the hot thermal air with added bile emanating out of Manly HQ as the coach, captain and owner dispute resources, for the Tigers it’s a very simple equation: win their final two matches and win well. With a negative points differential, Wests need to blow Manly away, and the way the Sea Eagles are defending they are every chance to achieve this. The Titans ran rough shod over Manly and the Sea Eagles need to show their fans some resolve as the goodwill on the northern beaches is disintegrating faster than Tom Trbojevic can motor up field, he and his brother Jake are two players who can hold their heads high. The Tigers need their big men to dominate in the middle third giving Luke Brooks time and space to deliver match winning passes, line breaks and try assists. Brooks has always had the promise and potential but it’s now or never to turn that into tries, lots of them. The experience of Robbie Farah and Benji Marshall around Brooks is invaluable and they must play their part, this is why they and Moses Mbye were brought to the joint. Ivan Cleary’s bus is on wobbly wheels but the desperation of the situation surely will bring out best in the Tigers. I’m on Fonua watch, expect the Mad Max Mulleted Mahe Fonua to send the bus out onto Fury Road on fire and keep the Tigers eye on the finals for at least a few days.

Tigers by 8

The Panthers were knocked out by the Knights - photo: source - www.zimbio.com

New Zealand Warriors v Penrith Panthers

Coaching is a great gig, just ask Stephen Kearney and newby Cameron Ciraldo, both men watched their charges fall last week in upsets. The Warriors were pipped by the Bulldogs in what was always going to be a tough game while the Panthers season is potentially unfolding before our eyes as the hooking of Anthony Griffin hasn’t given the side the bounce expected in fact the mountain men look very unhappy campers as the late all-in brawl highlighted their frustration as they ran out of get out of jail cards against the Knights. James Maloney is being missed but the Panthers have to set that aside and get down and dirty, fire up in the forwards as a loss here and their Top Four aspirations duck dive, they visit Melbourne in the final round. Reagan Campbell-Gillard needs to lead the way and take the team along for the ride as the Panthers can score points but flat starts won’t cut it against the Warriors who are great front runners. This shapes as a ripping contest, the Warriors want assurance of a playoff spot and won’t have given up on a Top Four position either and if they turn up the intensity have the gifted Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to wrap up the precious points. Blake Green is missing but Mason Lino is an excellent replacement, while opposing Lino at five-eighth is Mr Fix-it Tyrone Peachey moved from fullback, a pure footballer who just plays what he sees, unfortunately I think he’ll see Agnatious Paasi in his face often. Johnson opposite Nathan Cleary is a magic match up and whichever pack produces one of these two will weave their wand and decide this blockbuster. The Panthers look in trouble and the Warriors at home will pounce.

Warriors by 7

Can JT farewell Townsville with a triumph? - photo: source - www.4search.com

North Queensland Cowboys v Parramatta Eels

Bugger the shenanigans below the grassy knoll in Canberra, this is the big news of the day - the battle for bottom and a tropical goodbye to one of the greats! Jonathan Thurston take a bow, soak in the applause of your adoring home fans, now go out and leave us with one more majestic match winning performance. This may be Spoon Bowl to some but to the Cowboys it’s the home send-off for a future immortal and also just quietly game 250 for Matt Scott. Methinks the Cowboys might be a tad fired up for this game! After giving the Sharks a great run NQ also welcome back from suspension Jason Taumalolo and he is the battering ram with the twinkle toes wrapped in a body from the Gods that can bring victory and all but avoid the wooden spoon. Standing in the way are the Eels who like every other team in the bottom four have found form as the spectre of the spoon hovers. The excellent Eels back row might be missing the injured Nathan Brown but his replacement Peni Terepo only has one gear, full throttle and he’ll go at Taumalolo with both guns blazing and terrorise JT in defence.. hope you remember to wear your headgear JT!! Mitchell Moses didn’t have his best game last week so will be out to produce to poop JTs party and stay away from the cellar as they face the Roosters next week. Unfortunately for Moses and his fellow Eels the Cowboys will be pumped for this like a Grand Final on steroids and the crowd going berserk like its NYE in NQ. JT will be celebrated no matter the result and deservedly so, what a champion player and ambassador for our great game he has been. JT I salute you and the beers will taste even sweeter as the Cowboys will bring this home in a canter.

Cowboys by 14

Sia Soliola helped cook the Chooks - photo: source - www.qt.com.au

Canberra Raiders v South Sydney Rabbitohs

Oh Canberra where has this form been? They shelved the Globetrotters flicks, rolled up their sleeves and ground out a great win over the Roosters now they try backing it up against the Roosters frenemies the Rabbitohs. Things don’t get easier for the Raiders as they have lost second rower Joe Tapine who has been in great form while the Bunnies get back some backline brilliance and starch with Alex Johnston, Campbell Graham and the biggest Bunny of them all, Greg Inglis! GI, along with Slammin’ Sam Burgess, is the talisman of the club, that coach Anthony Seibold looks to set the gold standard that others follow. Souths have been down the past couple of weeks and need to rediscover their mojo with the finals around the corner. Souths game plan is no secret, the Raiders know what’s coming, a Burgess Triple Beef burger followed by Damien Cook ripping through the ruck, where the Raiders have been ropey and this is the key to this clash. If Canberra can replay the tackling and discipline of last week they’re right in this. Joey Leilua and Jordan Rapana can tear apart any opposition in the NRL but even if they have a day out it won’t be enough. The Raiders are good enough if they get close enough, they broke their losing tight ones hoodoo but the Rabbitohs need to stop the rot and make a statement. Getting the numbers in Canberra is never easy, just ask the Prime Minister, but the Bunnies will get out of the hole they’re in and bounce back up the Hume Highway singing ‘Glory, Glory to South Sydney’ from GIO Stadium to Goulburn before Slammin’ Sam switches it to some northern soul.

Rabbitohs by 4

Munster magic got Melbourne home - photo: source - www.wwos.nine.com.au

Gold Coast Titans v Melbourne Storm

This could be an entertaining clash and far from a predictable result, despite the sides positions on the ladder. The Titans displayed sensational team spirit to chase down, than pull away from the Sea Eagles, shifting momentum in league is never easy but the Titans did in style, while the Storm suffered injury after injury but shut out the Eels in a proud performance befitting a club with such a strong culture. Melbourne are missing Suliasi Vunivalu, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Brandon Smith through injury and Will Chambers suspended for a disgraceful pile driver-style crusher that belongs in WWE not the NRL who won’t get serious about these tackles until someone breaks their neck. Chambers suspension should be tripled, rub this crap out of our game! In good news Cameron Smith is over back spasms and will play, though the Storm need the win to stay top four personally I would rest the ole bugger. Melbourne have been error prone and Craig Bellamy will want his troops to march to the disciplined beat of his drum with the playoffs hovering, the machine isn’t running smoothly but they’re on top, frightening. For the Titans defence is the area they need to work on as they’re leaking points like a sieve but can score a try. Garth Brennan may need to replay the deluxe Bellamyesque spray he delivered at oranges last week if they open the match with the same muck they launched at Lottoland. AJ Brimson at the back is in sensational form and his one on one against the veteran Billy Slater will be a beauty, old versus new, rookie versus near-retiree, it will be captivating.  The Titans will give cheek for a while but after 80 minutes be out-motivated and outclassed, the Storm to send a message.

Storm by 10

Kodi Nikorima runs and guns against the Rabbitohs - photo: source - www.nrl.com

Sydney Roosters v Brisbane Broncos

What a cracking match my pick as match of the round, this will be a humdinger featuring two of the most animated coaches in the competition Trent Robinson and Wayne Bennett, they also happen to be two of the best coaches. The Broncos obliterated the Bunnies in a Bennett-inspired classic opening ambush and the master coach will want his Broncos to find some consistency and reproduce that salvo but they run into the Roosters on the rebound from a flat outing in cool Canberra, okay it was fr-fr-fr-freezing, trust me I was there. The Broncos pack will look to blast out of the blocks again and put the Chooks on the back foot, allowing Anthony Milford to step up and take control. The Milf runs hot and cold and for the Broncos to triumph the Milf needs to be smoking hot as returning opposite him is Luke Keary whose sublime skills and speed were missed and he will look to unlock the Broncos tight defence unleashing, and waking up, Latrell Mitchell who looked disinterested against the Raiders, probably suffering hypothermia. With James Roberts opposite him Latrell should be fired up and the rematch of their first meeting will be sensational. Mitchell and Jimmy the Jet burned each other at Suncorp and the victor in this battle could settle this. Another sideline clash is the duel of the dummy halves Jake Friend will want to get one over Andrew McCullough who grabbed the Maroons jersey Friend had been standing in line behind Cam Smith years for. Bounce back factor to come into play here, Roosters to turn on the razzle dazzle and buck the Broncos back to bucking Brisbane.

Roosters by 8

Kalyn Ponga hard to handle in the halves - photo: Getty Images

Cronulla Sharks v Newcastle Knights

Now they hold the new Prime Minister as their No 1 ticket holder the Sharks are hoping for a bounce up the table and Scomo a boost in the polls. The smokies of the competition the Sharks are circling the Top Four and building nicely. Andrew Fifita may have carried on like a pork chop last week but if the big slab of beef can channel his frustration onto the field it’s going to be a hard day for the Knights. Fifita is part of the toughest bunch of hombres in the NRL and no one walks away from the Shire without a few bruises. Playing the Sharks is like getting caught in the middle of a feeding frenzy in the white water, you get belted from pillar to post before being sliced by a razor sharp attacking raid. Matt Moylan is playing good footy at five-eighth but comes up against the boy wonder Kalyn Ponga who looked right at home in the 6 jersey setting up tries like he’d been doing it for donkeys years. Mitchell Pearce now has a partner in crime and if these two amigos can turn it on the Knights have a couple of second rowers in Lachlan Fitzgibbon and the old warhorse Aidan Guerra who can convert the silky skills of the halves into tries. Guerra has a new lease on life since his move to Newcastle but has his work cut out taking on the aging but aggro Sharks engine room. The Knights surprised the Panthers last start but the Sharks in the Shire is a tough prospect and a bridge too far, Cronulla to pocket the two points and keep the pressure on the top sides. Sound the Shark alarm here come Cronulla!

Sharks by 16

Lachlan Lewis ices the Bulldogs FG that boned the Warriors - photo: source - www.nrl.com

St George Illawarra Dragons v Canterbury Bulldogs

Just as the priest was about to deliver the last rites the Dragons didn’t dash to the light and resurrected their season with a much needed win over the Tigers last week. They now run into their bogey side the Bulldogs who continued their late season form pipping the Warriors and pulling away from the race for the basement. Rookie five-eighth Lachlan Lewis starred yet again and this kid is keeper who seems to have so much time a sure sign of class. He’ll lead the Doggies but can’t do much without momentum and field position so the forward battle is crucial. The Bulldogs have got a defiant pack but will have their hands full as the Dragons rediscovered their energy in taming the Tigers that’s been missing since Origin. The back rows of both sides are first class and dominance in this section could seal the deal. If it’s close Rhyse ‘Can’t Miss’ Martin’s deadly boot can score the Bulldogs another big scalp. He is kicking at around 98 percent which is just ridiculous and Martin has become an invaluable member of Dean Pay’s squad. The Dragons didn’t miss the injured Gareth Widdop as Kurt Mann had a stellar game in Widdop’s 6 jersey and made a fool of me, not hard mind you, and if he continues in this vein he’ll make clowns out of Canterbury. Star half Ben Hunt is under enormous pressure and the Dragons need their playmaker in form to keep the Saints sailing in the Top Four and revive Hunt’s confidence with bigger days ahead. Playing behind a fired up Dragons pack the Saints to snatch the two precious points.

Dragons by 4

Twitter: @stick_beetle

Ben Hunt takes control - photo: source - www.nrl.com