2026 NRL – Prop by the Sea: You gotta love footy! – Round 5

 

 

Round 4 started with a game that took on a much greater impact on the season than what would have been expected. The Roosters ran out comfortable winners over Manly but, at the end of the match, Seibold looked like a man on his way to meet Jack Ketch. The next day the cold heart of Chairman Penn was evident as Seibold was sacked unceremoniously. Seibold knew he was in trouble but most probably didn’t think he would be sacked that quick. For Whom the Bell Tolls is clearly a phrase that rings gently in the ears of the modern NRL coach. The Roosters were just too good.

There were three games on Friday night, the first had the Warriors at home to the West Tigers. Most people thought that, given the Warriors’ recent form, they would be too strong for a West Tigers outfit missing their star 5/8. However, the Tigers played an exciting brand of rugby league and ran out comfortable winners going Above and Beyond the Warriors causing a bit of a re-think around the market for later in the year. The highly anticipated second clash was the local Derby between the Broncos and Redcliffe. The Broncos proved to be too strong and, once again, it was on the back of their defence. The Dolphins thoughts around this match were Castles in the Air as they certainly had their chances but were unable to capitalise fully and the Broncos are starting to look more and more like a side that is serious about the competition.

Saturday had three games, the first of which saw the Bulldogs against the Knights. Again, most people expected the Bulldogs to be too strong for the Knights who are still without their two star players. Coach Holbrook has certainly instilled some steel into the defence of the Knights and they certainly played and looked a much better side. The Dogs were disappointing and one has to start asking questions about the make-up of their backline as they seem to be having a problem in sorting out who should play 5/8. The second Saturday match can only be described as a Saturday Night Fever clinic in rugby league put on by the Panthers. They have a seemingly Irresistible Force in the competition this year and they simply blew the Eels off the park in the first 30 minutes of the match and have shown that they are the yardstick by which this competition will be judged. The final game on Saturday night saw a very gutsy Cowboys boys running out winners 28 points to 24 over the Storm. Midway through the second half, it looked like the Storm were home and hosed in this match, however the Cowboys hung in and came home with a morale boosting victory giving them two on the trot and certainly takes the pressure off their coach. His Lonely Days are over – at least for a couple of weeks anyway. If you haven’t seen Grant’s pass to Warbick for the last Melbourne try then you need to take a look . Words are not enough to describe it, Outstanding!

There were two games on Sunday and the first saw the Raiders up against the Sharks. Again most people thought the Raiders at home would be too strong for a very poor Shark team from the week before. A very foolish indiscretion by Horsburgh – It’s Just the Way  he plays sometimes – in the 10th minute allowed the Sharks to score 2 quick tries and they kept that 12-point lead basically until the end of the match. There was some exciting play in this match and a couple of fantastic tries but the Raiders were very disappointing and now have one win from four for the season. Finally, the last game of the round saw the Titans up against the Dragons. One of the Coaches was definitely going to feel Alone after this match which never reached any great heights. There was not much to like about this match, which I attended, other than the fact the scores were close. In fact, given Round 4 has the most golden point games of any round in NRL history, the worst result possible for the spectators at this match would have been an extra 10 minutes. Both sides were guilty of basic errors and will both have to improve vastly if they are to be anywhere other than the bottom 4 come season’s end. It is a case of Islands in the Stream for the supporters of these two teams. Fortunately for the Titans they have a crop of young players who look like they may be able to lift themselves off the bottom whereas the Dragons seem to be meandering into a very shallow, long term bottom pool.

 

Round 5 starts with the Dolphins at home against Mainly with their new coach Kieran Foran in the hot seat. He is about to find out How Deep is Your Love from Mr Penn over the next few weeks. Redcliffe will be playing at Kayo Stadium in Redcliffe, the home of the Bee Gees, and with a full house Alive. They should make it very difficult for Manly to be any sort of threat to them in this round. It also gives Redcliffe the chance to make up for their poor performance from last week.

There are two games on Friday night with the first match seeing the Rabbitohs up against the Bulldogs. The Rabbits are coming fresh off the bye and,  given the Bulldogs poor performance last week, I think the Rabbits may be a chance to enjoy the chocolate on Sunday. Clearly the Bulldogs have an issue in their halves and, as I’ve said for a couple of years, they’re not big upfront. If the Rabbits can control the ball and play their good, open, expansive game of rugby league they should be able to win this one. The main game on Friday has the Panthers up against the Storm. The way the Panthers are playing it is difficult to see anybody beating them. Melbourne is coming off the rarity of two straight losses and Coach Bellamy would be especially disappointed with last week’s loss given they had the game well and truly wrapped up. Even though You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down you can’t get past the Panthers in this one.

On Saturday the first game has the Dragons at home to the Cowboys and, given last week’s performance, there can only be one winner. Another loss will Close Another Door for Flanagan. Likewise, in the second game, given last week’s performance, there seems to be only one choice. It looks that cut and dried. I can’t see the Dragons causing an upset at home and I cannot see the Titans creating an upset either against the Broncos. Grease Lightening Walsh will terrorise the Titans edge defence if they are not on the ball  So it will be interesting to see just how these two sides perform.

There are two games on Sunday, the first of which has the Sharks at home to the Warriors. The Sharks were much better in their win over Canberra, but the Warriors put in a poor performance last week. The Sharks are at home where they normally play well, so I think they can get the result here. For the Warriors, after such a good start, it is important that they perform a lot better this weekend. I think the Sharks will be too good. The final Sunday game has the Raiders travelling Down the Road to the Knights. The Knights were good last week in their win over the Bulldogs and they will need to be déjà vu again this week against the Raiders. Don’t Forget to Remember that we are only at the very start of the season – this week is about 1/5 of the way through – and the Raiders can’t afford another loss otherwise Ricky will bring out the Emotion as they start to question their ability to finish in the top 4, which we know is so important.

Finally, on Easter Monday, there is a clash between the Parramatta Eels and the West Tigers. If anything, this should be an entertaining match as both coaches are playing an expansive brand of rugby league and desperately trying to win so they can be Stayin Alive in the competition. Doueihi was terrific for the West Tigers last week, and if they can perform like they did last week, they will trouble Parramatta.

Last week’s embedded music clue was of the Bee Gees. Their song Don’t Forget to Remember used when referring to the Broncos 5-1 record over the Bee Gees home of Redcliffe. They started their career on the Peninsula and are recognised there with a road – Bee Gees Way – and displays including music every night where, according to the council, you can do a bit of Jive Talkin. Don’t forget to Remember Me was on the Cucumber Castle album released in 1969. In my view, an awful song in a country and western style. See if you can find this weeks clue.

 

Bee Gees Twins and Siblings First 13

1 Josh Morris 2 Mat Feagai 3 Brett Morris 4 Sam Burgess 5 Max Feagai 6 Kevin Walters 7 Kerrod Walters 8 Tom Burgess 9 Steve Walters 10 Daniel Saifiti 11 George Burgess 12 Toby Couchman 13 Ryan Couchman 14 Jacob Saifiti 15 Hayden Schwass Referee Daniel Schwass

 

Round 5 Tips

Roosters, Warriors, Broncos, Bulldogs, Panthers, Storm, Raiders, Titans. (Woops – that’s last week’s)

Tips are actually: Redcliffe Rabbits Panthers Cowboys Broncos Sharks Raiders Tigers

 

‘I beat the Prop’ Tipping Comp Leaderboard

1 Souffs(20), 2 Smithy65, Timmoie, Flying Mattress and others (19)

You would almost need ESP to be leading a tipping comp at the moment. At the end of Rd 4, the leader of the ESPN comp is on 27. No-one has picked the perfect score.

 

My Pre Season Top Eight

1 Penrith, 5 Souths, 6 Canterbury, 7 Melbourne, 9 Cronulla,10 Brisbane, 12 Roosters, 15 Canberra.

 

Odd Fact

Redcliffe are a unique club in the NRL. They were initially founded in 1947 and known as the Shell Grits and they played in the local Sandgate Suburban league, winning junior and reserve grade finals in their first year. In 1960 they were admitted into the Brisbane Rugby League as the Seagulls and won their first premiership in 1965 with the great Artie Beetson in their side. They became the Dolphins in 1968 and played originally out of the Redcliffe Showgrounds and moved to their current site in the early 1980s. They are the only NRL team where you can play on the same ground from Under 6 through to NRL in the same colours and the same logo. As a footnote, Redcliffe never won another BRL premiership before the Broncos entered in 1988. They lost GFs to Valleys in ’73, Wests in ’75, Easts in ’77, Souths in ’81, Easts in ’83, and Brothers in ’87.

 

Rugby League is no longer on Vacation – It is a Quest

 

You gotta love footy!

 

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