Round 10 started with a very entertaining game, which I attended, between the Dolphins and the Bulldogs. The Dolphins proved to be way too strong for a very disappointing Bulldog outfit. It was one of those Crazy Crazy Nights where the Dogs started the game off well, but as soon as the pressure was applied, they faded badly. Redcliffe’s back five were particularly good. Bostock looks like a real player of the future, and Farnsworth is the form centre for me in the competition. Are we sure they are not Queenslanders? You certainly must ask questions about the Bulldogs and whether they are the side that they maybe think they are. The famous Gus Charisma just does not seem to be working.
There were two games on Friday, with the first one seeing the Roosters running out winners over the Titans. It was a much better performance by the Titans, even though they were beaten fairly easily in the end, but they did have a couple of calls go against them and were slightly unlucky. Their season at least is looking a bit better for them than it did 3 weeks ago. The second game had the Eels running out winners 33-30, even though it was Deuce at full time. A very odd score for extra time but a penalty was awarded after Moses took the field goal to sink the Cowboys in extra time. The injury to Dearden was a major blow late in the game and the Cowboys really should have won this match. Good luck to the Eels, who played like they had Nothin’ to Lose and are winning some games and I certainly can say that.
There were three games on Saturday, with the first one having the Dragons at home to Newcastle. Newcastle, with Ponga back, were way too strong and the less said about the Dragons at the moment the better. Likewise, the second game saw a very disappointing Sharks completely demolished by the Rabbitohs, with Latrell as the star. That is not the Trell of the Mitchells, but abracadabra, that is the Trell of the Siegwalt mob. He had 130 family members at the game and scored 12 points off his boot. Mr. Speed Alex Johnson set another record, scoring his 100th Try at Accor Stadium. The final Saturday night game saw the Sea Eagles, and their Fozball running out too strong over a very depleted Broncos side. Manly looked good throughout the game and really choked the Broncos out of it. It is a concern for the Broncos, as they now sit just outside the 8 near the midway point of the season and history tells us it is a Killer to be out of the top 4 at crunch time.
There were two games on Sunday, the Storm running out good winners eventually over the Tigers, 44 to 16. Melbourne looked better than they have for many weeks and their star players all performed well. Hughes being back in the team certainly made a significant difference. The final game saw Penrith run out winners over Canberra, 30 points to 18. Canberra was well and truly in the game until Cleary, Penrith’s God of Thunder, decided with about ten to go that he would take charge and it was all over.
Magic Round, which is the Rock and Roll All Nite of Rugby League, starts on Friday night with the Bulldogs visiting Lang Park to play the Sharks, in a strange home game for the Sharks. It is exceedingly difficult to select either of the sides, given there is no home ground advantage for me to use for my selections. Both sides were poor last week. The Bulldogs have copped a fair deal of criticism in the press this week, so I am thinking that they may turn up to right a few of the previous week’s wrongs. Both sides are as close to full strength as possible, but it really is a lottery. The Dogs need their big guns to show a bit of Strutter. The second Friday night game has the Rabbits at home to the Dolphins. Queensland sides have a mixed bag at Magic Round (see odd fact), but I think the Dolphins will struggle against their old boss. Mitchell is back and they may just have a bit too much strength. Certainly, Redcliffe have been good and their back five have been very good, but Souths are equally strong in that space. I think Souths have a slight edge in the forwards, so it’s the Rabbits for me.
There are three games on Saturday afternoon, with the first having the Tigers up against the Sea Eagles. The Tigers are still without Api and Doueihi and they are big outs. Everyone has been talking about Manly, and this is their chance to actually put their stamp on the competition and Rocket Ride into the top 4 and contention. They simply must beat the Tigers. The second game has the Roosters at home to the Cowboys, and of course the Cowboys will be without their star half Dearden. Meanwhile, the other halves in the match, Walker and Clifford, are virtually fighting for a State of Origin spot. Even DCE could put his name back in the spotlight. This should be a close game, but given the unpredictable play of the Cowboys and the loss of Dearden, it is the Roosters for me. The final Saturday night game has the Eels up against the Storm. The Eels won last week, but they are inconsistent. The Melbourne Storm have been consistently losing and have maybe turned the corner with the win. I think Melbourne will be too good for the Eels in this game as they slowly start to reach up the ladder.
There are three games on Sunday, the first one starting at 2pm has the Titans at home to the Knights. The Knights were impressive last week, with Ponga back in good form. Another star, Brown, is also back and I think they will be too good for a slightly reinvigorated Titans. The second game has the Warriors up against the Broncos in a Warriors home game! The Broncos are still way under strength, but with Reynolds back, it is a massive Shout it Out Loud for Coach Maguire. Not only for the direction he gives the team, but he also unlocks Walsh. Warrior Boyd has also been talked about as an Origin Player, so it will be his chance to show that he can get a team a victory in a key match. The Warriors are sitting high up on the ladder, and the Broncos desperately need to win. I think the Broncos will get home. The final game has the Panthers against the Dragons. I cannot say too much more as it would Shock Me if the Panthers lost. On the other hand, it will be interesting to see if the Dragons show any resolve. Flanaghan is back in the side at half back, and, to make matters worse, the Dragons have not won a game at Magic Round. Coach Cleary’s call on Wednesday about his future may have some effect.
Of course, Magic Round always starts now with the women’s second State of Origin match, and I will be attending the game and looking forward to seeing Queensland score a victory so that we can all go to the decider at the Gold Coast to watch Queensland win the series. Queensland will need better ball control on Thursday than they had in the first game, and I expect that both sides will play a better brand of football, given Origin 1 was most of the girls first game of the season. Looking forward to no Hard Luck Woman story and a Queensland victory.
Last week’s embedded music clue was from Kiss with the song “Sure Know Something.” Kiss are an iconic big band of the last 40 years, and Sure Know Something was off their seventh album, “Dynasty”, in 1979. For hard core Kiss fans, the album seemed to move away from Heavy Metal to Pop. The first single of “Dynasty” was I Was Made for Lovin You. Sure Know Something is regarded as one of the bands’ better songs. See if you can find this week’s clue.
The Dynasty 13 Match Up
Given the Album title I selected a match between 2 teams who are part of NRL Dynasties.
1 Jayden Campbell 2 Josh Morris 3 Brett Morris 4 Wiliam Hopoate 5 Lehi Hopoate 6 Sam Walker 7Nathan Cleary 8 Martin Lang 9 Billy Walters 10 Craig Fitzgibbon 11 Dean Young 12 Scott Sattler 13 Tyran Wishart
1 Daniel Mortimer 2 Glen Mortimer 3 Peter Mortimer 4 Steven Hughes 5 Chris Anderson 6 Gary Hughes 7 Steve Mortimer 8 Graeme Hughes 9 Corey Hughes 10 Glen Hughes 11 Chris Mortimer 12 Mark Hughes 13 Kevin Moore
Anderson and Moore make the team through their relationship to the Hughes brothers who were the nephews of Bullfrog Moore. Kevin was his son and Chris was his son in law.
Round 10 Tips
Bulldogs Souths Sea Eagles Roosters Storm Knights Broncos Panthers
I beat the Prop Tipping Comp Leaderboard
1 Banksy (51) 2 Gladstone (The Ox) Gerry, Flying Mattress (50).
The top ESPN score at the end of Rd 10 is 61 which 1 tipster has.
My Pre Season Top Eight
1 Penrith 3 Roosters 4 Rabbitohs 7 Cowboys 10 Cronulla 11 Brisbane 13 Bulldogs 15 Melbourne
Odd Fact
Home ground advantage
Qld based sides have played 21 games at Magic Round since its inception in 2019 and won 10 (there was no Magic Round in 2020 because of COVID). The Bronco’s record is 4-2, Titans 2-4, Cowboys 2-4, and Redcliffe 2-1. In 2021 and 2025 all Qld sides lost (3 in 21 and 4 in 25) and in 2023 all 4 won (Redcliffe joined NRL in 2023.) Melbourne have won 5/6 and Souths 4/5 as the best performing sides at Magic Round, and as I mentioned, the Dragons with 0/5 are the worst.
Rugby League is no longer on Vacation- It is a Quest
You gotta love footy.
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Prop, I’m reading your article today in Kanazawa, Japan – a stunnner of a place! Hard to fault your take on Magic Round clashes. But I find it hard to picture you in a KISS-style outfit – now that would be a quest!