NRL Round 20 and State of Origin Game 3: Clean sweeps are rare

 

 

State of Origin:

I’m a septuagenarian; I was in my late 50s the last time there was a clean sweep in State of Origin. They don’t happen too often – only 7 times in all since the three match series format was introduced in 1982. The last was in 2010. Tonight Queensland has the best chance since then to do it again.

 

Each Origin series seems to have a story of its own. Some of the threads so far this year have been the impact of injuries on team selections, particularly for NSW, a number of odd selections, particularly by NSW, the emergence of a new generation of younger players for Queensland, and the comparative career prospects for the respective coaches.

 

Tonight, NSW will again be weakened by the unavailability of Mitchell, Tom Trbojevic, Haas and Cleary – four top quality, first choice picks. Fittler, with his coaching future on the line, has wrung the changes both on the field and on the bench – it’s another unusual, probably unbalanced, seventeen. Last mail suggests that there may even be further adjustments to the final list. It’s not a situation to inspire confidence.

 

Queensland has been forced into a couple of changes with Walsh and Flegler unavailable but their replacements are as you would expect – Brimson and Horsburgh. Billy Slater seemed to have struck a rich seam in both player quality and his ability to turn them into a formidable team.

 

So everything points to another Maroons win and, consequently, the first clear sweep in thirteen years. I’ll go with that.

 

But footy is a funny old game…

 

NRL Round 20

With the State of Origin season completed, the NRL will begin its run to the finals when Round 20 kicks off on Friday night. It starts with the Knights hosting the Wests Tigers. Fresh off their huge win over Canterbury last time out, you’d expect the Knights to run away with this one and I can’t find any reason to think otherwise. Wests Tigers are in trouble both on and off the field and can’t wait until September to get off the radar and try to Dort out their issues.

 

The Saturday afternoon game has the erratic Bulldogs at home to the high flying Broncos. The question will be, which version of the Bulldogs will roll up this week after their huge turnaround last weekend against South Sydney? My take is that the Bulldogs leak too many points to protect the inadequate number they score while the Broncos’ defence has improved markedly this year. I’ll go with the Broncos.

 

In the early evening the somewhat enigmatic Sea Eagles host the recently rampaging Cowboys at Brookie. Who backs up best from Origin might be a factor here. Form says the Cowboys even though they’ll have at least four Origin players on board to Manly’s two. I’m expecting a bit of a run by North Queensland as the season heats up, so I’ll go with them.

 

The late match has the desperate Roosters up against the yet-to-be-fully convincing Storm. Roosters, I’m still waiting! Storm, prove your credentials. Form and respective ladder positions say it will be the Storm. I’ll play safe and go with the expected.

 

On Sunday, the Warriors take on the Sharks who have been in good form of late while the Warriors have been a bit up and down. With Nicho Hynes back to his best, the Sharks are a formidable unit; the Warriors are at their best when Shaun Johnson fires. Young pup or old dog? I’ll go with the Sharks.

 

The Dolphins face a tough time when they meet the top of the ladder Panthers. I can’t see the Redcliffe-based men holding out for too long against the slickest unit in the league. Penrith comfortably – it’s as simple as that.

 

The final game sees a clash between the Eels and the Titans, both last time losers but both significantly undermanned in those games. Prior to that, the Eels had been finding dome good form while the Titans remain hot and cold. I’ll go with the Eels to regain their touch as they build, somewhat belatedly, towards September.

 

The Dragons, Rabbitohs and Raiders have the bye.

 

So my picks this weeks are the Knights, Broncos, Cowboys, Storm, Sharks, Panthers and Eels.

 

NRLW

The 2023 NRLW season kicks off next weekend!

 

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