NRL
Rugby league can be an unforgiving game, especially come the pointy end of the season. A missed tackle here, a missed opportunity there; a tough call from the ref, a bad bounce of the ball. On the other hand, you could reverse each of those scenarios to arrive at the conclusion that you make your chances just as much as you break them. In the end, the scoreboard is all that matters.
Watching the Dolphins v Titans game on Sunday afternoon brought this home to me again. Early on, the Dolphins made all the running, forced errors, took advantage of them and swam away to a 14-0 lead. Then a contentious call of a shepherd rubbed out a Bostock try that could have made it 20-0 (given Isaako’s kicking accuracy). The ball goes down the other end and it’s 14-6. Bostock later knocks on at dummy half and another 6 points go begging. Errors set in, penalties are conceded. The Titans take advantage and steal the game by 7. A place in the finals looks less likely for the Dolphins – that’s 6 losses from their last 8 games. A slippery slope towards the abyss?
Elsewhere in Round 20, the Broncos and Rabbitohs are about to lose it completely on that same downhill trajectory, the Dragons are just hanging on and the Sea Eagles can’t afford to let things go much further. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs and Cowboys (and, to a lesser extent, the Raiders) are helping themselves no end with late season form. The Warriors and Knights aren’t quite off the deep end yet, but they’re only one loss away.
At the top of the ladder, the Storm, Penrith and Roosters are well set leading into September. Munster back for Melbourne spells trouble for the others. Cleary and Luai are at the top of their game, so Penrith must remain favourites. Teddy never ceases to amaze and Manu is about to return refreshed, so you can’t rule the Roosters out. We should be in for some classic encounters.
Round 21 starts tonight with Api Koroisau taking on the Cowboys. (Shades of one-man teams Ben Hunt last year and Clint Gutherson this year.) The Cowboys have looked good of late but don’t always travel well; the Wests Tigers aren’t without scoring potential. This is a danger game for North Queensland so I hope they don’t blow it! I’ll stick with them, so I suggest you also embrace the Cowboys.
Tomorrow night sees the Warriors at home to the Eels with the former striving to remain in the race for 2024, the latter looking towards 2025. Only one winner here – the Warriors. Later on, the Dolphins are staring over the edge when they meet the hot to trot Roosters. I fear this could get ugly for the home side as I expect the Roosters to run away with it.
Saturday afternoon footy opens with the ‘won’t lie down’ Titans struggling to stay on course against the ‘big brother’ Broncos. Is this one of those rare occasions where the Gold Coast will start as favourites? Des may need to get his blokes going from the very start rather than relying on another come from behind effort. I think the Broncos are gone for this year and so I’ll be on the Titans. The twilight game has the mechanical Storm hosting the willing but undermanned Dragons. Again, only one winner here – the Storm. The late game has the Sharks taking on the Rabbitohs. No Mitchell, no Walker, no AJ = no hope for the Rabbitohs. I’m almost confident with my prediction of the Sharks, even though they are my continuing nightmare.
On Sunday afternoon, Penrith meet the Knights. I think this may be the end of the tournament for Newcastle because no-one in their right mind will tip against the Panthers. The final game, the Bulldogs v the Raiders, is the match of the round or, at least, the most significant one. A win has the Bulldogs almost assured of finals footy; a loss just about quells the Raiders’ chances for 2024. The Doggies have played above their weight all year. Prop says they’ll get caught out through the middle sooner or later. Canberra have a lot to throw at them in that very area. Somehow I think the Bulldogs will bite again this week because they’re playing with confidence in each other while Canberra are too reliant on too few.
The Sea Eagles have the bye (and get two precious points to boot).
NRLW
Round 1 of the NRLW season suggests we could have an entertaining time ahead of us. The Roosters were far from disgraced against Newcastle; the Sharks were solid and the Eels surprised everyone with their energy; the Titans showed why they’ll be a force, and the Raiders were impressive against their more fancied opponents. In a short season, the first up losers will need to reverse their fortunes quickly before that slippery slopes looms before them.
On Saturday, Round 2 opens with what is probably the match of the round, Canberra v Newcastle. We know about Newcastle already but we’ll learn a lot about Canberra this week. Can they cope with the Southwell sisters, Upton and co? It’s hard to imagine but perhaps ‘the exuberance of youth’ will prevail. Nah, I’ll go with the Knights. That’s followed by the Titans against the Wests Tigers. The girls from the Coast have a certain gravitas about them and should feature prominently in September. The Wests Tigers underperformed last weekend and will be out to stay relevant. I fear they’ll run into a brick wall and face the prospect of early irrelevance. On form and potential, I’ll be on the Titans.
Sunday starts with the Eels v Sharks match-up, another case of the surprise packet versus the hardened opponent, energy versus system. Again, I’ll go with what I know by tipping the Sharks who, I think, have a match winner in Emma Tonegato. Then the Roosters and Broncos both face a must win situation, otherwise the slope beckons. The Broncos are far from being the force they once were; the Roosters seem to be perennials with greater flair and energy. I have to go with the Roosters. The round concludes when the Cowboys host the Dragons, yet another clash of two Round 1 losers. There wasn’t a lot to like about either side last weekend but, yet again, it’s a case of the young and restless against comparatively seasoned veterans. The slippery slope awaits the loser. The head says the Dragons.
Heaps of rugby league in prospect this weekend with many games crucial. Yes, that’s almost a string of clichés but it just happens to be a fair call of the situation. Enjoy!
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About Ian Hauser
A former teacher with a (very) modest sporting CV enjoying his retirement years. A Queenslander through and through, especially when it comes to cricket and rugby league. Enjoys travel, coffee and cake, reading, McWilliam's Cream Apera and a glass or three of wine. Footy Almanac's Thursday online editor who moonlights as a hobby editor.
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