NRL Round 24 and NRLW Round 4 – Where have these Broncos been?

 

 

 

Here’s the good news: the Broncos, both NRL and NRLW, responded to my plaintive call last week with emphatic wins last weekend. Thank you! Much appreciated. I don’t want to push my luck but, in the spirit of Oliver Twist, could we please have some more?

 

Round 23 provided the usual number of ‘what if’ moments that make both footy generally and tipping in particular a hazardous occupation. For example, will the Storm eliminate enough errors to hold on against the Panthers? There’s still life in the Sharks, the absences of Hynes and Trindall not withstanding. The Panthers got a couple of fortuitous calls (last two tries: offside at the kick and a blatant obstruction respectively) to deny a gallant Eels outfit. The Sea Eagles won’t go away. Where the hell have these Broncos been for the past couple of months? Can the Bulldogs maintain their bite? (No pointed observation intended.) Can the Dolphins develop a bit more defence to save them having to score 30+ points to win a game? The Knights have left it too late!

 

Round 24 begins tonight with a possible Grand Final preview when the Panthers host the Storm. I’ve written several times about the perils of tipping against Melbourne. But how do you deny the Panthers, last week’s favourable calls notwithstanding? Bellamy will be emphasising the minimisation of mistakes; Cleary will be on about focus from the outset to avoid catch up footy. The gut says Penrith but I’d love to be wrong.

 

Friday’s twilight game has Manly up against the Warriors. Recent form says Manly and that’s the way I think it will go in another high scoring encounter. Manly just look the more likely to score the 30+ total that might be needed to win this one. The late game has the Roosters up against the unlucky-last-week Eels. Again, form says that the Eels will be on the wrong side of the ledger again this week. Put your money on the Roosters. For Gutho’s sake I hope it’s the other way around.

 

Saturday footy starts with the Bulldogs hosting the Dolphins. Who ‘nose’ what might happen here? There are lots of points in the Dolphins but the Doggies have a certain snarl about them. Perhaps the hosts are a bit light on through the middle as Prop in the Canefield keeps saying. If they are, the Dolphins are as well equipped as anyone to exploit that opportunity. And perhaps therein lies the story of the game. The Dolphins have to keep winning to stay relevant; the Dogs are still in the hunt for a top four spot. As much as I admire the capabilities of the Dolphins, I can’t quite bring myself to see them toppling the side that has exceeded most observers’ expectations this year. I’ll have to go for the Bulldogs. In the twilight game, the Cowboys meet the Raiders. It’s last chance saloon for Canberra; the Cowboys have a little more leeway, but not much. Neither impressed last weekend but I think the Cowboys have more improvement in them so I’ll go with them. Later on it’s 17th v 15th, hardly a clash for the ages. It’s hard to be too interested (sorry Rabbit and Mark) but, for the record, I’ll tip the Rabbitohs.

 

On Sunday we open with the Dragons up against the Titans who were so disappointing last weekend. But then the Dragons were a tad underwhelming too. The Dragons have more to play for (yes, the Titans are a mathematical chance for the finals but probability says ‘no way’) and I think Hunt, Sloan and Lomax will get the Dragons home. The final match up is probably the most critical, ladder-wise, match of the round. Can the Sharks hold on to that top four spot or can the Knights live to fight yet another day? If B Best was playing I’d rate the Knights a chance but my gut tells me that the Sharks have rediscovered a bit of form at the right time and that should be enough to see them home.

 

The Broncos will welcome the bye and two points – but they’re gone anyway!

 

Round 3 of the NRLW had its share of surprises too. The Knights tasted defeat for the first time in a while as the Dragons pulled off an upset. As they say, a loss at this stage isn’t a bad thing to get the Newcastle girls back on track. The Broncos were the other surprise act with their thumping of the much more fancied Titans. And how – 44-4!

 

Round 4 starts on Saturday with a game that will tell us a bit about both the Broncos and the Raiders. Are the former returning to a level they haven’t reached for a couple of seasons? Or can the Raiders show us that they weren’t just an early season passing comet? Intriguing indeed! I’ll stick my neck out and go with the Broncos. Then the inconsistent Cowboys take on the severely chastised Titans. It’s hard to see a team as talented as the Titans playing so badly two weeks in a row. And I just can’t get confident about the northerners – yes, they can put on the points but their defence is a bit of an issue. I’ll go with the Gold Coast.

 

The Dragons meet the Roosters first up on Sunday, an interesting game featuring a side that returned to past glories up against one of the perennials. One win doth not a season make while the Roosters just keep on keeping on. Sorry, Dragons, I’ll have to go with the Roosters. The Sharks v Knights game is the match of the round, 1st v 4th. The Sharks deserve favouritism but the Knights ooze class across the park. Somehow I think we’ll see the Knights take charge to get back on the winners’ list at full time. Finally it’s the Wests Tigers against the Eels where it’s hard to see the last placed Tigers testing the third placed Eels. Get on Parramatta.

 

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