‘Feeling the Squeeze’ lacked the alliteration of the last few weeks but nevertheless a pun on Reynold’s hamstring and that he may have to play elsewhere next year because of the cap at the Broncos was the Courier Mail’s back headline. Aging halfbacks are all the rage at the moment but more on the Broncos later.
Round 5 started with a very interesting game that saw Canberra score a magnificent try in the last minute of the match to beat the Sharks. What was most interesting was that if they had not scored, coach Stuart most probably would have gone ballistic at the officialdom. Nevertheless, the Raiders hung in and played football to the very end and were most probably deserved winners over the Sharks.
Friday night’s first game saw the Cowboys defeat the Panthers. Certainly, the Panthers are starting to be a concern not only for their loyal supporters but for their coach. Clearly they are missing the advantage they had at their home stadium but also the slow release of players over the last five years has finally taken its toll. It was a shame for Yeo that he could not get a win in game #250 but nevertheless the Cowboys were deserved winners to get their season back on track. The second game for the night game saw the Rabbitohs up against the Roosters in what is supposed to be the most hated of rivals. The first half was all Rabbit, the second half was all Rooster but for whatever reason the Rabbitohs found greater resolve, which I said last week had been sadly lacking last year, and managed to pull the game out of the fire. People might argue that Mitchell’s pass was dubious, but it was a fantastic piece of football from a player who has all the skills. His kicking also assisted the Rabbits to what was a win Bennett described as one of the best he had ever been involved in, given injuries to their halves. So, that is saying something!
There were three games on Saturday with the first being a very close game between the Dragons and Eels. Interestingly, Gutherson scored a try for the Dragons against his old club to give them the lead over the Eels before Lomax kicked a field gold to sink his old club, the Dragons, in golden point. There is not much more to say about that game. The second game on Saturday saw a very disappointing Titans beaten by the Dolphins. It was good to see the Dolphins finally get a win but the early sin binning of big Tino, and the ill-discipline and mistakes of the Titans, make you wonder just how they can ever move away from being outside the 8. The final game which I was at, courtesy of the FOGS, saw the Broncos up against the Tigers. Clearly the Tigers miss Luai, but they were in the game until halftime. It was not until the second half that the Broncos ran away with this match, as they should have if they are expecting to win the competition this year.
Sunday saw two games, the first of which had an exhilarating display of the attacking flair of the Storm where they ran out 48 to 24 victors over a completely shell-shocked Manly side. Manly do not lose like that at Brookvale and when you watch the Storm it was not Smith to Cronk to Inglis to Slater, but it was Grant to Hughes to Munster to Papenhausen and they certainly looked like the real deal. Hughes played with a bad hand but showed little discomfort at all. Manly played like their troubles of the previous week had bubbled to the surface and ruined any chance they had. It was a dispirited effort at best. In the final game the Bulldogs were too strong for the Newcastle Knights. The Bulldogs are certainly aggressive in defence, they move forward, they hit hard and keep coming. I still think they are a little on the small side but they certainly, at the moment, look like a top 8 contender as they sit undefeated at the top of the table.
Round 6 begins on Thursday night with a clash between the Dolphins and the Panthers. You would have to think the Panthers will be too strong for the Dolphins because they are at the desperate stage, not that the Dolphins are not, but the expectation around the Panthers is much higher.
The first of two Friday night games has the Dragons up against the Titans in Wollongong. At home you would think the Dragons should be able to win, but the other side of that coin is the Titans cannot play as bad as they did last week. I am sure it will be a close game, and I think the Titans might just find that bit extra after last week’s poor performance. The main game on Friday has the Broncos at home to the Roosters. Traditionally this would be a big clash, but I think the Broncos at this stage of the of the season will be too strong for the Roosters.
Saturday has three games starting with the Sharks against the Sea Eagles. Again, given the performance of these two sides last week, it is a little difficult to pick who will have their football head on. The Sharks are at home, and I am sure they are smarting after last week, and I think the Manly season may be about to unravel. The Sharks for mine. The Rabbits are at home to the Cowboys who are coming off a good win and the confidence of beating Penrith in Sydney will have them brimming. But this year the Rabbits have shown that they are not afraid to throw the ball around. It will be interesting to see what side Souths put on the paddock and whether the English halfback Dodd gets a start. I think the Rabbitohs at home might just be too strong. The final Saturday game has the Eels playing the Raiders in Darwin. If you cast your mind back to the Eels’ performance last year in Darwin against the Dolphins, you would wonder why they would go back there. That game was one of the worst performances by the Eels in years and led to the demise of their coach. The Eels will be hoping that Darwin brings him better luck this year.
Finally on Sunday there are two games with the Storm playing the Warriors in the early game at home and they should be too strong. The Warriors will give them a challenge but I just think those key players for the Storm are in red hot form and they will be too hard to stop. The final game has the Knights at home against the Tigers and in this one I think the Knights will get away with it. They are a different side at home and whilst they may have a couple of players out they will have a bit too much for the Tigers.
Top Eight (in order)
2 Brisbane 3 Melbourne 5 Souths 6 Manly 9 Cronullaargh 13 Cowboys 15 Penrith 16 Roosters
Fact Stat for the day – Canterbury have won 5 from 5 in 2025. Over the last 10 years, the team on top of the ladder after Rd 5 has won the competition 3 times. In that same period, 7 sides have won their first 5 but only 3 have gone on to win (Penrith 2020 and ’21, and Storm 2017). The top 4 after 5 rounds have provided 5 Premiers. Only in 2018 has no side from the Top 4 after Rd 5 made the GF. Not sure what that all means but I don’t think the streets of Belmore should be dressed up in blue and white just yet!
Tippin Stats – A solid 5 in a tough round has me back at first along with one other and just outside the top 10000 out of 45200 in the big comp. The Councillor has almost rounded up GHB – come on Grubby – whilst Mattress–ide is slowly moving up the ladder. Smithy_65 obviously got the message two weeks back and is climbing the ladder on the back of his Rabbits. Souffs on the other hand is taking Souths and fading. The Crabman still has not recovered since his lifetime support of the Roosters erred a few weeks ago against Penrith!
You gotta love footy!
To read our library of rugby league stories click HERE.
To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE.
To see the full 2025 season draw for the NRL click HERE.
To see the full 2025 season draw for the NRLW click HERE.
To see the details for State of Origin in 2025 click HERE.
Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.
Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution.
Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE.
Leave a Comment