NRL Round 8 – Better, but the upsets continue

 

 

It looks like coin tossing might be a better way for me to tip after an improved result (6/8) using that time honoured method in Round 7. Consequently, I’ll postpone my ‘retirement’ as your guiding tipster for now. But there’s always a speed bump or two – think Dolphins and Eels. Put your hand up if you consciously picked the Dolphins to beat the Storm, let alone give them a hammering. Maybe not the upset of the season, but the margin (and the manner) would have to go close to the shock scoreline of the year. And did anyone confidently pick the Eels? Bah, humbug!

 

Elsewhere in Round 7, the Dragons showed quite some grit to hold on after the Sea Eagles clawed back to level at 14-14. The ‘old heads’ (Gutho, Cook and Klemmer), proved their worth to get the Dragons home. The Rabbitohs were awful with some of their big names looking somewhere between disinterested and lazy. But credit to the Bulldogs who hustled and bustled their opponents into submission. Perhaps they have developed that toughness in the middle that Prop by the Sea has talked about for the past 18 months. Good on you, Dolphins, for the most exhilarating 60 minutes of the weekend’s footy. More please!  Cheers also to Luke Metcalf of the Warriors who stepped up when it counted after several earlier misses. A minor alert has been issued for the Broncos after another modest performance. Will they miss Walsh in the coming weeks? Possibly, but it’s debatable after yet more costly errors from the enigmatic flyer. The Panthers finally arrived, a case of better late than never (5 bloody tipping points late!), but they’re still giving the leaders a head start. The Roosters? Sam Walker can’t return soon enough. The Titans continue to be the great frustrators of the competition. Who’d be Des Hasler? But, for all their entertaining play, who’d like to put themselves in Ricky Stuart’s position where you can’t be sure what might happen from week to week? How hot is Hudson Young at the moment? The form player of the comp, the best forward running around, Mr April, whatever! The Sharks (and Nicho Hynes) looked better this week, but don’t get too excited because you only beat the Knights who are the embarrassment of the competition at the moment. Finally, good luck to Jason Ryles who will take any win he can.

 

Let’s move on to Round 8 which gets underway tonight with the suddenly wobbly Broncos hosting the all-conquering Bulldogs at Lang Park. If big games are won in the forwards, then the Doggies must prevail given the bullocking form of their pack in recent weeks. They tread a bit of a fine line in defence sometimes with late flops and/or working over the player in the tackle, but why not if the ref isn’t blowing the whistle? At the moment, Brisbane don’t look hard enough to overcome this sort of onslaught so I’ll go with the Bulldogs.

 

On Friday afternoon the Dragons and the Roosters meet in their traditional Anzac Day clash, a big game for both as they try to establish a presence in this year’s comp. Both have enough flash to win but both have also displayed a flakiness at times which makes this one a roll of the dice. With Teddy in good form (even in a losing side last week), I’ll go with the Roosters. The twilight game features the tough-to-beat-at-home Warriors against the truly-awful-of-late Knights. You can’t possibly, in your right mind, pick the visitors – a fact which terrifies me in this topsy-turvey season! Get on the Wahs. Later on, the Storm welcome the Rabbitohs to Melbourne. RITV will readily tell you that the Rabbitohs have never beaten Melbourne in Melbourne. And it’s not gonna happen this week either. Bellamy will have his troops primed after last week’s capitulation. Wayne’s boys will get skint! But spare a thought for Jye Gray, South Sydney’s best and most consistent player so far this season. His reward? Shunted to the bench utility role for his sins. Meanwhile the underperforming Mitchell gets the coveted No. 1 jersey. Go figure! Go Storm.

 

On Saturday, the fresh-from-the-bye Cowboys take on the too-often-timid Titans in Townsville. Logic, form and common senses all say the home side will win. But since when did that ever count for much in footy, especially in 2025? (That’s how spooked I am at the moment.) But, hey, who am I to go against a trifecta like that? I’ll be on the Cowboys. The late game has the rejuvenated Panthers at home to the desperately-in-need-of-Turbo Sea Eagles. Penrith are not as good without Mitch Kenny but I think the return to form of Edwards and their rediscovered self-belief will be more than enough for the Panthers to win. But, hey, get off DCE’s back, will you? He’s still leading from the front and in their best 2 or 3 players every week; their recent losses aren’t all about his plans for 2026.

 

Sunday afternoon offers up the match of the round when the rollicking Raiders meet the dashing Dolphins in what could be an entertainment plus, high scoring game, if both teams play to their strengths. First to 40 wins! Why try to analyse when the expected spectacle is likely to hinge on a slice of luck, a flukey bounce or a moment of outrageous brilliance? (As long as it isn’t a bad call or a bunker brainfart.) What price a draw? Anything could happen. Toss a coin, roll the dice, consult the entrails, ask the Oracle of Delphi. Dolphins. To round out the weekend, the Wests Tigers take on the Sharks. The latter are showing signs of regaining their best form while the Tigers are too distracted by the Galvin imbroglio. Don’t think, just go with the Sharks.

 

The Eels have the bye.

 

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