As exciting as the performances of Jarryd Hayne are in NFL preseason, isn’t it a sad picture of the NRL that the number one story about its competition is about an ex-player in another sport. All this when the focus should be on the finals series with just two rounds to go.
I guess looking at a glass half full, the Hayne focus is better than last week’s focus of the joke that has become the shoulder charge.
Maybe the NRL has become predictable, and slightly tedious. People tiring of wrestle-mania at every tackle, same plays over and over again. Maybe some of us are just going to miss Supercoach which gave a reason to care about teams you normally wouldn’t.
Maybe this is the week to get the public back into the NRL, and we’re thinking about it below. Including our super multi for the week ahead.
THURSDAY 7:45pm-ish
SOUTHS v BRISBANE
Souths have been cold, luke warm, and on the very rare occasion this year hot. Yet somehow they still lie 4th, which shows either the openness of this year’s comp or the shape of teams earlier in the season. Broncos have also been on a little slide of late with 3 losses in 4, but that still leaves them in second spot and on the same amount of points as first placed Roosters. This would have been some game a month or so ago, but somehow the fizz just isn’t there this time.
GURGLER MULTI TIP: BRISBANE to WIN
FRIDAY 7:45pm-ish
MANLY v ROOSTERS
Manly, with their season on the line, were underwhelming against Parramatta last weekend, but who wouldn’t be with the try scoring juggernaut that is Semi Radradra on the opposing side. The Roosters couldn’t have been more impressive last weekend beating Brisbane, taking the top spot all with two of the best players out. Although missing Mitchell Pearce hasn’t worked out too bad for NSW in the past.
GURGLER MULTI TIP: ROOSTERS to WIN
SATURDAY 3:00pm
PARRAMATTA v SHARKS
Parramatta are back where they belong – on Fox Sports so Warren Smith can enjoy saying the name Semi Radradra for his and the viewers enjoyment. It’s hard not to enjoy Smith’s joyous description and Semi’s play in general, and is the only reason Parra are still worth watching at this stage of the year. Sharks meanwhile continue to fly under the radar, and can still get that fourth place that looked relatively unlikely at the start of the year.
GURGLER MULTI TIP: SEMI RADRADRA to score of course
SATURDAY 5:30pm
NEWASTLE v BULLDOGS
Newcastle choked the life out of Melbourne on Monday night and are now looking for an unlikely third straight win. The Bulldogs beating Souths was the stand out performance of last weekend, and there are quite a few jumping on the Dogs bandwagon betting wise. They look the only side out of the bottom 4 that could win a premiership. But is there next stinker just around the corner?
GURGLER MULTI TIP: NEWCASTLE +14.5 start
SATURDAY 7:30pm
MELBOURNE v NQ COWBOYS
Maybe Melbourne will be happy to play at home on a day other than Monday, they would probably be less thrilled meeting the Cowboys who rediscovered their mojo against NZ last weekend turning around a three try deficit after 12 minutes into a 50 point score and no further points for the Warriors either. Cowboys also have a great away record. None of it sounds like good news for the Storm.
GURGLER MULTI TIP: COWBOYS to WIN
SUNDAY 2:00pm
WEST TIGERS v NZ
The big news from the NRL the last couple of days, other than a pile of NRL players wanting fingers in the NFL pie (and who could blame them?), was the Tigers advising Robbie Farah that his services aren’t required for next year. He didn’t look very happy about it today, but he never seems to be happy about anything. He looks like a real 1/4 glass empty kind of guy. No doubt different away from the field. Talking of 1/4 that’s all you got from the Warriors last weekend – a decent first quarter of football. NZ scored three tries by in 12 minutes to look like blowing away the Cowboys. Instead NZ died in the arse and ended up conceding 50. A shame that Johnon injury stopped another NZ finals tilt.
GURGLER MULTI TIP: NZ +10.5 start
SUNDAY 4:00pm
GOLD COAST V DRAGONS
When the last five weeks of the year were decided on July 4, how on earth did this game ever look like a game of the round worthy of a FTA slot. Anyway it is, and both of these sides looked good in victory last weekend, so this one might be hard to tip. Dragons have a top eight spot to hold onto, the Gold Coast are one of a bunch of teams trying to avoid the wooden spoon.
GURGLER MULTI TIP: GOLD COAST +10.5 start
MONDAY 7:00pm
CANBERRA v PENRITH
Monday night football in Canberra, both sides out of finals contention, get your magnifying glasses out to count the crowd. It will at least provide one more opportunity for the referees to ruin Canberra’s season and annoy Ricky Stuart. Canberra have been unlucky with decisions, Penrith unlucky with injuries. No luck at all in this game, so flip a coin.
GURGLER MULTI TIP: Either side to win by 12 or less.
GURGLER SUPER MULTI PAYS…
$1 for $58
