Who can believe we’re up to Round 2 already. And just the one tedious media highlight thus far – the issue of touching refs. As David Klemmer gets off, just like the other offenders this season, it will give good old fashioned fodder for the press for a while.
Elsewhere the surprise are plentiful. Wests Tigers whose coach looked every chance of first sacked look good, and Parramatta’s defeat of the Cowboys was a surprise, especially with all their off field issues. Another surprise is how ordinary the Warriors and Manly have looked so far. With good pedigree and a roster to match, it isn’t what has been expected from them to start the season. At least Jason Taylor won’t be the first sacked this year with Andrew McFadden.
Anyways, here’s our thoughts on this week’s games.
Thursday – COWBOYS v ROOSTERS
As if things weren’t bad enough for the Roosters after the heavy loss against Souths and somehow being unable to hold off a 12 man Raiders, they meet the Cowboys a week after the worst performance of Round 2 saw them lose to the Eels. Surely the Cowboys won’t play that bad again, and with Jake Granville back in the starting line up and other with plenty to prove it could be an ordinary night for the Chooks.
GURGLER TIP – Cowboys to win.
Friday – BULLDOGS v PARRAMATTA
A quality all Sydney clash for Friday night, and a good example of why Channel 9 should have always played the best game regardless of geography or what they think people want to see, but they think League fans didn’t want to see the best games on a Friday night, just the Broncos if you live in Queensland. We’ll get onto the Sydney-centric Sunday afternoon games another time.
Bulldogs have probably been the best looking team so far in 2016 and the big bulky forwards who were tipped to struggle in the new 8 man interchange are doing nicely. Parramatta haven’t been too bad themselves against both of last year’s Grand Finalists. If only Semi Radradra can get the bloody ball. Jennings looks the poor buy he did in pre season.
GURGLER TIP – PARRAMATTA +6.5 start.
Saturday – NEWCASTLE v CANBERRA
A game pre season you’d say may shape the wooden spoon, but Canberra are defying that for the time being with great wins and a perfect start to the season. But how long until Ricky Stuart does something Ricky Stuart like, and the rot kicks in. The Angry Any can’t help himself. Newcastle seem are looking to the future with their selection of young kids, and given the youth and potential in the side, maybe they were better off going with rugby league coaching pioneers – the Walker Brothers from Ipswich rather than Nathan Brown. Who knows what that combination could come up with. In saying that, we don’t trust Ricky three weeks in a row.
GURGLER TIP – NEWCASTLE to win.
Saturday – PENRITH v BRISBANE
Penrith have looked better than their 0-2 start to the season, and missed out somehow last weekend against the Bulldogs on the 50th anniversary. Brisbane are doing what Wayne Bennett’s sides best – quietly assuming finals finishes and masterminding a finals tilt. About time for an upset. Some interest in Penrith Coach Antohny Griffin first game v the Broncos after he was torpedoed out the way, and probably a surprise as the closest he was liekly to get to the Broncos this season was sending a few fringe players their way as head coach at Redcliffe.
GURGLER TIP – Penrith +8.5 start
Saturday – GOLD COAST v WESTS TIGERS
A nice 8:30pm start on Saturday night should ensure the Titans won’t get more fans than the PNG Hunters game in Port Moresby which would have finished by the time this one starts. They may be lucky to get half. Wests Tigers have been tremendous so far in 2016, however the period in which they let teams get back into the game will be a concern, and a better side than Manly or NZ Warriors at the moment will punish them. Is the Gold Coast that kind of side? No, if you listen to predictions for the wooden spoon. So why pick them you ask? Well like most people on the Gold Coast, they do their best stuff late at night. Whilst that usually involves nightclubbing or armed robbery, we think it will apply to their football field this weekend.
GURGLER TIP – Gold Coast to win.
Sunday – NZ WARRIORS v MELBOURNE
Somehow the Storm were originally betting outsiders for this game, and despite the travel to NZ should have plenty more to offer than the NZ side who have been patchy, and when we say patchy, played well for 25 minutes against the Tigers in Round 1. So much potential going to waste. A loss here will probably hand McFadden the boot, and who would then want the chalice. Melbourne don’t have Billy Slater, but have Cameron Munster, a silver lining if ever there was one. We say our silver goes on Melbourne too.
GURGLER TIP – Melbourne to win.
Sunday – DRAGONS v SOUTHS
Two big Sunday clashes in a row for the winless Dragons, who look likely to remain just that after 3 rounds. Thankfully it all seems to have been blamed on ex-fullback Kurt Mann, which is a shame as he is quality. Souths have surprised a lot, including this pessimistic Souths fan, with their thrashing of teams that play in blue and red in the first two rounds, and there’s very little evidence that a red and white one will stop the juggernaut.
GURGLER TIP – Souths -7.5 start
Monday – MANLY v SHARKS
Some people are taking delight in Manly’s poor starts to the season, and so will we. However they can turn that around by promoting back up hooker Matt Parcell to the starting line up. We just like seeing the Queensland Cup recruits getting a go. Sharks have looked real good so far and should be aiming for Top Four. Like the Boomtown Rats, Manly don’t like Mondays.
GURGLER TIP – SHARKS to win
GURGLER MULTI TIP
Cowboys to win.
PARRAMATTA +6.5 start.
NEWCASTLE to win.
Penrith +8.5 start
Gold Coast to win.
Melbourne to win.
Souths -7.5 start
SHARKS to win
