Welcome to our weekly preview of NRL Round 25 – the Kick to Come – which has our thoughts about rugby league this weekend in the NRL.
There’s plenty happening and with just two rounds to go there’s plenty to play for.
The top 3 things from last weekend.
- Crowds – how on earth Newcastle can pull 10,000 given how the Knights season has gone. True fans. Close second is Canberra’s fans who were whipped into a frenzy last weekend. A reward for all those freezing nights.
- Penrith’s first half demolition of the Tigers.
- Suliasi Vanivalu’s four tries in the first half. Melbourne continually amaze by finding and developing players who are no names that no one wants before donning the purple.
Here’s the top five things we’re looking forward to this weekend.
- Intrust Super Premiership – aka the NSW Cup. Could boast an Australian International and NSW rep, but could we see former Kiwi International Benji Marshall join the Illawarra Cutters after being dropped from the Dragons?
- Talking Intrust Super Cup aka Qld Cup – is David Mead one of the NRL’s unluckiest players? Jarryd Hayne return to rugby league has now been completed now he has been named at number 1. Hard on David Mead who has been one of the Titans bet in a surprise finals run. To be dropped completely to 18th man must hurt. I guess the MeadCam doesn’t have the same ring. The PNG International will probably have to move on. Titan’s loss. And possibly the Qld Cup’s gain, for just this weekend anyway.
- Is the “loss you have to have before the final” a myth? Is it just one win, two or more? Ask the Sharks. After winning 15 in a row, the Sharks have now lost 3 in a row after and a draw before that. That takes their winless streak to 4 games and not terrific form to take into the finals. They may end up losing their top two spot this weekend if they register a fourth straight loss against a red hot Chooks and Canberra win. It’d give Paul Gallen something to smile about anyway.
- Melbourne v Broncos. Always a quality clash, and for once a game befitting a Friday night.
- FIFTH AND LAST – Gold Coast v Penrith. What would you rather watch? A battle between two of the excitement machines heading towards the finals, featuring the NRL’s golden child. Or a team certain to finish last, and another who looked hell bent on challenging them for that title up until a few weeks ago. This game is all for Fox Sports customers, reward for the foolishness of picking the last few rounds of the draw for FTA TV last year. Pity the fools on FTA who get Newcastle v Souths. Like we used to be and thank God we aren’t anymore.
Our Super Multi
Here’s our “best bets” multi for the weekend ahead. Watch it lose on Thursday night.
$1 for $65
BULLDOGS +6.5 start v Cowboys
MELBOURNE to beat Broncos
CANBERRA to beat Manly
PENRITH +4.5 start v Gold Coast
ROOSTERS to beat Sharks
NEW ZEALAND -10 start v Wests Tigers
SOUTH SYDNEY win 13+ v Knights
PARRAMATTA to beat Dragons
