Alternative NRL Round 10 Predictions and Preview – Gurgler v Game Of Thrones

The Magic Weekend is done and dusted, and now it is time to settle back into the bread and butter of regular NRL after the buffet of last weekend, so to start here are our NRL Round 10 predictions.

Interested in Predictions based on a barely interesting stat or something completely unrelated to rugby league? Like this week’s tips based on the world’s biggest TV show which is coming to end just after NRL Round 10 is completed. Or a handful of barely interesting stats to go with each game. Or a best bet which is currently profiting for the season.

Of course you are. Our Alternative NRL Round 10 predictions await.

NRL ROUND 10 PREDICTIONS – GURGLER PREDICTIONS

STORM to beat Tigers by 10pts

PANTHERS to beat Warriors by 2pts

ROOSTERS to beat Broncos by 8 pts

TITANS to beat Bulldogs by 1 pt

COWBOYS to beat Eels by 8pts

RABBITOHS to beat Raiders by 10pts

DRAGONS to beat Knights by 4pts

SEA EAGLES to beat Sharks

TIPPING PROGRESS – 44/72
— Last Week 6/8

BEST BET PROGRESS – 35/64
$1 Season Earnings $79.90 (from $1 bet on all tips)
— Last Week 6/8 — $14.55

NRL ROUND 10 PREDICTIONS – OPPONENT PREDICTIONS – GAME OF THRONES

BACKGROUND FOR TIPS – the more the team sounds like something / someone from Game of Thrones they get the tip.

STORM to beat Tigers
Since the main character was once known as Daenerys Stormborn, among here 15 current titles, that outranks a Tiger

WARRIORS to beat Panthers
Anything that sounds more fight-ready than the other gets the tip.

BRONCOS to beat Roosters
There’s loads of horses on Game of Thrones, and fewer chickens. Although a lot of horses were recently roasted.

BULLDOGS to beat Titans
Normally you’d say a Titan is more fight-ready than a dog, but who could forget Ramsay’s psychotic mutts.

EELS to beat Cowboys
Hard to imagine a Cowboy in Westeros, and an Eels sort of looks like a Dragon.

RAIDERS to beat Rabbitohs
The Raiders man looks like a Wildling, although there was a lot of rabbit hunting.

DRAGONS to beat Knights
These two could hardly be more Game of Thrones. But as proven in the most recent installment, a Dragon beats a Knight.

SEA EAGLES to beat Sharks
Haven’t seen a Shark yet in Game of Thrones, and there’s a lot of Raven work, and a Sea Eagle is close enough.

BACKGROUND FOR TIPS – Since the Dragons v Knights game from earlier in the season launched a Game of Thrones round for the beginning of the final season of the show, we’ll wrap it up by using Game of Thrones for tipping NRL winners in time for the final episode on Monday.

We decided which team’s nickname sounds more Game of Thrones than the other, and awarded that team the tips.

Why not try our previous NRL-Game of Thrones gear. Alternative NRL GOT/TV Theme Rounds. Or Rugby League’s GOT character equivalents.

OPPOSITION TIPPING PROGRESS – 40/72

Week 1 – First Round Form – 5/8
Week 2 – Best Supported Club in 2018 – 5/8
Week 3 – Club Memberships – 3/8
Week 4 – April Fool’s Day – 3/8
Week 5 – NFL Teams – 4/8
Week 6 – Full Moon – 6/8
Week 7 – Anzac Day – 4/8
Week 8 – NRL Supporters – 5/8
Week 9 – Suncorp Stadium – 5/8

NRL ROUND 10 PREDICTIONS PREVIEW – MATCH BY MATCH THOUGHTS

Here is our short game by game preview for the big weekend ahead. We couldn’t offer up our NRL Round 10 predictions without explaining ourselves a little further.

THU 7:50pm – STORM v TIGERS

Head to Head since 1998 –  Storm 19 Tigers 12
Last Season: Melbourne 8  Wests Tigers 10 — Wests Tigers 11  Melbourne 10

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

Wests Tigers have won four of the last six of their games against the Storm outside of Sydney.

SUMMARY

Two winners from Magic weekend, both of them impressively, the Storm more so by belting Parramatta. Melbourne’s slump may have ended at one game, and they lie just a win behind the leaders in third. Two losses and three positions further back are the Tigers who are doing their understated job again. After Tigers fans enjoyed seeing their previous coach reaching the low point of the season.

SIDE INTERESTS

Although they were helped by a period of the Eels having just 12 players, one wonders why the Storm can’t play football like that every week. They clearly have the talent if they want to. Perhaps they wouldn’t be so polarising if they entertained more. And like WWE, we don’t count wrestling as entertainment.

Wests Tigers +14.5 start  @ $1.66

FRI 6:00pm – PENRITH PANTHERS v NZ WARRIORS

Head to Head since 1998 –  Panthers 22 Warriors 16
Last Season: Penrith 36  Warriors 4 — Warriors 36  Penrith 16 — Penrith 27  Warriors 12 (Finals)

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

The Warriors have won four of the five Friday night games that have kicked off at 6pm.

SUMMARY

The Panthers have avoided being dead last by one point of for and against, and have swung the axe accordingly. There may be a few swings left. The Warriors did well in the second half against the Dragons at Magic Weekend, but who knows what they’ll do this week. They’re only one win ahead of Penrith but the crisis talk is at a minimum in comparison.

SIDE INTERESTS

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, like every week.

Josh Mansour and Reagan Campbell-Gillard have been made the official scapegoats this week with a trip outside the main 17, so we will see if it their fault, or are more to come.

Kodi Nikorima did a fine job first up for the Warriors, and he’ll have less attention on him this week in comparison to his first game for them last weekend at the home of his old team.

Are David Fusitu’a and Ken Maumolo the NRL’s best winger combo.

Total Match Points +39.5 @ $1.90

FRI 8:05pm – BRONCOS v ROOSTERS

Head to Head since 1998 –  Broncos 21 Rosoters 17
This Season: Roosters 36 Broncos 4

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

Broncos have won the last five games between these sides at Suncorp. 

SUMMARY

The Roosters flogged the Broncos in this fixture earlier in the year, and the team have followed similar paths since. Broncos fans may think a win turns the corner, but Manly were down on troops and were the better side when they had 17 players. The Roosters continue to lead the competition and deservedly so.

SIDE INTERESTS

You would think that the NRL in their wisdom would have given the Broncos an away game after the weekend after the same ground had just hosted eight games in four days. But of course the NRL don’t look into that side of the draw, merely the box ticked of a Thursday/Friday game for the Broncos and an all Sydney Sunday arvo game.

You can’t exclude Latrell Mitchell from any game, even when he appears to have an Origin ending injury and is back before the end of the game.

Payne Haas continues to impress on field, instead of being a Payne in the Haas off field.

The James Roberts saga continues, and you know the argument isn’t going away when Anthony Mundine swings by for an opinion. 

Following on from that, it is good to see so many Intrust Super Cup players getting a go at the Broncos

Latrell Mitchell to score and Roosters to win @ $2.30

SAT 3:00pm – TITANS v BULLDOGS

Head to Head since 1998 –  Bulldogs 9 Titans 8
Last Season: Bulldogs 10  Gold Coast 32

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

The last six games between the Bulldogs and Titans have kicked off during the day. Also, clashes with the Bulldogs draw the second highest crowds for the Titans. Maybe it is the day games.

SUMMARY

Last against third last, and two teams looking increasing unlikely to be playing in September. One team will be increasing their win tally by 50% this weekend. 

SIDE INTERESTS

AJ Brimson at fullback, with Roberts and Taylor in the halves should hopefully mean some action.

As a Queensland Cup fan, it is always great to see in-form talent given a go – leading try scorer Jess Arthars continues for the Titans.

Very little else.

Total Match Points over 39.5 @ $1.90

SAT 5:30pm – COWBOYS v EELS

Head to Head since 1998 –  Cowboys 19 Eels 19
Last Season: North Queensland 44 Parramatta 6 — Parramatta 20  North Queensland 14

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

The Eels haven’t won a game outside of Sydney since August 2017. They did score 50 against the Broncos that night.

SUMMARY

One wonders how a team can go from scoring 50 points not long ago, to conceding 60+ points last weekend. The Eels look good at their new stadium, but less so on the road.

SIDE INTERESTS

Will the Clint Gutherson saga be wrapped up soon? Be a shame to waste this season on the uncertainty one way or another.

Michael Morgan doesn’t have to do much except stay fit for State of Origin.

Jason Taumalolo is always a man to watch and enjoy.

Bevan French is in the reserves, can the excitement machine make a return.

Will Smith is in at five eighth, can he genie up some luck for the Eels?

Gavin Cooper to score anytime @ $2.88

SAT 7:30pm – RAIDERS v RABBITOHS

Head to Head since 1998 –  Raiders 14 Rabbitohs 12
Last Season: Canberra 24  South Sydney 12 — South Sydney 42  Canberra 22

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

Canberra have a better winning record away against the Rabbitohs than at home.

SUMMARY

Rabbitohs stay right on the Roosters tail with a win over the Cowboys last weekend, Canberra had the tougher game, losing admirably against the table topping Roosters.

SIDE INTERESTS

With No Alex Johnston, recent recruit Corey Allen gets a chance in the NRL at his preferred position.

The shift for Allen allows Mawene Hiroti to get his second game.

The many Burgess brothers up against the Raiders forward pack. Is it the most British game of NRL ever?

No Leilua or Rapana for the Raiders is a loss. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad almost makes up for it.

Total MAtch Points over 41.5 to win @ $1.90

SUN 2:00pm – DRAGONS v KNIGHTS

Head to Head since 1998 –  Dragons 26 Knights 11
This Season: Knights 12 Dragons 13

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

The Dragons have won the last six home games against Newcastle, or 12 of the last 14 anywhere. St George Illawarra Dragons are Newcastle’s worst team for win %, at just 30%. 

SUMMARY

The most Game of Thrones game you could have this weekend – a Dragon against a Knight – and the game that the NRL based a whole Game of Thrones theme round on. Both teams sit on the edge of the top 8, Newcastle have the better recent form. Although you could argue the Dragons play just as good, but only for half a game at a time.

SIDE INTERESTS

Queensland fans will be hoping that the current form of Kalyn Ponga and Mitchell Pearce continues into Origin.

The Pearce v Hunt battle will be a good yardstick for both player’s Origin chances.

The progress of two former Bulldogs props at their new clubs. You could argue that David Klemmer at the Knights is doing slightly better than James Graham at the Dragons.

Can Mikaele Ravalawa be the new Semi Radradra.

Dragons to win 1 – 12 @ $3.10

SUN 4:05pm – SHARKS v SEA EAGLES

Head to Head since 1998 –  Sea Eagle 20 Sharks 9
Last Season: Sharks 32 Sea Eagles 33

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

Manly have won 15 of the last 17 clashes between these sides. They’re 10/12 on Sunday since 1998 too.

SUMMARY

Two of the more injury decimated sides of the competition face off on a Sunday, although Manly get some players back this week. Channel Nein are back to regular scheduling after allowing Sunday to be held elsewhere last weekend. Both of these teams have been super impressive while juggling an injury hit list, and their fifth and seventh place on the ladder is well deserved.

SIDE INTERESTS

Andrew Fifita v Martin Taupau is a decent head to head full of hair. Manly’s other powerhouse prop Addin Fonua-Blake returns too.

Talking of hair, is Josh Dugan’s the worst haircut in the NRL for a long time.

Dylan Walker comes back into the side after his court case was completed during the week. He returns to the centre, and one wonders if the time on the sidelines will have made him less unlikable.

The underrated Jorge Taufua also returns.

Battle of the number 13s is one between two of rugby league’s hardest workers. At least one oft hem is a  elfish jerk, who makes everything about them, highlighted in attempts on goal.

Sea Eagle to win @ $2.39

THIS WEEK’s LIVE LEAGUE LIST

Aside from our NRL Round 10 predictions, there’s a lot of league to watch. Here is all the live league times you will need for this weekend.

It is more comprehensive than usual as Fox League are playing the English League’s second tier version of the Magic Weekend – the Summer Bash at Blackpool.

For PNG and more specifically Willie Minoga fans, his team Barrow Raiders are playing 10pm Sunday night.