The NRL is back for another week, and while it lasts we may as well offer up a barely interesting NRL Round 2 Preview.
What you can expect every week is a preview full of stats, a few barely interesting, and some thoughts and a prediction on each game of each NRL round.
This preview is Coronoavirus compliant, and the only thing you will catch from this is a tiny case of boredom.
Sounds exciting? Sounds great? Na, it is only a Barely Interesting NRL Round 2 Preview.
NRL Round 2 Preview – Match by Match
BULLDOGS v COWBOYS
Thursday 8pm
WHY THE BULLDOGS CAN WIN
Bulldogs hold the upper hand 5-4 for night games in Sydney v Cowboys.
Cowboys have won just once in their last eight trips to NSW.
WHY THE COWBOYS CAN WIN
Cowboys have won all four Thursday clashes between these sides.
North Queensland have a 13/18 record for this H2H for games kicking off at 7pm or later.
Cowboys are 2/2 for games v Bulldogs that have been shown on Channel Nein in the Fox League era.
TIPSTRADAMUS’ FINAL SAY
Cowboys by 6
BARELY INTERESTING FACT
The Thursday night stat above is pretty good. Let’s just hope rugby league is the winner after last week’s Thursday season opener.
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA v PENRITH
Friday 6:00pm AEST
WHY THE DRAGONS CAN WIN
The Dragons won the last Friday 6pm kick off.
Despite losing in the last Friday game to Penrith, the Dragons had won six in a row before then. The overall Friday record is 7-2.
WHY THE PANTHERS CAN WIN
The Dragons have won just once in their last five games at Kogarah.
St George Illawarra have also only won four of their last 18 matches.
And just to kick the Dragons stats while they’re down, they have only won two of their last 12 games in Sydney on a Friday.
Penrith beat no less a team than the reigning premiers last weekend.
TIPSTRADAMUS’ FINAL SAY
Penrith by 4
BARELY INTERESTING FACT
Not really
BRISBANE v SOUTH SYDNEY
Friday 8:00pm AEST
WHY THE BRONCOS CAN WIN
Broncos hold a 11-5 advantage at Suncorp Stadium.
They also have a 11-6 record for games between 7pm and 8pm.
The Broncos play a lot of Friday night games.
WHY THE RABBITOHS CAN WIN
Perhaps the Broncos will be spooked by playing in a massive stadium with no fans. A problem Souths have got used to every week.
Souths won both games last season.
Souths’ recent record on a Friday night at Suncorp isn’t too bad, the Broncos lead just 5-4 in H2H.
The Rabbitohs played in Queensland four times in 2019, and won all four.
TIPSTRADAMUS’ FINAL SAY
Broncos by 8
BARELY INTERESTING FACT
Just two of the last 21 clashes between these sides haven’t been on Channel Nein.
WARRIORS v CANBERRA
Saturday 3:00pm AEST
WHY THE WARRIORS CAN WIN
New Zealand have won their last three games in Queensland.
Warriors have won eight of their last nine games on the Gold Coast.
NZ have the fourth best record on the Gold Coast at 64% win rate – Canberra’s record is 38%.
WHY THE CANBERRA CAN WIN
Canberra have a 9-7 advantage on a Friday night.
Canberra have won three of their last four on the Gold Coast.
Warriors have a poor record away from home in March/April.
TIPSTRADAMUS’ FINAL SAY
Warriors by 2
BARELY INTERESTING FACT
Canberra’s last four Saturday games have been in four different states.
ROOSTERS v MANLY
Saturday 5:30pm AEST
WHY THE ROOSTERS CAN WIN
The Roosters have a 100% record against Manly at neutral grounds.
Roosters have won the last three H2H clashes.
Roosters have won their last four home games by an average margin of 35.5 points.
WHY THE MANLY CAN WIN
Manly hold the upper hand for games in March 4-3.
The Sea Eagles also lead the record on a Saturday 6-3.
And have the upper hand 10-6 at night.
Manly have won all three games that have kicked off between 5pm and 6pm.
TIPSTRADAMUS’ FINAL SAY
Roosters by 2
BARELY INTERESTING FACT
Roosters have a 67% win record at Leichhardt Oval – Manly just 22%
SHARKS v MELBOURNE
Saturday 7:30pm AEST
WHY THE SHARKS CAN WIN
Sharks have won five of their last six on a Saturday night at home.
WHY THE STORM CAN WIN
Melbourne have a 15-6 H2H record for games between 7pm and 8pm.
Storm also hold a 10-6 H2H advantage on a Saturday.
Melbourne lead 17-8 for H2H at night.
Storm have the Fox game upper hand at 19-9.
Because Scomo can no longer be filmed giving his support in person. Perhaps people are too busy stockpiling Stimorol playing cards and being un-Australian.
TIPSTRADAMUS’ FINAL SAY
Storm by 12
BARELY INTERESTING FACT
The Sharks have another new name for their home ground, must be at least six in the past 20 seasons.
WESTS TIGERS v NEWCASTLE
Sunday 4pm AEST
WHY THE TIGERS CAN WIN
Newcastle have lost their last four away trips to Sydney. And five in a row anywhere.
Wests Tigers won this game 46-4 last season.
They have won the only H2H game at Leichhardt in 2017.
Benji Marshall
WHY THE KNIGHTS CAN WIN
The Tigers have only won once in their last five games at Leichhardt. And they have won just three of 11 day games at Leichhardt.
Kalyn Ponga
TIPSTRADAMUS’ FINAL SAY
Tigers by 6
BARELY INTERESTING FACT
Newcastle kept the Warriors to nil last weekend, and that has only happened four times in the first round since we could be bothered compiling data for to 1998.
GOLD COAST v PARRAMATTA
Sunday 6:15pm AEST
WHY THE TITANS CAN WIN
Parramatta have the worst record on the Gold Coast.
The Eels have also only won three of their last 15 games in Queensland.
Parramatta have never won on the Gold Coast on a Sunday in three attempts.
WHY THE EELS CAN WIN
Gold Coast have a woeful 3/last 14 record at home on a Sunday.
Because their side is much better on paper.
TIPSTRADAMUS’ FINAL SAY
Gold Coast by 1
BARELY INTERESTING FACT
Parramatta have the worst winning record on the Gold Coast of all NRL teams at 27% since 1998.
