NRL Round 4 Preview – Barely Interesting Stats & Stuff

It’s so good to have the NRL back, and last weekend’s action was worth the wait, with the new rules working a treat, and there was even a draw. Less worth the wait is our weekly preview with the NRL Round 4 Preview – Barely Interesting Stats & Stuff.

There are plenty stats below, enough for every game, and give every team’s fans some hope for the NRL Round 4. Let’s hope we don’t get second week of the restarted season syndrome.

Along with all the stats we have our tip for each game.

All records go back to 1998 unless otherwise stated.

Get ready for some interesting gear in our NRL Round 4 Preview – Barely Interesting Stats & Stuff.

BRISBANE BRONCOS v PARRAMATTA EELS

BARELY INTERESTING STATS

• Brisbane have won their last six @ Suncorp v Roosters
• Brisbane’s overall record is 7-3 last 10 matches
• The Broncos lead the Roosters 15-9 in Channel Nein games
• Broncos also lead 2-1 in June clashes
• Brisbane have lost six of their last seven clashes against Sydney teams on a Thursday.
• The Broncos have lost eight of their last 10 Thursday games.
• Roosters have lost eight of their last ten clashes away to Queensland sides.

MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S

• Roosters’ James Tedesco ran one metre by himself last weekend, than the Broncos starting pack if you take out man-mountain Payne Haas.

‘THE FINAL SAY

Broncos 20 Roosters 14

PENRITH PANTHERS v NZ WARRIORS

BARELY INTERESTING STATS

• Penrith hold a 19-12 lead for games on Fox. No surprise very few of these games have featured on Channel Nein.
• Warriors leas 4-3 for games in June
• Penrith players have combined for the most metres run this season so far, and have run more than 800m more than the Warriors.
• If defence is the key, then Api Koroisau being the competition’s leading tackler is a good thing.
• Viliame Kikau is the equal leading player for Line Breaks.
• As for games at Campbelltown – Penrith’s record since 1998 is 2/7, the Warriors have lost their last four games there, and conceded 168 points in those four games.
• The Warriors overall record at Campbelltown is 1/5.
• Penrith have won all three games between these sides at a neutral venue.

MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S

• The Warriors were involved in the most recent draw after the Penrith-Newcastle match from the weekend.

‘THE FINAL SAY

Penrith 14 Warriors 18

MELBOURNE STORM v SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS

BARELY INTERESTING STATS

• One key stat points to a Melbourne victory on Friday night, as South Sydney have never beaten the Storm in Melbourne in 15 attempts: eight at AAMI Park and seven at its predecessor Olympic Park. It’s worth noting that two of Souths’ last three visits have ended in a one-point loss to the Storm, although you’ll have to look past the 58-point hiding in between.
• South Sydney have only beaten Melbourne five times since 1998 in 31 matches.
• Things get a bit tighter on Friday nights (Melbourne 4-2) and when shown on FTA (Melbourne 3-2), but the fact remains that Souths are yet to win in Melbourne. South Sydney are also on a four-game losing streak away from home on a Friday.

MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S

• Melbourne have won their last six home matches in June, and have lost only five of 39 home games on a Friday.

‘THE FINAL SAY

Melbourne 20 South Sydney 10

PARRAMATTA EELS v MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES

BARELY INTERESTING STATS

• Parramatta hold a 11-4 advantage over Manly at Parramatta Stadium
• Manly have won the only kick off between 5pm and 6pm.
• Parramatta lead 2-1 in June clashes.
• Parramatta have won their last four homes games, and nine of their last ten. They have conceded over 20 just once, in a game they won.
• The Eels have conceded just two points in their last two home games.
• Parramatta have also won their last five home games on a Saturday.
• The Eels have won just three of their last 11 games v Sydney sides on a Saturday.

MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S

• Manly won all three of their games in June last year.

‘THE FINAL SAY

Parramatta 26 Manly 22

NORTH QLD COWBOYS v CRONULLA SHARKS

BARELY INTERESTING STATS

• Sharks have a better record in this H2H in Townsville than the Cowboys.
• Cronulla have won the last three games between these sides and seven of the last nine.
• Cronulla hold a decent advantage H2H for Saturday games (23-8), Night Games (20-13), and June matches (8-3).
• The Cowboys have run for 1000m+ more metres than the Sharks this season.
• Cowboys lead Cronulla 16-6 for line breaks.
• Sharks have lost seven of their past eight away games.
• Sharks have lost their past five Saturday games.
• North Queensland have won just two of their past 10 home games on a Saturday. And lost five of their last six at home on a Saturday.

MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S

• Jason Taumalolo is not playing, he has 818 metres racked up already this season. He also has 309 post contact metres. The Sharks best metre-eater is Jesse Ramien with 432m.

‘THE FINAL SAY

North Qld 30 Sharks 12

NORTH QLD COWBOYS v CRONULLA SHARKS

BARELY INTERESTING STATS

• Newcastle have run more metres than Canberra
• Nick Cotric has a season best 32 tackle breaks for the whole competition. Six more than the next best James Tedesco.
• Wins have alternated with these teams the last four games.
• Newcastle lead 12-10 on a Sunday clashes.
• Canberra hold a 4-1 advantage in June.
• Canberra have won every third game at Campbelltown since 1998. Pity for them they won their last match at the ground. Newcastle have a 3-2-1 record at the ground, the one being last weekend’s dramatic draw.

MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S

• This will be just the fourth game between these sides on Channel Nein since 1998.

‘THE FINAL SAY

Canberra 28 Newcastle 22

GOLD COAST TITANS v WESTS TIGERS

BARELY INTERESTING STATS

• Gold Coast hold the overall record against the Wests Tigers since the Titans joined the competition.
• Wests Tigers have won the only game to kick off between 6pm and 7pm.
• The Titans are also leading the night games wins (7-5)
• Gold Coast have won three of their last five matches at Suncorp Stadium.
• However, the Titans have lost both of their games against Sydney opposition going back to their first game in the NRL, which was at Suncorp Stadium.
• Wests Tigers have won three of their last four at Suncorp Stadium, including last year’s Magic Weekend game against Penrith.
• Wests Tigers have won their past four away games on a Sunday.
• The Titans have lost their last seven away games, and have scored just 60 points in those games (28 points in one game).
• Wests Tigers have won five of their last six games away to Queensland sides.
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MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S

• Gold Coast have won all three games that kicked off in June.

‘THE FINAL SAY

Gold Coast 8 Wests Tigers 30

GOLD COAST TITANS v WESTS TIGERS

BARELY INTERESTING STATS

• The Bulldogs lead 4-3 for games on a Monday.
• Bulldogs lead 4-2 in June H2H with the Dragons.
• Bulldogs also hold the Fox broadcast advantage 13-7.
• Bulldogs record at Bankwest is 1-1. The Dragons have lost their only game.
• Dragons have lost eight of their last nine away games to Sydney based teams.
• Bulldogs have won their last five Monday games away from home.

MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S

• St George have won their last two games on a Monday. Prior to that, they had won just three in 23 Monday games.

‘THE FINAL SAY

Bulldogs 12 St George Illawarra 8