After seeing the first week of the Premier League back in action this weekend, the NRL really does stand up in quality since its return, the game almost better than ever. Talking of quality, we offer up our NRL Round 7 Preview with 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 6. More than one could ever need. Or want.
Along with all the stats we have our tip for each game. Which are usually quite mediocre, proving stats don’t mean anything some times.
In case you are interested, all records go back to 1998 unless otherwise stated. Because either rugby league didn’t exist before it became an acronym, or we couldn’t be bothered going any further back.
Get ready for some interesting gear in our NRL Round 7 Preview – Barely Interesting Stats & Stuff.
NRL Round 7 Preview – Match by Match Stats N Stuff
PENRITH PANTHERS v SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Record at this week’s neutral venue: Penrith 3/5 Souths 2/5.
Both sides have won their most recent game at this ground – Penrith in 2020 and Souths 2019.
Penrith have won six of their last seven on a Thursday. Souths have won six of their last eight.
Souths recent pattern against Sydney opposition is (recent game first) LLWWLLWWLL. Means WW is coming surely.
Penrith have run nearly 2000 metres more than Souths.
Penrith are 11-6 ahead in H2H night games.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
The away team Souths are three times closer to this weekend’s venue than the home side.
THE FINAL SAY
At least it isn’t the Broncos for a change. But will feature one grumpy ex Bronco.
Penrith 20 Souths 14
MELBOURNE STORM v NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Melbourne have won the last eight games between these sides.
The Friday H2H record is 2-2 and the 6pm kickoff record is 1-1.
Melbourne have lost their past four games on a Friday in Sydney. And four from the last 13 games. Warriors have won just four games ever in Sydney on a Friday.
The Warriors have lost all three games in June in Sydney.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
Melbourne have won two and lost two in the past four games at Kogarah, they have scored either 12 or 14 in these games. The Warriors have scored 10 / 12 points in their only two games at the ground, but have won neither.
THE FINAL SAY
Melbourne look like they may be on the road for some time. The Warriors know a thing or two about that.
Melbourne 28 Warriors 10
SYDNEY ROOSTERS v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Roosters are 4/4 at Bankwest Stadium. Dragons are 0/2.
The Dragons win against the Sharks two rounds ago was their first over Sydney opposition in nine matches.
Roosters have won their last three against Sydney teams.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
Roosters have 11 more line breaks than any other team (36) and 21 more than the Dragons.
THE FINAL SAY
The Dragons may have remembered how to win, but not sure if anyone can beat the Roosters right now.
Roosters 30 Dragons 8
NORTH QLD COWBOYS v NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
North Queensland have won the last three matches in Townsville v Newcastle. And six of the last seven games in North Queensland.
Newcastle lead H2H record 8-4 for Day Games.
North Queensland have won just four of their last 14 matches against NSW sides.
The Cowboys have lost their last five Saturday matches. Newcastle have won one in five.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
Newcastle have won just one of their last nine trips to Queensland to play Qld sides on a Saturday.
THE FINAL SAY
Surely things can’t get much worse than the Cowboy’s first half last week. And different that a young person gets in trouble for sneaking out to visit their parents as in Bradman Best’s case.
North Qld 26 Newcastle 12
BRISBANE BRONCOS v GOLD COAST TITANS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Broncos have lost four of their last five Saturday matches – the one win was against the Titans.
Brisbane have won all three Saturday clashes with the Gold Coast.
Broncos have won nine of their last 12 v Queensland opposition.
Gold Coast and Brisbane are last and second last for metres run this season.
Payne Haas has ran 11% of all Brisbane’s metres this year.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
The Titans have won just two of their past 21 matches against Qld teams. And it’s ten losses in a row on a Saturday.
THE FINAL SAY
The Broncos will get to play in front of some fans at Suncorp, and perhaps that can turn things around for them. It will be a restricted size, but that shouldn’t both the Broncos as most of these players have played Qld Cup in the past year.
Broncos 26 Gold Coast 12
CANBERRA RAIDERS v PARRAMATTA EELS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Parramatta have only won 50% of their last 10 Saturday games.
Either Canberra are likely to beat the Eels because of winning six of their last eight away to Sydney teams, or they will loss because of the result sequence (most recent match first) WWLWWLWWL
No one has more run metres than Clint Gutherson with 1264 this season. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is third and only 50m behind.
Josh Hodgson leads the competition for missed tackles.
Canberra’s last two games have finished 14-6 and they won one of them.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
Canberra have a better record at Bankwest than Parramatta. Although it is just the one win from one. Parramatta’s 80% win rate is still a decent home record.
THE FINAL SAY
Canberra haven’t been quite the same since beating Melbourne, and the Eels got a premiership winning reminder against the Eels last weekend.
Parramatta 22 Canberra 18
MANLY SEA EAGLES v CRONULLA SHARKS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Cronulla have won their only away game at Central Coast Stadium – defeating the Roosters 44-12. The Sharks have lost both of the home games they have taken to the Central Coast.
Manly have lost just three of 18.
Addn Fonua-Blake has ran over 200 metres than the next best player from either side. Throw in nearly 200m more in post contact metres too. He is the competition leader for post contact metres.
Manly have a 11-2 record on a Sunday against the Sharks.
Manly have won their last five against Sydney opposition on a Sunday.
Sharks have won just two of their past ten away games.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
Manly have won all four games with a kickoff at 4pm.
THE FINAL SAY
If Manly could do it last weekend, they can do it this weekend.
Manly 18 Cronulla 8
BULLDOGS v WESTS TIGERS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Bulldogs are three from six at Bankwest Stadium. The Wests Tigers are two from six.
Canterbury have won just one of their last six in NSW. Tigers have won three of their last four in NSW.
The Wests Tigers have won just two of their last seven games on a Sunday. The Bulldogs just one from eight Sunday games.
Bulldogs have won more than twice the amount of night games H2H.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
The Bulldogs have won once only in June for the past four seasons including this season. Since they’ve already notched up a win this season, that means a loss surely.
David Nofoaluma has the highest % of run metres as a total of the club’s metres run of any player this season – 12.3%.
THE FINAL SAY
At least Bulldogs games aren’t on Thursdays these days.
Bulldogs 12 Wests Tigers 18
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