Proving to be happier and slightly more popular than the Broncos, here is this week’s NRL Round 8 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 8. 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 8 Preview – Barely Interesting Stats & Stuff.
NRL Round 8 Preview – Match by Match Stats N Stuff
MELBOURNE STORM v SYDNEY ROOSTERS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Melbourne lead the 7pm+ kick off H2H by 12-9
The Storm lead 3-1 for H2H in July. June and August are equal, so the Storm are the winter champions for this fixture.
Melbourne are 11/11 on a Thursday night. Roosters are 9/17.
Melbourne’s record at Suncorp (88%) is better than the Broncos (63%) with 15 wins from 17 games. Roosters have only five wins from 11 games but have won their last two. The most recent by plenty.
Melbourne have the highest average points scored and lowest points against at Suncorp Stadium. Rooster have the second-best average points for.
The Storm average over 40 points per games at Suncorp for the last three seasons.
The Storm have lost just one of their last nine against Sydney teams for games kicking off at 7pm or later.
The Roosters have won their past six games against non-Sydney opposition.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
The last two trips to Suncorp by these sides have resulted in wins. The for and against for these four combined games is 193-38.
THE FINAL SAY
Melbourne’s home away from home should be enough of an advantage, the Roosters will get more than an opposed training run on this trip to Suncorp Stadium.
Melbourne 20 Roosters 18
CANBERRA RAIDERS v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Canberra have won all three games v Dragons that have kicked off at 6pm-ish. And two from two on Friday.
The Raiders also have an impressive 12-4 record at home to St George Illawarra.
Canberra have won their last six games that have kicked off at 6pm. St George-Illawarra have lost their last three.
St George Illawarra have won just five of their last 25 games on a Friday going back to 2013.
St George Illawarra have won just two of their past 15 games v NSW/ACT sides. And their past seven away games against the same sides.
St George Illawarra have made the most tackles so far this season, but the highest Dragons individual tackler is Cameron McInnes in 13th.
Elliott Whitehead is second in the competition for line breaks.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
Canberra lead the Dragons 12-3 for night games, but trail 7-8 for day games.
THE FINAL SAY
Canberra finally return home for a game, and should find a way back to winning ways.
Canberra 30 St George Illawarra 12
PARRAMATTA EELS v NORTH QLD COWBOYS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Despite the difference in ladder position, Parramatta have made 10 more errors than the Cowboys.
Jason Taumalolo has more post contact metres than anyone in the competition with 602, which is more than the actual run metres of Anthony Don, Elliott Whitehead, Matt Lodge and 100 more than Darius Boyd.
The Cowboys have lost their past five away games on a Friday. Make that four wins from their last 20 away games on a Friday in Sydney.
Parramatta have won four of their past five Friday games, prior to that was a losing streak of six games.
This is North Queensland’s first game at Bankwest stadium. They won just six of 18 games at the old Parramatta Stadium.
The Cowboys have the H2H advantage at night 17-11.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
Parramatta have never lost to teams with human based nicknames at Bankwest Stadium.
THE FINAL SAY
If you combine some of North Qld’s most recent halves together they could be a real match for Parramatta here. It still seems unlikely though. Parra close to obtaining the real deal badge.
Parramatta 26 North Qld 18
GOLD COAST TITANS v CRONULLA SHARKS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Gold Coast have missed the most amount of tackles this season, Sharks have missed the third most. Unsurprisingly, both sides are in the bottom two for tackle efficiency.
Sharks have won both games H2H that have kicked off at 3pm. They also hold a 5-1 advantage for day games.
Gold Coast have won the only July game between these sides.
Cronulla have won six in a row against the Cowboys/Gold Coast in Queensland.
The last time the Titans won two games in a row was April 2018, and that two game run started by beating the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
No Christmas in July for these sides, Gold Coast have the worst winning record in July at 29% and Sharks have the third worst record in July with 39%.
THE FINAL SAY
A return to the Gold Coast for the Titans, the Sharks are equally happy to be on the Gold Coast we presume too. The (shark) net result? Why not a rare back to back win for the Titans.
Gold Coast 24 Sharks 14
NZ WARRIORS v BRISBANE BRONCOS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
H2H is currently tied for both day and night games.
The Warriors hold the upper hand on a Saturday night, while the Broncos are 6-2 ahead in July. Usually on the back of an origin series.
Brisbane have won one just once of their last six games in a Saturday. Warriors have won two of their last seven matches on a Saturday.
Warriors have the lowest number of offloads this season.
Warriors have lost their last four games against Queensland sides kicking off between 5pm and 6pm.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
The Broncos have now lost their last three games at the Central Coast. The Warriors have won their last three.
THE FINAL SAY
At least one of these teams has an excuse to wanting to go home and forget about rugby league. Although, one could argue that Broncos fans need a little spoonful of toughen up and endure a little misery like most other sporting fans.
Warriors 18 Broncos 14
WESTS TIGERS v PENRITH PANTHERS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Penrith have a 10-5 advantage over the Tigers for a kickoff between 7pm and 8pm, and a 13-7 advantage at night.
Wests Tigers have won their last two at Bankwest stadium, while Penrith have lost their last two. The Tigers’ three wins from seven games, is just better than Penrith’s one in three.
The Wests Tigers have won all three games v Sydney opposition this season. Although they have won just two of their last 15 against Sydney sides on a Saturday night.
No team has run more metres than the Panthers this season.
No team has made more tackle breaks than the Wests Tigers. This is being led by David Nofoaluma
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
In the three results for Penrith games so far at Bankwest Stadium, the winner has scored 16 points on all three occasions. And conceded either 10 or 8 points.
THE FINAL SAY
Battle of the western cats, Tigers look good for a half here and there, the Panthers looking good all the time.
Wests Tigers 20 Penrith Panthers 21
MANLY SEA EAGLES v NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Manly have won the only 4pm kick off between these sides.
Manly have won nine of the last 11 matches between these sides, but Newcastle did the double over Manly in 2018.
Newcastle lost all four games in July last year.
Newcastle have made more than 500 more tackles than Manly this season.
Kalyn Ponga has the most tackle breaks out of these two teams this year. His 34 is well ahead of the next best – Dylan Walker (20).
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
These teams have played the same amount of day and night games since 1998, and the record is exactly the same 9-7 to Manly.
THE FINAL SAY
Manly return to Lottoland after a month or so of reliving the glory years of the Northern Eagles, pity we have been robbed of the battle between two of the great fullbacks.
Manly 22 Newcastle 18
CANTERBURY BULLDOGS v SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
No team has made more errors than the Bulldogs. They are also last for tackle breaks and line breaks.
The Bulldogs are ahead 11-8 for both day and night games.
Bulldogs have lost their last three at Bankwest Stadium, but won three of their first four… Souths have won their last two at Bankwest against the Gold Coast and Warriors but lost their first three games there.
MOST BARELY INTERESTING STAT/S
South Sydney have lost just two of their last 18 games on a Sunday against Sydney teams. Bulldogs have lost eight of their previous nine against Sydney teams on a Sunday.
THE FINAL SAY
The Bulldogs in their usual timeslot, the after thought of the NRL weekend. Perhaps Wayne Bennett can liven things up.
Bulldogs 10 South Sydney 18
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