An Alternative NRL Round 8 Preview – The Kick To Come

Welcome to the Kick to Come – our alternative NRL Round 8 Preview of all the big Rugby League ahead this weekend.

We supply the shortest possible match by match preview, pick a few things were are excited about, and why we are reaching for the pillow, there’s the NRL’s most pointless tipping competition, and a Wrasse sized bit about NRL odds/betting, a dabble into Supercoach and we have the low down on the Rugby League on TV to let you do your best sloth-work.

Doing many things, with not a lot of quality, just the way we like it. 

Want to read more? Of course you do. Our NRL Round 8 Preview awaits.

Want to find out what we thought of last week? I bet you do. There’s our NRL Round 7 Review.

NRL ROUND 8 PREVIEW – MATCH BY MATCH IN 50 WORDS OR SO

WED 4:10pm – DRAGONS v ROOSTERS

The now traditional clash between the Dragons and the Roosters is one Channel Nein will be looking forward to. Hopefully it is better than the first game of the round last weekend featuring the Roosters. Dragons suffered their first loss last weekend in NZ, Roosters defied a mountain of possession for the Bulldogs to win 6-0.

Side Interest – Anzac Day Commemorations

WED 7pm – STORM v WARRIORS

This is an even more recent Anzac Day tradition, but the games featuring these two sides are mostly great, and there’s the occasional upset. Who would have thought pre season that the Warriors would be 2nd and 4 points ahead of the Storm at this stage of the year. The Storm stepped it up last weekend at their second home of Suncorp Stadium, Warriors handed the Dragons a first defeat and made it 2/2 without Shaun Johnson.

Side Interest – Mason Lino.

THU 7:50pm – RABBITOHS v BRONCOS

After the seemingly annual home defeat by the Storm, the Broncos head down to Sydney to take on the now in form Rabbitohs. Both sides are missing key players – Souths are without Sam Burgess and Broncos Andrew McCullough. Souths have two big Burgess boys ready to step up, like they did two weeks ago, the Broncos meanwhile have chosen Josh Maguire at number 9. Not only are they losing one of the best middle third runners, Maguire isn’t the greatest hooker either, having seen his work for Samoa in the past. That’s diluting two positions. They do have plenty of Intrust Super Cup feeder teams to get a proper number 9 from.

SIDE INTEREST – More Sutton, More Inglis.

FRI 6pm – SEA EAGLES v KNIGHTS

The Knights had a great win last weekend in the country that came at a great cost. The last time Manly players hit the country at night, it has ended up at a cost too. Newcastle’s cost is losing Mitchell Pearce for a while, which will put more pressure on Kalyn Ponga. Manly players are still dealing with the fallout of their Gladstone night out, and on the back of an 88 point turnaround against the Eels last weekend.

SIDE INTEREST – How do the Knights go without Mitchell Pearce? Hopefully more Ponga.

FRI 7:50pm – PANTHERS v BULLDOGS

Surely the Bulldogs can’t be anymore useless with the ball than they were last weekend, after registering a big 0 against the Roosters. Dean Pay has stuck by the same side this week giving them a chance to turn it around, surprising but admirable. The Panthers are going well despite losing to the Sharks last weekend. But there just isn’t much in this game to get excited about.

SIDE INTEREST – Kikau, Kikau’ing arse.

SAT 5:30pm – TITANS v SHARKS

Gold Coast return to their home ground for the first time since the Commonwealth Games, and say it will end in gold too. The Sharks were brave last weekend with injuries, and Andrew Fifita is in great form, and there’s barely a side in the NRL who can tough it out like the Sharks. But we say the Titans to pick up after last weekend’s disappointing night in Townsville. Bryce Cartwright gets bumped up to number 6 at the expense of Kane Elgey who appears to be carrying the can after last weekend’s loss.

SIDE INTEREST – Finally the time where we see something great from Bryce Cartwright this year.

SAT 7:35pm – COWBOYS v RAIDERS

The Cowboys are back, sort of. Last weekend was an improvement, there were signs of life, but still nowhere near the form of a pre season favourite or like their electrifying run in the finals in 2017. Raiders were trounced last weekend, and a few late tries reduced the damage, Canberra win better than 1 in 3 games in Townsville.

SIDE INTEREST – There’s always Ricky Stuart. But hopefully a little more Thurston gold.

SUN 4pm – EELS v TIGERS

Can the Eels double up, or was last weekend just a one off off the back of a royal rumble midweek training session. The Tigers once again were great, but lost narrowly to a last minute Knights try. The Tigers continue to surprise with their Top 8 run, their bus is fueled for September.

SIDE INTEREST – Will Jarryd Hayne take credit for this win too.

NRL ROUND 8 PREVIEW – 3 THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO

1 – Anzac Day Clashes
2 – A trio of Rabbitohs wins
3 – Five days of Rugby League

NRL ROUND 8 PREVIEW – #NRLtalkthegameup

Given we’re usually down the cynical end of sport and life, we thought we’d embrace the NRL’s new initiative and provide three positive things using the new hashtag #NRLtalkthegameup.

John Sutton is back in form #Sutton #Sutton #Mmmmm…Sutton

Shaun Fensom returns for the Cowboys this weekend. #BlackhawkUp

Round 8 sees 5 Days of Rugby League. #TooMuchIsBarelyEnough

NRL ROUND 8 PREVIEW – THINGS TO AVOID THIS WEEKEND

Gladstone Nightlife
Watching the Bulldogs in attack
Getting 0/8 in a tough tipping week.

NRL ROUND 8 PREVIEW – TIPPING COMPETITION

Time to see how well we can tip. And what kind of ridiculous things we can use for a tipping compeditor. As ever the dog is back as our resident Paul the World Cup Tipping Octopus. Who will triumph in Rugby League’s most pointless tipping competition? Find our below.

THE GURGLER’S NRL ROUND 8 TIPS

ROOSTERS to beat Dragons
STORM to beat Warriors 
RABBITOHS to beat Broncos
SEA EAGLES to beat Knights
PANTHERS to beat Bulldogs
TITANS to beat Sharks
COWBOYS to beat Raiders
EELS to beat Tigers

THE DOG’S NRL ROUND 8 TIPS

Like the infamous octopus at the 2010 Football World Cup, we have our own Muttstradamus to provide tips every week. Unlike Paul, the dog is hopeless at tipping winners.

DRAGONS to beat Roosters
WARRIORS to beat Storm
BRONCOS to beat Rabbitohs
KNIGHTS to beat Sea Eagles
BULLDOGS to beat Penrith
SHARKS to beat Titans
COWBOYS to beat Raiders
EELS to beat Tigers

GUEST TIPSTER ROUND 8 TIPS – ARE OUR TIPS SMARTER THAN A PREP KID

DRAGONS to beat Roosters
STORM to beat Warriros
BRONCOS to beat Rabbitohs
SEA EAGLES to beat Knights
BULLDOGS to beat Panthers
TITANS to beat Sharks
RAIDERS to beat Cowboys
EELS to beat Tigers

Background:

We were going to do an Anzac themed tipster, but couldn’t think of how to do it, .so our little Prep kid gets the call up

CURRENT SCOREBOARD

THE GURGLER – 27/56 – Last Week 5
MUTTSTRADAMUS 18/56 – Last Week 4
GUEST TIPSTERS TOTAL – 24/56 – Last Week 4
Guest Tipsters Breakdown:
R1 – OUR 2018 SEASON PREDICTIONS 3/8
R2 – INTERNET RANDOM RESULT GENERATOR 5/8
R3 – WORST LOSSES EVER 4/8
R4 – EASTER LONG WEEKEND HOLIDAY VENUES 3/8
R5 – FEWEST PENALTIES CONCEDED 4/8
R6 – BEST DEFENSIVE TEAM 5/8
R7 – VS INTRUST FEEDER TEAM 4/8

NRL ROUND 8 PREVIEW – ODDS AND SODS

SUPER MULTI MADNESS

Here’s our Mega Multi Madness for NRL Round 

ROOSTERS +5.5 start & Total Points -39.5 @$1.90
STORM to beat Warriors @$1.47
RABBITOHS to beat Broncos @$1.58
SEA EAGLES -0.5 Start & Total Points +36.5
BULLDOGS +8.5 Start @$1.62
TITANS +6.5 Start @$1.53
RAIDERS +12.5 Start & Total Points +39.5 @$1.85
EELS to beat Tigers @$2.00

$1 could “pay” $151 – but will probably pay NIL

TICKET TO RIDE

Here’s where we lay down our best bet of the weekend and attempt to roll it over each week into a multi week Cash Cow. A year long moving All Up.

THIS WEEK’S BEST BET

EELS to beat Tigers @ $2.00

LAST WEEK’S RESULT

$1.52 on Storm @ $1.60

CURRENT RUN / RETURN

2 Weeks $2.43

BEST RUN / RETURN SO FAR

2 Weeks – $3.52 (Weeks 2/3)

RUGBY LEAGUE VIEWING THIS WEEKEND

Wanting to know when its on so you can have that special sloth time? Here’s all the live league this weekend.