NRL Preview Round 12
The Form Guide
What an unbelievable weekend of rugby league action we witnessed last weekend. There were grandstand finishes, refereeing controversies, brilliant displays of speed and athleticism, and even an old fashion dust up. Round 11 simply had it all.
The Dragons still sit alone at the top of the ladder after overcoming their own unforced errors to hold off a spirited Raiders. It won’t be a win that Paul McGregor would be particularly happy with it, but you need to get the two points when things aren’t flowing smoothly for you, and the Dragons did just that. Behind them, the Panthers and the Warriors both got wins to stay in the top 4, as did the Rabbitohs, courtesy of a late, but deserved, penalty against the Cowboys. Referees have shown they are no longer afraid to blow the whistle when the game is on the line, and the teams that don’t learn this lesson will be on the losing side more often than not. The North Queenslanders remain down at 15th spot, with only the disgraceful Eels keeping them away from the wooden spoon position. It’s hard to know exactly what has gone wrong for these two teams, both strong tips for the top 4 before the season. Brad Arthur and Paul Green must be scratching their heads as well, because neither has been able to unlock the secret to recapturing their best form, or any form at all.
The Titans got home against the Knights in one of the best spectacles of the weekend. Even on the losing side, Kalyn Ponga continues to delight, this time racing the length of the field on a kick return to complete a 108m try for Newcastle. It might be too early to squeeze him into the Origin team this year, but his time will come sooner rather than later.
The Sharks continued their winning streak to hold on to their top 8 position, but they are under pressure from the resurgent Broncos right behind them. Brisbane got home over the Roosters in a match that was remarkable for a number of reasons. The battle between Latrell Mitchell and James Roberts was enthralling, with Roberts taking a slight points decision over his NSW rival based on being able to land the final punch. Dylan Napa’s sin binning was lambasted by Trent Robinson, and the Match Review Committee’s decision not to charge Napa justified his anger. Regardless, this was a top quality match. The other huge talking point from the weekend was the return of the biff in the Storm v Manly game, two teams who still appear to have a genuine dislike of each other. Dylan Walker will be out for a long stint, as will Curtis Scott….
The Big Games
The weekend kicks off at Suncorp Stadium when the Broncos host the Eels. This round is the final opportunity for a number of players to push their case for Origin selection, and this match features a number of them. Andrew McCullough, Darius Boyd and Corey Oates will all be hoping to be picked for the Maroons, while Mitchell Moses is one of Brad Fittler’s favourites, and could nail a halves spot with a big game.
Jonathan Thurston and Cameron Smith come head to head in Townsville on Saturday night, in what should be a top of the table clash, but this year is anything but. The Cowboys look horrible, while the Storm will be desperate to get back in the winners’ circle after last week. Expect Smith to play out of his skin after missing the Manly game. The Warriors and the Rabbitohs is as unlikely a top 4 match up as you could imagine, but this game will be a cracker. Both teams are exceeding expectations this year, and neither will want to give any ground away on the ladder. Straight after that beauty will come the match of the round, the top of the table clash between the Panthers and the Dragons. Both teams have been slightly off their game at times over the last couple of weeks, but Nathan Cleary’s return last week was outstanding, and his performance could be the difference between the two teams. It’s a toss of the coin, but it will be outstanding.
Predictions
The Broncos will continue the Eels’ misery when they clash at Suncorp, with the Queenslanders coming out on top. The Sea Eagles are coming back into form, and the Raiders are just too unpredictable to tip, so it’s Manly to win this one. The Storm will get it done against the Cowboys, the Roosters will be too strong for a gallant Titans, and the Rabbitohs will get a valuable two points over the ditch when they scrape past the Warriors. The Panthers will join the Dragons at the top of the table by beating St George on Saturday, and the Sharks will have too much grit for the Knights. Finally, the Tigers will get a long overdue win over the underwhelming Bulldogs.
Best Bet
Some tough ones to pick this weekend, but the Broncos will have a point to prove after a couple of controversial victories, and they should be able to cover the start against an Eels team that can’t buy a win. The Broncos -6.5 at $1.90 is our best bet of the week.
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Words: Cameron Stokes
