NRL Round 18 South Sydney Rabbitohs v Newcastle Knights Preview

The Rabbitohs fans are growing in confidence with each win that they have and some of daring to dream. But if there is anything that Souths fans should do is definitely not get too far ahead of themselves. They are currently 7th on the table and if they want to have a second bite at the semi final cherry come September, they will want to finish in the Top 4. Newcastle on the other hand are all but done with their season. They cannot make a run for the semi's (well they can, but only really mathematically) but their focus will now shift on consolidating their roster for coming seasons under the direction of master coach Wayne Bennett. They have almost turned around part of their season in recent weeks with two wins in a row, but you cannot forget the poor football that they have played. They will need lift to a remarkable level if they are to make it tough for a few Top 8 teams. Both teams will have two players returning from SOO duty for QLD and both should play. In years gone by, this was a game that a Souths team with potential would generally lose. As was their clash against the Panther last week but they put in a very good second half performance to put the Panthers away. This game is no different and the Rabbitohs will want to win this game with ease.

South Sydney Rabbitohs

Souths welcome Greg Inglis back to the starting team after SOO. He played a fantastic role for QLD and they certainly were at their best when he had the ball. The NSW players were swatted away like flies when they went to tackle him and he is the main reason Souths fans are excited. As a result, Nathan Merritt moves back to the wing and Andrew Everingham moves back to the centres. Shaun Corrigan drops back to an extended bench and will probably miss out in this game. Souths also welcome dynamic pommy Sam Burgess to their team after being a late inclusion last week. He is unbelievable and a real leader of the Rabbitohs forwards but he needs to get some decent game time under his belt before featuring in the semis. Dave Tyrrell hences moves back to the bench to accomodate for the return of Burgess. In the extended bench, Souths coach Michael Maguire will have to make a decision on which two players will have to miss out. Their forwards will want to dominate this game and have size on their side to do so. Isaac Luke will control the pace of the game out of hooker and with each game that goes by, rookie halfback Adam Reynolds becomes better and better. Both will be looking to stamp their authority on this game.

Newcastle Knights

The Knights copped a blow last week as Kade Snowden was ruled out with a knee injury for around 6-8 weeks. Zeb Taia moves into the starting team to play alongside Willie Mason at prop. The Knights have also named an extended bench with one player to miss out. Wayne Bennett will have to make the decision which way his team goes but the Knights will certainly want every forward on hand to combat the massive Rabbitohs forwards. The Knights do welcome back Darius Boyd from SOO duty and he will resume the fullback role and their fullback from last game, Kevin Naiqama (who was a late inclusion) drops out of the team altogether. Having a very similar team to the last few games in definitely helping the Knights increase the consistency in their play, hopefully this continues. I have mentioned that they have been good in recent weeks but then again the win against Parramatta was very tough for fans to watch.

Recent History

Overall = Rabbitohs 7 - Knights 25

Last 5 games = Rabbitohs 2 - Knights 3

At ANZ Stadium = Rabbitohs 0 - Knights 1

Odds

TAB Sportsbet = Rabbitohs $1.25 Knights $4.10

Centrebet = Rabbitohs $1.24 Knights $4.25

Sportsbet = Rabbitohs $1.28 Knights $3.80

Verdict

Its mentioned, in seasons gone by, the Rabbitohs would struggle with a game that they should win. If you look at the two teams together, the Rabbitohs are a much stronger outfit. They have a better pack of forwards with a better backline to finish. Then you compare the two fullbacks and Greg Inglis is streets ahead of Darius Boyd. Souths will look to use Inglis as much as possible but also limit his involvement after being heavily involved in SOO, when he does get the ball, they will want him at his dynamic best. Souths are a different team and with rookie Reynolds playing well behind a good platform set by the forwards, they should be too strong for the Knights in this one.

Suggested Bet

Rabbitohs 13+ @ $2.05

Ride the wave  = Greg Inglis First Try ($8) and/or Last ($8) - He is career best form and is as damaging as ever when running the ball. Why not look to capitalise on that and take him to score first or last. If you had to take just one, I would go first try as if they get out to a good lead, they may take him off.

Winning Margin = Souths 13-18 @ $4.25 - They are very short for 19+ ($2.85) and the Knights have played well in recent weeks so perhaps it might not be a total blowout in this match.

Good luck!

Scooby

@scoobystips

NRL Round 18 Gold Coast Titans v NZ Warriors Preview

Super "reduced" Saturday finishes with a clash up at Skilled Park between the Titans and the Warriors. Both teams are aiming to make the semi finals and will look to this game to start their run home. If you look at the table though, both teams have an uphill battle. They are outside the Top 8 (Warriors 2 points and the Tians 4 points) and both play a minimum of 4 Top 8 teams in their remaining rounds. If the Titans lose, they can start planning their holidays for September while the Warriors will have to rely on a few other teams losing consecutive games, and thats a situation you never want to get involved in. Throughout the season, both teams have failed to play with consistency. They do have a decent roster to call upon with representative players throughout, as well as a host of young players coming through to the NRL and making a mark. But for some reason, they have failed to fire when it matters most. The Titans will be hoping that their SOO stars will back up in this game to combat the massive Warriors pack. If not, it could be a tough one for them. Looking at the Warriors bench from last week, they are one of the strongest in the competition. So again, you look at their consistency and you begin to understand why these teams are outside the Top 8. Desperate football by desperate footballers should make this game great viewing.

Gold Coast Titans

The good news for the Titans is that prop Luke Bailey returns to the team and they also welcome back centre Beau Champion. The bad news is endless for the Titans. Both Greg Bird and Nate Myles were named to play but unfortunately they are ruled out of this clash. The Titans didn't name an extended bench so there will be a host of changes to their team before kick off. Stay tuned to different media outlets and my twitter feed for team changes and other information. The Titans will be looking to their halfback Scott Prince to lead the way in attack and he may find this task difficult without the regular "go forward" from his forwards. Hooker Matt Srama has been a fantastic asset for the Titans this season and he will again be great out of dummy half. If the Titans are to win this clash, they are going to have to find a strength within their team and play to that.


NZ Warriors
The semi-final door is quickly closing on the Warriors and they have to be faultless in each game to ensure that their semi final hopes survive until the following week. Michael Luck and Manu Vatuvei are both out of this clash with injuries. Vatuvai has now been out for a number of weeks and the Warriors have tried a whole host of replacements for the beast. In this clash, the spot on the wing is taken by Omar Slaimankhel who played there last week against the Cowboys. He is a very capable player at NRL after excelling in the Toyota Cup in previous seasons. The Warriors also have one of the best benches in the competition to call upon. Coach Brian McClennan does like to play around with the starting team right before kick off and one of his trademarks is starting players who have been named on the bench. Again, make sure you pay attention before placing a bet on individual players (especially forwards). The Warriors have also named an extended bench so one player will drop off and that is likely to be Peta Godinet.

Recent History

Overall = Titans 6 - Warriors 5
Last 5 games = Titans 2 - Warriors 3
At Skilled Park = Titans 4 - Warriors 1


Odds

TAB Sportsbet = Titans $2.75 Warriors $1.47
Centrebet = Titans $2.80 Warriors $1.46
Sportsbet = Titans $2.85 Warriors $1.45


Verdict
The Titans have an uphill battle in this clash. While they are at home, they will face a very tough and massive Warriors pack of forwards that have one of the best benches in the competition. With that in mind, the Titans forwards do not have everyone on deck to combat the Warriors. If they did, it could've been a different story. So this brings us to the Warriors. They have to go out there and ensure they do nothing else other than play consistent football. The will need the regular direction from their halves and have to play like they are at home. Its almost a "do or die" stage for them and if the players want it, they'll have to stand up!

Suggested Bet
Warriors -5.5 @ $1.80


Margin = Warriors 13+ @ $2.75 - The Warriors will look to dominate the weakened Titans team and perhaps this one could get ugly if they get rolling. The Warriors have a fantastic ability to score a lot of points very quickly.


First Try Scorer = Shaun Johnson @ $15 - The Warriors definitely have a strength with Johnson playing at halfback for them. He can spring a try from anywhere on the field and isn't afraid to take the ball to the line.


Good luck!
Scooby
@scoobystips

NRL Round 18 Melbourne Storm v Canberra Raiders Preview

The Storm are sitting pretty at the top of the premiership table and will look to move past the Raiders with ease at home. The Raiders have been poor this season overall but have thrown together a good performance every now and then, most notably, their last victory in MNF over the Dragons. That win kept a good 12-year streak alive and they celebrated the victory after the siren as if they had won the grand final. The win was a great one because they were actually missing nine regular first graders through injury, suspension or SOO selection. It was also a good win for coach David Furner as it kept those rumours about his impending departure quiet again. That is what each win and loss does for the Raiders and they can ill afford to be dragged through the same questions each week. So, keep winning. The Storm on the other hand have deserved their billing as the team to beat. However, now becomes a time of the season where they are tested most. They are already without star fullback Billy Slater for a few more weeks and will also have their other stars Cameron Smith, Dane Nielsen and Cooper Cronk backing up from SOO. Those players will begin to play under more pressure as their bodies begin to carry more aches and bruises with each game. The Storm will want to get their stars through this game without any worry as they do have a fairly tough run home. If they drop this game, they will have the Bulldogs breathing down their neck. They are not home and hosed just yet and this is a game that they need to win to keep to the Dogs at bay. Not only that, they have been very dominant thus far, but this is the business end of the season and early season form now means little.

Melbourne Storm

The Storm relished the chance to have the bye last week whilst their SOO stars were away but it is going to be tough for them to back up after a very brutal clash. Interestingly each SOO player in this game is from QLD (and thats for both teams!). The team that was named see's Nielsen, Smith and Cronk named to play so there is no shock there. A change to the team that lost to the Bulldogs in their previous start see's Cameron Smith named at hooker (his usual position) and not 5/8. Filling the 5/8 is Maurice Blair. The Storm have also named an extended bench that features Siosaia Vave, Jamian Lowe and Sisa Waqa and perhaps they will be the players to miss out. They also purchased Richie Fa'oso from the Knights before the June 30 deadline and some suggest that he may be a late inclusion to add some muscle and aggression to the forwards. The Storm will not want to drop this match here against the Raiders knowing full well that this was a game last year where the Raiders caused an upset winning 20-12 (at AAMI park!). They will want to reduce the amount of involvement their stars have and will want to put the Raiders away early to perhaps take them off the field and begin much needed recovery time. In saying that, the two points will be a definite priority.

Canberra Raiders

The Raiders have a very short turn around from their MNF match and a tough trip down south. Their confidence will be sky high after grounding out a tough victory. This young team finally showed what they are capable of. They will also be boosted by the return of QLD prop Dave Shillington to the front row and also resume captaincy duties. As a result, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, who was also co-captain in Shillington's absence, drops back to the interchange bench, while Bronson Harrison is dropped altogether (due to injury) to accomodate Learoyd-Lahrs. Late inclusion for the Dragons match Sandor Earl is also named this week to start. The Raiders have also named an extended bench with one player to drop out before kick off. It is interesting to see Blake Ferguson named despite appearing to suffer a bad facial injury late in MNF. The Raiders have struggled with consistency this season and can implode at certain times, but they have to keep winning if they want coach Dave Furner to remain. They are still suffering from a horror injury toll so perhaps this game will have a better long term benefit in terms of "blooding" young players.

Recent History

Overall = Storm 23 - Raiders 7

Last 5 games = Storm 4 - Raiders 1

At AAMI Park = Storm 1 - Raiders 1

Odds

TAB Sportsbet = Storm $1.20 Raiders $4.75

Centrebet = Storm $1.25 Raiders $4.15

Sportsbet = Storm $1.20 Raiders $4.75

Verdict

The Raiders did win this corresponding fixture last year and will be able to adjust easily to the wet and cold conditions that are expected in Melbourne for this game. With all that considered, the Storm should still be too strong for the Raiders. It is reasonable to assume that the Raiders will still be full of confidence follow MNF and there were great in that game. They completed 35/40 sets and had an efficiency rating of 98%! But they also had a considerable 16-6 advantage at HT and should have put the Dragons away instead of letting them find a way back into the game. The Storm can ill-afford to drop this game either because following this match they have a very tough run into September. They are a very classy outfit and should get the job done in this one, but I definitely believe that the Raiders are overs with the bookies.

Suggested Bet

Storm @ $1.25 w/Centrebet

Margin = Storm 1-12 @ $3 - As stated above, the Storm will want to put this game away early and perhaps taking their star players off the field with time remaining will allow the Raiders to score a few late tries and they certainly can score a try from anywhere on the field.

Line call = Raiders +13.5 @ $1.85 - This is a massive start given to the Raiders and it has to be based on their poor performances this season and not their good ones. They deserve to be outsiders but this bet relates to the point which was raised above. The Storm may switch off, but still win the match.

Good luck!

Scooby

@scoobystips

NRL Round 18 West Tigers v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Preview

Now that SOO and other representative games are done until the end of the NRL season, the focus now shifts to which teams are going to make their run for the Top 8 and feature heavily. It was mentioned in the Round 18 Power Rankings that perhaps the Top 8 teams are now set and it is now just a matter of who will finish where. The Tigers currently sit in 8th place and two points away from 7th (assuming that the Cowboys already have their points from their bye this weekend). The worse thing about their situation is that they only have a points difference of +8. They really need to get moving otherwise they will face a sudden death situation from the beginning of the semi finals. They have a fairly tough run home too, so this game almost becomes a must win match for them if they want to finish higher than 8th. Recently, they have lost their past two matches and will be looking to come out firing in this match after a week off with the bye. One thing that the Tigers of recent years have shown us, they are a tremendous football team at the business end of the season and have the ability to produce some amazing performances. They will need their stars all firing together. The Dogs sit 2nd and having a look at their run home, they are definitely a chance of winning the Minor Premiership. But no doubt that is at the back of their minds and will just look to continue playing the great football that has them at the right end of the table. Against the Storm, they were fantastic in defence and scored some amazing tries (see this video of Ben Barba's effort). They have to continue on "flying under the radar", but with each performance, they seem to get better and better. They are the real deal at this point of the season but this will be a great measure of where they are at as teams begin to focus on September.

Wests Tigers
Obviously the first question that will be asked, is whether or not Farrah will back up from SOO on Wednesday. He played a fantastic game and it was up until the dying minutes where he made a crucial mistake that unfortunately, people will remember most. But the breaking news is that he is out. This is a massive blow to the Tigers and I am unsure of who will replace him but it probably will be Tom Humble, but stay tuned to my twitter feed for more information. The rest of the Tigers team should be feeling pretty fresh after a bye week. The bye couldn't have come at a better time for the Tigers as they had lost 2 games in a row. Beau Ryan has been moved to fullback to cover for Tim Moltzen who has succumbed to a hamstring injury. The Tigers will lose nothing with Ryan moving there. The games in which he has played fullback have been some of his best. He is a noted funny man off the field but he is certainly improving his on field performance. The Tigers also receive a boost with both Curtis Sironen and Liam Fulton named to make their return from injury in this game, both in the starting team. Sironen will play 5/8 and Fulton is named to start in the second row alongside Adam Blair. Matt Bell moves back to the interchange bench to make way for Fulton and Ayshford has been dropped altogether for Sironen. The Tigers have also named an extended bench that also feature Joel Reddy and Tom Humble.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
The Bulldogs only have Josh Morris to worry about returning from SOO but that is a small worry in itself. Morris appeared to cop a knock to the head late in the match but no doubt he will be able to back up. He was one of NSW best players in that match and deserves every bit of credit that he gets. In a very late and controversial late season move, Sam Perrett will make his debut for the Bulldogs in this clash. They have obtained a fantastic player here and Perrett will be out to prove a point. Otherwise, the Bulldogs retain the same team that handed it to the Storm in Mackay in Round 16. They have named an extended bench that features 6 players so two will drop off there. One can only assume that Luke McDougall was named there in case Morris was injured. The Bulldogs continue to put in fantastic attacking performances but it was their defence that people would have noticed in their win over the Storm. Storm captain Cameron Smith also made point of in it a post match interview that it had been the hardest he was hit this season.

Recent History

Overall = Tigers 9 - Bulldogs 13
Last 5 games = Tigers 2 - Bulldogs 3
At Allianz Stadium = Tigers 1 - Bulldogs 1

Odds
TAB Sportsbet = Tigers $2.65 Bulldogs $1.50
Centrebet = Tigers $2.52 Bulldogs $1.55
Sportsbet = Tigers $2.50 Bulldogs $1.55

Verdict
This isn't the Tigers usual home ground but they certainly don't lose an advantage. To anyone that has never been to the SFS when the Tigers are playing, they certainly have a mountain of support present. Even when they are the away team. This game is sure to be a cracker. It will be played in very wet conditions due to the rain which has fallen down on Sydney in the past 24 hours. You look at the two teams together and Bulldogs definitely have players who have reached a more consistent level of play this season. They seem to be set in their structure and each player understand what is required of them. The Tigers on the other hand have missed a few players through injury and had a whole host of players either playing out of position or playing longer minutes then would be required of them (forwards only). It would be interesting to see a stat on how many players the Bulldogs have used overall this season because it would be many. If you also compare the weaknesses of both teams, the Tigers have more. The Bulldogs have their unheralded halves but Josh Reynolds has been a dynamic player this season and he is definitely not the missing link. Kris Keating on the other hand may be. At times when he is under pressure he hasn't delivered, but in saying that, he is has played well of late and is keeping Trent Hodkinson in NSW Cup. The Tigers need to overcome the problem of their wingers and will be hoping that the Bulldogs do not attack either of them. Both are very slow and are caught out of position a lot of the time in defence. They also don't have a very dynamic bench appart from Ben Murdoch-Masila. Farrah is also out so they are weakened in and around the ruck as well as more pressure falling on Marshall's shoulders.

Suggested Bet
Bulldogs 1-12 @ $2.90


First Try, points to prove = Sam Perrett 1st & Last Try @ $11 - He was a mid season move and now has landed at Belmore. Cast your mind back to when Krisnan Inu transferred over to the Dogs, he had a blinder and has since not looked back. Perrett was a class player to begin with so expect him to want to score at some point. Even consider 1st Try of the 2nd Half @ $11 and just to score a try @ $2.


To Cover the Line = Bulldogs -5.5 @ $1.90 - If you are confident that the Bulldogs will win but unsure of a margin to take then I suggest that this bet is for you. This means that they have to win by a converted try or more.


Good luck!
Scooby
@scoobystips

State of Origin 3 Betting Preview

So here it is...ever since the final whistle went in Game 2, rugby league fans have been looking forward to this match. They have debated about every topic relating to the match and have suggested changes or game plans that each team should implement that will gain them success in the deciding game. NSW fans will be hoping that their team can end the dominance of QLD and avoid a 7th consecutive series victory, whilst north of the boarder, QLD fans are hoping that their winning streak continues. This match is on track to shatter any previous viewing record and is tipping to have the most money held on a match by several bookmakers. So this is where we find ourselves now. Looking at what betting options are available to us and perhaps where we can find something that can yield us a return. I will say, this game is going to be a great spectacle and have said in my other two origin previews, that you should perhaps not invest as much money and just enjoy the game. My thoughts are no different here. Enjoy the game, but a few small bets won't hurt to make the game a little more interesting (like that is needed!).

First Try Scorer = NSW - I've previously said Robbie Farrah ($28.75) and Todd Carney ($21.25) and will stick with these two as options for the Blues. Carney, by his own admission, didn't have the best game in Game 1. But it was good to see him bounce back in Game 2 and take the ball to the line more, which resulted in a run away try to Brett Stewart. With each game that goes by, Carney continues to grow in confidence. Farrah is always in and around the ruck and searching for the line. Obviously between this game and the last one, he has gone through a lot of heartache. But he is a professional and will look to capitalise on the sometimes "lazy" defence by the bigger QLD forwards around the play the ball. I will also make one more selection and that is Jarryd Hayne ($12.50). Josh Morris and Brett Morris were tipped to play on the same side together but Ricky Stuart has said that this won't happen. That means Hayne will be playing alongside Josh. Josh has been in some fantastic form this season and in Origin, he has been just as good. His defence against Greg Inglis was nothing short of amazing. He made tackles against him that had to be made and covered well for Uate outside him. Now that Inglis has moved to fullback , Dane Nielsen will face Morris. While Nielsen is a good defender, Morris has the ability to draw in two players (Boyd & Nielsen) and give the ball to Hayne in open space.

QLD - I have stuck solid with Tate ($13) through the first two games and he put in a fantastic performance in Origin 2. What I am finding difficult to have with Tate is he is playing outside Justin Hodges who very rarely passes the football to him. That must becoming frustrating because Hodges does sometimes attract two players in. So I am going to look elsewhere in this game. Now that Greg Inglis ($9) has moved to fullback to replace Billy Slater, the chance that he gets the ball more often increase dramatically. He was moved their for the Rabbitohs and has been nothing short of brilliant. He is a terrific player so take him, even if he is the shortest priced player. If you want some value for QLD, have a look at Sam Thaiday ($26). He missed Origin 2 through injury and will be out to assert his dominance on the game early. He plays on the right hand side for the Maroons and they look dangerous each time they went there in Game 2. Maybe he will be steaming onto the ball close to the line.

First Try Scorer/Margin Double = I've said it in every Origin preview that I've given this year. This game will be a close one, so there is no reason not to increase your money and chuck in a 1-12 on either side. If you pick one player from each team and invest $10 First Try/NSW 1-12 & then QLD 1-12, you're looking at a $40 outlay. If you think that one team is sure to win if they score first or like a particular option, then go with what your mind says.

QLD

Inglis/QLD 1-12 @ $19

Inglis/NSW 1-12 @ $34

Thaiday/QLD 1-12 @ $59

Thaiday/NSW 1-12 @ $98

NSW

Hayne/QLD 1-12 @ $33

Hayne/NSW 1-12 @ $23

Farrah/QLD 1-12 @ $75

Farrah/NSW 1-12 @ $52

Half/Fulltime Double = This option provides plenty of value for punters. It is going to be a very close game and rather than say that one team will lead all the way, or one will lead and then fightback, I believe the best option lies in the draw/result. Draw/QLD and Draw/NSW are both @ $15. Interestingly, if it is going to be close enough, Draw/Draw is at $34. Maybe if golden point is the only outcome, this may be the way to go. Remember you can still have a golden point win if a team leads at halftime. Also consider QLD/Draw and NSW/Draw both at $26. Yes, I am saying scores will be level at some point in the game (and not just 0-0!).

Winning Margin = Obviously it is going to be a close game and it would be a very big surprise for either side to get blown out of the water in this game. QLD 1-6 ($4.75) and NSW 1-6 ($5.25) are both very good options. Again, the Draw is valuable @ $19.

Man of the Match = After the farce that was the Origin 2 MOM, I would perhaps steer clear of this option. But that doesn't mean that I am not going to provide a few selections. Robbie Farrah ($8) was extremely hard done by in Game 2 and it should be noted that he won the NSW players player. As for other NSW players, consider Carney ($9) and a roughy, Luke Lewis ($34). For QLD, you need to go no further than Thaiday ($26), Thurston ($7) and Inglis ($6).

Tri-Bet = Either Team Under 6.5 Points @ $2.65 possess a bit of value for the average punter if you were aiming to create a multi which would include a few Wimbledon head-to-head matches.

Best Value Bookie = Don't just take on one website or organisation because they are the easiest to access. Look around and search hard to find the best value for money offer. Plenty of outlets are offerring some great specials on the match so look for them also. Be smart, after all, it is your money.

Winner = I have refrained from posting a winner in the previous two previews I have given, but this is the deciding game, Game 3, so why not. For the record, I will be backing NSW to get the win. I think that after 6 years, they have finally found what they were missing and needed to overcome the QLD team. Throw in a few injuries to Slater and Ashley Harrison, and you have a weaker QLD, as opposed to years gone by. Don't for a second think that I am calling QLD weak, they are far from that. I believe that NSW also have a faster and more mobile forward pack that is capable of working the bigger and less mobile QLD forwards over early in the game. Some have suggested that this is where QLD are vulnerable and I agree. They have the class, but I think that NSW has come up with a very good game plan to combat the QLDers.

Good luck!

Scooby

@scoobystips

NRL Round 18 Power Rankings

ROUND 18

Round 17 was a reduced round due to a number of teams having the bye in the week leading up to SOO, but there was some really good NRL action. There were teams who almost saw their season disappear with a loss and others who cemented themselves as serious contenders for the title this season. Round 18 will see the remaining teams in the competition without a bye, have their final one for the year. All teams will now be on a level playing field and teams will be readying for a run home. I will go out on a limb and say that the Top 8 as it stands now will not change (no new teams in by Round 26). What will change is the teams placings. Stay tuned!


Bold = This week  ( ) = Last week

1 (1) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs = Had the bye and are now readying themselves for a blockbuster clash against the Tigers at the SFS. There is sure to be a massive crowd on offer and the Dogs will be looking to take care of a Tigers team that has lost 2 in a row.

2 (2) Melbourne Storm = Had the bye and now the question will be asked as to how well their stars recover after the final Origin match. Also, they will be sweating on the return of fullback Billy Slater. Should be the Raiders but them have a tough few games after that.

3 (4) Cronulla Sharks = The Sharks were fantastic against the Broncos. They were tipped as outsiders because of their poor record up at Suncorp Stadium, but I said it in the preview for that game, and have said it all season, this is a different Sharks team. They were great in defence and hit the young Broncos very hard in tackles.


4 (3) Brisbane Broncos = Were outmuscled by the Sharks and really did miss their SOO players. Have the bye in Round 18 and have a few injuries to get past. Also have a tough run home. They will need this week off to rest as they looked tired at times.

5 (5) West Tigers = Had a bye and really did need it after losing their last two matches. Will have to regroup this weekend as they have a very tough game against the Bulldogs at the SFS. The Tigers sit 8th on the table, two points away from the Cowboys in 7th who also have a bye this weekend. Have a poor differential with only +8.


6 (9) South Sydney Rabbitohs = The Rabbitohs won a game which in seasons gone by, they would have lost. They put in a good performance after the Panther fought back to have the score 14-12 to the Rabbits at HT. Most impressive for the Rabbitohs apart from Dave Taylor was the 24-nil second half. Have another game they should win against he Knights.


7 (6) North Queensland Cowboys = Were definitely weakened by their players away on SOO duty. Had a tough game against the Warriors but did show some promise. They will enjoy the week off before a tough run home.

8 (7) Manly Warringah Sea Eagles = After their last bye, they now shift their focus towards Round 18 where they play the Parramatta Eels. They lost to the Eels earlier this year and will definitely be looking to put them away in this game to make up for the embarrassment of that loss.


9 (11) NZ Warriors = Dominant display against a weakened Cowboys outfit. But you can only play what is infront of you. There were a few players who suffered minor injuries so hopefully they recover to face the Titans. Have a very, very strong bench.


10 (8) Gold Coast Titans = The bye came at a good time with a lot of injuries to key players. They now have to face the Warriors who are desperate to keep their finals hopes alive. Will be interesting to see how many of their SOO players back up because they will all be needed.

11 (12) Newcastle Knights = Their game against the Eels was tough for Rugby League fans to watch. But they did make it two wins in a row for their fans. They are doing everything possible to not finish in the bottom 4 and finish the season with some promise. 


12 (10) St George Illawarra Dragons = The dreaded Canberra curse continues! They just couldn't finish off the Raiders when they needed to most. They have no direction in attack and were lucky to score when they did. Coach Price must start making some tough calls on some out-of-form players.

13 (14) Canberra Raiders = It was a big effort by a young Raiders team that were missing 9 regular first graders, but they kept their 12 year unbeaten winning streak against the Dragons alive. With each win that occurs, the rumours about Ricky Stuarts arrival seem to get quieter and quieter.

14 (15) Sydney Roosters = A week out of the spotlight has helped the Roosters avoid any speculation about the apparent rift between some players and coach Brian Smith. All is not well in Rooster town but they do have a very strong and young roster that can cause an upset or two in the run home for some teams. After their bye, they will take on a tough Sharks team.

15 (13) Parramatta Eels = Were very poor against the Knights and that was mainly their defence. They failed to aim up and missed crucial tackles. Steve Kearny could now be the first coach to go. The players should just focus on not winning the spoon as Nathan Hindmarsh and Luke Burt do not deserve that honor in their final season.

16 (16) Penrith Panthers = Showed some fight to get to 12 points at the half, but then failed to score a point in the second half. Coach Michael Cleary's job is safe, but he has to now regroup this week as they have the bye and try to avoid the spoon. They are build for 2013, and beyond, why not start now?

NRL Round 17 Canberra Raiders v St George Illawarra Dragons Preview

It's the year 2000 and Sydney is just getting ready to host one of the biggest shows on earth, the Olympic games. The place is buzzing and the newly merged Dragons are looking to go one better this season after narrowly going down to the Storm the previous season. Petrol prices were 77c per litre and John Howard was Prime Minister of this country. It seems a world away, but this year was also the last time that the Dragons beat the Raiders down in the nations capital. Recently, when the season draw was released, Raiders fans would circle this game in their calendar as one they would not miss. Nothing has changed, and recent opinions floating around would suggest that this game will be no different. There has to be something that the proud Red V players just do not like about this clash. But then again you cannot blame them. It will be played in very very cold conditions and each tackle that is made will definitely hurt. There is a long drive down there which can become even longer without a win. But the Dragons have to find something in this clash. This is their season on the line here. If they want to play finals footy, they are going to have to win this game. Looking at the run home of the top 10 teams, it will be hard for the Dragons to force their way into the Top 8. So this makes this clash more interesting. Another great chapter of Monday Night Footy lies ahead!

Canberra Raiders

Before people begin to jump to conclusions and suggest that the Raiders should win this because of recent history, they must realise that they are missing 9 regular first graders through injury and SOO selection. Last week, they had a very tough trip up to North Queensland and were punished for soft defence and critical mistakes. They also lost 5/8 and key players Josh Dugan to a leg injury. There must be a curse about the Raiders No. 6 jersey in recent years and one would not want to wear it given its history of causing those players injury. There is also news floating around that the team which is named may not be the team that takes the field so stay tuned to my twitter feed for more information. Coming in for Dugan is Sam Williams at half and Josh McCrone will move back to 5/8. Dane Tilse will start at prop for the Maroons Dave Shillington. Those are the only changes to the starting team, but as I said, pay attention to breaking news. There are two new faces to the interchange, Joe Picker is back from injury and Mark Nicholls also takes his place in the team.

St George Illawarra Dragons

The Dragons were boosted earlier in the week with news that their NSW prop, Trent Merrin was released to play this game. He will be out with a point to prove in this one. Named in the starting team to take Merrins spot was Jack de Belin, who came off the bench in last weeks win over the Titans. Remaining in the NSW SOO team is Ben Creagh and Beau Scott. Taking their place in the back row for the Dragons is Leeson Ah Mau and Jake Marketo. Marketo was on the bench against the Titans but with de Belin also named in the starting side, the Dragons have an extended bench including Merrin. The two new players on the bench include Josh Miller and Jeremy Latimore. Please note, this Dragons team will most certainly not be the team that takes the field, so again, stay tuned to my twitter feed. The Dragons have struggled this season to score points and that is going to be one thing that works against them in this match. A lot has been made over the apparent "change" that is occurring at the club since Wayne Bennett's departure. It is mentioned above, their season is on the line here and they must produce a dominating victory.

Recent History

Overall = Raiders 13 - Draw 1 - Dragons 6

Last 5 = Raiders 5 - Dragons 0

At Canberra Stadium = Raiders 9 - Dragons 2

Odds

TAB Sportsbet = Raiders $2.40 Dragons $1.60

Centrebet = Raiders $2.47 Dragons $1.57

Sportsbet = Raiders $2.45 Dragons $1.48

Verdict

If the Dragons were facing a full strength Raiders team, then I would say take the Raiders at home. But lets be realistic about it. The Dragons do have a very poor record at the Nations Capital, but the Raiders have been very poor this season. With each game that passes by, the rumours of David Furners sacking grow louder. In saying that, Raiders officials say that they have not spoken to Ricky Stuart. An embarrassing loss here might just change their minds. The Dragons should get the job done if they are serious about their season, but they have struggled to score points this season. If they are to win, it will be a very close game!

Suggested Bet

Dragons 1-12 @ $2.75

Winning Margin = Dragons 1-6 @ $5.25 - I said that it would be a close game, so if you are backing them 1-12, why not be a little more specific and take them to win by no more than 6 points?

First Try Scorer = Matt Cooper @ $9 - Cooper has been very quiet this season and he has not got the ball with enough room to do anything. This week he comes up against the very hot/cold Blake Ferguson who looks like a superstar one week and then a dunce the next. Cooper has a lot more class then Ferguson does.

Good luck!

Scooby

@scoobystips