Rooty Hill RSL NRL Blog

Round 12 Tips

Well only 5 games this week and its probably a good weekend to take the bride away for a break because aside from the Dogs and knights..there's not much on offer.

 

Tonight the Dragons have 7 guys out now Cooper and Prior are missing plus the 5 Origin players...makes it tough but Penrith have 3 in Origin and Waterhouse is unlikely so I'm happy to stick solid with Saints.

 

They have done the right thing the last few weeks and no reason to jump off now

 

Tomorrow I can even get remotely excited about Parra and Cronulla...aside from Tupou, Trent Barrett and Luke Covell the Sharks side is nameless...and Parra is only marginally better

 

Tip...go to the movies or watch the AFL

 

 

The Warriors fans reckon their biggest problem is attack...not scoring enough points. I think it’s their defence, they are leaking points like never before and that needs to stop if they are to win a game.

 

The Tigers side is terrific on paper even with no Farah. They are worth 26 points and I don't think the Warriors are going to score 28.

 

Tip tigers to win

 

 

Newcastle and Bulldogs is the match of the round and if you look at the Dogs form... Thrashed Melbourne, should’ve beaten Dragons, thrashed Canberra, Newcastle flogged by Cowboys on Monday, before that beat Roosters easily and just beat Titans...

 

On form alone the Dogs are the bet of the week...Kimmorley won't play but that is offset by no Gidley for the Knights

 

Dog’s specials

 

South’s were average last week and didn't deserve a point but maybe that was the shake-up they needed...just don't fancy Canberra away from home and against a strong defensive line up. They got lapped in Melbourne a few weeks ago and tipping the same here. South’s easy

 

 

Try this all up

 

Dragons, tigers with start, dogs minus start and South’s minus start

Round 11 Wrap

Well they have done it again the refs…they have managed to dominate the headlines even when they try not to but I think they have been a bit hard done by in one case.

 

The South's drama on Friday night was not the fault of Brett Suttor the referee. I first thought it was but after looking at the vision I now know that he acted correctly. The issue is when a team packs a quick scrum, not everyone in the scrum is a forward and hence they don't know the exact rules.

 

When the South's 2nd row initially stuck their heads up Craig Wing told them to stick them back in. The ref missed that but then the replacement Shannon McPherson did it again.. Suttor spotted it and blew time on again.

 

Wingy did not react quick enough and when we had him on BigPond Sports on the weekend, he admitted it and knew that the delays in him retrieving the ball was as much to blame as anything…lucky it ended up a draw.

 

The sin binning of Benji Marshall I can’t agree with.. if players were sin binned for a professional foul in the last 15 minutes then they should be sin binned in the first 20 and we all know it never happens.

 

Benji did strip it but on a wet night there was as much dropped ball as stripped so the refs have to rule a little to the left rather than straight black and white.

 

The Gold Coast penalty was a 50-50 call. Dessy blew up but a few weeks back when Manly got a good call, Dessy says 'I didn't see it'…what a crock…coaches see everything and they see it better when the call goes against them.

 

A fact proven by John Cartwright saying he didn't see it but the channel 9 cameras were on him screaming and cheering when the penalty was given. He would've also seen the 2 or 3 replays shown on the coverage.

 

Don't get me wrong I would've done the same if I was either coach but the 2 refs work better than one and I think we should persist even if they are getting some calls wrong.

 

The Roosters looked rudderless against the Panthers and we read now that Nick Politis won’t be guaranteeing Freddie's job…that won’t make him feel at all good reading that…especially since he'd said earlier that the job was his for as long as he liked…amazing what a few losses can do.

 

And the Sharks and Dragons handled the alleged racial slur with quality and class on the weekend. Once Paul Gallen realised he had offended Mickey Paea and said the wrong thing he was quick to try and right the wrong.

 

No point in admitting to us journos what happened as we would feast on it for a few days. Handle it between the players, offer apologies and move on. People make mistakes on the field, referees, players as much as we make mistakes off the field and sometimes that's all they are…a mistake.

 

Life is like that, the key is to apologise and don't make the same one again.

 

The origin team is named tonight and I've already had my 2 bobs worth so we will see what the selectors think. It makes no difference what happens tonight. Next Wednesday in Melbourne...Queensland will win.

Sharks in Crisis

Has there ever been a club in any sport that's gone through as much in a short space of time as the Sharks? If so then tell me who it is?

 

Cronulla have hit rock bottom with 3 bits of news over the past 24 hours. Reni Maitua's positive drugs test, Tony Zappia allegedly paying off an ex staff member after he struck her, and LG deciding not to renew their sponsorship.

 

The saying goes that bad news happens in 3's. I think in Cronulla's case it might be 6's.

 

The Matthew Johns revelations last week did an almighty amount of damage to a club that was struggling.

 

I predict the next bit of news will be about Zappia needing to stand down while an investigation takes place into the alleged incident and the Sharks falling from grace so badly that the NRL need to step in and take over the club.

 

How else will they be able to survive unless the NRL takes over like an administrator takes over a failing business and that's what the Sharks are. A failing business. They have no money, losing sponsors, crowds are dwindling and if you believe the street corner gossip, paying the staff wages will be a major problem sooner rather than later.

 

The Central Coast want nothing to do with another failed option so that's out of the question.

 

If David Gallop does not make this decision immediately then the future of the Sharks is doomed. It may well be doomed already but if the big brother steps in and takes over then maybe some stability can be brought into the place.

 

 

Round 10 Review

Well the latest joke doing the rounds about video referees robbing the game of great finishes was never truer than friday night when the Dogs were robbed!!

 

Plain and simple...it was a try then and every time we saw a video replay and how S Clark thought otherwise is beyond me and how the boss Robert Finch who was sitting in the box, allowed it to happen is another beyond me response.

 

The Dogs are still equal leaders despite everything that's happened this year and the one thing that is obvious is how strong a bond they have. They were filthy on Friday night and then an hour later they were over it, talking about the next match against Melbourne this weekend.

 

Its certainly a new Bulldogs all round...the only positive about Friday night was the fact we took the 2.5 start and the last try/no try made no difference...phew.

 

The Broncos gave the Titans a sniff but really showed class in the end and ran out easy winners.. the Broncos are about to hit the hardest part of the year with Origin teams announced next week

 

The one thing that hasn’t changed this week is the Roosters inability to score points. They really can’t get over the line at the moment and you have to feel for them because you know they are trying everything they can but it’s just not clicking. Newcastle on the other are clicking left right and centre...and they will only lose Kurt Gildey and maybe Jarrod Mullen through the Origin break so they will be OK.

 

 

Penrith continue to surprise all and sundry and while the Sharks did get close in the end. The Panthers took the foot off the gas and had Petero off the field when the Sharks scored a couple but there are more teams worried about the Panthers than Cronulla.

 

BUT take out Petero, Jennings, Waterhouse, Lewis and all of a sudden it looks tough for the mountain men.. cos all those guys are now origin certs.

 

How good was Sunday footy at the SCG. What a great game in every aspect and the finish was sensational. Nathan Merritt never kicked a field goal in his career until yesterday and it was the best drop kick I’ve seen since Geoff Southby used to kick them for Carlton in the 70's in AFL. Geez it was a ripper and the 30 thousand would all be back next week if another game was at the SCG.

 

The Tigers have now lost a few of the close ones and that might get a bit expensive at the pointy end of the season. Robbie Farah did cement his spot in the Origin side

 

Manly looked good and seem to be back after back to back wins...while the Warriors got back to their bad old ways losing easily to the Cowboys..

 

Next Monday night the Origin sides are announced and for what is worth this is mine

 

Fullback - Kurt Gidley

Wingers - Jarryd Hayne, David Williams

Centres - Michael Jennings, Jamie Lyon

5/8th - Jarrod Mullen

Half Back - Peter Wallace

 

Lock - Paul Gallen

2nd Row - Anthony Watmough, Anthony Lafranchi 

Hooker - Robbie Farah

Props - Luke Bailey, Brent Kite

 

 

Reserves Glenn Stewart, Luke Lewis, Michael Weyman, Trent Waterhouse

 

Luke O'Donnell, Mark Minichiello, Justin Poore Ben Creagh might also figure

 

Review

Well I did warn you that this weekend would be a nightmare for tipsters and when you throw in some dodgy video referee decisions life gets pretty hard...

 

The only certainty was Australia winning and whilst I thought the Kiwis would prove to be a tougher nut to crack than previously, the reailty is they were pretty ordinary... Benji tried too hard and the Aussie boys worked like a team and ground them into the ground.

 

Staying up late for the 2^nd game has never been easy but watching the City Country clash was great and good luck to the likes of Keith Galloway,. Michael Jennings, Mark Minichiello as they should all get Blues jumpers after their efforts.. whether they will or not remains to be seen.

 

 

Now to the video refs...how is it you can use your torso to ground the ball but the same torso cant be guilty of knocking the ball on?? That’s the dumbest rule in football and that’s saying something because there are a few of them. Jamie Lyon did not and could not score that try based on that...Rabs and Sterlo said so and I believe them before Paul Simpkins.

 

I don’t know about the decision not to award Chris Walker his try either..all year long we have seen a feather of a finger touch a ball in slo mo and they award it and unless my eyes are going.. his fingers touched the ball yesterday and the video ref Sean Hampstead said no try..

 

Just watch out for the NRL to gag John Cartwright this week after his comments post match.. Carty was 200% right but guess what they won’t admit it

 

I looked at my tips a minute ago...2 out of 5...not good...but I’m confident about 2 things tonight..Melbourne will win and we will have a cracking good time at the footy forum.

 

The Big Man and Noddy Kimmorley plus the chance to win 2 big screen TV’s... you have to pick the winning team and the exact margin...i.e. Melbourne by 13 and if you do and nobody else does, then whooska. Only 1 entry is allowed but bring a mate or the bride and have 2 go’s and if you win then spilt the TV’s...1 in her room and 1 in yours.. .what a great idea!!!

 

 

We kick it off at 6.30 with a bit of a chat and our predictions for what will happen come State Of Origin time..

 

And we are in the brand new sports bar at Rooty Hill so see ya tonight.

Weekend Tips

Very hard to get excited about the tips this weekend because there is not much hope of us knowing who is playing and who is not.

 

But the chances of Smith, Hornby and Cooper playing for the Dragons dont look likely.. or Billy backing up for the Storm

 

So we are going in blind so to speak

 

But the test match still provides an interesting game of football.. I wont go into the programming of both games because its not gonna change in the next 2 hours is it?

 

So Australia should win but will they?

 

I dunno.. I really dont. the loss of Issac Luke was a big blow but they are over that and they are full of beans. I know the Kiwis dont like these one off tests but that was before Steve Kearney won a world cup with them.

 

I'm tipping Australia with the help of some very good forward play but I just dont think it will be the walkover everyone is suggesting.. maybe I will be totally wrong like every other week but lets wait and see.

 

Bottom line is half the Aussies are not playing good footy and if the team was picked on from they wouldn’t be there...so do you they think themselves lucky or did they expect it? I reckon the latter.

 

Tip Aussies of course...by 8

 

 

The City Country game I wish I could watch live.. the match really has a great look about it with the 10 ORIGIN PLACES UP FOR GRABS and being a country boy I hope the country lads fire up and belt them.

 

The likes of Ennis, Ryan, Weyman, Perry and Mullen I expect to all push for Origin and don't be surprised if Mullen makes the halfback spot or picks up a spot on the bench.. he has a few more feathers in his cap than Peter Wallace and thats what the Blues selectors will be looking for..

 

City..nah who cares about them.

 

Tip Country by 20

 

 

the weekend games are a night mare.. the Dragons boys all get a plane form Orange to Brisbane tomorrow and then onto  Townsville..ouch after a big game tonight its hard to tip them and with others carrying injuries you just dont know.. but they are the competition leaders so Im sticking solid.

 

The players all reckon playing the next day is better than 2 days later so we will see if thats the case

 

TIP Dragons just

 

Newcastle and the Gold Coast is another ripping match and another which will depend on how the boys all back up..

 

Dunno whats worse.. backing up the following day, or getting a plane back to sydney then driving to Newcastle then backing up 2 days later!!!

 

Tip Newcastle just

 

 

Brisbane and Manly.. there has been a bit of a push for the Manly team but I can see why. They stunk last week and they only scored twice despite having a tonne of ball in the 2nd half. I think this will put the sword into Manly's season this game and despite there poor form they have as many players backing up than the Broncos.

 

Perry, Lyon, Kite, Watmough, Stewart, Wolfman and an injury to Cutherbertson leave me out of them thank very much

 

Tip Brisbane at home..specials

 

 

and Monday night footy could toss up anything…the Storm generally go well after a quick back up and again the Central Coast is probably not a bad place to recuperate so I m thinking they will be too classy for the Roosters who only just beat Cronulla last weekend.

 

Tip Storm by a space

 

 

Best bet, Country into Brisbane…load up and shout Mum dinner on Sunday night.

Mid week Rant

So the city country dramas continue, the Kiwis are given no hope of winning, and fitzy gets the heave ho from the Parramatta meeting!!

 

Is this ground hog day or what??

 

Nobody has explained to me why this city country match is on friday but whatever the case it means a horror weekend for the tipsters.. I mean there are more than half a dozen blokes from the Dragons who are playing on Friday night, then they all have to get from Orange to Brisbane via a charter then off to Townsville.. the Dragons could take a record number of players on the plane!

 

If they have their Toyota Cup guys and the first grade and 8 spares.. thats a whole lot of footy players..

 

And if Hornby and Matt Cooper got ruled out for city country, you hardly think they would be ok for Saturday right?

 

So punters beware this weekend.. the only certainty is that there will be no certainties.

 

The Kiwis have been given a dozen start against the Kangaroos ..thats despite them beating us by a dozen last time they met. And work on this of the 2 teams pick out which players are in form and which are not.

 

You could say that the Aussies have got Watmough, Stewart, Smith, Kite, Inglis, Hodges and one or two others are not playing that flash..

 

the Kiwis are all in good form especially, Luke, Asotasi and Jeremy Smith in some of the best form in the competition.. I know the Aussies generally 'click' for this match but its not going to be a walkover.. at least I dont think so.

 

And Fitzy gets rissoled from the meeting last night and told to stay away until an investigation is completed into the elections. The joint has lost 9 million plus, the side has got massive issues off the field and playing average on the field and the new board is worried about problems with an election where only 5% of the members bothered to vote..

 

Gimme a break.

 

Review

As I write this I am looking at my tips for the weekend and wondering where again did I go so horribly wrong.

 

 

Parramatta..who could tip them?.. they play like busteds for a month and then put 3 tries on in 12 minutes thinking they were superstars...

 

 

Manly, surely they were gonna show something?..Noe they showed bubkus and I hope like me you backed them to miss the 8, because they will.

 

 

Brisbane win everything but lose by plenty? the thunderstorm and lightning was a weird thing and I was hoping the game would get called off. Roosters and Cronulla well that was anyone's guess.

 

 

Without Penrith and the Dragons I would've got zero.

 

 

I did say the score in the Tigers Dogs game would be something all with a minute to go..so I was close but I reckon we all knew that would be a great game.

So the Kangaroo selectors pretty much picked the same team that got beaten in the world cup final and the question has to be asked, should they have?

 

 

Did Watmough deserve his spot, Glenn Stewart or was there better form players? Well I agree with them. I reckon the Aussie players who are out of form will be so happy to play in this test they will play themselves back into form.

Playing around Lockyer, Folou, Slater and Smith will do wonders for Hodges, Stewart, Watmough and even Kite who are all a bit suss at the moment..and thats not picking on the Manly players.. It will do Thurston the world of good also to be around the stars.. and they won everything bar one game last year so sacking them for 1 loss would have been harsh.

 

 

The Kiwis have made a few changes but are there players in some great form or what?

 

 

Asotasi, Issac Luke, Benji make me believe they will give our boys a real run on Friday night..

 

 

And speaking of Friday night..for once we have a fair dinkum City Country match with no less than 10 origin jumpers on the line and the jim bobs put the game on the same night!!!  Great idea snapperhead.

 

 

I mean why not do something different and play it on a Saturday afternoon in Orange rather than the Friday night. Even Saturday arvo a Wade Park would be chockers with the locals. It would rate well on telly...or Thursday night and the footy show could follow.. I dunno anything but the same night as the test match.

If I was to pick a NSW State Of Origin team now it would probably be very wrong like most of my tips but both Laurie Daley and John Cartwright told us today that they would hang a Blue Jersey in the rooms and say if you guys want this then come and get it.

 

 

The bottom line is, that if Luke Stuart at age 32 or Keith Galloway at 23 play out of their skin this Friday they should, and will get picked. Its just a shame most wont wait up to see it.

 

 

Don’t forget next Monday night..Rooty Hill RSL for the Monday night forum with Noddy and the Big Man