Round 5 of the 2015 NRL season is upon us. The cricket is over and Easter is coming. So who will get the chocolates this week?
We have a grand final rematch on Friday, with Souths and some other team, and a battle of the young guns on Monday with the Eels and the Tigers.
The battling Sharks get relief at last, scoring the Roosters in an away game – remember they beat them there last year.
Remember to check your match guides carefully. Manly are playing in Albury, and a lot of the game times are different to a normal weekend due to the Easter break.
I tipped a massive four from eight last week, so you can trust me this time around I promise.
Bulldogs versus Rabbitohs
A dual home game, although nominally to the Bulldogs. They will be stewing over last year’s grand final. If anyone had forgotten, the Bulldogs were the other team to play on the NRL’s Homage to South Sydney Day last October.
The Dogs have got their pack starting to work together, and eventually the backs reaped the benefits. Josh Reynolds returns and although not as silky as Moses Mbye, he will offer the mongrel that is needed in a big match. Look for him and Issac Luke to slap each other at some point.
Sam Kasiano will be looking to continue his playmaker role this week.
The Bunnies are very popular over Easter, but they actually look a bit pedestrian out wide with Daryl Millard certainly no Dylan Walker. They will be a bit embarrassed after Parra showed them up, so expect Greg Inglis to be very involved. The Burgess brothers up front against the Bulldog twins will be a juicy clash. I think this game will be very tight (duh!) and somehow I can smell a controversial ending.
In a match-up like this, the concussion rule could be the thing that sways the result. I will tip the Bulldogs in a thriller.
Titans versus Broncos
This could be a fun match. The Titans are playing entertaining football, not necessarily great football, but they give it a red hot go. Young Kane Elgey looked sharp and he and Aiden Sezer have all season to fight over who gets to sit next to Daly Cherry-Evans.
One thing I don’t understand is why Matt Srama is on the outer. I reckon a few other clubs would like his zip in attack. The Titans pack should be able to stand up to Brisbane and give the speed men some room.
The Broncos have improved, but still look very beatable. They still look a bit fragile at the back, and losing Justin Hodges doesn’t help. Anthony Milford has improved in attack and could be very dangerous if the Titans don’t sit on him.
The Broncos starting pack looks good on paper, but will the bench continue the momentum? I think the Titans might get away with this game.
Sea Eagles versus Raiders
Manly were very sluggish last week, although that is hardly surprising given their injury count before and during the game. Their forwards are just too small and the ones that aren’t are too slow. Kieran Foran will be better for the run, but Jamie Lyon is out again. Manly are absolutely ripe for the taking this week.
Fortunately for them, they are playing the Raiders. This mob look like they could be a good side, but something is rotten in Deakin. Did Dane Tilse actually pass to his own team on Sunday? I still don’t see a sharp halves pairing, and I know Blake Austin is having a real dig. Was Mitch Cornish dropped or injured? While their coach justifies poor performances on lack of cattle, the current herd are just going to sit around munching grass. I will be taking Manly in this match.
Knights versus Dragons
The Knights are the feel-good story, but now everyone is awake to them being undefeated. The Hunter is now the hunted. The Knights team actually look stronger, with Tariq Sims replacing Robbie Rochow “Siffredi”. Kade Snowden continues to impress and must be up there when the inevitable State of Origin chatter begins.
I am also a big fan of Tyrone Roberts, who is unsung but very football savvy. In other team news, a huge shock as Sione Mata’utia is named eighteenth man (again).
The Dragons have improved out of sight, and so they should have after the first two rounds. They still have awful issues in attack, as they should have put Manly to death in the first half, but they are at least now playing as a team.
Leeson Ah Mau and Tyson Frizell are bending the line and the evergreen Jason Nightingale is nursing the young guys beautifully from the back. I still think the Knights will take this one out, but they will have to work for it.
Roosters versus Sharks
Stop the fight.
The Roosters carved up Canberra very professionally last week. Every players knows his role, and plays it to plan. James Maloney and Junior Junior Pearce work off the forwards and give the outside backs plenty of time. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck continues to impress with his lightning footwork and Dylan Napa increases their potency from the bench.
The sign of a good team is when a player is out injured and they carry on seamlessly. Blake Ferguson is replaced by Nene McDonald, and they won’t miss a beat.
Cronulla were very professional last week too. They completed their sets, took two points when it was on offer and controlled the game for 78 minutes. Hang on a moment…NRL matches go for 80 minutes. Seriously, these guys are in big trouble. They just don’t learn.
Giving Paul Gallen three hitups every set is only making it easier to defend. Having a couple of Fifitas charging into the fray and throwing crazy offloads also makes it easy to defend. The Sharks will bust their guts in defence and do little in attack. Roosters by twenty.
Eels versus Tigers
This could be the fun match of the round. If both teams use the ball in a daytime match, there could be some points out there. The Eels’ biggest problem is playing away from Parramatta Stadium, even if this is a home game.
They have to concentrate on playing an up tempo game, and work the Tigers forwards around. Manu Ma’u will be aiming for Mitchell Moses and look to set up breaks down the left. I also expect Darcy Lussick to take on Aaron Woods to try and establish dominance at the ruck.
The Tigers were a bit unlucky last week, they did everything right except hold their nerve. They probably led by too much too early and gave the Doggies time to run them down.
They need to learn from the Warriors and hammer Parramatta down their right side defence, and also have James Tedesco sniffing for holes in the ruck. Luke Brooks lifted enormously last week, and should have a lot of fun up against Chris Sandow.
In a high-scoring match I will have to take the…Tigers.
Storm versus Warriors
The ultra-professionals against the ADHD kids. The Storm will be very cranky after blowing the Cowboys match. They would have been measuring the rain gauge with Craig Bellamy’s spittle.
Despite the loss they had some great developments. Jesse Bromwich is strong and playing long minutes. Marika Koroibete is turning defence into attack, and Dale Finucane has blended in seamlessly in the back row.
The Warriors will also be Mt Smarting after losing to the Broncos. They paid the penalty for a very slow start. Ben Matulino will match Bromwich up front and Ryan Hoffman will have been counting the days until this match.
Manu Vatuvei usually has a blinder after a shocker, so he will be on fire this week. Shaun Johnson is still not quite there yet, but Chad Townsend has been more than making up for it.
My head says Storm, but if coach McFadden gives his guys red frogs before the match anything could happen. Don’t be shocked if the Warriors win.
Panthers versus Cowboys
The Panthers have gone off the boil in the past two weeks. Having James Segeyaro back will boost them enormously. Lewis Brown and Brent Kite are out, but I don’t know if they are injured or dropped. Nigel Plum will certainly jam up in defence.
Sika Manu needs to have much more impact than last week. Penrith have a really simple plan. The starting pack need to establish a go forward so the young guns can ball play – if there is no dominance then Bryce Cartwright and Tyrone Peachey can’t offload safely.
The Cowboys will be relieved to have a win, and may have some false confidence. I still think their forwards don’t set a platform (not you Jason Taumololo). James Tamou is still dreadful and Gavin Cooper seem almost timid compared to last year.
If the forwards do their job then Johnathan Thurston, Michael Morgan and Lachlan Coote will create plenty of chances. Coote is playing against his old club for the first time after last year’s injury. I will take the Panthers, mainly due to home-ground advantage – the stomping of twenty thousand ugg boots is very intimidating.
So there you have it, another round of NRL neatly organised for you.
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