Friday night sees the Knight’s minus Kurt Gidley take on the Tigers in Newcastle.
Here’s a cheat note: if you know nothing about rugby league but find yourself at a venue in NSW where everybody else is watching the game, just proclaim loudly at the start of the evening – “How did Kurt Gidley get in?” – and you’ll be able to coast through the evening.
With Gidley in the side, the Knights would have fancied themselves against the Tigers, who were disgraceful last week and then ignored by the selectors.
However, no Gidley and a Tigers team keen to avenge for the public humiliation makes it a tough match to pick (even tougher if you are tipping like me this season).
The Eels lose two players to the Blues, but the catch is that one is Jarryd Hayne.
Hayne was at the centre of nearly everything the Eels did well against the Sea Eagles and he is a massive loss against the Sharks, who like the Tigers, keep their squad intact.
The Sharks stunned the Eels first time around this year. Can they do it again? Probably not.
With Steve Price out injured, the Warriors don’t feel the glare of selectors and take on a Rabbitohs side in Auckland missing human bowling ball Dave Taylor.
The often tackle shy Warriors forwards will enjoy the break, and Taylor’s strike power will be missed by a Souths side who have been up and down this season but are on an up, which Taylor has been a big contributor to.
The Rabbitohs have enough quality players to cover Taylor, but both sides have been so inconsistent this season the rep factor is hardly the be all and end all of any tipping selection.
Only a outbreak of the Black Plague could harm the Dragons line-up more than Origin time and the Raiders have won big by getting the pace-setting side without five starting players.
The Raiders themselves have lost Tom Learoyd-Lahrs and David Shillington, but this is a massive chance for them to earn two points. Few would have given them hope of winning had both teams been at full strength.
The round ends on Monday with two sides desperate for a win: the Panthers to keep pace with the other top four sides and the Dogs to remain close to the top eight.
The Panthers pack take a hit losing Petero Civoniceva, Luke Lewis and Trent Waterhouse, making the return of Frank Pritchard absolutely crucial. While for the Bulldogs, they lose the two players most responsible for steering them around the park in Michael Ennis and Brett Kimmorley.
The Dogs have been struggling to score points at the best of times recently, so the absence of their two attacking leaders, along with boom centre Jamal Idris, is a real hit.
The only positive for Dogs’ fans is the chance to see Ben Barba in action for longer than 15 minutes, which has been all Kevin Moore has been willing to risk on him.
The club’s top try scorer, the game could make or break Barba. One thing is for sure, he’ll get plenty of tackling practice.
oikee
Guest
Mate, nobody wants this fool Gidley to lift the trophy. Why do you think NSW are staying away in droves from game one. He gets in the paper and pleads with the public to support him. He is a goose, i would not support him even if he played for Queensland. If he lifts the trophy, no one will be left in the stadium. Mate, when is this goose Daley going to wake up, he has antaginised the NSW public with his hopeless descisions over the last 4 years. Its time to get rid of the dead-wood, Daley should be the 1st to go, then put someone in with some meat, (balls), sack this gidley fool, and put Hayne at fullback, where he is the best player in the game, p,lay his proper spot. Yes, i might sound ruthless, but hey, nobody wants to lose there job, about time Daley did, he is a 1st class goose.
oikee
Guest
Steve, that has been answerwed for you last nite. The knights are the weakest cattle i have seen. Dureu is hopeless, totally hopeless. Mate without Mullen and Gidley, this team would never win a game. The tigers without a decent front rower are not much better. I have to admit, wet weather really highlights how hopeless some of our teams really are, just ordinary cattle. You might think i am being very hard on the teams, but mate, Dureau made 4 mistakes in 5 minutes of football. He is supposed to be there leader. That other half who scored the 1st and only try for the knights , (rogers)not a-grade material. Hopefully the NRL does not expand, we have not got the cattle to make it viable. Its embarressing to watch. I was asleep by full-time, thank goodness they did not have 2 games free-to air last nite.
Hutchoman
Guest
Yeah, I hear you ... there's no one really jumping off the page to take the wing spot assuming Hayne is at the back. For my 2 cents, I wouldn't say no to Jennings moving into Hayne's wing spot to move Hayne to fullback. No thanks on Merritt, Grothe and Burt, although Burt might be worth a try if pushed.
The man
Guest
Morris on the wing - anything else is maddness.
Steve Kaless
Roar Guru
Hutchoman, Until Hayne demolished the Sea Eagles at brooky, I would have had Hayne on the wing, but after that he would have certainly have got the number one jersey. The question then becomes what works better Gidley at fullback, Hayne on the wing or Hayne at fullback, Burt/Josh Morris/ Merritt/Grother Jnr/you decide on the wing?
Hutchoman
Guest
Stevooooooooooooooo, Best part of the article ... proclaim loudly at the start of the evening – “How did Kurt Gidley get in?”. Right on the money here. Someone above is obviously looking VERY favourably on this bloke. I've heard many put up an argument that Gidley could be seen as the 4th pick custodian for NSW (based on everyone being fully fit, removal of blots from copybooks, etc.) and somewhere around number 6 or 7 for Australia. Somewhere in all the machinations of the above, he gets the captaincy, implying that he'd be amongst the first picked every game. Somehow that equates the last year's Dally M medallist being pushed into a non-favoured position. I just don't get it.
Haro shadarevian
Guest
I'm a huge dragons supporter and with Nathan Brown in charge we would have lost comfortably in previous years. How Bennett instills belief in rookies is his secret and the reason he's so successful and this will be challenged come Sunday afternoon. In the wet I think we'll hold on, but a dry gong afternoon and I think the Raiders might just pip us. It's time for Jamie Soward to step up this year and there's no better game than this one.
Steve Kaless
Roar Guru
Good pick up Mr Sports, I've made a change to the article to include Shillington.
M1tch
Roar Guru
Eels without a doubt
Mr Sports
Roar Pro
The Lime Green also lost David Shillington which is a big blow becuase it means more minutes for the Drop-the-Ball Brothers Dane Tilse and Troy Thompson - but still, Raiders fans have got to be happy that the Dragons will be missing their entire vaunted left-side attack
Brett McKay
Guest
Steve, I'd argue Cronulla is most affected by Origin seelctions because they've got Gallen available..... ;-)