As winter’s doom and gloom has its final say for another year, Spring, in all its glory, wrestles its way to centre stage. Days get longer, flowers bloom and energy fills the air. It also means September and finals football.
Welcome to The Roar‘s NRL Expert tips for Round 25.
You can almost taste it on the tip of your tongue, hear it faintly in the distance. The pounding of studs on concrete, hot dogs, anticipation and expectation.
The ghosts of finals past in all their glory – living their moments over and over again.
A raucous Sydney Football Stadium where Daryl Halligan has just kicked Canterbury to one of the great comebacks against Parramatta and thousands of Bulldogs fans racing back to the ground from Central Station after they thought their season was over.
Simon Dwyer’s hit from hell on Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, the scrum from hell, Braith Anasta’s missile field goal and Shaun Kenny-Dowall’s intercept.
The electricity of Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra fans packing out the SFS in 2005 and the noise, the sheer noise, without a ball being kicked in anger.
What about Johnathan Thurston’s golden point field goal?
Darren Albert’s miracle?
The crunches and cracks of fist on jaw as hundreds of brawls and get-squares continue to rage and the ghastly remains of Changa’s evil white boots – lurking somewhere in the bowels of the Sydney Cricket Ground.
September is finals time – never forget it.
Catch Curtis and The81stMinute Call Team this Saturday from 2pm on steelesports.com.au
Mary Konstantopoulos
Tips:Cowboys, Storm, Raiders (Powerplay), Titans, Sharks, Warriors, Rabbitohs, Eels.
“The Broncos have now won three in a row and confidence players like Anthony Milford and Corey Oates seem to have found form at the right end of the season. The Storm are playing as the always do; clinically, methodically and effectively. The Storm in Melbourne are a tough prospect and will be focused on securing that minor premiership. Good luck, Broncos.
“Can anyone stop the Green Machine? I’m going to say no. Even without Josh Hodgson last week, the Raiders outscored the poor Eels 24-0 in the second half to record their eighth win in a row. The Sea Eagles will struggle this weekend and I expect the Raiders to get the job done, comprehensively.
“It’s Old Boys Day at Newcastle this weekend and I was always going to tip the Knights for this game and then… Nathan Ross got injured. Don’t expect the Knights to go down without a fight this weekend, but the Bunnies seem to have hit some form and I expect them to break hearts when they travel to Newcastle this weekend.”
Tim Gore
Tips: Cowboys, Storm, Raiders, Titans, Roosters, Warriors (Powerplay), Rabbitohs, Eels.
“Cowboys to beat Dogs at Belmore. I love Josh Reynolds but the Dogs attack is appropriate as their own breakfast.
“It’s hard to tip against the Roosters right now so I won’t. They’ll further mangle the Sharkies premiership aspirations.
“The Warriors love facing open plan defences such as the Wests Tigers have. Look for David Fusitua and Shaun Johnson to go completely free range and destroy the Leichhardt/Campbelltown connection.”
Lachlan Bickley
Tips: Cowboys, Storm, Raiders, Titans, Roosters, Warriors, Rabbitohs (Powerplay), Eels.
“The Titans need only a point to secure themselves in the eight but they face a Panthers side with plenty of momentum. However with their first choice halves pairing of Roberts and Taylor finally back together again I’ll take the Titans.
“Are the Sharks in total free fall or have they just had some bad injury luck over recent weeks with both Michael Ennis and Paul Gallen missing key games? Either way the rejuvenated Roosters will look to pile on more misery. I’ll take the Roosters to do just that.
“A few weeks ago the Knights v Rabbitohs match-up looked like perhaps one final chance for the Knights to grab a second win in 2016. But since then the Rabbitohs have improved dramatically from a mid-season slump and sadly they look far too strong for the Knights.
Curtis Woodward
Tips: Bulldogs, Broncos, Raiders, Panthers, Sharks, Warriors, Rabbitohs (Powerplay), Eels.
“Call it a Hail Mary, going all in, a long shot, call it what you will. It’s time to back some roughies and knock Timothy flying from his perch.
“Canterbury can win at Belmore against the North Queensland Cowboys but it’s just a matter of whether they have enough points in them. Gee, they worry me.
“Taking Brisbane at AAMI Park against the mighty Melbourne Storm. Anthony Milford and Ben Hunt are improving and they’ll need to win games like this if they want to claim their first premiership since 2006.”
The summary
| Round 25 | Tim | Curtis | Lachlan | Mary | The Crowd |
| BULvCOW | Cowboys | Bulldogs | Cowboys | Cowboys | Cowboys |
| STOvBRO | Storm | Broncos | Storm | Storm | Broncos |
| SEAvRAI | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders |
| TITvPAN | Titans | Panthers | Titans | Titans | Titans |
| SHAvROO | Roosters | Sharks | Roosters | Sharks | Sharks |
| WARvWES | Warriors | Warriors | Warriors | Warriors | Warriors |
| KNIvRAB | Rabbitohs | Rabbitohs | Rabbitohs | Rabbitohs | Rabbitohs |
| EELvDRA | Eels | Eels | Eels | Eels | Eels |
| POWERPLAY | Warriors | Rabbitohs | Rabbitohs | Raiders | Rabbitohs |
| OVERALL | 151 | 143 | 142 | 133 | 148 |
Now it’s your turn! Try to catch Tim Gore as a member of The Crowd.
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