THE RED ROOSTER

Not even the the unconverted try. I feel sorry for the commentary team trying to find something to talk about. If I was SKY or IMG I would be pressing the RFL to bring a charge of bringing the game into disrepute against the ownership of London Broncis because it does the Super League or the game of Rugby League no favours to have this embarrassment of a club so far off the pace on national TV...

40-0 and 29 minutes left...

Comedy defence gifting possession to Castleford 36-0 and not 5 minutes into the second half..

Another try 30-0 This is such a total mismatch that it us embarrassing for the sport as much as embarrassing for London Broncos.

Now 24-0..

Correction now 18-0..

Well yes if you look at the mathematical possibility of relegation. They are.making heavy weather of burying London and are not going to the playoffs. London get three repeat sets and the whole set seems to be in slow motion. 12-0 now.

Tex Hoy inspired break in the battle between a club that strengthened their side to stay up and one that did not but is advertising a union7's tournament on their twitter feed..... 6-0 The only question will London score any points at all ?

Winners - New Zealand Warriors, Sydney Roosters, Melbourne Storm, Manly Sea Eagles, Brisbane Broncos, Penrith Panthers, Dolphins, Cronulla Sharks Away Wins - 3 Points -340 Poll - St George-Illawarra v Sydney Roosters I think I will regret some of these tips as genuinely torn about the Dragons v Roosters, Dolphins v Knights and Raiders v Sharks games Could go either way but Roosters have to win, Dolphins can score points no matter what XII plays and Raiders have an inexperienced halves pairing

Another round of games which will be closer in reality than they look on paper... New Zealand Warriors v Gold Coast Titans Bad result for the Wahs at the 'gong last week and Shaun Johnson is playing injured. Though the Wahs have home advantage, Keiran Foran walked the Titans around the park against Manly and playing the way that they did in that game you can see them getting a result sooner rather than later. Titanic upset on the cars? St George-Illawarra Dragons v Sydney Roosters At Allianz Stadium, and a sellout as the In-form Dragons take on a moulting Roosters outfit. Who would have thought at this stage in the season the team with the 4-3 record would be the Dragons and the 3-4 record Roosters. If this was at the 'gong I would be going Dragons ,but its not and although Zak Lomax turned in all all-world performance by all accounts last week,.. after signing for Paramatta. An injury to Ravalawa means a return to the wing for the departing Dragon. Roosters get Sam Walker and Dom Young back. Defeat for the Roosters would laeve them 3-5 on the season and perhaps bring Trent Robinson's coaching credentials under scrutiny. - Choker for the Chooks? Melbourne Storm v South Sydney Rabbitohs Melbourne, as with all well coached sides, ground out a result against the Roosters. Souffs must have enjoyed the bye week afterthe shenaigans of the past few weeks with the "unsanctioned" coaching approach and the Blake Solly vote of confidence in Jason Demitriou who has Damien Cook back in the side along with Jai Arrow. Yes, the Bunnies have never won in Melbourne, but I do think this is going to be closer than people think. - Bunnies ride out the Storm? Manly Sea Eagles v Paramatta Eels. Last wekk was a really poor result for the Paramatta Eels against a depleted Dolphins side. Paramatta are a big club and an unsuccessful one under Brad Arthurs tenure. Changes have been made heralding the return of the Count of Commbank - Maika Sivo to the side. Manly finished the stronger side against the Titans but I am still not convinced by them and if Paramatta can win the forward battle, they are the more desperate team. - Eagles wings clipped ? West Tigers v Brisbane Broncos. Adam Reynolds and Payne Haas in Selwyn Cobbo and Ezera Mam out for the Bronx. Now while I am of the view that Wests under Benji are a vast improvement on previous seasons they are up against a Broncos side which is one of the top three sides in the comp - Bronx Cheer ? North Queensland Cowboys v Penrith Panthers Another team with a really poor result at Shark Park, the Cowboys have slipped in the table and in the premiership odds and it does not get any easier against the Penny Panthers with Nathan Cleary returning. Even in tropical Townsville. - Panthers to pounce? Dolphins v Newcastle Knights The Dolphins result was the WOW moment of round 8, given how depleted the side was and without the unwell Benny in the Coaching Box. No Kaylin Ponga for the Knights who need a win badly and, on paper have the side to get it. A potential upset here as the Dolphins are nowhere near full strength. Fins Knightmare? Canberra Raiders v Cronulla Sharks Sharkies without Bradon Trindall (booze) and Dale Finucane (retired), Canberra without Jamal Fogerty. Memories of Round 4 linger and though it appears I have Rickly as a target he is a proper Aussie Coach all cigarettes and VB as oppose to the Cafe Latte types, and he will have the Raiders fired up for revenge. Craig Fitzgibbon cannot write off the Raiders here in this one - Capital Comeback?

Not going today, but then so are a lot of other potential fans following the late switch from Sunday to Saturday. Most London fans have other sporting interests and probably not have been deterred by a game clashing with the London Marathon but Saturday is a different matter.. It's sad for me to post this but, London Broncos are an embarrassment, you have to feel for Mike Eccles having to give each game the "Rembrandt effect*" post match with a side of try hards and loanees some of which were not great when with the club before in the championship. They are geting smashed every week. There is no sign that the ownership has any intention of bringing in players who might ensure some competitiveness. in order to retain those who have come on freebies , been frozen, and watched the home side on the end of one sided clobberings. I would have bought a home shirt but thety are apparently out of stock. Off the fieldf they are as ramshackle as ever. The club remains the only one not to feature in a nationally televised game on BBC and that says a lot about a club which is being treated like the deranged relative which no-one really likes to talk about. It's not peoolle being brought into the game by the club but disillusioned fans leaving the game that is the legacy of this club under the current ownership. In fact, had I not been such an avid fan of the NRL, I too might have joined the exodus because it's hard going watching a sport where you side is so resoundingly ordinary. Nothing will change until the Hughes family is no longer in control of the club. Salford by at least 20 points with Marc Sneyd rampant. * painting a better picture

Winners - Melbourne Storm, New Zealand Warriors, Paramatta Eels, Penrith Panthers, Manly Sea Eagles, Brisbane Broncos, Canterbury Bulldogs and Cronulla Sharks. Points - 342 Home Wins - 5 Poll - Gold Coast Titans v Manly Sea Eagles

Another round in which tipsters are confounded by teams blowing hot and cold from week to week and the Bunker intervening to alter the momentum in games. Almost every contest in this round could be called either way. Sydney Roosters v Melbourne Storm Big time match up between two sides almost at full strength. Another contenders or prtetenders game for both clubs Golden point anyone? St George-Illawarra v New Zealand Warriors Normally I would be loathe to go against the Dragons at the 'gong but for the Warriors the journey there is less fraught than it would be for an Australian side in that all games in Australia involve crossing "the ditch". If the Warriors get on a roll they are hard to stop. Kiws win at WIN? Paramatta Eels v Dolphins If you take out the Canberra game then Paramatta have been resilient if not inspiring winning games that by statistics they should have lost. They are up against the Dolphins who even in defeat last week demonstrated that they can point on points quickly. Fins make a spash ? Penrith Panthers v West Tigers Not the forgone conclusion you might think. Wests have Lachlan Galvin and John Bateman back and last season when the game was also up country. Wests won in rainy conditions. This West Tigers team is an improvement on last season. - Panthers chances go West ? Gold Coast Titans v Manly Sea Eagles Sorry Titans fans but this game to me is about which Manly side turns up, with the Sea Eagles being a side that plays hot and cold week to week. - Sea Eagles win in "Des Haesler Bowl" ? Brisbane Broncos v Canberra Raiders The Bronx at home is a difficult prospect for Ricky's Raiders who struggled to put away the Gold Coast. Of course the way this season has gone you would think a Raiders win nailed on but I am not of that view - Bronx repel Raiders Canterbury Bulldogs v Newcastle Knights The Dogs are one of the most improved sides this season narrowly losing out to the Storm in Melbourne wheras the Knights lost narrowly too but to a depleted Roosters side at Home. If the focus was not on the Souffs saga perhaps some might be questioning if the Knights now have buyers regret over extending Adam O'Brien's contract ? - Dogs bite Back ? Cronulla Sharks v North Queensland Cowboys Another contenders or pretenders game at Shark Park between two sides that IMO lack Killer instinct and have both stood still over the off season. The swing factor here is the Cows away from home at Woolooware which should make the difference - Sharkanado ?

More proof this round that it is indeed sporting nirvana down under with the NRL truly a week to week League. Who could have predicted the Injury hit Roosters and Eels coming back to win against the Knights and Cows or that the Storm and Raiders would have been taken the full 80 minutes by the Bulldogs and Gold Coast. What will next week have in store?

This thread is for tourists rather than locals. Using a debit card would depend on two things: 1. The Exchange rate which can fluctuate even during a short stay. 2. If your debit card provider charges a foreign tranasaction fee. Mine does not (HSBC) but many other bank and credit cards do charge up to 3% per transaction which if your using your card a lot mounts up over time.