The NRL Round 4 Match Thread

[THE RED ROOSTER]

As of this morning the Sydney Daily Telegraph estimates more than 50 players injured within the first three rounds and some of those named in the starting line up / squad are subject to late fitness tests

Sydney Roosters v Penrith Panthets

No Nathan Cleary who wss in imperious form against the Bronx. Despite that the Penny Panthers remain a  champion side and not likely to roll over.

Foe the Rooosters with Keary and Walker available in the halves the question is which set of Chooks turn up. The side that beat the Bronx and Wabbits or the side that choked against Manly. That is the key to the game.

#### a doodle do ?

South Sydney v Canterbury Bulldogs

I suppose starting Damien Cook and Tom Burgess and not deciding to have Latrell Mitchell and Lachlan Ilias as your starting props represents a return to coaching sanity by Jason Demitriou but frankly if JD is your coaching answer to Souffs woes your asking the wrong question.

The Bulldogs got more fluid as the game wore on at Belmore admittedly against Gold Coast. They key to this game is the bomb on the last tackle and the kick chase because sides that are kicking to Latrell and following up with a good kick chase find that not only does he get little go forward the rest of the South pack does not either

Run Rabbit run?

Brisbane Broncos v North Queensland Cowboys.

Payne Haas and Reece Walsh out and Adam Reynolds subject to a late fitness test 

On the face of it never a better chance for the Cows to win at Suncorp but bear in mind;

The baby Broncos are good as anyone who watched the trial games will attest with a big wrap being given to Tristan Sailor son of Wendell who will be starting at fullback.

The Cows are slow starters spotting the opposition a big early lead which they pulled back against the Knights and SGI but spotting a 14 point lead to the Bronx may prove to a mountain too big to climb.

Cowbells ringing at Suncorp?

St George Illawarra v Manly Sea Eagles

SGI have reinforced their pack with returnees but should the Manly pack gain parity with SGI then their backs could cause carnage down the 'Gong against a side that has leaked 86 points iirc in the last 2 games.

SGI also have the Curse of the Bobbleheads to contest with last year's bobblehead Zak Lomax wanting out and this year's Mikaele Ravalawa woefully out of pace and form. No Ben Hunt bobblehead as he was the first to want out. If Manlys backline gets time and space there might be a few going early..

Dragons fire extinguished?

Gold Coast Titans v Dolphins

Dolphins becoming every non diehards favourite other team with the ability not just to score length of the field tries but repeat tries off repest sets.

Gold Coast have managed 4 points in 2 games. I will leave it there.

Titans cut down to size by Phins?

New Zealand Warriors v Newcastle Knights

This game could be a lot closer than some think. A lot depends on the mercurial Warriors and how they approach the game.

Newcsstle are winning and losing by tight margins, I expect no different here.

Good Knight?

Cronulla Sharks v Canberra Raiders

Ricky's revived Raiders breeze into Woolooware. This Raiders team unlike those of the recent past has backs with pace up against a Cronulla side with a makeshift pack.

Mauled by the West Tigers Craig Fitzgibbon will be hoping for a response from the Sharkies but that kind of depends on the Canberra Pack led by Josh Papalil'i.

Sharks harpooned in Botany Bay?

Paramatta Eels v West Tigers

No Mitchell Moses amid a number of injuries for a Paramatta side that welcomes back Msika Sivo " the baron of bankwest" or should it really be " count of commsbank". There fixed it for you Mr Voss..

Up against a West Tigers team buoyed by victory last week and a side that always goes up a gear against Paramatta.

Not an easy game for the Eels and a potential upset here.

Tiger tiger burning bright?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Graham]

Preview: Roosters v Panthers

Both these teams should be in the mix by the end of the season but they come into this without some key players.
Sydney Roosters were excellent in their win over South Sydney Rabbitohs last week.

Panthers were comfortable against Brisbane Broncos. However, the loss of Nathan Cleary could be a hurdle too many to overcome.
The Roosters tend to play well on home soil, so will it be the hosts then that will snatch the victory?

Edited March 27 by Graham

[George Watt]

8 hours ago, Graham said:

Preview: Roosters v Panthers

Both these teams should be in the mix by the end of the season but they come into this without some key players.
Sydney Roosters were excellent in their win over South Sydney Rabbitohs last week.

Panthers were comfortable against Brisbane Broncos. However, the loss of Nathan Cleary could be a hurdle too many to overcome.
The Roosters tend to play well on home soil, so will it be the hosts then that will snatch the victory?

I believe the absence of Cleary and Fisher- Harris will tip it Sydney's way. Looking for big improvements from both Luai and Martin as both are below par at the moment.

[Farmduck]

[Futtocks]

Very fast and aggressive start from the Panthers, leading to a Turuva try, converted by Edwards.

[Futtocks]

Kenny Edwards with a beauty of a try!

[Futtocks]

The Roosters haven't seen much of the Panthers' tryline for most of this game so far, but Sitili Tupouniua gets to a Walker grubber, seconds before before half time.

SYD 06:14 PEN at HT

[Farmduck]

HT:  Panthers 14  Chooks  6

[Farmduck]

HIA for   

 

Try for Turuva

[Farmduck]

Turuva gets another one.

Still 28 minutes left.

Panthers 22 - 6

[Futtocks]

With Cleary out, this was a good chance for the Roosters to break their losing streak against Penrith, but it looks like the champions have outplayed them again.

[Farmduck]

Daniel Tupou scored in the final minute but too little, too late

 

FT"  Panthers 22  Easts 16

[Graham]

So Panthers without Cleary still have enough to beat Roosters, again…

[THE RED ROOSTER]

The board got this one right.and the final score flattered the Roosters who were simply outplayed. Penrith committed three to the tackle and slowed the Roosters down forcing attacks to go crab like and sideways while exploiting the gaps opening up on Daniel Tupou's right flank.

The only Roosers to stand out were Joey Manu and Dominic Young in a side well beaten playing a Penny Panthrrs side shorn of Nathan Cleary and James Fisher- Harris.

If you want to be the best you have to beat the best, the Roosters have dropped NINE consecutive games to the Penny Panthers. This makes the Roosters pretenders not premiership contenders. If I am having another troubled night following another tip going south, can Trent Robinson sleep easily tonight....

Attendance 25898

[DavidM]

Penrith showed who’s boss there , they were dominant . Some comfort for the Roosters was they got within 6 with a minority of ball and got shafted by one of the most ridiculous bunker calls . I’ve said before in a try scoring game we perennially look first and foremost for reasons not to give tries . How does that look to people watching ?

[THE RED ROOSTER]

A lot of beefing notably by The Mole and Phil Gould about the Joey Manu no try. I think the issue here is one of consistency  I was in line in the GA seating where the no-try was "scored" and fine if you do that but if that was the case why not refer the first Penrith try in the far corner se and half as a similar "obstruction" took place?

The decision would not IMO have been the game changer the Media are making it out to be.

.

[George Watt]

Luai improved enormously on his form in recent matches and Schneider had a really solid game at 7.

Robinson said the Panthers were far better on the night and hit the soft pedal on the disallowed bunker try for Manu.

Cleary stated that he has resolved not to comment on bunker decisions but did offer a view that black/white decisions never worked

with RL rules.

[Farmduck]

In an unusual move, the NRL will play this game twice on the same day, apparently. I think it's one of my browsers failing to understand time zones.

[Farmduck]

We hear, and probably use, the term "must-win" to describe games. Well today is definitely one of those for the Bunnies. Unfortunately for them, the Dogs looked pretty good in patches last week. Sure, they only beat the Titans but a win's a win - something the 2024 Bunnies wouldn't know anything about. Possible return of Addo Carr for the Dogs.

[Farmduck]

[Farmduck]

9min: Tom Burgess try after Souths got a penalty for a challenge on Latrell when he was kicking.

Latrell goal

Souths 6 - 0

 

[Farmduck]

12min:Wighton try

Latrell misses off the posts

Souths 10 -0

[Farmduck]

24min: Burton behind the posts after a Kikau-Fox move down the left

Burton goal

Dogs 6 - 10

[Farmduck]

37 min: Connor Tracey try off a nice Taaffe kick

Burton goal from sideline

Dogs 12 - 10

[Farmduck]

Morrin almost scores under the posts but drops the ball.