The NRL Round 27 Thread

[THE RED ROOSTER]

The final round and the last chance you will have to see some of these teams until the trials begin in February 2025. After a round full of shocks last time out there are some more coin-flip games coming up.

Brisbane Broncos v Melbourne Storm

Not the marquee match up most of us would have assumed post grand final last year. A near full strength storm v the battered Bronx - Only one outcome here - Bronx blown over by storm

West Tigers v Paramatta Eels

In the US this woul;ds not be the Spoon Bowl but the Toilet Bowl. featuring a young and increasingly cocky West Tigers up against a Paramatta side that has underachieved big time under interim coach Trent Barrett. Taking the Eels to the Spoon would represent the nadir of his coaching career, and Parra under external pressure with discontent surfacing at the club Make Parra Matter Again. Because of this thie game will be a lot tighter than expected, easpecially in view of Parra shipping 28 points in 10 minutes to SGI. - A potential golden pointer and Ieaning towards Parra but will have to mull over the winner here

South Sydney v Sydney Roosters

Souffs on the crest of a slump against their great rivals shorn of Brandon Smith, Victor Radley and Sam Walker. Factor this into the encounter, that it's the last game for Damien Cook and Tom Burgess both great servants to the Wabbits with an opportunity to enhance theor status in the Burrow with a win against the Roosters. The Roosters of course can replace Victor the Inflictor, and Connor Watson is IMO a bettert rake than Brandon Smith but the loss of Sam Walker really ends all premiership ambitions. Roosters will need rebuilding at the end of the season like Souths, but is Trent Robinson the man to do it? -  Leaning Roosters but another clash I need to mull over

St George-Illawara v Canberra Raiders

Flannos flayed Dragons v Ricky's Resilient Raiders. How will SGI react having blown it not so much against Parra but against the Sharks at the 'Gong. where despite Sharkies dominance of this fixture over the past three years, they had not got a great record at the 'gong. The truth is with both these sides there have been flashes and close wins but when they lose the wheels come off - Big Time, which is why the points differential works against both. The question here which side reacts best to a rollocking from their Coaching staff. - Raiders pillage Kogarah

Canterbury Bulldogs v North Queensland Cowboys - SKY

Stephen Crichton back for the Dogs and he is more influential than given credit for. The Dogs winning streak was always likely to come to an end sometime but I see no reason get off the Dogs bandwagon now. As for the Cows, arguably Todd Payten is looking towards 2025 with the clear out having started not just among the players but also the coaching staff - James Maloney - Bulldogs chew Cowboys

Penrith Panthers v Gold Coast Titans

Last game at Blue Bet for a while and Penrith aiming to go out in style against a Gold Coast team minus AJ brimson and heading towards Broadbeach - Panthers to cut Titans down to size

Manly Sea Eagles v Cronulla Sharks - SKY

Near full strength Sharkies v Manly side shorn of Turbo and Jason Saab, The clash of the teams with the best cheersquads in the NRL. and although the Silvertails are at home at 4 Pines Park against Sharkies, The game will be decided by Manly's backline against the Sharks defence that went AWOL the last 20 minutes against the Warriors. and if Manly's forwards, who were impressive against the Dogs, allow a platform for that backline. Nicho Hynes coming under pressure Failed to deliver in big games. That said, Sharks have won without Nicho this year and Daniel Atkinson did a more than handy job in his absence - Leaning Sharks on this one but need to mull this tonight

Newcastle Knights v The Dolphins - SKY

Newcastle in their Novocastrian fortress at Marathon. with all to play for against the mercurial Dolphins. With Newcastle you know you will get a certain level of performance week in and week out but they not a side that warrants serious premiership contention. If the Dolphins, by contrast, play anything like the way they did against the Bronx they will win. The question is will they?. I have failh that Herbie rides again

As always good luck with your tips the way this season hgs gone we all need it...

 

[Spotty Herbert]

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your previews each week @THE RED ROOSTER, even though my tipping hasn't been much good! Looking forward to seeing them again in 2025,and hopefully through the finals series.

[THE RED ROOSTER]

1 hour ago, Spotty Herbert said:

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your previews each week @THE RED ROOSTER, even though my tipping hasn't been much good! Looking forward to seeing them again in 2025,and hopefully through the finals series.

Thank You

[Graham]

Thanks for your weekly threads, TRR. They introduce the round and set the context for the match discussions that follow.

Good luck with your tips this week.

[Graham]

Friday game:

UK kick off time

 

Fixture list with Aussie times:

[Graham]

Edited September 5 by Graham

[Farmduck]

I add my thanks to @THE RED ROOSTER for these weekly previews.

I expect to see a lot of one-way traffic in this game. Xavier Coates returns for the Purples.

[Graham]

1 minute ago, Farmduck said:

I add my thanks to @THE RED ROOSTER for these weekly previews.

I expect to see a lot of one-way traffic in this game. Xavier Coates returns for the Purples.

Everyone is expecting a walkover in this one which it could well be. Still with nothing to lose Broncos at home might pull off a few surprises. All our tipsters including me have gone for a Storm win. None have chosen the game in the poll as producing the lowest points total.

[Graham]

Warbrick would not be stopped there. Missed tackle and then he ran round the last defence. Good finish by him.

4-0 Storm ktc

[Graham]

Meaney from in front kicks the goal. 6-0

[Graham]

Storm at pace with three passes wide gets Warbrick on a charge again to score this time in the corner.

10-0 Storm

Meaney great goal from the touchline.

12-0

[Futtocks]

Warbrick generously allows another Storm player to score the third try.

[Graham]

Champagne rugby league as Vossy says.

Hughes scored the try after some great interpassing.

[Farmduck]

[Graham]

No goal from Meaney

16-0 Storm

[Farmduck]

The obligatory Eli Katoa try

[Graham]

Katoa now scores a try as he charges through the Broncos defenders.

[Graham]

The Purple Meaney kicked the goal.

22-0 Melbourne

[StandOffHalf]

Wow, that's how you run onto a ball.

Eliesa Katoa steams over from 15 out.

Storm nearly going with the clock. 22-0

[StandOffHalf]

Grant sells big Marty a massive dummy and scoots over under the sticks.

28-6 at HT.

[StandOffHalf]

Solid effort by Hughes to keep his arm up and reach out in contact.

He seemed to think he hadn't scored, but I thought the ball touched and he still had it.

Good call by Klein in the bunker to OK it IMO.

[StandOffHalf]

Faalogo is such a jack-in-the-box.

40-6 with over 25 minutes to go; it could get seriously ugly for the Broncs.

 

Edited September 5 by StandOffHalf

[StandOffHalf]

A bit concerning to see the Samoan excitement machine off holding the back of his left leg.

Not in the script.

[StandOffHalf]

Katoa off for shoulder contact on the Saints-bound starlet after he passed.

[Futtocks]

Warbrick gets his hat-trick!