The NRL Round 14 Thread

[THE RED ROOSTER]

NRL round 14 and in this round, we are past the halfway point in the season with eight matchups, some of which would have been straightforward only a week ago with a case being made for either side. There are also four teams whose premiership window is closing.

Manly  Sea Eagles v South Sydney (Thu) - SKY

The Silvertails bring back Toluta'u Koula at Centre for the benched Josh Feledy and  Haumole Olakau'atu (in the second row in place of  the benched Jackson Shereb.

A raft of returnees for Souths with Jye Gray replacing the benched Matt Dufty at fullback, Brandon Smith replacing Peter Mamouzelos at hooker. David Fifita back at second row where he joins a new second row partnership with Tallis Duncan, Euan Aitken being benched and Keaon Koloamatangi moving to the front row in place of the benched Sean Keppie. Cameron Murray replacing Adam Elliott at Lock Edward Kosi replacing Talanoa Penitani on the wing and Campbell Graham returns at centre.

Manly remain without Turbo but with both Origin players now back in the starting XIII. They are  playing at Brookvale at night with the Coaching situation now settled. They would expect to win

Teams whose Premiership window is closing #1  as I have posted before, Souths are a strong side but a side with a lot of aged players and players leaving at the end of the season. There is a lot of shuffling about in the side in recent weeks so it would bring into question whether players know their role in the side and of course there no Latrell Mitchell. Theres also no Jack Wighton but Latrell is a huge loss, when he has his footy head on, he is the spark that ignites the rabbits.

Tip – Sea Eagle

Melbourne Storm v Newcastle Knights (Fri)

The Storm are now on a roll but lose Nick Meaney replaced by Manaia Waitere. The only other change being a straight swop at Hooker where Harry Grant starts and Trent Toelau drops to the bench.

For the Knights, Fletcher Sharpe replaces Sandon Smith in the halves whole his former position at Centre is filled by Fletcher Hunt.

Melbourne have won 29 out of 37 games against Newcastle, and they have their spine back with the momentum of being on a two-game winning streak. The only minus being the continued absence of Xavier Coates

Newcastle is a great attacking side but also a side that concedes points and squeaked by Paramatta last week. The side is much improved under Justin Holbrook but in respect of the strength of schedule the Knights have been beating ordinary sides but not the clubs regarded as the traditional powerhouses of the game,

Buzz Rothfeld on a podcast earlier in the week was of the view that a deal has already been doe that Craif Bellamy will step down at the end of the season and be replaced by Billy Slater

Tip - Storm

Canberra Raiders v Sydney Roosters (Fri)

Minor shuffling for the capital club  with the injured Sebastian Kris replaced in the centres by Daine Laurie whose previous spot at lock is now filled by Jayden Brailey (lock).

The Roosters swop Lindsay Collins who will start in the front row with Spencer Leniu dropping back to the bench.

It’s a fact that the Roosters struggle against the Penny Panthers and the Storm but not so well known that they have a poor record against Ricky’s Rampant Raiders. This is a game which could be settled by the forwards – parity favours Canberra’s speedy backline

Teams whose Premiership window is closing #2. Like Souths the Roosters have  loot of players either leaving for Union - Crichton and Mark N or at the end of their career, Cherry-Evans, Tupou and dare I say it, James Tedesco whose performances have not been at his normal standard   and whose performance in Origin 1 is remembered for the winning try rather than a very nondescript overall performance. The error count in the last two defeats was staggering.

Tip – Raiders

North Queensland Cowboys v The Dolphins (Sat) - SKY

The Cows bring Reuben Cotter back at Lock for the benched Matt Lodge.

The Dolphins are back at full strength with “the hammer” Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow back at fullback for Trai Fuller. Herbie Farnworth in for Brian Pouniu at centre, Selwyn Cobbo back on the wing in place of  Tevita Naufahu. Kodi Nikorima  in the Halves replacing  Brad Schneider who is benched as more surprisingly is Jeremy Marshall-King replaced by Max Plath at Hooker with Thomas Flegler(returning in the front row in place of the benched Felise Kaufusi

It might be played in tropical Townsville but arguably the Dolphins season turned around in the sweltering overtime loss to the Panthers in Darwin where the Dolphins pulled back a halftime deficit to win. Certainly, on paper this is a mightily impressive Dolphins starting XIII. The only qualm you have about them is the mercurial nature of the side which has been the case since they entered the Comp in 2023 and makes it very difficult to tip games in which they are involved.

The Cows are at home and have the players to engage in a shootout, yet they are still without Tom Dearden and cannot always haul back two-score or more deficits.

Tip - Dolphin

Brisbane Broncos v Gold Coast Titans (Sat) - SKY

The Bronx replace  Gehamat Shibasaki at Centre with Grant Anderson and the injured, Patrick Carrigan is replaced by Xavier Willison at lock who in turn is replaced in the second row by  Jack Gosiewski. Ezra Mam in benched in the halves and replaced by Thomas Duffy

Titans bring back their Origin players,  Sosefo Fifita in the Centre and  Tino Fa'asuamaleaui In the front row for the benched Jaylan De Groot and Klese Haas respectively.

Teams whose Premiership window is closing #2 – The Bronx lose Adam Reynolds and Payne Haas for next year to retirement and South Sydney. This is it for this Bronx team though with the lock on junior talent in South Queensland. It’s the biggest club in Rugby League and The Courier Mail would have been grim reading for the coaching staff last Monday.

The Titans actually won the home and away series with the Bronx in 2024 and potentially this is a moment of weakness of the Broncos club they could exploit but the problem is the Titans have yet to show tipsters any cause to be confident in tipping them

Tip - Bronco

West Tigers v Penrith Panthers (Sun)

Played at Comms Bank which in theory anyway is a Home Venue for both teams this season.

Tigers make two changes with Mavrik Geyer replacing Sione Fainu in the second row and Charlie Murray replacing  Alex Twal at lock.

Ivan Cleary rejigs the Panthers to bring back his Origin stars with Nathan Cleary replacing the benched Jack Cogger in the halves, Isaah Yeo back at Lock with Lindsay Smith moved to the front row to replace the benched Liam Henry. Brian To’o back on the wing with Paul Alamoti moving into the centres to replace the benched Izack Tago

Much as I like the direction of travel under Benji for the Tigers, with the absentees the Tigers still have and a full-strength Penny Panthers with key players rested  this looks a game too far

Tip - Panther

Cronulla Sharks v St George Illawarra (Sun)

For the Sharkie’s, the injured  Blayke Brailey is replaced by Jayden Berrell  at hooker with, Briton Nikora replacing the benched  Billy Burns in the second row.

SGI unsurprisingly unchanged from the win at Brisbane.

Teams whose Premiership Window is closing #3 – the clear out is already beginning at Woollooware. For this game the Sharks do not have Nicho Hynes again and now also the influential Blayke Bailey is out. Despite the Sharks recent dominance of the Shire derby this is a game that St George-Illawarra definitely have the chance of a second win in.

It is in my opinion, the closest you come down under to a traditional derby game in the UK, so form goes out of the window. Having said all that I do think the Sharks will win

A lot of Media speculation started by Buzz Rothfeld that the Powers that be in the NRL are unhappy with Shark park and that the club may be required to play at Allianz Park and maybe Kogarah next season with the odd game at Shark park against the out of town sides like the Titans in the same way that Canterbury play a game at Belmore each year.

Tip - Shark

Canterbury Bulldogs v Paramatta Eels (Mon) - SKY

The Bulldogs are unchanged from last week.

Paramatta only make the one change with Tallyn Da Silva coming in at Hooker to replace the benched Harrison Edwards.

Trouble at the Kennel with a Media beat up over the alleged clash between Stephen Crichton and Lachlan Galvin over making a captain’s challenge. He Easiest way to resolve this would be for the pair poof them to come out onto the field together in a show of unity

Mitch moses unable to play for Paramatta bit could be Origin II so trouble also brewing in Parradise, but the decimated Eels have not stopped playing for Jason Ryles and if there is Dog Disunity then a Parra win at Accor is not out of the question.

Tip - Dogs

[Irish Saint]

Good morning all. Kieran Foran having now been appointed Manly coach until 2029, supporters have now renamed Four Pines Park, Foz Pines  Park.

[Irish Saint]

Andrew  Voss and Greig Alexander will be commentators.

[Irish Saint]

Garrick starts proceedings.

[Irish Saint]

Rabbitohs defence holds out 12 plays in a row. 10 minutes gone remains scoreless.

[Irish Saint]

Cody Walker replies with 40/20.

[Irish Saint]

Murray to Koloamatangi who opens the scoring.

 

[Irish Saint]

Siegwalt adds the extras.

Rabbitohs 6-0 14 minutes gone.

[Irish Saint]

Gray over runs ball collects on own line and sprints 50 metres passes to Ward who is brought down by Faulalo who is sent to bin

Siegwalt adds 2 with the penalty.

Rabbitohs 8-0

Edited June 4 by Irish Saint

[Graham]

Hi Irish Saint

Good stat for Bunnies, but Saab is in.

Souths errors helped it must be said.

[Graham]

Garrick’s pass was good under pressure.

[Graham]

Manly scored that with a man in the bin.

Garrick kicked well there too.

8-6 Souths

[Irish Saint]

Down to 112 but Saab goes in at corner following pass from Garrick

Garrick adds extras from touchline.

Rabbitohs 8-6 25 minutes gone.

[Graham]

14 minutes of the first half remaining 

[Irish Saint]

Morning Graham just had to edit some of my posts; predictive text has a lot to answer for

[Graham]

Surely Garrick was in touch?

[Graham]

1 minute ago, Irish Saint said:

Morning Graham just had to edit some of my posts; predictive text has a lot to answer for

It sorely does

[Graham]

Wow, Graham loses the ball and Hopoate scores in the corner.

[Graham]

Souths’ errors are costing them dearly.

Manly 10-8 up then

[Graham]

Garrick is fully involved in this game

[Graham]

Saab a 6’6 target was nowhere near that towering kick.

[Graham]

Some belting tackles!

Half time approaching who’s going to score?

[Graham]

Souths waste their challenge over a blatant lost ball.

[Irish Saint]

Laiati who has just come on for Manly spills ball tackled by Keppie.

Rabbitohs challenge loose carry and lose.

[Irish Saint]

Faulalo great take from Walker kick.