Welcome to The Gurgler’s Kick to Come – our NRL Round 1 preview for the big first weekend of rugby league ahead.
It’s about bloody time, as it feels like it has been dragging on since October.
Not even a Four Nations, Auckland Nines or All Star game is enough to keep us happy.
For most weeks it’ll be eight of the best games every weekend, except for when Origin ruins the comp in the mid season.
There’s even an all new Fox League Channel to ensure that too much rugby league will never be enough in 2017.
We’ve already supplied our thoughts on the season ahead, but now it’s time to concentrate on the first week.
Each week we will provide our thoughts on five of the things we’re looking forward to, provide our “best bets” on the weekend action’s and our tipping competition. But as it is the first week, we’ll supply eight thoughts on the upcoming action. Eventually games and teams will be less interesting, but for now, enthusiasm is high.
EIGHT QUESTIONS FOR THE NRL ROUND 1 PREVIEW
Q1 – Were the Sharks/Broncos big losses in the UK a sign for a backward step in 2017?
A – Signs are not good.
Q2 – Why don’t the NRL concentrate on playing more games at spiritual homes like Belmore?
A – Money, ambition to be AFL.
Q3 – Would a Souths win put a smile on Robbie Farah’s face.
A – Probably not, as we have never seen him smile.
Q4 – Can we believe the hype about Penrith?
A – Probably. We hope so due to “investments”.
Q5 – Can the Raiders keep to the same level as like the end of 2016?
A – If they beat the Cowboys in Townsville, sure, why not.
Q6 – Will Fox League tone down the Hayne Plane gear
A – Depends if he plays.
Q7 – Can the Knights avoid the spoon by not strengthening squad.
A – Hmmmm.
Q8 – Is there two Sydney Teams playing the 4pm Sunday timeslot on Channel Nein?
A – You know it.
Will any of our questions be answered? Find out with our review at the end of the week. But probably not.
THE GURGLER’S NRL TIPPING COMPETITION
Each week we will supply our tips for the week ahead, plus take on 2 guest tipsters. Both of them are likely to determined by a ridiculous method. Will arse beat class? Probably. Pity we’re neither.
We have done it for the EPL, but next to none reads it. So we hope to get at least half of those people for the NRL tipping.
THE GURGLER’s NRL ROUND 1 PREVIEW TIPS
SHARKS
STORM
SOUTH SYDNEY
PENRITH
COWBOYS
ROOSTERS
WARRIORS
PARRAMATTA
NRL ROUND 1 PREVIEW – GUEST TIPSTER 1 – BEST MASCOT
A long time ago we attempted to find out which team had the best mascot, based on a number of factors of the animal or human in question. If you want to find out who was the best, how our tips work, or why we bothered by following this link to the previous “gold”. The team that had the higher ranked mascot gets the tip.
BRONCOS to beat Sharks
BULLDOGS to beat Storm
RABBITOHS to beat Tigers
PANTHERS to beat Dragons
COWBOYS to beat Raiders
TITANS to beat Roosters
WARRIORS to beat Knights
SEA EAGLES to beat Eels
NRL ROUND 1 PREVIEW – GUEST TIPSTER 2 – POSTCODE
Deciding tips based on some pissweak compiling of mascot data was not silly enough. So we have used the postcode of the team’s spiritual home (e.g. Souths = Redfern, Bulldogs = Belmore) added the 4 digits and the biggest total gets the tip. (e.g. 4503 = 4+5+0+3 = 12) Postcode and total in brackets below.
BRONCOS (14 – 4064) to beat Cronulla (7 – 2230)
BULLDOGS ( 14 – 2192) to beat Melbourne (3 – 3000)
SOUTHS (9 – 2016) to beat West Tigers (6 – 2040)
PENRITH (14 – 2750) to beat Dragons (12 – 2217)
COWBOYS (13 – 4810) to beat Canberra (9 – 2601)
TITANS (14 – 4226) to beat Roosters (10 – 2026)
NZ (8 – 1061) to beat Newcastle (5 – 2300)
PARRAMATTA (8 – 2150) to beat Manly (3 – 2100)
NRL ROUND 1 PREVIEW – GUEST TIPSTER – THE DOG
If we’re asking mascots, and postcodes, why not the dog.
SHARKS to beat Broncos
BULLDOGS to beat Storm
SOUTHS to beat Tigers
PENRITH to beat Dragons
COWBOYS to beat Canberra
TITANS to beat Roosters
NEWCASTLE to beat Warriors
MANLY to beat Eels
Who will be NRL Round 1 Preview ultimate tipster?
THE GURGLER’S NRL ROUND 1 PREVIEW SUPER MULTI
Want to win some cash? You may well need to avoid following our tips. Here for you street money consideration is our best bets conveniently packaged into a super multi.
SHARKS +4.5 start v Broncos
TOAL SCORE Under 34.5 – Bulldogs v Storm
WESTS TIGERS +6.5 start v South Sydney
PENRITH to beat St George Illawarra
COWBOYS to beat Canberra
ROOSTERS -3.5 start v Gold Coast
NEWCASTLE +18.5 start v NZ Warriors
PARRAMATTA to beat Manly
$1 could win $55