Welcome to the Kick to Come NRL Round 21 Preview, and before we go any further, happy International Love A Referee/Umpire Week.
Once again the major talking point in rugby league is a negative, and instead of being Blues witch hunt it is all about a send off that never was. That is something in the NRL’s power. More later.
There’s a good week of games ahead, where 6 of the top 7 play each other. Happily for Foxtel fans, and unhappily for FTA fans, one of those three games is on Channel Nein. More later.
The finals race is down to the final six matches, and it looks like Penrith are the only ones who can catch the top 8. And Melbourne look good things to be Minor Premiers. Plenty of interest in between. Very little interest adn deservedly so past 10th.
THE NRL ROUND 21 PREVIEW MATCH BY MATCH IN 21 WORDS OR LESS OR SO
THURSDAY – PANTHERS (9th) v BULLDOGS (13th)
Panthers need to keep winning to keep finals hope alive, Bulldogs need to keep winning to keep Des Hasler’s job alive.
FRIDAY – WARRIORS (14th) v Sharks (4th)
Given the Warriors were awful two weeks ago and lost, and good against the Cowboys and lost in Townsville, logic says they will be great against the Sharks and win. Especially since the win won’t make much of a difference to their season.
FRIDAY – EELS (7th) v BRONCOS (3rd)
Interesting to see if Clint Gutherson’s season ending injurt affects the Eels. With Bevan French moving to fullback it is hard to see that it will.
SATURDAY – KNIGHTS (16th) v DRAGONS (8th)
Not many would have picked the Dragons pulling Manly’s pants down last weekend by such a margin. Can the Knights win another game in 2017?
SATURDAY – RABBITOHS (12th) v RAIDERS (10th)
Finally Souths move Cody Walker to five eighth, Alex Johnston to fullback and John Sutton to the pack. About bloody time, too late for 2017 finals though.
SATURDAY – COWBOYS (5th) v ROOSTERS (2nd)
A great game awaits in Townsville, Cowboys building nicely despite the lack of Thurston. Roosters going just as well.
SUNDAY – STORM (1st) v SEA EAGLES (6th)
No Billy, possibly no Cameron Smith, still plenty of talent to burn, which is why they’re top. Also, how will Manly bounce back from the flogging by the Dragons last weekend.
SUNDAY – TITANS (11th) v TIGERS (15th)
Once again proving how irrelevant the final game of the weekend is. Pffft to Channel Nein.
THE 2 BIG QUESTIONS FOR THE NRL ROUND 21 PREVIEW
Not just one, but such a big week it needs two big questions.
Should Sia Soliola been suspended for longer?
Yes, there is no way he should have played again this season.
Whilst he is widely known as a nice bloke, and Billy Slater was slipping, a message should have been sent.
It is not just this incident, but there has been an alarming increase of playmakers being smashed after they kick or pass the ball, and the NRL could have sent a message with this one saying if you get it wrong you’ll pay for it. If they don’t protect the playmakers more then all that’ll be left is something similar to the dross that Souths and Bulldogs serve up.
The Usual TV Scheduling Whine
The average ladder positions of Channel Nein games this week – 9.7.
The average ladder positions of the other games – 7.8.
Six of the Top 7 play each other this week, and FTA can only be force themselves to show the Broncos as usual. Which they probably would have shown regardless of the ladder positions.
The current top 7 had looked pretty settled for a while now, so it is just more proof that the NRL waiting to announce the last 6 rounds of the season to get the best games is complete bullshit, and they are kidding only themselves and the most ignorant.
NRL ROUND 21 PREVIEW “FUN” FACTS
Which teams have had the most Send Offs / Sin Bins
With all the talk of send offs, why not see which teams this decade have had the most sin bins and send offs combined.
We have assigned one point for a sin binning, as it is usually for the heinous crime of laying on a tackled player one second too long, and three for being sent off. Although we have to go a little while back to find one of those.
1 Point for Sin Bin / 3 Points for Send Off.
| Team | Total Points | Sin Bins | Send Offs |
| Cowboys | 4 | 4 | |
| Warriors | 4 | 4 | |
| Sharks | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| Broncos | 7 | 7 | |
| Rabbitohs | 7 | 7 | |
| Dragons | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| Tigers | 7 | 7 | |
| Titans | 8 | 8 | |
| Knights | 9 | 6 | 1 |
| Eels | 11 | 11 | |
| Sea Eagles | 12 | 9 | 1 |
| Roosters | 12 | 6 | 2 |
| Bulldogs | 14 | 14 | |
| Panthers | 14 | 11 | 1 |
| Raiders | 15 | 12 | 1 |
| Storm | 18 | 15 | 1 |
THE GURGLER’S NRL TIPPING COMPETITION
Each week we will supply our tips for the week ahead, plus take on some guest tipsters. They are likely to determined by a ridiculous method. Will arse beat class? Probably. Pity we’re neither.
We have done it for the EPL, and no one reads it. So we hope to get at least half of those people for the NRL tipping.
THE GURGLER’s NRL ROUND 21 PREVIEW TIPS
PANTHERS to beat Bulldogs
WARRIORS to beat Sharks
EELS to beat Broncos
KNIGHTS to beat Dragons
RABBITOHS to beat Raiders
COWBOYS to beat Roosters
STORM to beat Sea Eagles
TITANS to beat Tigers
NRL ROUND 21 PREVIEW – GUEST TIPSTER – LEAST SEND OFFS / SIN BINS
Fewest Sin Bins / Send Offs points wins. 1 Point for Sin Bin / 3 Points for Send Off.
Points – Sin Bins – Send Offs in brackets. Since 2011.
BULLDOGS (14 – 14 – 0) to beat Panthers (14 – 11 – 1)
Bulldogs win on countback of no Send Off.
WARRIORS (4-4-0) to beat Sharks (5-2-1)
BRONCOS (7-7-0) to beat Eels (11-11-0)
DRAGONS (7-4-1) to beat Knights (9-6-1)
RABBITOHS (7-7-0) to beat Raiders (15-12-1)
COWBOYS (4-4-0) to beat Roosters (12-6-2)
SEA EAGLES (12-9-1) to beat Storm (18-15-1)
TIGERS (7-7-0) to beat Titans (8-8-0)
NRL ROUND 21 PREVIEW – REGULAR GUEST TIPSTER – THE DOG
BULLDOGS to beat Panthers
SHARKS to beat Warriors
BRONCOS to beat Eels
KNIGHTS to beat Dragons
RABBITOHS to beat Raiders
ROOSTERS to beat Cowboys
SEA EAGLES to beat Storm
TIGERS to beat Titans
RESULTS SO FAR
Here’s a list of our results and the ridiculous things we’ve put our tips up against this year so far.
Most Visited Website – 88% – 7/8
Best Worst Coaches – 88% – 7/8
R3 Ladder Improvement from 2016 – 75% – 6/8
Deadliest Mascot – 75% – 6/8
Scrabble – 63% – 5/8
Penalties Conceded 63% – 5/8
Twitter – 63% – 5/8
Number of Jerseys – 63% – 5/8
<strong>The Gurgler – 60% – 86 / 144 </strong>
Jersey Sponsor’s Annual Turnover – 4/7 – 57%
Selections by Postcode – 55% – 22/40
<strong>The Dog – 53% – 77 / 144</strong>
4 Rounds Form – 50% – 4/8
Errors – 50% – 4/8
Odds Change from Start of Season – 50% – 4/8
Leagues Club Turnover – 38% – 3/8
Selection by Mascot – 38% – 3/8
Most Interesting Fan – 38% – 3/8
Pack of Cards – 25% – 2/8
Best Chart Position of Club’s Fan -16% – 1/6
Origin Players from last 3 Years – 0% – 0/4
GURGLER NRL ROUND 21 SUPER MULTI
PENRITH to beat Bulldogs
WARRIORS +6.5 start v Sharks
EELS +8.5 start v Broncos
KNIGHTS +12.5 start v Dragons
SOUTHS to beat Raiders
COWBOYS +8.5 start v Roosters
STORM to beat Sea Eagles
TITANS to beat TIgers
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