Time for the Kick to Come – the NRL Round 22 Preview for the weekend ahead.
Just five rounds to go, and the finals participants are almost sorted with the only realistic interest in the Panthers for the Top 8 and the make up of the Top 4.
A great line up of games this weekend, and we can’t wait. Except for Sunday 4pm.
Can you wait for our NRL Round 22 Preview? Of course you can’t.
THE NRL ROUND 22 PREVIEW MATCH BY MATCH IN 22 WORDS OR LESS OR SO
THURSDAY – BULLDOGS v EELS
Thursday night? How can you tell? The Bulldogs are here and boring as hell. Maybe the NRL should consider mixing it up next year. Surely there’s a Sunday shift for them. Eels win v Broncos was highly impressive. Dog shot aside.
FRIDAY – DRAGONS v RABBITOHS
The most interesting thing about this game is the location – the SCG. Retro week is in full swing with a game at the Cricket ground. Rabbitohs season can’t end quick enough, and somehow the Dragons turned around from pulling Manly pants down to unable to beat the competition’s least successful side. Flip a coin or pick a draw.
FRIDAY – COWBOYS v STORM
Quality Friday clash between many Queenslanders second sides. Storm are cantering towards the minor premiership, Cowboys in the battle for top 4, and a loss won’t help but is hard to look past.
SATURDAY – KNIGHTS v WARRIORS
Can the Knights do it two weeks in a row? They face almost the perfect side, a team who are playing worse than them lately.
SATURDAY – TITANS v BRONCOS
Both SEQ sides come into the game off a loss. Broncos were at least a bit more convincing last weekend, Titans are done. Having Jarryd Hayne won’t help when you’re down either.
SATURDAY – SHARKS v RAIDERS
After some great clashes last season, it is a shame Canberra are hanging on for finals. Sharks quietly keeping themselves in the hunt for a back to back title, a loss for the Raiders will just about see them off for 2017. Hopefully via a dodgy ref call so Ricky Stuart aka Carlos Smearson can have one last ref spray.
SUNDAY – MANLY v ROOSTERS
All of a sudden Manly looked busted arse, so having to face the Roosters is poor timing. The Chooks were highly impressive in the second half last weekend against the Cowboys.
SUNDAY – PANTHERS v TIGERS
Just to prove Channel Nein love their Sunday footy, they pick easily the least interesting game to finish the week.
THE BIG QUESTION
WHICH COACH WILL BE SACKED FIRST IN 2017?
With many of the bottom eight clubs in various states of disarray but all seemingly signed to longish term contracts, it seems unlikely anyone will lose their job in 2017. So the race for the first sacking in 208 starts now.
Des Hasler must be favourite, as he seems unlikely to see out 2017, but the 2 year extension signed early in the year makes that an expensive mistake. He’ll be banking of Kieran Foran turning them around. Good luck.
Michael Maguire has taken Souths progressively backwards but has a rapidly declining amount in the bank. That historic premiership was gold to a Souths fan who thought it would never happen, but the slow and steady decline into rubbish is a worry.
Ricky Stuart is always a chance due to his general demeanour. Nathan Brown is trying hard but how long can they accept mediocrity. And Stephen Kearney coaches the NZ Warriors.
For our money if Des survives the off season, we move to Stephen Kearney at the Warriors. Followed by Michael Maguire.
NRL ROUND 22 PREVIEW “FUN” FACTS
Which teams have had the highest % of Draws ever?
With the English Football League season just about to kick off, and National Adopt an English Football League team week in full swing, why not get the result that everyone loves (esp Mexico and Portugal) and that we don’t see anymore in the NRL as it continues its mission to be NFL Lite.
For the record, we think there’s nothing wrong with a draw in regular NRL season. And Channel Nein stinks.
Here is the table of current teams and their drawing power. Of course newer teams are disadvantaged with Golden Point. Oh well.
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 22 PREVIEW TIPS
BULLDOGS to beat Eels
RABBITOHS to beat Dragons
STORM to beat Cowboys
WARRIORS to beat Knights
BRONCOS to beat Titans
SHARKS to beat Raiders
ROOSTERS to beat Manly
PANTHERS to beat Tigers
NRL ROUND 22 PREVIEW – GUEST TIPSTER – HIGHEST % OF DRAWS
Highest % of draws win. % in brackets
BULLDOGS (2.93%) to beat Eels (2.33%)
RABBITOHS (2.57% to beat Dragons (1.65%)
STORM (1.15%) to beat Cowboys (1.05%)
KNIGHTS (2.16%) to beat Warriors (1.24%)
BRONCOS (1.65%) to beat Titans (0.38%)
SHARKS (2.16%) to beat Raider (1.09%)
ROOSTERS (3.00) to beat Sea Eagles (2.64%)
PANTHERS (2.44%) to beat Tigers (0.68)
Above stats taken from Rugby League Project. A must visit for rugby league nerds.
NRL ROUND 22 PREVIEW – REGULAR GUEST TIPSTER – THE DOG
BULLDOGS to beat Eels
RABBITOHS to beat Dragons
COWBOYS to beat Storm
KNIGHTS to beat Warriors
BRONCOS to beat Titans
RAIDERS to beat Sharks
ROOSTERS to beat Manly
PANTHERS to beat Tigers
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 22 SUPER MULTI
BULLDOGS +8.5 start
RABBITOHS +6.5 start
STORM to win
WARRIORS to win
BRONCOS -7.5 start
SHARKS to win
ROOSTERS -3.5 start
PANTHERS to win
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