Alternative NRL Round 4 Predictions and Preview – Gurgler v April Fools

Welcome to our alternative preview of the rugby league weekend ahead plus NRL Round 4 predictions.

Want more Haiku in your life? Feel the need for poetry and rugby league to collide? Or interested in NRL Round 3 Predictions based on a barely interesting stat or something completely unrelated to rugby league. Of course you do, and our Alternative preview and NRL Round 3 Predictions has just about everything..

There’s a bit of betting talk, TV times for the ultimate sloth, and more. Like the much-loved C & C Music Factory, we’ll hopefully give you a few things that make you go hmmmm.

Want to read more? Of course you do. Our Alternative NRL Round 4 Predictions and Preview awaits.

NRL ROUND 4 PREDICTIONS – GURGLER PREDICTIONS

ROOSTERS to beat Broncos
WARRIORS to beat Titans
PENRITH to beat Wests Tigers
RABBITOHS to beat Manly
RAIDERS to beat Cowboys
SHARKS to beat Eels
STORM to beat Bulldogs
DRAGONS to beat Knights

TIPPING PROGRESS – 13/24 
— Last Week 6/8

BEST BET PROGRESS – 11/24
$1 Season Earnings $26.77 (from $1 bet on all tips)
— Last Week 4/8 — $9.20

NRL ROUND 4 PREDICTIONS – OPPONENT PREDICTIONS – v APRIL FOOLS

BACKGROUND FOR TIPS – Since we’ve hit the month which has the day when it’s OK to play jokes on each other until midday, why not make a joke out of the entire month of April’s rugby league results as a method of tipping.

It’s simple this time, the team with the better record in April since 1998 is more likely to win, so gets the tip. Winning % in April in brackets.

BRONCOS (70%) to beat Roosters (49%)
TITANS (51%) to beat Warriors (46%)
TIGERS (45%) to beat Panthers (42%)
SEA EAGLES (53%) to beat Rabbitohs (33%)
COWBOYS (49%) to beat Raiders (43%)
SHARKS (48%) to beat Eels (44%)
STORM (67%) to beat Bulldogs (55%)
DRAGONS (59%) to beat Knights (46%)

OPPOSITION TIPPING PROGRESS – 13/24

Week 1 – First Round Form – 5/8
Week 2 – Best Supported Club in 2018 – 5/8
Week 3 – Club Memberships – 3/8

NRL ROUND 4 PREVIEW – MATCH BY MATCH PREVIEW

Here is our short game by game preview and we feature the only NRL preview using Haiku to describe each game. (Don’t know what a Haiku is? Here’s Wikipedia) There is plenty of other lightweight stuff including some barely interesting facts, our “best bet”, and a few thoughts about the game ahead in point. Quantity over quality we say.

THU 7:50pm – SYDNEY ROOSTERS v BRISBANE BRONCOS

Head to Head since 1998 – Broncos 21 Roosters 17
Last Season: Brisbane 28  Roosters 22 — Roosters 8  Brisbane 22

MATCH PREVIEW POETRY

The Thursday night kings
Not so good away from home
Roosters out to crow.

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

The team that has lost this game has scored exactly 22 points in the last three games. The Broncos have lost 4 of their last 5 away games on a Thursday night. Their Thursday away win % is 43% vs Home 80%.

SIDE INTERESTS

After big talk of $1M Pangai being wafted towards Pangai’s nose by the Roosters, can he live up to the hype that he created by himself.

Talking of Pangai, looking forward to his battle in the middle with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.

A shame we missed out on Latrell Mitchell v James Roberts.

Gehamat Shibasaki gets a chance to impress on the NRL stage, after doing so in the Intrust Super Cup.

BEST BET

Roosters to win 1-12 @ $3.00

FRI 6:00pm – NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS v GOLD COAST TITANS

Head to Head since 1998 – Warriors 16 Titans 9
Last Season: Gold Coast 36  Warriors 12 — Warriors 20  Gold Coast 8

MATCH PREVIEW HAIKU

Warriors again
Enigma in enigma
Which side turns up now?

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

The Titans have only won two of the last 16 clashes with the Warriors. However, they have won two of the three fixtures played in April.

SIDE INTERESTS

The Warriors are always a side interest given their flucations in form from week to week.

Poor Adam Keighran is one to carry the can or last weekend’s big loss against Manly. Chanel Harris-Tavita gets his chance in the halves now.

Gold Coast were actually a little bit unlucky not to come away with points last weekend, improvement is certainly there.

BEST BET

Titans + 6.5 start @ $1.65

FRI 7:50pm – PENRITH PANTHERS v WESTS TIGERS

Head to Head since 1998 – Panthers 20 Tigers 12
Last Season: Penrith 16 Wests Tigers 2

MATCH PREVIEW HAIKU

All about Cleary
Tigers fans want some revenge
Where is the bus now?

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

Some patterns dictate that the Tigers are specials. The last 5 Friday game have gone Penrith, Tigers, Penrith, Tigers, Penrith. The last nine games at Penrith have gone Penrith x 3, Tigers x 3, Penrith x 3.

SIDE INTERESTS

Less of a side interest than the main course. The Ivan Cleary factor dominates the narrative heading into the game.

The big man Viliame Kikau is back.

The Panthers starting forward pack in general excites.

So is Josh Reynolds, but will he be as effective as Benji Marshall?

Has Robbie Farah peaked?

BEST BET

Wests Tigers +6.5 start @ $1.65

SAT 3:00pm – MANLY SEA EAGLES v SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS

Head to Head since 1998 – Manly 20 Rabbitohs 15
Last Season: South Sydney 34  Manly  6

MATCH PREVIEW HAIKU

Rabbitohs on top
The ultimate point scorers
Manly Turbo boost

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

Souths have won 4/5 v Manly at Brookvale. However, Manly have won 7/8 clashes between these two sides that kick off at 3pm.

SIDE INTERESTS

Greg Inglis is named to return for the Rabbitohs, but a dodgy Chinese meal could stop his comeback.

George Burgess is back too, and is always entertaining one way or another. Looking forward to the twins battle with Martin Taupau.

Was last weekend’s flogging of the Warriors in NZ a one off, or is the return of Tom Trbojevic the start of something good for the rest of the season.

BEST BET

Cody Walker to score anytime @ $3.30

SAT 5:30pm – NORTH QLD COWBOYS v CANBERRA RAIDERS

Head to Head since 1998 – Canberra 19 Cowboys 18
Last Season: Canberra 38  North Queensland 12 — North Queensland 8  Canberra 18

MATCH PREVIEW HAIKU

Poor old North Queensland
Not even 1300
Smiles last weekend

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

North Queensland and Canberra haven’t met on a Thursday or Friday since 1998.

SIDE INTERESTS

Can the previously obscure Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad continue to shine after shining against Newcastle last weekend.

Give the new look backline another week before writing it off.

Will John Bateman win the Best of British this weekend for the Raiders?

Can the Cowboys find their match winner with JT out?

BEST BET

Jordan Rapana to score a try and Canberra Raiders to win @ $3.00

SAT 7:30pm – PARRAMATTA EELS v CRONULLA SHARKS

Head to Head since 1998 – Sharks 17 Parramatta 15
Last Season: Parramatta 4  Sharks 14 — Sharks 22  Parramatta 20

MATCH PREVIEW HAIKU

Eels have started well
No Hayne means plenty of gain
Blake hype down a notch

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

Sharks have won both of the only two games between these sides at the Olympic Stadium. And the last five games in a row at all grounds. And the last seven matches that kicked off at 7:30pm on a Saturday night.

SIDE INTERESTS

Be on the lookout for a sneaky Gus Gould around the Sharks if rumours are to be believed.

Will there be decidedly less Blake Ferguson hype this weekend. Although he is entertaining to watch.

Which Brailey is better?

Josh Dugan at fullback for Sharks.

How did this game miss out on a Sunday 4pm time slot?

BEST BET

Sharks to win @ $1.85

SUN 4:05pm – MELBOURNE STORM v BULLDOGS

Head to Head since 1998 – Bulldogs 21 Melbourne 18
Last Season: Bulldogs 18 Melbourne 36

MATCH PREVIEW HAIKU

Bulldogs off the mark
No loss Storm different task
No Foran will hurt.

BARELY INTERESTING FACT

The Bulldogs are Melbourne’s worst opponent that is currently still in the competition. The only team where their win record is under 50%.

SIDE INTERESTS

After playing a rare, decent game for the Bulldogs, the loss of Kieran Foran is a very interesting one.

We still can’t work out why Rhyse Martin wasn’t playing from Round 1.

Nelson Asofa-Solomona v Dylan Napa up the middle looks a good battle.

Cameron Munster’s transition into a modern day Wally Lewis continues.

Can Fijian big man Tui Kamikamica become the new Petero Civoniceva with an extended run with the Storm.

BEST BET

Bulldogs +14.5 start @ $2.02

SUN 6:10pm – NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS v ST GEORGE-ILLAWARRA DRAGONS

Head to Head since 1998 – Dragons 26 Newcastle 11
Last Season: Newcastle 14  St George Illawarra 24 — St George Illawarra 30  Newcastle 12

MATCH PREVIEW LIMERICK

There once was a man named Ponga
Who wanted his league legend to last longer
His coach Nathan Brown
Turned his plan upside down
And he is a five eighth no longer>

Newcastle have only won four games in 20 home matches against the Dragons since 1999.

SIDE INTERESTS

Teams are playing for the Alex McKinnon Cup which is a nice touch.

New fullbacks – Ponga moves back from five eighth and Matt Dufty moves from his hybrid role back to the number 1 full time.

Finding the time to watch this game live with all the quality news and reality TV on a Sunday night.

BEST BET

Dragons to win @ $2.05

RUGBY LEAGUE TV TIMES THIS WEEKEND

Want more rugby league than you can watch? Well here’s the full schedule for the weekend ahead.