Angrier than a room full of Fox League writers and NRL 360 hosts, slower than a Bunker decision, and spending more time in the Sin Bin than his contract allows, it’s time for the weekly Rugby League rant of The Gurgler’s NRL Donkey, who provides his NRL Donkey’s 2025 NRL Round 10 Expert Tips as well as offers an alternative, slightly unhinged view full of sass of the world of rugby league and beyond for another week.
The NRL Donkey’s 2025 NRL Round 10 Weekly Rant
You know the NRL is back to business after the excitement and magic of Magic Round when they serve up four of the bottom six in the first two games of Round 10. A cold shower of sorts for rugby league fans. At least one of them won in Magic Round I guess. Oh, and the all-Sydney clash on a Sunday afternoon at 4pm. Just the way Channel Nein like it.
But maybe there’s an exciting silver lining, the four teams have all had/are having runs of bad form this season, so maybe this is a potential shopping window into this season’s wooden spoon, and punters can get their form guides and black books ready.
And after the success of spoon bowl last season, wouldn’t a four team, mini Bowl competition to end the season among the worst four teams to determine dead last be a lot of fun. Two games on the Tuesday after the regular season has finished, and the final on the Thursday. Losers proceed to the next round. The ultimate losing teams punished with two further games. It’s like a Premier League relegation battle without a club dropping out.
Talking of relegation and dropping out, what about the Australian Federal Election…….
The historic win for ALP and loss for the Coalition has been blamed on many things: Donald Trump, MAGA hats, Greens, News Ltd, Donald Trump, ABC, Fake News, Petrol Bowsers, Baby Boomers, Generations Y and/or Z, Cyclones, Greg Norman, the fact that Peter Dutton was as unlikeable a person as any political party in any country outside of the 1930’s – 1950’s could have offered up for a population that has more younger voters than old, but ultimately there’s only one simple reason for ALP’s success and Coalition’s demise……Rugby League.
Now this is not based on any political preference, as you could imagine being a donkey I only vote one way…..the only way…..
People know Albo’s NRL preference for rugby league with his constant wearing of Souths merch at any opportunity, often being the random Souths Guy himself. And doesn’t the Federal Parliament need an uplift of Random South Guy every now and again. Actually not with the great Milton Dick as the speaker of the house. Milton Dick provides entertainment and discipline.
But back to Albo, and despite the furious Baby Boomer keyboard warriors on the News Ltd comments section, and it is most often the most entertaining part of News Ltd media offerings, Albo is quite likeable. And even the Baby Boomers in between watching Sky News, keying Teslas at Shopping Centres, aiming their shopping trolleys at kids they don’t like at Coles shopping on a Saturday despite being retired and able to shop anyway, telling younger people they should work in an office five days a week and to stop buying avocados, they would begrudgingly admit that they could easily associate Albo with rugby league.
One could easily see him at Henson Park sitting on the hill with a beer, or sampling a delicious Chicko Roll at Bishop Park, or wandering down to the Brighton Roosters on a Friday night to shake hands and watch rugby league. I can only guess that when the time came to vote on Saturday the people of Australia came to pencil in their numbers on the fifty foot wide Senate ballot paper that they pictured which candidate they could see on a cold Saturday night with a beer, scarf, and hope for their team.
I have to point out, that the previous person to win the Federal Election before Albo was Scomo. And he was very easily associated with his beloved Cronulla Sharks, and therefore rugby league. Politics and rugby league is simply a winning combination.
No one knows Peter Dutton’s league team, and they can probably imagine him at Suncorp in RM William boots watching rrrrrrrrrrrrrrugby union. Or tuning into Bloomberg instead of Fox League on a Friday night. Of course people will argue about pictures of him in token scarfs of various teams for photos for the website, but no one would easily associated Peter Dutton with rugby league. Or laughing. Or night fishing for Wrasse in Burpengary Creek after a bottle of Stones Green Ginger Wine.
There was also no word from the Coalition during the campaign whether they would continue the Australian Government support of a team out of PNG. The ALP were smart enough on two fronts to know rugby league votes in Australia, and the key to Pacific security over China and any other threat is rugby league, and a happy PNG where rugby league is the main game. It’s fair to say that Australia’s security during WWII was thanks to PNG, and in part rugby league.
Given his unpopularity, it begs me to ask the question, is Peter Dutton the Lance Stroll of politics? Or is Lance Stroll the Peter Dutton of F1? Both are unpopular, and appear to hate rugby league. You get the feeling that Peter Dutton would support Aston Martin over Rugby League.
Other losers of the election were the Greens who may lose all their Lower House seats. Very few, if any, and not many, would associate the Greens with rugby league. Or indeed anything fun.
See the trend? Low 2025 Federal Election results, low association with rugby league.
Vote 1 Rugby League, always.
And for something as popular as a Liberal candidate in Brisbane, here are the weekly tips.
The NRL Donkey’s 2025 NRL Round 10 Expert Tips
PARRAMATTA v DOLPHINS
Perhaps the coach will tell the Dolphins team at the start of the game that it’s half time. Or maybe at half time that’s it full time. Or half time at the end of the game. Either way, the Dolphins need to put two good halves together. And give Ray Stone more game time. Or else, you get the feeling from Ray Stone.
Dolphins by 10
NEWCASTLE v GOLD COAST
Tucked away in the Friday 6pm timeslot is a game for the purists. The home side have won 14/15 so maybe the Titans could forfeit and save the time and travel budget. Or maybe as punishment make David Fifita drive the team bus Flintstone’s style all the way from the Gold Coast to Newcastle. The Knights look back after thumping a terrible Rabbitohs. Gold Coast aren’t going better than Souths.
Newcastle by 20.
SOUTH SYDNEY v BRISBANE
It’s the game where the coaches have had great success with the other team. And Adam Reynolds should get a new tattoo with him giving the Rabbitohs the finger with “I’m Still Playing” underneath. Although, he wasn’t great at Magic Round but was the week before.
Brisbane by 8.
CANBERRA v BULLDOGS
Game of the round between two form sides, and no surprise it isn’t on Channel Nein. It will be enjoyed by us Fox League/Kayo snobs.
Bulldogs by 2
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA v WAHS
The Warriors bandwagon is growing, and a good Warriors is good for rugby league. Like Raymond, everybody loves the Warriors, except for the grinchiest of rugby league supporters, who we presume that Buzz Rothfield is the Vice-Captain of. As for the Dragons, only Fox League loves Flanno.
Warriors by 12
NORTH QUEENSLAND v PENRITH
This game will prove whether Penrith are fully back, or they just like to troll the Broncos.
Cowboys by 4.
MELBOURNE v WESTS TIGERS
Melbourne don’t lose two in a row very often. Maybe out of fear of a Craig Bellamy spray. Or out of fear of a Craig Bellamy spray. One can only imagine the size of the one Trent Loiero got after his match winning performance for Canberra at Magic Round. So combining a Bellamy spray with the Tigers terrible record v the Storm, I can’t go past and also don’t dare to go past the Storm.
Melbourne by 12
MANLY v CRONULLA
Just a lazy Sunday afternoon, settling back with a few beers, enjoying the almost Winter sunshine, and doing anything else than watching this game. I’m sure it will be great though.
Cronulla by 6.
