More disappointed than a Canberra Raiders fan, less to blame for the world’s problems than Lachlan Galvin, and ready for sudden death rugby league, it’s our 2025 NRL Finals Week 3 Tips Predictions & Stats Preview.
Our NRL Finals edition of our weekly tips blab is a quick preview glance for each match, a bunch of barely interesting stats, a pinch of opinion, and some bonus finals and 2025 season stats. It’s all you can eat NRL stats.
2025 NRL Finals Week 3 Tips
Here are our tips for the week ahead. How did we get to here? By going through all the visuals and stats below.
MELBOURNE by 8
PENRITH by 20
2025 NRL Finals Week 3 Tips Match Thoughts
Looking for a cheat sheet for the weekend’s upcoming games?
What about some finals stats? Or some barely interesting facts?
Here’s as much information that we could cram into one size fits all visual.
Finals record goes back to 1998.
FRI 7:50pm – MELBOURNE v CRONULLA @ AAMI Park
Finals H2H (since 1998) – MELBOURNE 3 CRONULLA 1 Finals H2H @ AAMI Park – MELBOURNE 2 CRONULLA 0 Last Finals Match – 2024 Melbourne 37 Cronulla 10
Melbourne are W5 L5 in finals since 2021.
Melbourne have won 11 of the their last 13 finals games at AAMI Park. It’s W14 L6 overall.
Melbourne have won all seven finals games on a Friday night at AAMI Park.
Melbourne are W12 L3 overall at any ground in finals on a Friday.
Cronulla have lost all three finals games away on a Friday since 1998.
Cronulla are W2 L15 for away finals games on any day.
Cronulla have never won an away finals game outside of NSW/ACT.
Melbourne are W15 L2 for games at AAMI Park on a Friday since 2020.
Melbourne’s win rate v Sydney teams this season is 75% and the best in the comp.
Cronulla have won six games in a row on a Friday.
Cronulla have won all their Friday games this season. The only other side to do that was Canberra, so either way Melbourne would have had issues.
Cronulla have won their last three away games on a Friday v non NSW teams.
Regardless of venue, these teams have alternated winners for the last six games. Melbourne won the most recent clash.
Melbourne’s record v Cronulla at AAMI Park is W14 L3.
Melbourne have won the only two clashes v Cronulla at AAMI Park on a Friday.
At any ground, Melbourne still lead the H2H by 6-2 on a Friday.
Brisbane have won the only finals game between these sides at Suncorp Stadium in 2017.
Penrith’s other non-GF Finals win v Brisbane was in 2003, when they won the comp.
Brisbane have won nine of their last ten finals games at Suncorp Stadium going back to 2009. Only the Dragons spoiling that run in 2018. That game doubles as the only finals game for the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on a Sunday.
Penrith are 2/3 for finals games at Suncorp Stadium, with both of those wins in the Covid affected 2021 Premiership win. They have lost their only finals game v Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
That 2021 Premiership season saw their last finals loss to South Sydney in Townsville. Since then it has been 14 finals wins in a row.
Penrith have now four finals games in a row as the nominated away side.
Brisbane have lost their last three finals games v Sydney teams.
Overall Brisbane are W11 L3 v Sydney teams in finals as the home side.
Penrith have won nine of their last ten games v Brisbane.
Penrith have won six in a row at Suncorp Stadium v Brisbane with a last loss pre-dating Covid.
Brisbane lead the Sunday Suncorp Stadium H2H by 4-1, but did lose earlier in the season to Penrith.
Brisbane are W4 L6 on a Sunday at Suncorp Stadium since 2021.
Brisbane are W7 L9 v Sydney teams at Suncorp Stadium since 2024.
Penrith are W2 D1 L2 v Qld sides in 2025.
2025 NRL Finals Week 3 Stats
Answering the big questions ahead of the weekend’s ahead. Which teams have done best against their finals opponents. Who has the best finals record? What kind of obscure stats can I get from the 2025 season?
All of that and maybe more is below.
TEAM STATS WITH FINALS v REGULAR SEASON COMPARISON
FINALS TEAMS v FINALS TEAMS RECORD IN 2025 and FINALS TEAMS v EACH OTHER
Here are The Gurgler’s 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Ratings – our way of rating the performances on the track without causing any red flags.
Our G-Power Rankings goes a little bit deeper than just points scored on the Sunday and has a slightly cooler name than most. We take on board Free Practice, Qualifying, performance in relation to teammate, fastest lap, and a few more stats that are attempting to highlight a driver outperforming the car and/or thrashing their teammate.
Normally we have a season long bunch of stats, but we’re saving that for the end of season review that will be way too long for anyone to want to read. Regardless, here is our shortened version for contractual obligations.
2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Race Result Summary
2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Ratings – Drivers
Here are the current overall standings for our Driver of the Year winner – the Martini Medal. Named in honour of one of F1’s most unsung heroes – Pierluigi Martini of Minardi fame.
We have the overall scores as they stand, plus a visual which shows the flow of each driver’s position throughout the season, plus a few points of interest below.
Here is the breakdown of the Driver of the Year points from the most recent race and the season so far. Remembering our ratings go across a whole weekend, so the race winner who may not have had a great qualifying or sprint race may not come out on top.
LATEST RACE RATINGS & DRIVER OF THE YEAR UPDATE
2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Ratings – Teams
This is essentially using the same drivers stats but in reverse for the worst score, but taking out anything that is a H2H between the drivers.
And our annual award focuses on the other end of the grid, highlighting the worst team of the season.
Of course, the worst team of the season award needs to be named after the worst F1 team of all time. And if you want to fund out more about Andrea Moda, follow this link.
LATEST RACE & SEASON RATINGS
Here is the best of the stats from the 2025 F1 season so far. Which we admit isn’t much, but stay tuned throughout the year for more.
H2H
Here is the ultimate H2H comparison, with the overall qualifying and race measures, plus one that calculates all official sessions across the weekend.
QUALIFYING – DRIVERS
With qualifying becoming all important, here are some key stats from the season that is.
QUALIFYING – TEAM
And some Teams trends too.
FASTEST LAP
It may be a token win, so here is a token bunch of stats.
1ST LAP PROGRESS
The movers and shakers of 2025 F1 Season.
FREE PRACTICE
Some say Free Practice is a giant waste of time, and they are probably right. Regardless here is the average position for each drivers in Free Practice this season. Each round an average of all the sessions.
OTHER STATS
A few bits and pieces too good not to share.
2025 F1 Season Power Rankings – Points Explanation
Here’s how the points work this season. Essentially the perfect race (Win from Pole, Fastest Lap, thrash team mate, best in race etc) should amount to the perfect 100 points.
FIRST LAP GAINS +0.5pts per position gained -0.5pts per position lost.
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS – 25pts to 1pt as per World Championship – Sprint Race Points added.
BEAT TEAM MATE (RACE) – 10pts (if both finish or other driver got self inflicted DNF)
FASTEST LAP – 5pts – 1pt for top five drivers.
GRID POSITION TO RACE POSITION – formula +/- relative finish to grid
BEST OF THE REST (RACE) – 5pts to 1pt – top five non Mercedes-Red Bull drivers
QUALIFYING – 20pts to 1pt – Grid Position 1 to 20.
BEAT TEAM MATE (QUALIFYING) – 5pts
BEST OF THE REST (QUALIFYING) – 5pts to 1pt – top five non Mercedes-Red Bull drivers
GREAT/GRAPE – 5pts Great 2pts Honourable Mention -2Pts Dishonourable Mention -5Pts Grape
BEAT TEAM MATE (QUALIFYING) Time Gap – Formula for % beaten team mate by
BEAT TEAM MATE (QUALIFYING) Position – 0.5 Pts for every position team mate is beaten by. 0 points for second car.
FREE PRACTICE HERO – 10Pts to 1Pt – Average Position across all three practice sessions.
WIN FROM POLE – Bonus 5 Points
WIN FROM POLE WITH FASTEST LAP – Bonus 10 Points
DNF Not Driver or Team Fault Minus 2 Points
DNF CAUSED BY DRIVER/TEAM INCOMPETENCE Minus 5 Points
SPRINT RACE POINTS – Points 8 to 1 as handed out in the sprint race.
SPRINT RACE CHANGE – 0.5 Points per change in end position to starting position.
SPRINT RACE QUAL – Points 8 to 1 as handed out in the order of qualifying 1st to 8th.
Max Verstappen takes advantage of McLaren slip ups and dominates the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as there are some feel good stories further down the gird. Talking of throwing things away, our 2025 Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix Result Summary is 100% recyclable.
This 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Result, Laps that Matter summary, Review & Ratings gives you just enough to catch up with. With just a hint of cynicism, bias, opinion and colour. The perfect bite sized review for those who couldn’t be bothered, or don’t have enough time.
Didn’t see the race live? Don’t have time to watch the whole race? Here’s where we capture the laps where stuff happened. We write these live as we go, sort of like a minute by minute for the football, but marginally more interesting.
Setting the scene –Azerbaijan proved to be a handful for qualifying with six red flags caused by various incidents. The biggest were Charles Leclerc, who looked quick across the weekend and a pole sitter for the last four races in Azerbaijan and Championship leader Oscar Piastri. Piastri’s red flag incident left just over three minutes left on the clock to finish Q3, giving his team mate and Championship rival Lando Norris an open goal to maximise the punishment for Piastri’s mistake. But Lando Norris brushed the wall and qualified seventh.
Carlos Sainz held provisional pole position before that final burst, and with sprinkling rain had a chance a keeping an unlikely pole position for Williams, but Max Verstappen went fastest for a sixth pole of the season – more than any other driver. Carlos Sainz held onto second and was joined in the top three by Liam Lawson. After Lando Norris and/or Ferraris had dominated earlier sessions, it was a different grid than expected.
Among the crashers were Alex Albon, the two Alpines, Nico Hulkenberg and Oliver Bearman. Lewis Hamilton (12th) missed Q3 again, and some welcome return to form for under pressure drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Kimi Antonelli.
It could rain for the race, but it is plenty windy. Just to make life more difficult.
A mixed up grid usually equals best race of the season, and throw in potential weather at a track with speed and walls and it shouldn’t be dull.
GRID (Starting Order) – VER SAI LAW ANT RUS TSU NOR HAD PIA LEC
Lap 1 – Max Verstappen gets away best and keeps the lead into the first corner as the field behave themselves through the first two corners. Disaster for Oscar Piastri who doubles down his lowly grid slot with a terrible start and is dead last going into turn one. It gets worse….Piastri is in the wall……he appears to have just outbraked himself and gone into the wall where you wouldn’t him to do so around turn six. And replays showed he also jumped the start. What a terrible weekend for the Championship leader. His only saving grace is that Lando Norris didn’t make a great start either and is only 8th for now.
SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
ORDER – VER SAI LAW ANT RUS TSU HAD NOR LEC HAM
Lap 2 – Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon both pit for tyres. That could be a long, long stint for them if they plan to do just the one stop. Replays show that Hulkenberg clipped Ocon on lap one.
SAFETY CAR EXITS
Lap 5 – Max Verstappen keeps the lead after the Safety Car exited. Charles Leclerc takes 8th from Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton behind looks racey too. George Russell drops a few places among the other notable moves.
ORDER – VER SAI LAW ANT TSU RUS HAD LEC NOR HAM
Lap 6 – Lando Norris gets past Isack Hadjar for 8th into turn one, just as Charles Leclerc had done so half a lap earlier.
Lap 7 – Fernando Alonso (11th) gets a five second penalty for jumping the start. He admits he was only reacting to Oscar Piastri’s jump start. Which should give you an indication of how bad the jump start was.
Lap 8 – Lewis Hamilton passes Isack Hadjar for 9th. Talking of Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson is good a fine job in third, keeping far enough ahead of fourth placed Kimi Antonelli. Max Verstappen isn’t really clearing away either. He’s just 1.7 seconds ahead of Carlos Sainz who is doing a super job in second.
Lap 10 – George Russell passes Yuki Tsunoda for fifth after a decent battle. Tsunoda has done well so far but is showing signs of a race day fade again.
Lap 14 – The gap from Verstappen in first to Carlos Sainz in second is 3.6 seconds with Lawson a further 3.3 behind Sainz but with Mercedes looming on the tail of the Racing Bulls. Championship update is Lando Norris remaining eighth in between the two Ferraris. That’s a gain of just four points to Piastri for Norris, a result which you’d expect Piastri to be happy with.
ORDER – VER SAI LAW ANT RUS TSU LEC NOR HAM HAD
Lap 18 – Alex Albon is busy challenging Oscar Piastri for the worst weekend by clipping Franco Colapinto into a spin with a half arsed passing move. He’ll surely get a penalty. Colapinto could surely do without the clash.
Lap 19 – After laps of George Russell discussing with his team that he had the fastest car/tyre/anything, Mercedes pit Kimi Antonelli for new tyres. George Russell can now prove just how fast he is in 4th place, and how quickly he can steal 3rd place from a gallant Liam Lawson. Antonelli dropped to 12th after the stop.
Lap 20 – Charles Leclerc pits for new tyres, giving Lando Norris another place gained for now. Leclerc joins just behind Antonelli.
Lap 21 – Liam Lawson pits to try and save his position against Kimi Antonelli. Lawson rejoins only just in front of Antonelli and just hangs on for the first few corners. Just as he just hung onto the car leaving the pit lane. Antonelli gets past on lap 22.
ORDER – VER SAI RUS TSU NOR HAM HAD BOR ANT (1) LAW (1) Pit stops in brackets.
Lap 25 – Close to halfway and another quiet achieving weekend for Max Verstappen who is just under eight seconds ahead of Carlos Sainz in second. Could Verstappen be launching a stealth challenge at the title while McLarens argue about papaya rules and run into walls?
George Russell on a longer stint is looking to leapfrog into third. Further back, Lando Norris is not making much progress on Yuki Tsunoda and is over two seconds behind. Lewis Hamilton is even more underwhelming behind Norris being over four seconds behind the McLaren, but he is on the hard tyre, and Hamiton and Norris will have to swap tyre types for the second half of the race. Leclerc is faster by half a second a lap on Lando Norris for the last three laps, but is stuck behind Liam Lawson which isn’t good for car, tyres or morale.
Lap 28 – Carlos Sainz pits from second and rejoins in sixth, which should see him comfortably keep second place.
Lap 32 – George Russell tells the team he’s happy to stay out on the 30 lap old tyres. Best of luck to him, but he does seem to be cruising good enough. It also good enough for Max Verstappen who is 14 seconds in front of Russell’s second placed Mercedes.
Lap 35 – Charles Leclerc still stuck behind Liam Lawson, who continues to do an amazing job. The hold-up could be beneficial to Lando Norris when he makes his first pit stop, although his pace is hardly setting the world on fire. Lando even gets a hurry-up from the team radio.
ORDER – VER RUS TSU NOR HAM SAI (1) ANT (1) LEC (1) HAD (1) – Pitstops in brackets.
Lap 38 – Lando Norris pits for tyres, where will be re-join is a potentially Championship defining moment. It’s a slow stop, again. And he rejoins behind Charles Leclerc and Liam Lawson. Those extra few seconds with a quicker stop would have seen him clear those two. And with Piastri out, he can’t swap with the cars in front this weekend. Yuki Tsunoda pits the next lap and comes out just in front of Liam Lawson, but not for long. Lawson outdrags Tsunoda and take the position.
ORDER – VER RUS SAI ANT LAW TSU LEC NOR HAM HAD – only VER/RUS 0 Stops.
Lap 40 – George Russell pits and keeps second place, just a second in front of Carlos Sainz. At the same time Lando Norris challenges Charles Leclerc to gain a place but falls short this time.
Lap 41 – Max Verstappen pits from the lead, and keeps the lead. The Red Bull is cruising to victory.
Lando Norris does pass Charles Leclerc for 7th into turn one. He has Tsunoda and Lawson within reasonable reach by the end of the race. That would give him 5th place and reduce that Championship gap nicely.
Lap 42 – Light rain is apparently falling……
Lap 43 – Charles Leclerc lets Lewis Hamilton past on the softer Medium tyres to give him a chance at the cars in front in a rare well executed strategy call. He’s two seconds behind Lando Norris who has closed in on the Red Bull rejects battle of Tsunoda and Lawson.
ORDER – VER RUS SAI ANT LAW TSU NOR HAM LEC HAD
Lap 44 – Liam Lawson is building a nice train of cars behind him, which soon includes both Ferraris. Tsunoda takes a look at Liam Lawson into turn one without a defining move. There is a sizeable chance it will end in tears.
Lap 47 – The Lawson “Express” still has a bunch of cars behind, and now Lewis Hamilton is right on Lando Norris’ tail, meaning the McLaren will have to worry about cars in front and behind now. Maybe the six points on offer for seventh is better than chancing zero and letting his team mate’s awful weekend off the hook. For the record, Lawson is doing an outstanding job of staying in front, with all the other cars helping themselves to DRS.
Lap 49 – Lando Norris is still not close enough for a move on Tsunoda, and neither is Hamilton on Norris. If Hamilton can’t get past he’ll have to give the place back to Leclerc, so in his best interest to get past.
FINAL LAP – The Liam Lawson train continues as Max Verstappen serenely leads out front and wins in style. Lando Norris gets as aggressive as he has been in the battle with Yuki Tsunoda, but there’s hesitation going around the first half of the lap and he doesn’t get in front by the end of the race. Further ahead great drives from George Russell and Carlos Sainz end in podiums. Kimi Antonelli regains some reputation with four place, with some redemption for Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda.
FINAL ORDER (Across the line) – VER RUS SAI ANT LAW TSU NOR HAM LEC HAD
Here we go through the field and highlight the very best (Great) of the race, and the plodders, the over-ambitious, the out of luck, and simply hopeless (Grape).
These points get added to our Driver of the Season scores. 5 points for a great nomination, and -5 for the worst or grapest driver in the pack. Then it is +2 /-2 for honourable or dishonourable mentions.
THE GREAT-EST – CARLOS SAINZ
Carlos hasn’t had much luck in 2025, but like Piastri he may as well have a change in fortune all at once. Sainz held pole position for a while before Verstappen stole it late. But Sainz qualified the Willaims on the front row and ran second for the first half of the race.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
MAX VERSTAPPEN – Took another pole position from under the noses of McLaren and Ferrari, both of whom underperformed in various ways. His sixth pole which means he’s taken more pole positions than any other drivers this season. He won with an ominous ease we have seen with Red Bull in previous seasons. If McLaren continue to choke or worry about each other, then Verstappen may well sneak up on them for the title.
LIAM LAWSON – With talk of Hadjar already locked in for Red Bull in 2026, and F2 driver Arvid Lindblad potentially coming into Racing Bulls in 2026, it was great timing for Lawson to show his speed. Which he did. The third on the grid was a huge effort, and he did look quick throughout the session. Maintained third without too much sweat in the race early in the race.
KIMI ANTONELLI – Outqualified George Russell, and raced well. Needed it too. Fell behind Russell in the race, but kept it clean enough for a swag of points.
GEORGE RUSSELL – As ever, drove an underrated quality race, maximising what was on offer as the McLarens slip up.
YUKI TSUNODA – A much better weekend for Tsunoda, who qualifies well inside the top ten, and races inside the top ten, and finishes in the top ten.
THE GRAPE-EST – OSCAR PIASTRI
Well, we guess if you’re going to have a bad weekend, you may as well do everything all at once. A rare mistake in qualifying saw him end up in the wall. He wasn’t punished initially by his team mate Lando Norris who only qualified 7th, but the Australian took matters into his own hands. He jumped the start, then baulked, ended up dead last after the first few corners then ended his race on lap one in the wall. Hopefully this isn’t the Mark Webber polish rubbing off on the Australian as the Championship battle heats up.
DISHONOURABLE MENTIONS
ALEX ALBON – Really competed with Oscar Piastri for worst weekend, and only the Championship implications gave the nod to Piastri. Albon crashed in qualifying, started from the back of the grid, and ran into Franco Colapinto in a clumsy move, which he got a penalty for. But did finish the race.
LANDO NORRIS – Looked fast across the weekend as ever, and handed the prime opportunity to wrestle back the momentum in the Championship race. Only qualified 7th when he knew his team mate was out after a crash. And 7th in the race gains just the six points back in a weekend where Piastri was uncharacteristically awful. Maybe the pressure is getting to them both. Not good, as Red Bull/Max Verstappen find form.
FRANCO COLAPINTO – Spinning into a wall in qualifying, running at the back and getting hit by Alex Albon in the race early is a pretty miserable weekend. With no job security for 2026, it is badly timed bad luck.
FERRARI – After showing flashes of pace, both drivers stuff qualifying. Hamilton by missing Q3 through a lack of pace and Charles Leclerc running into the wall in Q3. Their races weren’t too bad, but too much to do from midfield grid positions.
ALPINE – Both drivers off in qualifying. Cars are last and second last in the race.
Was it a good race, loads of action, a tense ending, a surprise result or DNF, or just a big, fat, snooze-fest?
We rate the big race itself, so we know which races to go back and watch in the off season or one to simply remember the winner for the post season quiz nights.
PRE RACE ACTION (FP, QUAL, SPRINT, OFF TRACK etc) – 4 / 5
Although it took forever, there’s never been a qualifying session with as many Red Flags or the accidents that caused them. The stop-start nature threw up a surprising qualifying result, and the danger of the walls was ever present through the earlier sessions. And having the B Team from Sky F1 was refreshing.
ON TRACK ACTION (RACE) – 4 / 10
Aside from the big moment on lap one with Oscar Piastri and a few moves in the early laps, it wasn’t as action packed as qualifying teased it could be.
ANY SURPRISES? – 4 / 5
Oscar Piastri in the wall on lap one is as big a surprise as you’ll get in 2025.
SEASON IMPORTANCE – 5 / 5
Oscar Piastri throwing the qualifying and race away gave Lando Norris a huge advantage to close the Championship gap. Norris sort-of took it but didn’t really. His 7th placing could have been higher and probably should have been higher. Max Verstappen’s second win from pole in two races makes you wonder if he can mount a title challenge yet. Especially if McLaren drivers appear to be choking under the pressure.
ENDING – 3 / 5
The Liam Lawson train made for some excitement at the end as it included Championship deficit reducing Lando Norris as one of the carriages.
OVERALL RATING – 20 / 30
Potentially championship defining weekend, with some tension, but ultimately disappointing given how action packed qualifying was.
Want more NRL information than just the draw, results for the second week of the NRL Finals. Then you are in the right place and the right time with our NRL Finals Week 2 Results Stats Summary & Team of the Week for the weekend that was.
Each week during the season we have compiled a wide range of stats from the latest weekend of NRL action plus the best 2025 NRL Season Stats to help you to the top of the tipping competition, land a few responsible winners or even make your Supercoach team better.
This week we have focused on the Finals stats, plus combined our stats summary with the usual NRL Team of the Week for your one-stop NRL Finals Week 1 Results Shop.
And it’s all stats, and never Slats. Never.
2025 NRL Finals Week 2 Results and Match Summaries
Want or need a quick summary of every game from last weekend? Well here they all are in all their summary glory.
20 September, 19:50
Canberra 12 Cronulla 32
21 September, 16:05
Bulldogs 26 Penrith 46
2025 NRL Finals Week 2 Results Comparison
A quick check to see if this weekend’s 2025 NRL Finals Week 2 team stats hold up against each team’s overall average for the 2025 season before the finals started.
2025 NRL Finals Week 2 Team of the Week
Our usual NRL Team of the Week piece has moved in with the Stats Summary for the NRL Finals Series.
Same calculations, and in a few cases, the same players.
But above all, we use various stats to find the best of the best from the weekend that was.
Here is a compilation of the best players from Week 1 of the NRL Finals.
2025 NRL Finals Week 1 Results Stats Extra
Here are the choicest cuts of barely interesting stats from the first week of the NRL Finals.
Canberra confirm that no team who concedes 50 points in a season can win the comp.
The last three teams to be Minor Premiers and lose consecutive games in the finals were 16 years apart – 1993, 2009, 2025. Good news for Canberra is the 1993 and 2009 teams made the Grand Final the following year and the 2010 – Dragons – won the title.
Cronulla have only won two of their last 17 away finals games, with both wins coming against Canberra.
Canberra have now lost their last four finals games.
Cronulla are now W9 L1 in the post Origin period.
Bulldogs were W5 L6 in the post Origin period.
Bulldogs have lost their last six finals games with a last win in 2015.
Whilst it helps to win a lot of Grand Finals, Penrith are still W10 L1 on a Sunday in Finals.
Penrith have won their last four away Finals games.
Penrith have won ten Sunday games in a row, and have won all Sunday games this season.
Of the four teams remaining in the 2025 title hunt, only Melbourne haven’t spent time in the bottom half of the table at some stage.
2025 NRL Regular Season Stats Summary
Do you need NRL 2025 Season stats, or just want 2025 NRL Season stats?
Note: these figures DO NOT include any finals games.
They say there can only be winners and losers in sport, but of course they’re wrong and they’re fools, there’s always another results, a special one for learned sporting fans – the draw. And who doesn’t love a draw where everyone wins. Those winners include canny punters who look for value, and The Gurgler website is always happy to help with opinion and stats, so welcome to our 2025-26 Season Football Draws Selections for19 to 22 September 2025.
Our resident draw expert Frankington Stanley runs his keen eye over the many football divisions around the world to find the best draws for you. He’s sort of like the John West of Football draws, he hates Dog Salmon and lop sided fixtures.
Frankington Stanley is not fussy, no country or continent is out of bounds, and the more obscure the better. And some of them are quite obscure. They don’t even feature on the Who Scored website.
So grab an oversized spoon for another weekly serving of the finest Football Draw tips from all over the world, where The Gurgler and Frankington Stanley take the stale out of stalemate.
Football Draws Selections – Best of the Week
Austria – Bundesliga – 2025/2026 – LASK-BW Linz
SUNDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 1:30PM
The last game between these sides, which was at LASK, ended 0-0. BW Linz also drew their last away game 0-0.
Football Draws Selections – Premier League Special
BOURNEMOUTH v NEWCASTLE
SUNDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2PM
Four of the last six games between these sides ended in a draw. The only Sunday clash ended 1-1. There is nil reason not to get onboard the draw boat here.
Football Draws Selections – Other Solid Choices
Czech Republic – Druha League – 2025/2026 – FC Silon Taborsko-Artis Brno
SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 3PM
The last two games between these sides ended 1-1. Plus three of the last four games have ended as draws. Artis Brno drew their last game, so coming into this game in form. We will see if life imitates Artis soon.
No draws in the last six H2H but Asker are at least trying. They have drawn two of the last three games at home and have drawn four out of ten games at home this season. Alta drew their last game and are yet to win away this season (D2 L8). So they might settle for a draw. And so should you.
Bit thin this one, but the second last home game between these sides at Dukla Praha ended 1-1. Dukla Praha have also drawn four of their eight games this season and drawn their last two. Bohemians won their last away game, which makes no sense.
Two of the last three games between these sides at Heerenveen have ended in a draw. Heerenveen have drawn two of their three home games this season so far.
Netherlands – Eerste Divisie – 2025/2026 – FC Emmen-FC Dordrecht
FRIDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 7PM
These teams drew the second last time they met at FC Emmen. Both teams drew their last game with FC Dordrecht even more effective by drawing the game before that too.
Turkey – Super Lig – 2025/2026 – Goztepe-Besiktas
FRIDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 6PM
The last game between these sides, which was at Goztepe had ended in draw. Goztepe are doing the job this season with three of the last four games ending in a draw, including the last two.
Finland – Veikkausliiga – 2025 – Veikkausliiga Championship Group – KuPS-SJK
TUESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 4PM
The last game between these sides ended 1-1. Overall the season is only one game old but good ol’ SJK have given us a draw.
Hungary – NB I – 2025/2026 – Kisvarda v Debrecen
SUNDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 6:45PM
A 0-0 draw two games ago is all you’re gonna get from form. And all you need.
Romania – Superliga – 2025/2026 – FC Arges Pitesti v Universitatea Cluj
SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 4:45PM
Both of these sides drew last start. Tick.
Three of the last six games were draws. Tick.
Romanian Football. Tick.
Football Draws Stats
In case you want to pick your own draws, and need/want some stats from the biggest divisions around, here is our choicest cuts.
Worth slightly less than a Liverpool transfer window, scoring more than Aston Villa, playing in a formation that was unfashionable 60 years ago, and safer in our job than a Man Utd manager, it’s our 2025-26 Premier League Predictions Week 5.
Each gameweek in this 2025-26 Premier League season we offer up a stat filled prediction preview, with some barely interesting stats and visuals, just enough to bluff your way through various tipping competitions or betting shops.
We also attempted to guess the final Premier League ladder in advance. Follow the link to that here.
Barely Interesting Stats – 2025-26 Premier League Predictions Week 5 – Stats and Thoughts
Help yourself to a buffet of barely interesting stats, quick one liners and more to help pick a winner.
BEST OF WEEK 5 STATS
Liverpool’s record v Everton at home going back to 2020 is W18 D10 L1.
After each team has played two away games this season so far, only five remain unbeaten away from home – Liverpool and Spurs (W2), Crystal Palace, Chelsea (W1 D1) and Newcastle (D2).
Four teams are yet to win at home after two home games each. Wolves and West Ham (L2), Aston Villa (D1 L1) and Crystal Palace (D2).
Burnley are undefeated in their last eight v Nottingham Forest at Burnley (W7 D1).
SAT 12:30PM – LIVERPOOL v EVERTON
What better way to start the weekend of football than with a local derby.
STATS: Liverpool are W8 L1 in their last nine at home to Everton. Even better, Liverpool’s record v Everton at home going back to 2000 is W18 D10 L1. Liverpool’s record on a Saturday v Everton isn’t as good when combining grounds, Liverpool have only won two of the last nine Saturday games v Everton at any ground, with one Everton win and six draws. Liverpool are currently 5.55 points ahead of their expected points tally after four games. Everton’s 6.41 expected goals is higher than Liverpool’s 6.25.
SAT 3PM – WEST HAM v CRYSTAL PALACE
A London derby where only one team is busted arse and odds on for first manager sacking. Crystal Palace meanwhile are compiling a non offensive start to the season.
West Ham have failed to win any of their last six home games v Crystal Palace (D3 L3). Crystal Palace have scored exactly two goals on their last four trips to West Ham, ending with a record of W2 D1 L1. Crystal Palace are one of only five teams to be undefeated away from home after two away games. West Ham are one of two teams to lose both home games this season so far.
SAT 3PM – WOLVES v LEEDS
Time for Wolves to earn a point for 2025-26?
Wolves have lost all four games so far this season. Leeds have won three straight v Wolves with 14 goals scored in total across the three games, two of those games were at Wolves. Leeds are unbeaten in the last four Saturday games v Wolves (W3 D1). Wolves lost at home to promoted Ipswich last season, but did beat the other two promoted sides. Wolves expected goals at 2.21 is the Premier League’s worst record. Leeds’ expected goals is almost twice as high.
SAT 3PM – BRIGHTON v SPURS
Always an interesting clash, with or without Ange.
Brighton won both games last season, with five goals scored in each match (1-4 and 3-2). Brighton have won their last two home games v Spurs with 11 goals scored (3-2 and 4-2). Spurs have won the last three games on a Saturday at any ground.
SAT 3PM – BURNLEY v NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Not a great start for Ange in his new life at Forest, might get back on track v Burnley in a classic 3pm Saturday kind of game.
Burnley are undefeated in their last eight games v Nottingham Forest (W4 D4). Better still, Burnley are undefeated in their last eight games at home to Nottingham Forest with seven wins and a draw. Burnley have won five in a row at home to Nottingham Forest on a Saturday conceding just once in that five game run. Burnley have the worst expected goals at home with 1.17 over two games.
SAT 5:30PM – CHELSEA v MAN UTD
Once upon a time this game was premium. Once upon a time Man Utd were good.
Chelsea are undefeated in their last five home games v Man Utd (W2 D3). It’s seven home games on a Saturday without losing too (W5 D2). The last three league games on a Saturday between these sides have ended in a draw. Man Utd are already two losses from two games v big six clubs, which isn’t great but also a tough start to the season.
SAT 8PM – FULHAM v BRENTFORD
Another late night kickoff for a another mildly interesting West London derby featuring Brentford.
Fulham won both games last season. Brentford have lost just one of their last ten games on a Saturday v Fulham (W5 D4 L1). It’s one loss in 11 games on a Saturday at Fulham for Brentford too (W5 D5 L1). Neither side has beaten a fellow London club yet this season.
SUN 2PM – SUNDERLAND v ASTON VILLA
Who’d think Sunderland would be the poster child for promoted sides for the last few seasons? Or that Aston Villa haven’t scored a goal at this stage.
Aston Villa have lost just once v Sunderland over the last 12 clashes (W6 D5 L1) going back to 2011. Aston Villa are W4 L1 in the last five clashes v Aston Villa. Aston Villa are unbeaten on a Sunday v Sunderland W1 D3, with all four games played at Aston Villa. Unsurprisingly, Aston Villa’s expected goals is low at 2.86, but it is still higher than Wolves.
SUN 2PM – BOURNEMOUTH v NEWCASTLE
Looks like the perfect score draw game.
Bournemouth are undefeated in their last six games v Newcastle, with four games a score draw. Bournemouth have only lost twice v Newcastle at Bournemouth (W3 D5 L2). The only game played on a Sunday between these teams ended 1-1. Neither of these teams have played on a Sunday yet this season.
SUN 4:30PM – ARSENAL v MAN CITY
And a premium clash to end the weekend.
Arsenal are undefeated in their last four league games v Man City (W2 D2). Arsenal were the only team last season to be undefeated against the big six clubs (W5 D5). For the record Man City were W3 D2 L5. Both of these sides have won and lost a game on a Sunday this season.
2025-26 Premier League Predictions Week 5
Liverpool 1 Everton 0
West Ham 0 Crystal Palace 2
Wolves 1 Leeds 0
Brighton 1 Spurs 1
Burnley 1 Nottingham Forest 0
Chelsea 2 Man Utd 1
Fulham 1 Brentford 1
Sunderland 0 Aston Villa 0
Bournemouth 1 Newcastle 1
Arsenal 2 Man City 1
Season Progress
RATING: Lower midfield form, for now. Board getting itchy feet.
Faster than an Alpine, with more team rules than any type of fruit, a tenth as excited about Lando Norris than Sky F1, and with more hope of getting out of Q1 than certain drivers, it’s the F1 Donkey with his unique view on F1 and more. Before each race The F1 Donkey puts the ass in sass and unloads his alternative, slightly unhinged thoughts on F1 including this week’s Bold 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Predictions and opinion.
The F1 Donkey’s Pre Azerbaijan Grand Prix Thoughts
So after the Italian Grand Prix there are now two Championship battles.
One is the actual World Championship where Oscar Piastri has a handy lead with a shrinking number of races left.
The other is who/what wants Oscar Piastri to win the World Championship the least.
First there’s McLaren. They have been accused of favouring Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri, and events in the Italian Grand Prix don’t make that accusation go away.
Sure Lando Norris was unlucky with the pit stop taking longer than it should, but he’s got plenty lucky with the right strategy calls over Oscar despite making bad starts of a few races this season. Does anyone think that the running order would have been reversed if the fortunes were.
There was no swapping in Britain when a penalty given to Oscar Piastri for shenanigans during a Safety Car period was deemed unfair by the team. If so, then like the slow pitstop, places should have been swapped. But they weren’t, and they won’t.
We know there will be more and more papaya rules to come in 2025. And lots more Mr and Mrs Norris. Among others.
Our data boffins did the math, and as always, the homework, and if the Italian GP repeats itself, with Max Verstappen blowing the McLarens away and laughing at their papaya rules, and McLaren asking Oscar Piastri to give second place to Lando Norris, in every available race and sprint race left, Oscar Piastri will still win the World Championship, just only by four points, with Max Verstappen almost getting there too. Maybe McLaren are holding back Oscar Piastri for the entertainment pleasure of F1 fans worldwide, which is mighty generous. If true. Which it isn’t.
Then there’s Sky F1. The most biased sporting coverage in sport today.
Their love affair with Lando over providing balanced coverage is getting almost embarrassing and the crew should be appalled at themselves.
Then there’s the F1 TV coverage producers, because Oscar’s parents aren’t interesting or trackside enough to cut to glimpses of them in the pits instead of showing the actual action on track. So bad has this obsession of parents, partners, well wishers and straight-up corporate junkees become on the F1 coverage that they almost missed Max Verstappen taking the fastest pole position in history.
Imagine a slice of F1 history being lost to showing a parent or partner clapping their hands in the pitlane.
Sky F1 of course say that’s OK as long the pole sitter is Lando Norris and the persons being shown on the coverage are Norrises.
Of course there’s Max Verstappen who can still win the Championship.
Toro Rosso will also not want Oscar Piastri to win the Championship because they do what Red Bull tell them to do.
Yuki Tsunoda probably doesn’t mind if Oscar Piastri wins the World Championship, because it will distract people from how little he is enjoying the Red Bull. But then if that’s the case, Isack Hadjar probably doesn’t want Oscar Piastri to win the Championship because then he might end up in the Red Bull.
Perhaps Red Bull should enter one Red Bull next year and three Racing Bulls. Not that Yuki would get one of those on current form.
We’re sure Lance Stroll doesn’t want Oscar Piastri to win the World Championship, because we presume he hates Formula One, the World Championship, all participants in the World Championship, all drivers who have started more than three Grands Prix, any driver who has outqualified him, any circuit where he has crashed and/or spun off, climate change, F1 media, any media, especially any former Formula One driver who is now in the media and himself.
Alpine probably don’t want Piastri to win the World Championship given their history of announcing him to drive for their teams without talking to him, but then again it might the closest they ever get.
Toto Wolff from Mercedes would only prefer the driver that would piss off Christian Horner the most. Or he could use the driver who doesn’t win the Championship as leverage for re-signing either of his drivers.
I can’t imagine any other team would prefer Oscar Piastri over Lando Norris. But then again, Formula One is a selfish, selfish business, and things can change. Or maybe Mr Norris has more behind the scenes strings than anyone thinks.
All we know is Sky F1 won’t stand for it. Or will cry trying.
And for more tears, of laughter, sadness, or boredom, here are the bold predictions for the race weekend ahead.
The NRL Donkey’s Bold 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Predictions
And here they are, in a convenient team by team format, so you can ignore them all at your convenience or peril. Depending on the outcome of our prediction.
McLAREN
Lando Norris to run into the wall during qualifying, where upon that the team will also ask Oscar Piastri to crash into the wall for absolute fairness within the team. Although that sounds more like an Alpine/Renault/Flavio trick.
RED BULL
Max Verstappen to take advantage of McLarenigans (a lame attempt of mixing McLaren with Shenanigans) and take pole, and win with ease. Causing papaya boffins to start calculating how they can possibly throw away a Championship.
MERCEDES
George Russell to quietly produce another under-the-radar successful weekend.
FERRARI
Charles Leclerc has taken pole positions for the last four seasons, but because we just predicted Max Verstappen to take pole we can’t do the same for Leclerc. But maybe third on the grid? The same can’t be said for Lewis Hamilton, he’s only taken pole here once when he had the best car for a few years and averages only 6.333 on the grid the last three seasons. When he wasn’t so out of sorts at a team like now.
WILLIAMS
Solid midfield qualifying and points for Alex Albon. Bumper Cars midfield ride for Carlos Sainz who will either get penalised again or DNF. Maybe both.
ALPINE
Colapinto in the wall for sure during practice. And both drivers will probably be eliminated in Q1.
RACING BULLS
This will be a track where Isack Hadjar will show all the speed he has. And then put it into the wall during the race. Maybe it is sabotage on purpose so he isn’t hired by the main Red Bull team for 2026, as is being reported.
ASTON MARTIN
What about a top six qualifying for Fernando Alonso, with a bunch of points to go with it. Lance Stroll can put his car in the wall for all I care. And he probably will.
HAAS
Oliver Bearman to make Q3 then lose a points paying drive when he over-aggressively defends his place during the race. I forgot to do something for Esteban Ocon.
SAUBER
No qualifying heroics from The Hulk. He is the only current driver who has never made it to Q3 in Azerbaijan. Yes even Lance Stroll has made it. Bortoleto we can’t rule out.
The NRL Donkey’s 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Stats
Our stats team told me I should include some graphs to go with the poisonous viewpoint. So here then are some form stats for qualifying and the race.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix – DRIVER PREVIEW RATINGS
The stats boffins at The Gurgler have compiled a whole bunch of stats from this season, and recent seasons at this weekend’s venue, added a multiplier for recent results and come up with a score out of 100% which equates to each driver’s chances of doing well this weekend. Just to make finding a winner for a race more complicated than it needs to be.
Here are The Gurgler Driver Preview Ratings for this weekend.
F1 2025 Season Stuff
We’ve worked hard getting ready for the 2025 F1 Season, and this is our best work below.
Been too distracted by headbutts, 90 minute epics and/or Reece Walsh? Do you need some last-minute NRL tipping advice? Or simply want something else to blame when the tips go wrong? Either way, saddle up for The Gurgler’s NRL Finals Week 2 Ratings and Late Mail.
In a new additional to our stable of NRL stats and tipping products, we have used all the stats we have, smashed them against each other like atoms, and come up with a H2H rating.
It includes this year’s form with a bias because it is this year, but we don’t forget historic stats of the H2H against this week’s opponents, and the ground and day the teams are playing on, plus their record v top and lower half teams and finals record split different ways.
Then slice up the scores out of 100% between the two sides. The bigger the percentage, the more likely to win.
2025 NRL Finals Week 2 Ratings
Here are the H2H ratings and winners for the second week of the finals.
2025 NRL Finals Week 2 Late Mail
SAT 7:50pm – CANBERRA v CRONULLA @ Canberra Stadium
Question for the Minor Premiers heading into this game is how much damage physically and mentally the epic game v Brisbane last Sunday was. A six day turnaround doesn’t help, but at least they don’t have to travel from another city from their game last weekend like all three other teams.
And Ricky Stuart is relying on the same team from last weekend, so he’s backing the team that won more regular season games in 2025. Cronulla too are happy with their team from last weekend with only a looming Tom Hazelton named on an extended bench the only possible change.
As for stats, they are mixed for both sides, as our almost 50-50 H2H ratings shows.
Canberra have now lost their last three finals games, which also broke a three game finals winning streak at home. Although, Canberra have won their last three finals on a Saturday which includes two wins v Melbourne and one v Cronulla.
But Cronulla in finals away are terrible – Cronulla have won one of 16 away finals games since 1998 and Cronulla have also lost eight of nine finals games away on a Saturday.
Canberra have some good stats overall for 2025, as you’d expect for a Minor Premiership winning side – Canberra are W4 L1 at home on a Saturday this season v all sides. Furthermore, Canberra have won six of their last seven at home to Cronulla and the last two on a Saturday.
But Cronulla are the form side of the competition in the Post Origin period of the competition. Their record of W8 L1 and one bye is the best.
If you compare recent finals records there’s no comparison. Bulldogs have lost their last five finals games with a last win in 2015. Penrith have won 13 finals games in a row. Whilst it helps to win a lot of Grand Finals, Penrith are still W9 L1 on a Sunday in Finals. Penrith have also won their last three away Finals games. But a token stat for Bulldogs fans – But the Bulldogs have won the only Finals game v Penrith at the Olympic Stadium.
The H2H for Penrith v Bulldogs is also heavily weighted to Penrith. Penrith have won eight of their last nine v Bulldogs, with the infamous 16 player resting game the only loss. Penrith have also won the last five games on a Sunday v Bulldogs. Penrith lead the H2H v Bulldogs at the Olympic Stadium since 1998 by nine wins to eight. And Penrith’s 72% win rate at the Olympic Stadium since 2020 is higher than the Bulldogs’ 48%.
Sundays also favour Penrith. Penrith have won nine Sunday games in a row and have won all Sunday games this season. Penrith have won six in a row away to Sydney sides on a Sunday. And their last five on a Sunday away to anyone. Bulldogs are W6 L1 on a Sunday.
Team news is all important for the Bulldogs who had injury setbacks in last weekend’s loss to Melbourne. Not sure if the Bulldogs are playing mind games on Penrith but they have named Stephen Crichton in the extended reserves after it was believed his injury from last weekend was season ending. Bronson Xerri returns from concussion at centre. And again the Bulldogs change their spine with Matt Burton moving to centre to replace Crichton, Toby Sexton officially getting redemption by being named at halfback, Lachlan Galvin is named five eighth, and Bailey Hayward will interchange with Reed Mahoney in the hooking role. Will this be the magic combination now? No more chances to get it wrong in 2025.
No changes for the Panthers after their great win in Auckland last weekend, but Mitch Kenny is named among the extended reserves and potentially could return.
2025 NRL Finals Week 2 Stats
Answering the big questions ahead of the NRL Finals starting. Which teams have done best against their finals opponents. And so much more.
Been asked to hand over your internet because your house mate’s internet crashed? Of course you haven’t. So happily you don’t have to share our 2025 Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix Prix-View to give you some kind of Formula One fix.
The Gurgler’s 2025 Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix Prix-View brings some thoughts on what the race weekend ahead might bring, and we throw in more than a few barely interesting stats.
Essentially a quick summary of what a casual F1 fan needs in the shortest possible time for your convenience.
And for F1 opinion, stand by for the F1 Donkey’s Bold Predictions and Opinion where no one and nothing is safe. And like the cars around him on the grid, Lance Stroll.
2025 Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix Prix-view – Race Potential Rating
By HumanBodyPiloter5 – Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=107315870
The Gurgler does like to use some obscure drivers in our Race previews and report, so who better to use than Teo Fabi to determine a race rating system.
So before each race we give a rating out of ten for four key category that are loosely based on each letter of Teo Fabi’s surname. Don’t know who Teo Fabi is, you should.
FAST? 7 / 10 – It’s pretty fast for a street track, especially the last part, where if anything, that long straight is too much. The speed around some of the tight section is impressive too.
ACTION? 8 / 10 – A track that if you turn it on a particular angle looks like a two year olds drawing of a human. But it is a place where stuff usually happens, and pole position isn’t a pre-requisite for a win. Make sure you keep an eye out for the F2 race, as those drivers do tend to lose their heads at this track for your enjoyment.
BIG HISTORY? – 2 / 10 – Recent race in a country who only get a race due to some kind of oil money. A few good races to watch from the past here, but no history really.
INCLEMENT WEATHER? – 5 /10 – The Weather Channel says between 40 and 50% chance of rain on across all three days. Add some extra points to our action category if that comes.
RACE POTENTIAL RATING 55% – Not a bad new-ish track, with enough walls and speed to keep one interested.
DRIVER PREVIEW RATINGS
The stats boffins at The Gurgler have compiled a whole bunch of stats from this season, and recent seasons at this weekend’s venue, added a multiplier for recent results and come up with a score out of 100% which equates to each driver’s chances of doing well this weekend. Just to make finding a winner for a race more complicated than it needs to be.
Here are The Gurgler Driver Preview Ratings for this weekend.
2025 Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix Prix-view – Stats Summary
Want to know if your favourite driver for this weekend is a master of the track or the track is a master of them? Here then are some barely interesting facts and stats.
Driver Stats – Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Team Stats – Azerbaijan Grand Prix
History Stats – Azerbaijan Grand Prix
99 = a DNF. Grid position 20 is overstated as that was also used for cars starting in pitlane. Results from all races for long term history and from 2021 from Grid to Race positions. stated.
F1 2025 Season Stuff
We’ve worked hard getting ready for the 2025 F1 Season, and this is our best work below. Read it before it become too/more irrelevant.
The NRL have kicked off with style and attitude, and winners have been showered with praise and losers taunted and booed until throats and fingers are sore on keyboards across social media. But the NRL weekend can’t be completely over until someone special has had their final say. So for your rugby league pleasure, we present the AI Greg Norman NRL Finals Week 1 Review.
The Gurgler website will drown you with stats and facts about the weekend of rugby league that was soon, so why not let AI Greg Norman, courtesy of the Grok AI generation give you the full NRL Finals Week 1 Review in picture. And colour.
Note that sometimes what Grok gives and what we ask for are two different things. And those wonderful mistakes will often be included in the AI Greg Norman NRL Reviews.
AI Greg Norman NRL Finals Week 1 Review
Melbourne 26 Bulldogs 18
Somehow, despite continuing to play good enough to win, but not good enough not to make the volcanic Craig Bellamy not want to throw things through windows, the Storm march on through to another Preliminary final. Or whatever the game is called before the Grand Final.
Poor Bulldogs copped a few injury concerns, their fault for stupidly playing a fully fit side in the last weeks of the season unlike others.
But it won’t be the Storm’s fault, or the NRL, or injuries. AI Greg says it will be Lachlan Galvin’s fault.
Warriors 8 Penrith 24
Something ominous about Penrith’s low key dancing through the NRL Finals.
A shame their progress comes at the expense of the Warriors, which is actually at the expense of rugby league itself, because winning Wahs equals winning rugby league.
But their fancy footwork and moves were just too good for the Warriors.
AI Greg says it takes two to tango, but he looks unconvinced about dancing with a big cat.
Cronulla 20 Roosters 10
It was an old-fashioned ambush at Shark Park, as the unfancied form side of the competition since Origin ended were too good for the side that brought feathers to a gun fight.
The Sharks are swimming under the radar as you’d expect, and may smell the blood in the water after the big game in Canberra.
At least the game will be in Canberra where people are civilised in the crowd and the only fighting is done at Parliament House.
AI Greg ruffles a few feathers this week.
Canberra 28 Brisbane 29
A game where more was more, for the Broncos fans and neutrals.
As ever with Ashley Klown in charge, the game comes down to big calls, and the one where Reece Walsh’s leg was clipped after he took a field goal attempt and after full time had been called.
In fairness the Broncos had done well after a few sin bins and a hefty deficit to come back and win, and Reece Walsh was at the heart of everything good, and some of the bad.
