Here are The Gurgler’s 2025 Canadian Grand Prix Ratings – our way of rating the performances on the track without injuring our wrist or running up the back of our team mate’s car.
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.
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 Canadian 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.
Franco Colapinto starts off his Alpine career by not outdoing Pierre Gasly in any session.
Max Verstappen has a perfect record for final qualifying and the race.
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
The most random of stat to follow, but good filler.
1ST LAP PROGRESS
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.
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.
Angrier than a room full of Fox League writers, more biased than your club’s most hated referee, with less time for press conferences than most NRL coaches and as big a bullsh!t artist as Phil Gould, it’s time for the weekly Rugby League rant of The Gurgler’s NRL Donkey, who provides his NRL Donkey’s 2025 NRL Round 16 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 16 Weekly Rant
Riddle me this? How do you know it’s Origin time? Hmmmm, hmmmmm, mow my lawn? Well it’s because Canberra are the FTA game on Channel Nein. We’d really know if Channel Nein have given up if the Warriors were also on FTA this week. But that’s just stupid, to have two of the form teams of the competition on in prime time.
That’s unfair on Channel Nein who have to pick the games at the beginning of the season. As we are sure that they would still ignore Canberra even if they chose the games three weeks in advance.
Talking of capitals, what about the military march in the US capital over the weekend which had crowd numbers ranging from 250,000 down to the crowd at the Sharks-Dragons shire derby. Depending on how you consume your news I guess. If it’s late at night, with big names, then I’m sure you’ll believe the 250K. And more. Maybe if they had thrown in some NASCAR as well. Although ironically they were in Mexico, where the ex V8 Supercar driver Shane van Gisbergen won because they had to turn right. Strange that Trump supporters love NASCAR if they usually only turn to the left.
But competition on the size of things and turning left or right aside, the Military show did give me an idea.
Why doesn’t rugby league have a march of its own. Inspired by the orange man and delivered to patriotic Australian rugby league fans.
And there’s a decent milestone to celebrate coming up. On 29th August it will be 130 years since the birth of rugby league in a pub in northern England. I’m not sure if it is also Peter V’landys’ birthday. And I also don’t care.
The march needs to happen in Australia and not northern England for many logistical reasons for Australian fans, so why not start it at the Bateman’s Crystal Hotel in Sydney, where my lazy search in AI told me is where the first NSWRL meeting took place, and go all the way to the SCG.
Of course the NRL doesn’t own tanks like the US Army, but who needs those when we can start off with a front row of weapons including Payne Haas, David “Cement” Gillespie, Martin Bella, Fuifui Moimoi and Willie Mason. Throw in Adrian Morley, Steve Matai and Justin Olam for extra defence. Plus you could also include players with the nickname of Tank like Moses Leota and Frank Pritchard. One look at that ensemble and Australia’s national security will be safe forever. Not even North Korea would dare send a nuke in the direction if there was even the slightest inclination.
And if that wasn’t enough, Ray Stone would be marching by himself. Glaring at the crowd. Hating the attention almost as much as he hates scoring tries. The Ray Stone stare it is told is worse than looking into the sun.
But the NRL 2025 March shouldn’t all be about keeping Australia’s borders safe through the might of rugby league. There also needs to be a celebration of the game.
People, teams, organisations will be invited to create their own float. But with a looming deadline of late August, they need to get moving fast.
Fox League will of course have a giant paper mâché tongue on a float, with a giant hologram sphere rotating with the pictures of Lachlan Galvin, Shane Flanagan and to a lesser degree Kyle Flanagan. This float will have Michael Ennis on board.
Channel Nein will celebrate the game by having most of the NRL teams logos, sadly not having enough room for Canberra or the Warriors.
A second float will be created for Buzz Rothfield to moan about everything on the float ahead. Happily tomatoes will be supplied and all police complaints ignored as attendees of the march turn this section of the NRL March 2025 into an Australian La Tomatina.
Rugby league will also not take itself too seriously either, as they celebrate the great off field moments. Todd Carney will be there in charge of a giant water cannon spraying the crowd. The dog from the Joel Monaghan moment has probably passed away, and the dog from the Mitchell Pearce experience has since needed therapy, but this float will have dogs roaming in honour of the big dog moments in NRL off field folklore, and in honour of the ones we have never heard about, but know are a good chance of happening.
There should also be a whole bunch of mini marches of junior rugby league to showcase the grassroots pathways.
And for a final show of a strike weapon, Matt Burton will be on the back of flatbed truck with hundreds of footballs kicking his giant bombs into the crowd.
I guess the only thing about an NRL march full of defence is those Westpac ads they roll out during the first Origin clash. Especially the one with Cam Smith and Jonathan Thurston. It had the chemistry of a parent-teacher interview, and Cam Smith just isn’t that likeable. He may not be the Lance Stroll of rugby league, but he also isn’t the Oscar Piastri either.
The commentary will be shared between the broadcasters in a hands over the water moment. Cooper Cronk will have opinions on how the players should march. Gus Gould will talk up any young players but make sure he lets the viewers know he has no interest in signing any of them.
Talking of biased, boring commentary, here’s this week’s selections.
The NRL Donkey’s 2025 NRL Round 16 Expert Tips
FRI – WESTS TIGERS v CANBERRA (Campbelltown)
This might have been a good game if the Origin stars weren’t meant to get on a plane out of Perth on Thursday morning. But hey, at least the FTA fans get to see Canberra for a change.
Canberra by 16
SAT – WAHS v PENRITH
This will really test each others seasons. The question of real deal for the Warriors and genuine comeback threat for the Panthers. No offence to Penrith but a Wahs win is better for rugby league.
Wahs by 2
SAT – DOLPHINS v NEWCASTLE (Perth)
You have to wonder what the NRL is selling by sending Newcastle over to Perth, a team who has yet to break 200 points for the season. Maybe it’s the Dolphins, who have scored 216 points since the beginning of May.
Dolphins by 30
SAT – SOUTHS v MELBOURNE (Accor)
There’s not much going for Souths to win this game except that Melbourne has a soft spot in their stats against Sydney teams on a Saturday. Just a shame Souths have injuries on top of the worst H2H record of any current NRL team against another current NRL team.
Melbourne by 10
SUN – BRISBANE v CRONULLA
Brisbane has a terrible recent record on a Sunday, for day games, and home games on a Sunday. Cronulla have quite a good record v Queensland sides recently. And Reece Walsh played really well last game, which means everything is pointing towards a Sharks win.
Cronulla by 2
SUN – ROOSTERS v NORTH QLD
You get the feeling that if the Cowboys lose this game that their coach Todd Payten is in a lot of trouble. That’s very unfair. If anything, he should have gone after last week’s loss to the Dolphins. North Queensland were dreadful.
Roosters by 12
SUN – PARRAMATTA v GOLD COAST
Matty Johns may question why he has to start his Sunday Night show late for this game. None of the Origin players will probably play, and Mitchell Moses is out for a while. Both sides have lost their last seven Sunday games. Zero boxes ticked.
Another Origin affected round where because the game is in Perth, it’s going to be a waiting game to see who is in and out this week to play, which is a pretty stupid way to run a sporting competition. Talking of ins and out and up and downs, our 2025 NRL Round 16 Tips Predictions & Stats Preview could go in any direction. And probably will.
Each week this season we offer up a quick preview glance for each match, throw in a bunch of barely interesting stats, and mix in a pinch of opinion, some spicy tips and you have a rugby league soup with probably more flavour than one could ever need or want. It’s all you can eat NRL stats.
2025 NRL Round 16 Tips
Here are our tips for the week ahead. How did we get to here? By going through all the visuals and stats below.
Our famed barely interesting stats all in the one place for this week of fewer games.
FRI – WESTS TIGERS v CANBERRA (Campbelltown)
Wests Tigers won the last time these teams met, which was also in Campbelltown, and the Tigers won 48-24, which broke a run of eight straight losses v Canberra.
Overall the Tigers lead Canberra 8-5 in the H2H at Campbelltown, but Canberra have won three of the last four.
Canberra have won the only game at Campbelltown on a Friday v Tigers by 1 point in 2023.
Tigers have lost both their home games v Canberra on a Friday at any ground.
Wests Tigers have lost 11 games in a row on a Friday, and last won in May 2022.
Wests Tigers have also lost eight in a row at Campbelltown on a Friday, with a last win in 2010.
Canberra have won their last four away games on a Friday v Sydney teams.
SAT – WAHS v PENRITH
The Warriors last start win over Penrith at Magic Round broke a run of eight straight losses to Penrith.
The Warriors haven’t played Penrith at Mt Smart Stadium since 2019.
The Warriors have won the last two games v Penrith on a Saturday at Mt Smart Stadium.
Closer to this decade, the Warriors have lost just one of their seven games at Mt Smart Stadium on a Saturday since 2023 – W5 D1 L1.
Penrith (D1 L2) have failed to win their last three games on a Saturday.
Penrith have won only one of their five games v non NSW teams this season – W1 D1 L3.
SAT – DOLPHINS v NEWCASTLE (Perth)
Dolphins have lost both of their games in Perth. But at least there have been 132 points scored in those two matches and the average margin of loss is four points.
Newcastle won the game v Dolphins in Perth in 2023.
Newcastle are on a four game winning streak v Dolphins. Which is the Dolphins worst current losing streak v any NRL side.
Ouch. The Dolphins have lost all seven games as the away side in a game not in Qld on a Saturday.
Newcastle have won only two of their last 17 away games v Qld sides. Granted all but one of those were in Queensland, and the one in Perth has already been discussed. But Perth is further from Newcastle than Brisbane so the stat is still good. Or we’ll see.
Newcastle have won eight of their last 12 away games on a Saturday.
SAT – SOUTHS v MELBOURNE (Accor)
South Sydney’s record v Melbourne is the worst in the NRL of current teams.
Souths have won once from their last six home games v Melbourne.
But Souths have won the last two games v Melbourne on a Saturday.
Souths have lost six of their last seven games on a Saturday.
Melbourne have lost both of their Saturday games v Sydney clubs in Sydney this season.
Melbourne have won only ten of their last 21 Saturday games v Sydney clubs.
SUN – BRISBANE v CRONULLA
Brisbane have won five in a row at home on a Sunday to Cronulla.
Brisbane have lost their last three home games on a Sunday.
Brisbane have lost their last six games anywhere on a Sunday with a last win in 2022.
Brisbane have lost their last seven day games.
Cronulla have won 11 of their last 14 day games.
Cronulla have won their last three games v Qld sides.
Cronulla have won six of their last seven away games v Qld sides.
Cronulla have won three in a row at Suncorp Stadium. Yet they have lost their last six at the same ground on a Sunday.
SUN – ROOSTERS v NORTH QLD
North Queensland have won the last two games v Roosters. Plus the last three games on a Sunday.
The Roosters have won just one of their last five at the Sydney Football Stadium on a Sunday v Qld sides. It’s only three wins from the last eight v all sides on a Sunday there too.
North Queensland have won their last three Sunday games.
North Queensland have won eight of their last ten games away to Sydney teams on a Sunday.
SUN – PARRAMATTA v GOLD COAST
Parramatta have lost their last seven games on a Sunday. Gold Coast have also lost their last seven games on a Sunday.
Parramatta have lost five games in a row v Qld sides. But that improves to winning four of their last five on a Sunday v Qld sides.
Gold Coast have lost six in a row away to a Sydney team on a Sunday.
Going back to 2019, Gold Coast have won once in 13 games v Sydney clubs away in NSW.
Parramatta have won five home games in a row v Gold Coast.
George Russell has won the Canadian Grand Prix from pole position in a comfortable win, but the day was not so comfortable for McLaren with Lando Norris’ great drive ending in the wall. Talking of walls our 2025 Canadian F1 Grand Prix Result Summary is solid as.
This 2025 Canadian Grand Prix Result, Laps that Matter summary, Review & Ratings which 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 – George Russell took pole for a second year in a row in Canada, beating Max Verstappen who he coincidentally shared the exact same qualifying time with last season too. What fun that should be with those two 1-2 on the grid after the Spanish GP and the last year worth of conflict. Hoping to take advantage of any issues will be Oscar Piastri who qualified third. Well ahead of his team mate Lando Norris who is down in 7th after a messy Q3. There were some good performances from Kimi Antonelli (4th), Fernando Alonso (6th) and Franco Colapinto (10th). Less so from Williams, who threatened to break into the top four gang all weekend but ended up 9th and 17th. And Lance Stroll, who returned from injury to increase his lead in the all-time Q1 exits.
Race day is dry, but will the walls so close, and drivers fired up, who needs rain. Or Danica Patrick.
GRID (Starting Order) – RUS VER PIA ANT HAM ALO NOR LEC ALB COL
Lap 1 – The start was very clean with all drivers looking like they wanted to stay out of trouble. Oscar Piastri seemed especially careful as Kimi Antonelli nipped by into turn three. The only action was further down with Colapinto and Albon pushing each other wide and off the track, allowing the Hulk to pass them both. Otherwise, drivers behaving.
ORDER – RUS VER ANT PIA HAM ALO NOR LEC HUL COL
Lap 4 – Early days, but the top two have cleared away a little and Max has closed right onto Russell’s tail. An overtaking move could be very interesting between these two. Kimi Antonelli is two seconds behind and Piastri almost a further two behind him. Wondering if that is smart tyre conservation, or McLaren speed sucks today pace. Norris is still 7th behind Alonso but is on the Hard tyres along with Leclerc and most of the bottom half of the field.
Lap 9 – There really isn’t much happening right now. A radio message from Oscar Piastri talking about front and rear tyre degradation is the highlight, For the record front is better and rear is worse than FP2 on Friday apparently. That might be important later. Other comms from drivers all say the same. The tyres suck.
Lap 11 – Lando Norris threatens to break of some action in the Canadian Grand Prix by closing within DRS range of Fernando Alonso for 6th. Norris does get by into the final chicane.
Lap 12 – Kimi Antonelli has rapidly closed in on Max Verstappen and is right on his tail when the Red Bull driver drives into pitlane instead of the final chicane for the first notable tyre stop. Verstappen temporarily drops to 9th. Antonelli up to 2nd.
Lap 14 – George Russell’s Mercedes team respond to Verstappen’s stop and bring in the leader for new tyres. He ends up 7th and has a Hulkenberg between himself and Verstappen.
Lap 15 – Antonelli stops from a short-lived lead of the Grand Prix and hands that over to Oscar Piastri. Talking of McLaren we hear a pep talk from McLaren to Lando Norris who is now third, asking for one of his special races, which we can presume means alternative strategy on his hard tyres. Hamilton pits and rejoins just at the front of a midfield train of cars.
Lap 17 – Oscar Piastri pits handing the lead to Lando Norris on those alternative Hard tyres. How long can he last to make a difference. It looks like the main talking point for now.
ORDER – NOR LEC RUS VER ANT HUL PIA ALB OCO HAM
Lap 20 – Lando Norris continues to lead by about the same amount to Charles Leclerc, but the previous top two of Russell and Verstappen are inching closer. Antonelli has dropped back from Verstappen by five seconds, Piastri is a further three behind, leaving him vulnerable to Norris getting past when he pits. Wasting on off day from Norris in qualifying in terms of Championship status.
Lap 24 – A good side distraction has been the midfield battles, with Hamilton and Alonso slicing through the midfield train, Yuki Tsunoda making some good moves, and Alex Albon arguing with his team via radio.
Lap 26 – George Russell passes Charles Leclerc for second, and it will be interesting to see how quickly he catches Norris. It should be quick on much newer hard tyres vs well worn hard tyres.
Lap 28 – Charles Leclerc pits from third opening up Max Verstappen’s race, and we will see if Norris’ McLaren team respond. Ferrari put Leclerc on another set of hard tyres, which seems odd. Perhaps a smart piece of strategy coming up, or another race wasted by a strategy stuff up. A point of interest for later for sure.
Lap 29 – McLaren do respond and Norris pits. He rejoins in 5th, on new mediums. Watch out to Oscar Piastri ahead in fourth place seven seconds up the road.
ORDER – RUS VER ANT PIA NOR LEC HAM OCO SAI ALO
Lap 35 – Halfway through the grand prix, and this seems like it might be like a game of chess with the tyre choices and inability to go too fast. Chess might be interesting, but not exciting at 4:40 in the morning. Lando Norris is setting fastest laps and catching Oscar Piastri. Further ahead George Russell has cleared Max Verstappen by nearly five seconds. Antonelli is catch Max at half a second per lap.
Lap 37 – Max Verstappen pits for a second time. He rejoins just in front of Lewis Hamilton who might enjoy the company after complaining a few laps ago that he “was nowhere in this race.” Antonelli pits a lap later and the Mercedes comes out of the pits alongside Verstappen and the Rd Bull just manages to stay in front.
Lap 40 – Oscar Piastri is asked by his team whether the current tyres can make it to the end of the race. The F1 equivalent of “Yeah, Nah” was offered. His team mate has closed within four seconds now so he’ll need new tyres soonish. Whether Norris can make the end of the race on current tyres is doubtful too.
Lap 42 – George Russell pits from the lead and rejoins comfortably ahead of Max Verstappen. Piastri leads for now.
Lap 45 – Piastri pits from the lead and Norris leads. New Hard tyres for Piastri and he rejoins close to Antonelli.
Lap 47 – Lando Norris pits from the lead, giving Ferrari a few minutes of joy as Leclerc leads. Norris rejoins 6th behind Piastri by four seconds. An interesting Championship defining moment potentially coming.
Lap 49 – Alex Albon’s race ends in car failure at the hairpin.
Lap 51 – Oscar Piastri responds to pressure from Norris with a gap extending fastest lap. Although Norris replies next time with a fastest lap. Piastri is closing in on Antonelli and Verstappen. Maybe all of this is building into the greatest end to a grand prix ever.
Lap 54 – Piastri has closed within a second of DRS and needs to get by quickish, as Norris is catching and looming behind. Russell and Verstappen aren’t that far up the road either. A race win is available here for anyone in the top five.
ORDER – RUS VER ANT PIA NOR LEC HAM OCO SAI HUL
Lap 57 – Piastri still trying to get past Antonelli who is currently hanging onto his first ever podium. Ahead Verstappen is closing in on George Russell. Behind Norris closing in on Piastri. Something has to give soon. Piastri will be hoping it is him giving up a place and Championship momentum tohis team mate. Backmarkers are in the way for the moment, at lease being fair by not giving anyone special treatment.
Lap 59 – Tyres and backmarkers have seen the top five close within five seconds of each other from 1st to 5th. Norris looks the quicker driver too, which means there might be team radio soon about which driver is quicker, if you know what I mean.
Lap 60 – George Russell has responded to Max Verstappen and squeezed the gap out to over two seconds. Antonelli has opened up a gap to Piastri now, who is under some real pressure from Norris. A change in place seems inevitable.
Lap 63 – Norris all over the back of Piastri now, as Piastri tries hard to evade the DRS.
Lap 65 – Piastri is now with DRS range of Antonelli, so not a bad tactic to avoid Norris by putting another car in the way.
Lap 66 – Lando Norris catches Piastri unaware and takes Piastri’s fourth place into the hairpin. But Piastri isn’t done yet, he draws alongside Norris out of the hairpin exit and down the back straight and just manages to outbrake Norris into the final chicane. But they are super close as they start the next lap……
Lap 67 – BANG!!! Lando Norris into the pit wall as he pulls alongside his team mate. Norris is out, the McLaren broken as he slides down the pit wall. Was it contact with his team mate? Well, it was. But replays show it was all Norris’ fault. Norris was right on Piastri’s gearbox as they thundered down the pit straight, and while Piastri was moving over to the left it was gradual and not swerving. Lando Norris appears to run into the rear left tyre of Piastri which breaks his front wing, gets under his tyres and puts him into the wall. Norris says as much via the radio. That’s a Championship swing right there.
SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
Lap 68 – The Safety doesn’t stop shenanigans between Russell and Verstappen, as one claims Russell braked suddenly behind the safety car, which he did. The other claims Verstappen overtook him, which he did. Both no doubt want the FIA to look into each other. Russell may not want to be too clever as playing upo behind the safety car usually leads to penalties. But that will have to be after the race if it happen. As this race is going to finish behind the Safety Car.
FINAL LAP – The race finishes behind the Safety Car and George Russell wins for Mercedes. Max Verstappen happy enough with second and Kimi Antonelli understandably happier with his first podium. Piastri finishes fourth, plenty of points ahead of Lando Norris.
FINAL ORDER (Across the line) – RUS VER ANT PIA LEC HAM ALO HUL OCO SAI
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 – GEORGE RUSSELL
Took a slightly surprising pole position, got off the line well and led like a pro for most of the race.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
MAX VERSTAPPEN – A good enough results with 2nd in qualifying and race. Finishing ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris losing points helps him in the Championship.
KIMI ANTONELLI – Great qualifying to end up fourth and ruined Piastri’s day by getting in front on the first lap. Held his own during the race, and even led at one stage. Dealt with pressure from Piastri and scored his first podium.
OSCAR PIASTRI – A good end result with fourth and Lando Norris crashing, but not a great Grand Prix. But in the context of the Championship, his not great day has ended in points. His team mate’s not great day ended in the wall.
FERNANDO ALONSO – Building his influence in qualifying and more points.
NICO HULKENBERG – More points for the Hulk with the previously busted arse Sauber.
ESTEBAN OCON – Ran a super long first stint and rewarded with points.
THE GRAPE-EST – LANCE STROLL
In a race short on terrible performances, is always good to have a default. Cut from Qualifying in Q1 again for his home race, he was towards the tail of the field throughout, and ended up earning a ten second penalty for forcing Pierre Gasly off the track into the final chicane as they battled during the race. You’d almost feel sorry for him, if he actually seemed to care himself.
DISHONOURABLE MENTIONS
LANDO NORRIS – In contention for driver of the race with his comeback from an ordinary 7th place in qualifying. Was just about to take his team mate’s fourth place, but ended up in the wall and out of the race.
ALEX ALBON – After pace earlier in the weekend suggested his William could be a top four nuisance, he qualified 9th, spent most of the race in a midfield train, argued with his team for not listening to him, then retired with car failure.
LEWIS HAMILTON – Not a bad race, just another nothing race, in a bit of a nothing season at Ferrari.
YUKI TSUNODA – Actually raced OK, but getting cut in Q1 isn’t going to cut it long term.
LIAM LAWSON – An anonymous race ended in DNF.
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) – 2 / 5
Not a great deal happening, made especially uninteresting with Danica Patrick on the blab for Sky F1 making most of the non on track action unwatchable. Qualifying was interesting enough with a few drivers in the mix for pole.
ON TRACK ACTION (RACE) – 2 / 10
Aside from the late race happenings with the McLarens, and some glimpses of midfield battling, it was a pretty dull race relying on tyre stops for the most.
ANY SURPRISES? – 4 / 5
George Russell’s pace is a little surprising, although he has been super consistent this season. Antonelli podium is a nice surprise for him. McLaren battle ending in tears is also surprising, and not really.
SEASON IMPORTANCE – 5 / 5
It looked like a big Championship moment was coming with Lando Norris about to overtake his team mate, and then a big Championship moment arrived with Lando Norris into the wall. The Championship gap is now out to 22 points.
ENDING – 5 / 5
The top five were closing towards the end of the race, and none more so than the McLarens. A battle which ended in an accident to Lando Norris
OVERALL RATING – 18 / 30
The big moments came late, but overall it wasn’t one of the better Canadian Grands Prix, but it does have some ramifications for the season ahead.
Missed all the hype of the latest NRL Round and need and/or want to catch up in the quickest way possible? Well The Gurgler has you covered for the latest Dolphins game with our 2025 NRL Round 15 Dolphins v Cowboys – One Minute Match Report.
Our popular One Minute Match Reviews offer up just enough facts and figures and opinion to make it through the waiting for an Uber or Monday morning coffee catch ups, fifty cent train rides or carpools.
NRL Round 15 Dolphins v Cowboys Final Thoughts
Like Jerry Springer, but for rugby league.
What a game, what a win for the Dolphins, who have put on three big wins in a row, winning by a combined 158-18, have jumped over the Cowboys on the NRL ladder to sit sixth, and currently have the second best for and against in the competition. And currently the way the byes work are only just one win behind the Storm (who have had three now to the Dolphins one.)
All this after a 0-4 start to the season, where the Dolphins looked a little ordinary, and it looked like the curse of post Wayne Bennett had struck again. But they have turned that around with first ever wins over Penrith and Melbourne, and have captured the imagination of rugby league fans everywhere with their sparkling attack.
Some may claim the Dolphins haven’t played anyone of note this season, but that simply isn’t true. They have played the current top four. Grant the Bulldogs were Origin affected, but it was a flogging, and not as if Dolphins were full strength, as above. They also led Canberra 28-10 at half time before falling into a hole, and gave Melbourne a second half touch up. The Dolphins last loss was a 16-12 loss to the Warriors. So that’s plenty competitive against the season’s best four teams so far. Plus a first win over Penrith came the week before the Storm win. So, they have been competitive to say the least.
It would be easy to point out Jack Bostock aka Two Smoking Barrels with his four tries, but then you’d be ignoring all his other wonderful stats. Refer to our Match Stats below to see all the numbers. Bostock is helped by Herbie Farnworth who continues his run of scoring in consecutive matches, sitting currently at eight, and was a handful all night. He should have a handful of trophies come season end. Or at least Centre of the Year.
The halves stood out again, with the Dolphins getting rich reward of taking a risk to revolve the attack around a mostly unproven Isaiya Katoa ex Penrith junior, and the potential unwanted Kodi Nikorima at the time of 2022 season. Current coach Kristian Woolf has picked and sticked with Nikorima and Katoa, even when the attack looked a bit ordinary at the start of the season.
The forward were outstanding again, with all playing so well. The Dolphins are doing the current golden run of fixtures without four of their best. Looking at the Round 1 NRL team the Dolphins put out, three of those players – Daniel Saifiti, Tom Gilbert and Max Plath are long term injury concerns. Throw in the continued absence of Tom Flegler for 2025 and that’s a lot of quality forwards unavailable for the Dolphins. So while some teams whine about Origin, at least they their players back, unlike the Dolphins who are staring at the prospect that none of the listed will play again this season.
But special mention to Oryn Keeley for his first NRL try, and Kurt Donoghue who has turned himself into running forward.
Then there’s Ray Stone. Everyone loves Ray Stone except for Ray Stone himself. But as ever the team man was a team player, but got a try in the end that you’re sure he wanted have hated for all the attention it would give.
It hard not to get carried away with the Dolphins, but they are a genuine contender for the title, and more so each week.
NRL Round 15 Dolphins v Cowboys Match Stats
Courtesy of nrl.com
BEST OF STATS
Dolphins are now 6/6 for away games v Qld sides that aren’t the Broncos.
All five Cowboys v Dolphins clashes have been won by the away side.
It was the equal second highest total point scored against North Queensland in Townsville since 1998.
It was the Dolphins’ highest ever score, beating last week’s new record setter.
The Dolphins are the second team to pass 400 points scored in 2025.
The Dolphins have won three games in a row in winter now, by a combined 154-16.
The Dolphins ran for 2,252 metres v Cowboys, the second highest total for any team in a single game this season.
Jack Bostock ran for 312 metres v Cowboys, the fifth highest game total by any player this season.
Another Friday the 13th has gone off without a hitch for an superstitious Brisbane man.
Peter’s Triskaidekaphobia (a fear of the number 13) meant he’s been dreading this day for the past week. While he normally takes the day off, a busy work schedule meant he was unable to, and the nerves started kicking in late Thursday night.
“I was lying in bed, thinking of all the things that could go wrong on Friday. Having to interact with people on this horrible day just feels like tempting fate. It’s an unnecessary risk. I’d politely declined a horror movie marathon with mates last week as I can’t take that chance.”
But Peter’s fear were unfounded.
“It was a surprisingly normal day. Work was uneventful but busy. I had a perfectly fine takeaway dinner, then watched the Titans-Manly game,” said Peter, “And I didn’t get any bad news text messages from family or friends.”
While Peter was happy nothing went wrong, he still won’t shift on his fear of the number 13.
“One good Black Friday doesn’t meant I’m cured. If anything, it makes me more vigilant. I’m going to book my leave for the next Friday the 13th as soon as I find out when it is.”
The Gurgler’s F1 team have a new feature to share – F1 Explained, a deeper dive into the history, personalities or technicalities of F1 from our usual pre and post race abuse of Lance Stroll. This time it is about 1980’s F1 Drivers Careers highlighting some of the more notable or noteworthy, with an eye firmly on the more obscure end.
This A-to-Z list covers 1980s drivers (or close approximations for tough letters and double-ups to include drivers/team who demanded inclusion) with verbs that capture how their actions or circumstances drained the fun from F1, through domination, crashes, obscurity, or unfulfilled potential. Or how they overperformed and delighted the fans of the time and the new fans who have found 1980’s F1 gold through YouTube.
A to Z of 1980’s F1 Drivers Careers Explained
A – Alliot’d:
To annoy fellow drivers with appalling track manners.
E.g., “He really Alliot’d the leaders there as they tried to lap him.”
(Few doubted the speed of Philippe Alliot, but he was ultimately known more for getting in the way whilst being lapped or crashing than his 100+ GPs and seven points)
To deliver steady results but lack the charisma or many wins to keep fans excited, making races feel routine.
E.g., “She Boutsenized the championship, always finishing but never thrilling.”
(Thierry Boutsen’s 1980s consistency with Arrows and Benetton, like his 1989–1990 wins with Williams, often lacked the spark of top stars, despite his overall likeability.)
To achieve mediocre results with midfield car, turning your races into a joyless grind for spectators after lower than expected qualifying positions.
E.g., “He Cheevered through 1985, stuck in a slow Alfa Romeo, hoping the expected unreliability would be a mercy.”
(Eddie Cheever’s 1980s stints with underperforming teams like Alfa Romeo and Ligier, rarely contending for points but was also good for an occasional podium.)
To show enormous speed but always operating on a knife’s edge that a mistake which usually turns into a huge accident was never far away.
E.g., “He De Cesaris’ed the race, flying for the first ten laps before a predictable self-imposed exit”
(Andrea de Cesaris’s 1980s runs with Alfa Romeo and Ligier marked by high qualifying and frequent crashes and retirements. De Cesaris raced for 10 teams over 208 starts for 5 podiums. His stint at McLaren in 1981 saw him earn the nickname Andrea De-Crash-eris, which legend has that the McLaren team boss was so unimpressed he would never hire an Italian for McLaren again. He didn’t btw.)
To be so out of your depth that people often forget you exist.
E.g., “They Eurobrunned the season, with a full house of DNQs.”
(Eurobrun existed in F1 between 1988 and 1990. Their 1988 car was described as an overturned bathtub, but at least they qualified in the first half of the season. 1989 saw them attack the season with one car instead of two, and that one car never made it into the race. with a best result of Did Not Qualify (1) vs 15 Did Not Pre-Qualify.)
To languish at the back with a minnow team, making your races a forgettable slog, if you managed to qualify.
E.g., “They Ghinzanied the season, never qualifying, which was no fun to watch.”
(Piercarlo Ghinzani’s 1980s runs with Osella and Ligier, often stuck in uncompetitive cars. He entered 111 races, started 74 and scored two points. He did survive one of F1’s fastest crashes in 1984).
To be so ordinary that not even the money can save your drive.
E.g., “After having the first half of their season Huubed, the team decided to look at other options for the following season.”
(Huub Rothengather drove for two teams in this list – Osella and Zakspeed. His best result was 7th place at the Australian Grand Prix where he was four laps down.)
To have served a long apprenticeship in midfield teams, deservedly got a call up to a big team, only to severely underperform and ultimately get sacked.
E.g., “After years of trying, he Ivanned his one shot at a race win.”
(Ivan Capelli shot to F1 fame in the Leyton House March from 1987 to 1991, where in 1990 he led the majority of the race before being caught with two laps to go by Alain Prost’s Ferrari. He replaced Prost at Ferrari in 1992 and it proved a disaster and was dropped before the end of the season.)
To grind through seasons with semi-regular points, occasional podium but no real spark, boring spectators.
E.g., “They Johanssoned the year, always mid-pack and uninspiring.”
(Stefan Johansson’s 1980s runs with Ferrari and McLaren, often finishing but rarely shining, like his 1985–1987 seasons. His career slowly petered out, but did pull a podium out for the obscure Onyx team in 1989. Now is an F1 artist, and very good.)
To drive on the edge for most of the race, entertaining fans with the ultimate in daring F1 mastery, which sadly led to car failures and low fuel more often than not.
E.g., “He Keke’d the race, providing much excitement, but ultimately led to no points.
(Keke Rosberg’s was always spectacular in all of his teams, with the exception of McLaren where the car called for professor-like finesse compared to Rosberg’s rock guitar solos style. Won races when most others could barely keep a car on track. Won 1982 Championship winning one race in a massively inferior car. Famed for breaking the then overall lap record speed by stubbing out a cigarette and jumping into the car, smashing the lap, dusting hands.)
To give 100% and drive aggressively doing what most other drivers can’t, but to always end in some kind of drama.
E.g., “He Manselled the Grand Prix, pushing hard, pulling off an unbelievable overtake, but spinning out, limping after the spin.”
(Nigel Mansell’s Grand wins to Championships is unfair, often unlucky, always drama. He’s famously radioed after a crash once “I think I’m knocked out”.)
E.g., “Lance Stroll Nakajima’d his way through the 2024 season.”
(Satoru Nakajima arrived in F1 in 1987 at the request of Honda who were supplying engines to Ayrton Senna’s Lotus. Despite having the best engine on the grid, the one where McLaren won 15/16 races in 1988, Nakajima was shown to be out of his depth.)
http://gty.im/2067297191
O – Osellaed:
To toil with a perpetually underfunded team, making every race a joyless struggle.
E.g., “She Osellaed through 1988, always at the back, draining the energy.”
(Named after the Osella team’s drivers like Nicola Larini or Gabriele Tarquini, who fought with uncompetitive cars in the 1980s. Their peak was 1989 when Larini ran in the top three during a wet Canadian Grand Prix. They scored no points that season. Amusingly, their 1988 car designation code was FA1L, and fa1l it did. Zero points, only driver Nicola Larini qualified for 10/16 races, finished three, with a highest finish of 9th of 10 finishers at Monaco – 3 laps adrift).
To lead a championship but choke under pressure, turning a thrilling season into a letdown. To also act as a poisoned chalice of moving to a Championship team after they win the Championship.
E.g., “She Reutemanned the title, qualifying on pole, then failing to score a point to lose the Championship at the last race.”
(Carlos Reutemann’s 1981 season, led the Championship going into the last race, then qualified on pole. Come race day he dropped through the field to 8th while Nelson Piquet finished 5th and stole the title. Reutemann’s moves to Ferrari, Lotus, Williams always seemed to be a year late, and displaced a far more popular driver.)
To be so underrated that even the good performances are forgotten.
E.g., “He somehow Surered his way to 9th from 18th on the grid, but the performance was unnoticed due to drama further up the grid.”
(Mark Surer drove for a handful of midfield teams in the 1980’s scoring occasional points when that was only down the sixth and cars finished every second race.)
To join a top team but underdeliver, making races feel flat compared to expectations.
E.g., “They Tambayized at Ferrari, decent but never electrifying.”
(Patrick Tambay’s 1982–1983 Ferrari stint, where he won in tribute to the Ferrari driver but couldn’t match Gilles Villeneuve’s flair. Subsequent Renault and Haas-Lola stint continued the decline)
To strive to be the fastest every second of every lap of every race.
E.g., “He Villeneuved that qualifying lap”
(A one-of-kind driver who had the speed to be World Champion but died during qualifying in 1982 when finally equipped with a Championship winning car. Some of his driving moments went down in F1 folklore.)
E.g., “He Warwicked the uncompetitive car into the points before it expired at half way.””
(Derek Warwick was often admired but never quite got the top line chance. Well he sort-of did in 1986 when Lotus wanted to sign him, but incumbent Ayrton Senna overruled that decision as he thought Lotus were good enough to make two fast cars. He was probably right.)
To show flashes of brilliance but ultimately get overshadowed by a teammate, making your efforts feel futile and less engaging.
E.g., “He Arnouxed the season, occasionally outpacing his teammate but most often not, when his car was working, which dulled the races.”
(René Arnoux’s 1980s stints were often full of pole positions and some front running, but poor reliability and racecraft often saw him go missing. A seemingly polarising figure, he was mysteriously fired from Ferrari after one race in 1985. He also caused Alfa Romeo to quit supplying engines to Ligier just before the first race in 1987. His latter seasons were spent getting in the way of front runners in mid to lower midfield cars.)
To essentially sit out an entire season despite entering every race.
E.g. “He Yannicked the entire season, making a brief cameo before remaining onthe sidelines.”
(The above is based on the 1989 season which is a bit unfair on Yannick Dalmas. He was reasonably reliable in 1987 and 1988 but he missed races in 1988 through Legionellosis and was never quite the same. In saying that, 1989 was terrible as he qualified for 1/6 races for Lola-Lamboghini for a best finish of DNF. After being dropped for France he turned up at AGS where he failed to pre-qualify for the remaining nine races.)
To set lofty, ambitious goals like building your own car and turbo engine and fail despite high levels of competence outside of F1.
E.g. “They Zakspeed’d their chances after blowing an engine on the out lap.”
(Zakspeed ran their own Car and Turbo engine from 1985, continuing until 1988 even though turbos were being phased out. Their last hurrah was taking on the new Yamaha engine, which was slightly less hopeless than their 1989 driver pairing. Bernd Schneider qualified for 2/16 races, retiring from both. Aguri Suzuki failed to Pre-Qualify for all 16 races.)
The State of Origin series continues, and Queensland sure have a lot of work to do. Not only are they 1-0 down in the series and have lost three in a row to the Blues now, they head to Perth where they have never won, and have selected Kurt Capewell as the answer. As ever The Gurgler dives into stats way deeper than is needed (and wanted) but nevertheless we serve up a platter of 2025 State of Origin Game Two Stats.
Presented below is as many stats as The Gurgler team could muster heading into the big game in the West.
2025 State of Origin Game Two Stats
NSW are 2/2 at Perth and have won by a combined 82-18.
NSW lead the overall Neutral Ground H2H by 9-5, but have won five of the past seven neutral matches.
Bad news for Queensland is that NSW lead the H2H for Game Two Neutral clashes by 7-1.
Queensland have scored just 10 points over their last two matches.
NSW have won six of the last seven Game Two clashes.
NSW lead 26-18 overall for Game Two matches.
NSW are going for four wins in a row for the first time since 1997. Note: They had a run of five without defeat in 1999 and 2000 but one game was a draw.
NSW haven’t won Games one and Two of a series since 2021.
Of the four times NSW have won game one then played game two at a neutral venue, the winner of the neutral game goes on to win the series on all four occasions.
Of the 20 times NSW have won game one, they have claimed the series 14 times.
That changes to seven series wins and three series losses when that first win was in Brisbane.
NSW average 21.7 points per game for neutral venues, Qld is at 15.3.
2025 State of Origin Game Two Prediction
We put all the stats together, look at the head to head between the states, plus the amount of points scored for different scenarios and come up with a score prediction for Game Two of the State of Origin
State of Origin Game Two Stats – Full Game Two History
Here is all the Game Two Results from 1982.
Year
Venue
Result
1982
Lang Park
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 11-7
1983
S.C.G.
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 10-6
1984
S.C.G.
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 14-2
1985
S.C.G.
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 21-14
1986
S.C.G.
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 24-20
1987
S.C.G.
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 12-6
1988
Lang Park
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 16-6
1989
S.F.S.
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 16-12
1990
Olympic
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 12-6
1991
S.F.S.
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 14-12
1992
Lang Park
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 5-4
1993
S.F.S.
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 16-12
1994
M.C.G.
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 14-0
1995
M.C.G.
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 20-12
1996
S.F.S.
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 18-6
1997
M.C.G.
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 15-14
1997
QE II
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 23-22
1998
Lang Park
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 26-10
1999
Stadium Australia
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 12-8
2000
Lang Park
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 28-10
2001
Stadium Australia
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 26-8
2002
QE II
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 26-18
2003
Stadium Australia
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 27-4
2004
Lang Park
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 22-18
2005
Stadium Australia
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 32-22
2006
Lang Park
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 30-6
2007
Stadium Australia
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 10-6
2008
Lang Park
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 30-0
2009
Stadium Australia
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 24-14
2010
Lang Park
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 34-6
2011
Stadium Australia
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 18-8
2012
Stadium Australia
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 16-12
2013
Lang Park
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 26-6
2014
Stadium Australia
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 6-4
2015
M.C.G.
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 26-18
2016
Lang Park
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 26-16
2017
Stadium Australia
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 18-16
2018
Stadium Australia
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 18-14
2019
Perth Stadium
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 38-6
2020
Stadium Australia
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 34-10
2021
Lang Park
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 26-0
2022
Perth Stadium
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 44-12
2023
Lang Park
Queensland def. NewSouthWales 32-6
2024
MCG
NewSouthWales def. Queensland 38-18
State of Origin Game Two Stats – Full Neutral Ground History
Here is all the results from all the neutral grounds over the years.
Been too distracted by the cold weather snap? Maybe you’re disappointed in the Origin teams named for the second game. Or over-excited like NRL media at Lachlan Galvin’s Bulldogs debut? 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 Round 15 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.
We’ve also applied an adjustment for each team’s increase or decrease in win % over the Origin period.
Then slice up the scores out of 100% between the two sides. The bigger the percentage, the more likely to win.
2025 NRL Round 15 Ratings
Here are the H2H ratings and winners for the first of the Origin affected rounds.
Our ratings picked 6/8 last weekend, with the Warriors proving elusive again and there was only 0.8% in our Newcastle v Manly rating, so close enough really.
The Ratings also includes the team’s relevant Origin period form.
2025 NRL Round 15 Late Mail
THU – CRONULLA v ST GEORGE-ILLAWARRA
Ratings, stats, ladder position all point to a Sharks victory here, although both sides were well beaten last weekend, and well beaten is generous for one of the sides. Ronaldo Mulitalo and KL Iro are out for the Sharks which is a downside. But the Sharks also have no Origin players out either. Which means not only do they have a strong side with continuity, but Origin won’t ruin the rest of Nicho Hynes’ season. Valentine Holmes is the Origin absentee for the Dragons, although you can’t imagine after last weekend it would make that much difference. Cronulla have won nine in a row v Dragons and four in a row at home v Dragons.
FRI – GOLD COAST v MANLY
One of the more lop-sided H2H Ratings for the season since we started them, and while the Titans aren’t going too well, you wouldn’t think they are that much worse than Manly. But that’s stats for you. Manly welcome back Tom Trbojevic and Jason Saab from injury, which will provide speed and tries to their backline. They also get to keep DCE after his news-making axing from the Maroons side. One wonders if he will be ready to prove doubters wrong, or the emotional baggage of being dropped from the Origin side will flow onto this weekend’s game. Gold Coast are without a few cylinders in their engine room as Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Moeaki Fotuaika are both on Origin duty. The Titans home record v Manly and home record on a Friday is poor. As is Manly’s away record on a Friday. At least Manly have one stat going for them – Manly have won eight of their last ten away games v Qld sides.
SAT – NEWCASTLE v ROOSTERS
One wonders if the Newcastle fans know rugby league enough this weekend to turn up on Saturday to watch this game. They might also know that Newcastle have a terrible home record v Roosters, so maybe they will stay away. Unlikely. But, going back to 2012, Newcastle have won three of their last 20 games v Roosters. Plus Newcastle have lost their last four home games v Roosters and won just three of their last 17 home games v Roosters going back to 2002. Ouch. But it is a different Roosters these days, and they are missing key players through Origin – Robert Toia and Angus Crichton – but still get to keep James Tedesco. And the Roosters should be fresh after a bye. And in huge team news for the Roosters they get Sam Walker back. Newcastle are missing just one player for Origin, but Kalyn Ponga is a big deal, the match winner from last weekend. It means Jackson Hastings will make his 2025 debut, as the coach decides he doesn’t hate him as much this weekend. Fletcher Sharpe moving to fullback is a good silver lining of Origin absentees.
SAT – COWBOYS v DOLPHINS
This is a game with plenty of omissions. The Cowboys lose four players to Origin and another two through suspension. It’s not all bad news for North Queensland fans as Murray Taulagi, Kai O’Donnell and Jason Taumalolo all return from injury. Dolphins also have one of their stars missing in The Hammer, but Jake Averillo fills in for him art fullback and they lose very little. Talking of losing, Max Plath is out for an extended period, and Daniel Saifiti is out for the season. To go along with the two Toms. Dolphins won big in their last Origin period match v Bulldogs, so the changes have at least done it before. Stats favour the Dolphins too with the away side has won all four of the Cowboys v Dolphins fixtures. Dolphins are 5/5 for away games v Qld sides that are not the Broncos too. A chance to leapfrog the Cowboys awaits the Dolphins if they win.
SUN – SOUTHS v BULLDOGS (Olympic)
Origin success is catching up with the Bulldogs with three players out with Origin commitments. Age is catching up with South Sydney’s Cody Walker. He’s out this week and who knows after that, probably the season. Bulldogs have won all their games v NSW sides this season and are without loss on a Sunday. Souths stats are hit and miss -South Sydney have won their last four Sunday matches v Bulldogs. Souths have won only one of their last six on a Sunday going back to 2023. That was old Souths though. At least Latrell Mitchell’s absence means Jye Gray gets another shot to win the Dally M. Stephen Crichton, Max King and Kurt Mann are all missing because of Origin selection, and Matt Burton is missing because of the Origin series too, but sadly for him he won’t get to play as the 18th man. Blake Taaffe and Jacob Preston headlines the returning players this weekend for the Cowboys. All this and no Lachlan Galvin chat so far.
2025 NRL Round 15 Late Mail – Stats Extra
STATE OF ORIGIN PERIOD COMPARISON
Wondered if a team is much better or worse during State of Origin? You may be surprised, and also not surprised at the same time.
Some handy visuals are below to help you pick a winner.
2025 NRL Round 14 Review + Round 15 Preview
Here’s the best of our wrap ups of last weekend and look forward to this weekend.
Faster than an Aston Martin, more expendable than an Alpine driver, with tricks that he’s hiding from the FIA, and more troubling than a sore wrist, 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 Canadian Grand Prix Predictions and opinion.
The F1 Donkey’s Pre Canadian Grand Prix Thoughts
As I dive into the rant for the upcoming weekend of Formula 1, we still have no idea whether the Aston Martin F1 entrant Lance Stroll will actually live up to his title and participate in this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix. Which is his home race. If that matters. Which it doesn’t.
Now I have lit three candles a day for Lance Stroll, prayed to at least four different gods, fasted on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and shaved the number 18 into my hair in the hope it would give Lance Stroll the strength to return to the track this weekend.
Not really. F—k Lance Stroll.
By the way 18 is Lance Stroll’s number, not the amount of Championship points he has scored this season nor the numebr of times he has been knocked out in Q1 in his career. One number is slightly lower than 18, the other much higher. I’ll let you work out which way that goes.
The petulant man-child is the ultimate F1 jerk. Not super villain as that would imply he had enough personality or could expend enough effort to be able to play a super villain. Or a lower grade villain.
Stroll is a bigger jerk than Flavio, who is on his way to sacking driver number two for the season. He’s a bigger jerk than the current FIA President who seems to hate all the drivers, forgetting that they, not him or his moneyed friends actually drive the cars. He’s even a bigger jerk than the guy waving the chequered flag at the 1982 Swiss Grand Prix (held in Dijon in France when people cared less for geography, aerodynamics and Lance Stroll) who allegedly had to be wrestled not to wave the chequered flag two laps early with a French driver driving a French car was leading but being caught and was obviously going to be passed by Keke Rosberg.
Ah Keke Rosberg. Now there was a driver. He was everything that Lance Stroll isn’t. And more.
That early flag did actually happen in 1984. At Monaco.
No, not that 1984. But if this was the novel 1984 then it might be what it’s like to work at Aston Martin. Where you can’t bad mouth or even think about bad mouthing Lance Stroll because Big Brother owns the team.
Luckily it’s 2025 and not 1984 for many reasons, one is that plenty of details have emerged about Lance Stroll’s child-like tantrum after the Spanish GP qualifying. With lots of things alleged to have happened, other than Stroll being outperformed by Alonso.
One does wonder why 14th on the grid was such a sore point, especially given he is the record holder of Q1 exits, something he moaned about when approached on the celebration day of that effort. About how the McLaren drivers would have thesame record if they were in a Sauber for a decade.
Wrong. Both McLaren drivers up to now have had enough talent to avoid driving for Sauber, Haas, and any other backmarker. Although, you could argue that McLaren have been backmarkers for a while in the past few seasons. That’s why Oscar Piastri told Alpine to shove it when they announced his signing ahead of 2023. Piastri had enough talent and Alex-Wurz level buzz to have two good teams chasing him before he had even raced.
Plus, even if Piastri and/or Lando Norris weren’t as good as they are, and found themselves in a Sauber, they would only last a season or two of Q1 exits before they would be sacked. Only the churlish man-children of this world with limited talent and attitude who need their father to sponsor or buy an F1 team would get enough drives to break the Q1 exit record. Any other driver in F1 history would have been sacked years ago.
So let’s see if Lance Stroll’s injury can get a FIFA World Cup style magic water spray and be good to go for his home race this weekend. It wouldn’t be the same without him. Like Q2 and Q3, it would be the same without him. I’d argue better.
The NRL Donkey’s Bold 2025 Canadian 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
This could be the track that stuffs up both drivers and opens the door for an alternative winner. Although, probably not. Lando will probably win.
RED BULL
Max Verstappen to lose his mind for a second race and get that elusive licence point to leave Red Bull with no good drivers for the next race. Canada has massive Q2 shunt written all over it for Yuki Tsunoda.
MERCEDES
George Russell in conflict again with Max Verstappen for our amusement in the race. Time for a top four qualifying effort from Mr Antonelli I say.
FERRARI
Outside chance at a pole for Charles Leclerc and a podium. Massive chance at great disappointment for Lewis Hamilton.
WILLIAMS
Double Q3 and double DNF. Accidents and incidents for both drivers.
ALPINE
Franco Colapinto to drive his last F1 race. Pierre Gasly to have the most midfield experience of the weekend.
RB
Q3 for Isack Hadjar. Q1 scowl from Liam Lawson.
ASTON MARTIN
A glorious Q1 exit for Lance Stroll. Early car related DNF for Alonso.
HAAS
Points for Bearman. 1st lap prang for Ocon.
SAUBER
Nico Hulkenberg to miss out on Q3 in the dying seconds, but get some points on race day again.
F1 2025 Season Stuff
We’ve worked hard getting ready for the 2025 F1 Season, and this is our best work below.
