Super 12 Rugby Play of the Week:
Completed Season: 9-5 (64.29%) +8.50 units
NRL Play of the Week:
Season to Date: 12-9 (57.14%%) +4.70 units
AFL Play of the Week:
Season to Date: 1-0 +1.85 units
Overall: 22-14 (61.11%) +15.05 units
NRL PLAYS OF THE WEEK:
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA v SOUTH SYDNEY at WIN Stadium
Head to head: Played 5, Dragons 4, Rabbitohs 1
Last clash: Dragons 18-16 (SCG, 2003)
Line: Rabbitohs +8.5
The Skinny:
The Dragons have lost a lot in the engine room without NSW Origin players Jason Ryles, Luke Bailey and lock-cum-five-eighth Shaun Timmins. Captain and second-rower Lance Thompson will play with a fractured cheekbone but is tough as nails and won't take a backward step. Nathan Blacklock proved last weekend he can still score tries but was exposed defensively on a few occasions so expect the Rabbitohs to target his wing. Souths will lose NSW forward and captain Bryan Fletcher, a big blow considering he's been their best by far this season. They will persist with Shane Walker at halfback, with Willie Peters on the bench, fuelling speculation coach Paul Langmack and Peters don't see eye to eye.
The Prediction: The Dragons have only covered this line twice in 12 games. They looked good in patches last weekend in a heartbreaking last-second loss to the Knights but so they should have, facing a side with a host of Origin players backing up 2 days later. They also had to make 307 tackles and will face a Rabbitohs side fresh off a bye and a previous thumping of the Storm.
PLAY: RABBITOHS +8.5 (2 units)
WESTS TIGERS and SYDNEY ROOSTERS at Campbelltown Stadium
Head to head: Played 5, Roosters 4, Tigers 1
Last clash: Roosters 16-14 (Campbelltown Stadium, 2002)
Footy TAB: Tigers +0.5
The Skinny:
Like the Knights, the Roosters have again been hit hard by the rep season, with eight players lost to Origin camps or injuries. The Tigers can't just expect to turn up and win, however, with Roosters skipper Brad Fittler running the show. The Roosters will field the same crop of youngsters who pushed the Bulldogs two weeks ago. Wests have lost nine of their past ten matches but are a better team than statistics suggest. All they need is a couple of gun players to make them more competitive. Terry Hill has been a revelation at lock and was close to a recall to the NSW Origin squad while Daniel Fitzhenry is excelling at five-eighth. Tigers forward John Skandalis will be out for another big game following his efforts against the Sharks last weekend. After all, when was the last time you saw a prop score two tries in one match?
The Predicition: The Tigers are on the improve after most people had written off their entire season after the early rounds. They pushed the Sharks and Tigers awful close in consecutive weeks after upsetting the Bulldogs and are playing with a refreshing "nothing to lose" attitude. They've had a solid completion rate and are breaking the opposition defensive line with a lot more regularity.
The Roosters snuck home against the Cowboys last weekend and while Fittler will do his utmost in conjunction with Morley and Finch, the defending champs are really struggling for support staff capable of helping enough.
PLAY: WESTS TIGERS ML +105 (2 units)
GL all
Anders
Completed Season: 9-5 (64.29%) +8.50 units
NRL Play of the Week:
Season to Date: 12-9 (57.14%%) +4.70 units
AFL Play of the Week:
Season to Date: 1-0 +1.85 units
Overall: 22-14 (61.11%) +15.05 units
NRL PLAYS OF THE WEEK:
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA v SOUTH SYDNEY at WIN Stadium
Head to head: Played 5, Dragons 4, Rabbitohs 1
Last clash: Dragons 18-16 (SCG, 2003)
Line: Rabbitohs +8.5
The Skinny:
The Dragons have lost a lot in the engine room without NSW Origin players Jason Ryles, Luke Bailey and lock-cum-five-eighth Shaun Timmins. Captain and second-rower Lance Thompson will play with a fractured cheekbone but is tough as nails and won't take a backward step. Nathan Blacklock proved last weekend he can still score tries but was exposed defensively on a few occasions so expect the Rabbitohs to target his wing. Souths will lose NSW forward and captain Bryan Fletcher, a big blow considering he's been their best by far this season. They will persist with Shane Walker at halfback, with Willie Peters on the bench, fuelling speculation coach Paul Langmack and Peters don't see eye to eye.
The Prediction: The Dragons have only covered this line twice in 12 games. They looked good in patches last weekend in a heartbreaking last-second loss to the Knights but so they should have, facing a side with a host of Origin players backing up 2 days later. They also had to make 307 tackles and will face a Rabbitohs side fresh off a bye and a previous thumping of the Storm.
PLAY: RABBITOHS +8.5 (2 units)
WESTS TIGERS and SYDNEY ROOSTERS at Campbelltown Stadium
Head to head: Played 5, Roosters 4, Tigers 1
Last clash: Roosters 16-14 (Campbelltown Stadium, 2002)
Footy TAB: Tigers +0.5
The Skinny:
Like the Knights, the Roosters have again been hit hard by the rep season, with eight players lost to Origin camps or injuries. The Tigers can't just expect to turn up and win, however, with Roosters skipper Brad Fittler running the show. The Roosters will field the same crop of youngsters who pushed the Bulldogs two weeks ago. Wests have lost nine of their past ten matches but are a better team than statistics suggest. All they need is a couple of gun players to make them more competitive. Terry Hill has been a revelation at lock and was close to a recall to the NSW Origin squad while Daniel Fitzhenry is excelling at five-eighth. Tigers forward John Skandalis will be out for another big game following his efforts against the Sharks last weekend. After all, when was the last time you saw a prop score two tries in one match?
The Predicition: The Tigers are on the improve after most people had written off their entire season after the early rounds. They pushed the Sharks and Tigers awful close in consecutive weeks after upsetting the Bulldogs and are playing with a refreshing "nothing to lose" attitude. They've had a solid completion rate and are breaking the opposition defensive line with a lot more regularity.
The Roosters snuck home against the Cowboys last weekend and while Fittler will do his utmost in conjunction with Morley and Finch, the defending champs are really struggling for support staff capable of helping enough.
PLAY: WESTS TIGERS ML +105 (2 units)
GL all
Anders
