Some good results y'day with the under in the Sharks/Raiders and the Cats' demolition of the Highlanders; trying to cap off a solid weekend now.
Super 12:
Game 6) NSW Waratahs v Stormers, Sydney, 00:00CST
Waratahs -5.5 ($1.90Aus), Stormers +5.5
The Stormers have targeted this match as their best chance to pick up points on their Australasian trip - might not be such a great idea. Sth African sides are horrendous tourists in the Super 12, their 4 sides having won a total of 14 matches from 86 encounters in Aus and NZ (16%!). The Stormers rank along compatriots the Bulls and the Cats as the worst travelling teams in the history of the competition. They opened up the 2001 Super 12 with a home defeat to the Cats as a -4.5 chalk and lost key inside centre De Wet Barry for 6 weeks after being taken out of the ball by Japie Mulder. Prop Robbie Kempson hasn't helped their case by claiming on the club's website that his pack will have a definite edge over the young Waratahs unit. Yet the Cats dominated Kempson and friends last week, as the Stormers are without Sprinboks Selborne Boome, Toks van der Linde and Cobus Visagie. New NSW coach Bob Dwyer has his young troops fizzing early this year - they were very comprehensive winners over the Chiefs (who bounced back to beat the Reds at home last night). If the Stormers plan to play an expansive game to suit their talented yet erractic backline as they have indicated, it should play into the hands of the Waratahs - the new tackled ball interpretations are ensuring a host of turnovers and the Waratahs possess two impressive back row tyros and Phil Waugh and David Lyons. Home advantage in the Super 12 is notable - not one away side has won SU this weekend and I believe that trend will continue, with the Waratahs covering the spread.
PLAY NSW WARATAHS -5.5
NRL:
Game 5) Penrith Panthers v Northern Eagles, Penrith, 14:30 CST
Panthers -5.5 ($1.90), Eagles +5.5
Really baffled as to why the Panthers are giving up close to a converted try here. 0-2 SU, hammered first up by the Eels, also failed to cover the spread in a better effort away to the Broncos last week (lost 22-38 as a +14.5 road dog). The Eagles scored an excellent first up away win over the Newcastle Knights as a +4.5 dog and then were shocked at home by the NZ Warriors 16-24 as a -14.5 chalk. Eagles have had some home truths rammed down their throats by coach Peter Sharp after last weekend's embarassment. They should also recognise that the Warriors were surprisingly excellent in many areas - didn't miss a tackle in the first 20 minutes, limited turnovers that haunted them in their opening rd loss to the Raiders and fought off a rare Eagles spell of pressure either side of halfway to kill off the match. Penrith will be desperate for their first win and have key centre Ryan Girdler cleared to play from injury but obviously isn't at full fitness yet while they also have problems with injuries at fullback, with Peter Jorgensen battling a shoulder injury and big second-rower Matt Adamson ruled out with a knee problem. Eagles will be without strong performer in the opening two rounds in forward Mark O'Meley. Tight battle expected, like the Eagles getting this many points.
PLAY NORTHERN EAGLES +5.5
Game 6) West Tigers v NZ Warriors, Campbelltown Stadium, NSW, 14:30 CST
Tigers -8.5 ($1.90Aus); Warriors +8.5
So tempted to take Warriors getting a lot of points after their SU win away to the Eagles, but the Warriors have built a deserved reputation of looking like worldbeaters one minute, chumps the next (and that's usually in the same game!) New coach Daniel Anderson may finally have fixed some problems, but we'll wait and see against a Tigers team which surprising rolled the Dragons in round two.
NO PLAY
Game 7) The Bulldogs v Newcastle Knights, Sydney Showground, 16:30 CST
Bulldogs -2.5 ($1.90Aus), Knights +2.5
More later on this game, still deciding on a possible play on the Knights.
GLTA
Super 12:
Game 6) NSW Waratahs v Stormers, Sydney, 00:00CST
Waratahs -5.5 ($1.90Aus), Stormers +5.5
The Stormers have targeted this match as their best chance to pick up points on their Australasian trip - might not be such a great idea. Sth African sides are horrendous tourists in the Super 12, their 4 sides having won a total of 14 matches from 86 encounters in Aus and NZ (16%!). The Stormers rank along compatriots the Bulls and the Cats as the worst travelling teams in the history of the competition. They opened up the 2001 Super 12 with a home defeat to the Cats as a -4.5 chalk and lost key inside centre De Wet Barry for 6 weeks after being taken out of the ball by Japie Mulder. Prop Robbie Kempson hasn't helped their case by claiming on the club's website that his pack will have a definite edge over the young Waratahs unit. Yet the Cats dominated Kempson and friends last week, as the Stormers are without Sprinboks Selborne Boome, Toks van der Linde and Cobus Visagie. New NSW coach Bob Dwyer has his young troops fizzing early this year - they were very comprehensive winners over the Chiefs (who bounced back to beat the Reds at home last night). If the Stormers plan to play an expansive game to suit their talented yet erractic backline as they have indicated, it should play into the hands of the Waratahs - the new tackled ball interpretations are ensuring a host of turnovers and the Waratahs possess two impressive back row tyros and Phil Waugh and David Lyons. Home advantage in the Super 12 is notable - not one away side has won SU this weekend and I believe that trend will continue, with the Waratahs covering the spread.
PLAY NSW WARATAHS -5.5
NRL:
Game 5) Penrith Panthers v Northern Eagles, Penrith, 14:30 CST
Panthers -5.5 ($1.90), Eagles +5.5
Really baffled as to why the Panthers are giving up close to a converted try here. 0-2 SU, hammered first up by the Eels, also failed to cover the spread in a better effort away to the Broncos last week (lost 22-38 as a +14.5 road dog). The Eagles scored an excellent first up away win over the Newcastle Knights as a +4.5 dog and then were shocked at home by the NZ Warriors 16-24 as a -14.5 chalk. Eagles have had some home truths rammed down their throats by coach Peter Sharp after last weekend's embarassment. They should also recognise that the Warriors were surprisingly excellent in many areas - didn't miss a tackle in the first 20 minutes, limited turnovers that haunted them in their opening rd loss to the Raiders and fought off a rare Eagles spell of pressure either side of halfway to kill off the match. Penrith will be desperate for their first win and have key centre Ryan Girdler cleared to play from injury but obviously isn't at full fitness yet while they also have problems with injuries at fullback, with Peter Jorgensen battling a shoulder injury and big second-rower Matt Adamson ruled out with a knee problem. Eagles will be without strong performer in the opening two rounds in forward Mark O'Meley. Tight battle expected, like the Eagles getting this many points.
PLAY NORTHERN EAGLES +5.5
Game 6) West Tigers v NZ Warriors, Campbelltown Stadium, NSW, 14:30 CST
Tigers -8.5 ($1.90Aus); Warriors +8.5
So tempted to take Warriors getting a lot of points after their SU win away to the Eagles, but the Warriors have built a deserved reputation of looking like worldbeaters one minute, chumps the next (and that's usually in the same game!) New coach Daniel Anderson may finally have fixed some problems, but we'll wait and see against a Tigers team which surprising rolled the Dragons in round two.
NO PLAY
Game 7) The Bulldogs v Newcastle Knights, Sydney Showground, 16:30 CST
Bulldogs -2.5 ($1.90Aus), Knights +2.5
More later on this game, still deciding on a possible play on the Knights.
GLTA
