After the midweek State Of Origin game one clash that saw Queensland secure a narrow 11 – 10 win over New South Wales we have to calm back down and get on with the business of the 2015 NRL Telstra Premiership with seven games on the card for Round 12 this weekend.
How the master players of the game back-up from their representative duties coming out of Wednesday night’s hard-hitting Origin opener will go a long way in determining not only our NRL odds this weekend but also the winning chances of the respective clubs the stars return to.
We are one game short of a full round with two teams on a bye – the Canterbury Bulldogs, who failed to post points against the Cowboys last week, and Wests Tigers who beat the Raiders in a high scoring free-for-all in Round 10.
The missing game is cut from the Friday night time slot with the sole match to start the round being an 8th plays 16th with the Panthers hosting the Eels at Pepper Stadium.
Some of the more notable events taking place around the stadiums include the Broncos looking to hold onto their second spot on the ladder when playing the Raiders in Canberra on Saturday night after upsetting the Knights last week and fellow Queensland heroes the Cowboys playing at home later that evening shooting for an incredible ninth straight win when playing the down-and-out Manly Sea Eagles.
The week’s headliner however doesn’t take place until Monday night when the Roosters (5th) play the ladder-leading Melbourne Storm (1st) at Allianz Stadium in a hard-to-tip feature.
Penrith Panthers vs Parramatta Eels
Friday, May 29 – 7:45pm (AEST) – Pepper Stadium
The Panthers are very much in touch with a semis bid sitting eighth on the ladder after a bye last week and a gutsy one point win over Manly the week before at Brookvale. Jamie Soward returns to five-eighth where he plays his best footy and the team is pretty much untouched by Origin. The Eels meanwhile are last on the ladder and Will Hopoate (backing up from Origin) is at centre here, but it is really hard to make a case for them to win.
Gold Coast Titans vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Saturday, May 30 – 3:00pm (AEST) – Cbus Super Stadium
The Titans are the underdogs at home on the Gold Coast in Saturday night’s first match with the sixth-placed Bunnies looking for back-to-back wins after a surprisingly close two-point win over the Eels last Friday night. They were without Greg Inglis but if he comes through Origin unscathed he’ll be playing in this with Issac Luke also returns to the starting line-up. The Gold Coast had a rest last week but before that in Round 10 they lost at home to the Sharks by a point.
Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos
Saturday, May 30 – 5:30pm (AEST) – GIO Stadium
Canberra get the home ground advantage but will need it after the lost 41 – 34 to the Bulldogs at GIO Stadium last week. This is a tough one to tip with the Green Machine not having to worry about player back-ups out of Origin. Their visitors Brisbane meanwhile had six in the Maroons squad on Wednesday night and that could take its toll here. Last Monday night the Broncos were underdogs but beat the Knights in a pretty scrappy 31 – 18 result at Hunter Stadium. Back for them this week are Boyd, Hodges, McGuire, Thaiday, Gillett and Parker all named to return out of Origin and play, but how well is the key.
North Queensland Cowboys vs Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Saturday, May 30 – 7:30pm (AEST) – 1300 Smiles Stadium
The Cowboys posted a club record of eight straight wins last weekend with an eight – nil win over the young Tigers at Campbelltown and will be on a high after doing that without Johnathan Thurston to help out. They return to NQ headquarters this weekend and will look to keep the good times coming as JT, Scott, Tamou and Morgan all come straight back in. Manly are only just out of the cellar but have a long way to go to stay that way. Daly Cherry-Evans, scratched from the Queensland squad due to an elbow injury, is out of this too and Kieran Foran will be trying to find his feet wearing an unfamiliar No. 7 jersey.
New Zealand Warriors vs Newcastle Knights
Sunday, May 31 – 2:00pm (AEST) – Mt Smart Stadium
The Warriors are seventh on the ladder currently and get a home game in NZ on Sunday afternoon playing the 12th-ranked Knights who should really be written off after they failed to beat Brisbane in Newcastle last week even though all the big name boys were missing from their rival’s line-up. In a big boost for New Zealand they welcome back Sam Tomkins, that plus the home crowd and playing the disappointing Knights outfit make them hard to bet against.
St George Illawarra Dragons vs Cronulla Sutherland Sharks
Sunday, May 31 – 4:00pm (AEST) – WIN Jubilee Stadium
St George play at home on Sunday afternoon and are sitting pretty in third spot on the table having last played in Round 10 to beat Canberra 32 – 18 before a bye last weekend. It’s an unchanged squad since their last match aside for Jake Marketo being added to the bench and they have freshness on their side. The Sharks meanwhile are 10th on the ladder and the underdogs here, Cronulla also enjoying a Round 11 bye after a Round 10 win over the Titans on the Gold Coast.
Sydney Roosters vs Melbourne Storm
Monday, June 1 – 7:00pm (AEST) – Allianz Stadium
Arguably the best game of the round the Chooks take on the Storm in Sydney on Monday night and lead the betting after a Round 11 rest following an impressive Round 10 24 – 10 win over the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium back on May 15. They are 1 – 17 team-wise from their last game and will be sweating on Pearce’s enthusiasm after Origin. Melbourne meanwhile has Slater, Origin Game 1 Man of the Match Smith and Cronk, who won it for Queensland with his field goal, back from the Maroons but are outsiders to win. They also enjoyed the rest in Round 11 after a four-point win over the Bunnies before that in Round 10.