Broncos at home, enough said

The big one tonight is Brisbane against the Dogs, and it’s fairly safe to say the Broncos at home should dispose of a feisty Canterbury outfit.

All we really need to know is that Darren Lockyer looks like Dally Messenger out there right now. According to NRL.com.au, the legendary half had 46 touches last week and no errors. That’s just nuts. That’s hard enough to do with the lights off.

…huh?

Plus, Lockyer made 10 kicks for 376 metres . Go outside and try cover that amount of ground with twenty kicks. Honestly.

In the second Friday game, the bookies are giving Souths the edge over the Sharks, at a $1.40 for the win. That sounds a little like an enticement bet. The Rabbits, strong favourites…really? Next thing they’ll be telling us James Cameron is an amazing movie director. Oh wait, they already fed us that line.

Bennett’s decision lingers over Knights

Brisbane put the sleeper hold on the Knights last night, lulling them into a soft surrender. The Knights, though they tried several times, couldn’t post any points in the second half – a testament to the lock down Broncos defence.

Brisbane controlled possession, which meant when they were on the back foot, they had enough petrol in the tank to thwart the Knights. That’s just sensible football.

But maybe Newcastle was distracted by Planet Bennett, who the entire sports world currently revolves around. Will he coach the Knights? Won’t he coach the Rabbits?

Who cares.

The season 2011 season is still in progress and Newcastle should keep that front of mind. Though it doesn’t help when the media is obsessed by Bennett. When are they going to realise fans care more about what’s happening on the field than off it?

They won’t. Stay tuned for a report on Wayne’s favourite movies in this week’s footy lift-out.

Footy tips: round 5

Some quick tips for round 5:

• The Titans have struggled, so it’s hard to see them trouble the Cowboys at home. The Boys lead the league in line breaks. Could be a long night for the Gold Coast.
• Warriors against Roosters should be a good contest Saturday. While smart money is with Sydney, the Warriors will be at Mt. Smart. So, the Kiwis might just lodge back to back wins here.
• The Panthers are at home too, which is never an easy trip for the opposition. But Canberra half Matt Orford has something to prove this week, meaning it won’t be surprising if the Green Machine fire up behind him.
• The Sea Eagles need to overcome a rough start and the Sharks like their home crowd – a compelling match-up awaits. Cronulla haven’t looked too shabby and they’ll be pumped for this Saturday night North vs South fixture.
• Just 9% of tipsters are taking Parra over the Storm on Oztips.com. This wreaks of an upset waiting to happen.
• The Broncos should dominate the Knights, especially with their stellar defence that allows just ten points per game.
• Yes the Dragons are the attractive tip here. But the Bulldogs have had plenty of bite this year. It’s a prime time game and the Doggies like the SCG. Throw them a friggin bone.
• And as per our previous post, the Tigers enjoy a little Rabbit stew. Who doesn’t really?

Tigers on pre-Easter hunt

It’s the heritage round of the NRL this weekend, and you couldn’t ask for a better match up on Friday night: Tigers v Bunnies at the SFS.

These games in Sydney city are always colossal, buoyed by a solid fan base for both clubs. No doubt Souths will have the edge in support and possibly a stronger connection to the heritage theme, but it seems a little premature to write-off the Tigers at this early stage.

Sure, Wests posted a dismal six points last week. But as Gus Gould alluded to in his Monday column, an under strength side performed well and deserved more. Furthermore, logic says it’s crazy to go against Benji Marshall and Robbie Farrah on the big stage. And accordingly, the TAB are doing their best to tempt some sneaky bets, posting the Tigers as $2.45 outsiders.

Maybe the Souths Bandwagon has finally reached tipping point. Maybe it’s because it’s Easter. Whatever. This game has potential to leave experts with a little festive egg on their faces.

Bears need to be in NRL

The North Sydney Bears may have lost to Newtown on Saturday afternoon, but they certainly showed they are worthy of inclusion in the NRL.

Forget the fact that the Bears are one of League’s heritage teams, or that they have a superbly loyal fan base, or even that their home ground is one of the oldest and greatest parks in New South Wales – top flight footy just isn’t the same without the Bears.

The Jets were too fast and strong for a seemingly smaller North Sydney side in round 4, carving up the middle of the park with darting runs and quick offloads. The Bears played well, however, with some crafty play making from the backline and a decent kicking game. The final score was 34-24, though Norths gave their fans plenty to cheer about on what was a chilly afternoon.

Bottom line, there aren’t many community-based footy teams like the Bears and so, if their Central Coast proposal can garner more support, it’d be beaut to see them in the NRL mix. Let’s face it, do we really need more Queensland clubs?

In other news, the Eels got back on track with a thrilling win over the Cowboys, buoyed by Luke Burt’s 111th club try, a new record. Brett Kenny, the previous record holder, still retains Parra’s best ever moustache award.