NRL Preview - Rd 11
May 21st 2008 08:52
Scott Prince will play against the club he won a premiership with this Sunday afternoon
After the dust has fallen on what will be a very physical Origin affair, players will once again be asked to perform to keep their clubs chances of winning the premiership in check during the rep season.
Manly Sea Eagles vs St George Illawarra Dragons
The Dragons have looked solid in the past few weeks and look to be slowly hitting some form. If this game was played at WIN Stadium, i would have gone with the home side due to the strong support they would have recieved due to their form reversal. Manly on the other hand are starting to look clinical and Matt Orford will be eager to impress Origin selectors if NSW happen to lose game one of the series. That, and the Eagles terrific record at Brookvale should be enough to see them home in this encounter.
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Melbourne Storm
This match easily represents the end of the road for Souths in 2008. They had a great chance to notch back to back wins for the first time this season against the Raiders and they blew it immensely. Their belief and passion in games is no where near where it was in 2007, when they finished in the finals for the first time in over thirty years. Melbourne will simply have too much class in the end for the Bunnies who look set to farwell their season this Saturday night. In saying that, they can't be as bad as last Monday can they? If the Storm are in the mood, they could win this by 20 .
New Zealand Warriors vs Sydney Roosters
This match pits two of the competitions biggest forward packs against each other. The Warriors have always oozed power up front while the Roosters have been the most damaging going forward this season. Steve Price and Michael Witt's return for the Warriors is huge. They will hold the key for Ivan Cleary's men against a Sydney side that is coming back into form. This is will be a good test for the Roosters against a team that is fastly developing an aura about them at home. The Warriors have not lost a game at Mt Smart this season and will be hellbent of keeping that record untarnished. The Roosters though will present the New Zealand side with their toughest test this season. Braith Anasta and Mitchell Pearce could be the difference on who ever wins this match on Sunday afternoon. If they can apply their dominating kicking game, the Roosters could win this by plenty hence it could go the full eighty.
Wests Tigers vs Gold Coast Titans
What a cracking match this should be. Both these teams are a joy to watch on their day and really look set to put on a show. Scott Prince will play against the club on which he delivered their first ever premiership along with the man that he will appose this Sunday afternoon. Benji Marshall is finally displaying some form that made him the NRL's most exciting player in 2005 when the Tigers swept all before them to claim the Premiership. All in all the Tigers will have all of Leichardt supporting them and that looks set to capitulate the likes of Farah and Hodgsen into action. The Titans though will not die wondering and they will cause alot of problems for a Tigers defence that needs fine-tuning to say the least. This looks set to be the real acid test for the Tigers, and do not be surprised if the likes of Mathew Head and John Morris have alot to say in a see-sawing contest that i think the Tigers will win.
Canterbury Bulldogs vs Cronulla Sharks
The Bulldogs were very gallant in defeat against the Titans last week and that would have provided coach Steve Folkes with enormous belief and relief. The dogs looked gone in that match after trailing early by 16 points but they got their heads around well enough to just fall short of a remarkable victory. They come up against a Sharks outfit that will severly challenge them near the ruck area where the likes of De Gois and Bird really like to cause trouble. The Bulldogs have the forwards to match it with the Sharks physical approach, but the key looks set to be Brett Kimmorley's kicking game. If Cronulla's forwards dominate, Kimmorley will tear his future club to pieces and Greg Bird and Paul Gallen will fancy their try scoring opportunities. In the end, the Bulldogs are showing promise and this alone looks set to give the game a golden point feel. Sharks to win by the bearest of margins.
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