I hope everyone enjoyed ANZAC Day and took advantage of the sunshine.
Whether you attended a dawn service or watched it on TV. Caught up with family and friends. Played a bit of two-up. Chatted with returned or current service men and women. I hope you found some time to reflect on the men and women who fought hard for the liberties and freedom we enjoy today.
The NRL ANZAC Round is my favourite round of the season. Nobody does it better.
The last post, New Zealand and Australian national anthems, the minute silence. Players walking out together shoulder to shoulder.
What I enjoy most is the respect shown by all at the ground. Whether you managed to attend a game or not, you were reminded before the start of every match just how lucky we truly are.
ANZAC Round
There were a couple upsets and some massive blowouts over the course of the extended weekend. Let’s start with the three ANZAC Day matches.
Warriors v Titans
It really is the Warriors of old. Very inconsistent. Heading into this game, their form has been a very lucky draw against Manly and being soundly beaten by the Dragons. The Titans, on the other hand, have had a golden point loss to the Raiders and almost beat Manly. The form of these two sides was compelling viewing to start ANZAC Day.
The Warriors started with a couple quick tries and looked in total control but somehow managed to let the Titans back in to lead 19-10 at halftime.
This was a good match with both teams completing high. The Warriors were unable to find the knockout blow in the final 17 minutes and the Titans held on to a 3 point victory. Their first for 2024.
Dragons v Roosters
This is the blockbuster game of the round and has all the appropriate ANZAC celebration with it. It is a must watch event.
It’s been a few years since I have attended this game and what an atmosphere. The silence of the 40,000+ crowd during the ceremony and the noise during the match. And what a magnificent new stadium too (well, ok new for me).
The opening tackle that saw the Dragons lose Mosese Suli to concussion was the start of the headaches for the Red V.
Despite scoring first, shortcuts and trick shots played the Roosters into the game and they needed no further invitation. They were faster, won bigger collisions, always played on the front foot and went on with the job in a 60-18 annihilation.
Storm v Rabbitohs
It was similar scenes south of the border with the Storm racing to a 32-4 halftime lead before running away 54-20 victors. The bunnies had a brief nine minute window where they scored a hat-trick of tries but there really wasn’t a lot to like in their performance.
Coach Jason Demetriou’s time is up. Souths sit at the bottom of the ladder with the worst defence and 2nd worst attach in the competition. The Rabbitohs now face the Panthers next week and JD has to work out where he’s playing Latrell Mitchell. I think forcing Latrell to play Centre is his parting gift for the Club.
Eels Are 1st Half Wonders
The Eels continue to play just one half of football. Blown out of the park by the Dolphins last week, they squandered a 14-6 halftime lead to allow the Sea Eagles to win 32-18. But it was the ill-discipline of the Eels that caught most attention. Trailing 20-18 with ten minutes remaining Eels’ Maika Sivo inexplicitly dropped an elbow to the head of Reuben Garrick and was sent to the sin-bin.
Garrick returned in kind by scoring the next two tries and maintaining a perfect 6/6 record with the boot.
The Eels are difficult to tip. You pick them they lose, you don’t and they win. Sitting in the bottom four, the Eels have a bye this week and boy, don’t they need it.
In Other Games
- It was one way traffic at the nations capital where the Sharks kept the home team, Raiders, scoreless in a 40-0 whitewash.
- Two last minute tries wasn’t enough for the Dolphins to comeback against the Knights. The Dolphins will be rueing all the missed opportunities and points left out on the field.
- The Cowboys came back from 24-4 to put a scare on the Panthers but could not find more points despite 20 remaining on the clock.
ANZAC Round Results
Main Competition
The Creator has opened up a significant lead on GeorgeTheDragon who was 1 of the victims of tipping the Warriors as their standout ! SMOG and Bart Simpson hold down 3rd and 4th places respectively a further 2 points behind. I miss Benji (another Warriors victim) has fallen into 6 place (down 3 spots) just behind murch based on accumulated points score.
The Standout
Not great this week, but more got it right than got it wrong…..
- Standouts correct – 33
- Standouts wrong – 21
- The average score – 5.52
- Our round high – 9 was achieved by only 1 tipper – well done Cruella.
- Our round low was – +1
Footy Tipper Weekly Jackpot
No winners this week but it was sooooo close. Cruella only missing out on the Dolphins/Knights match. So good news is that the Jackpot pool is now at $90 for Round 9.
Good luck with your tips this week.
Rob and Paul
