What a fantastic Easter long weekend of football. Big crowds, big matches, and the dreaded red pen returns.
Panthers Favourites
The Panthers were at their ruthless best this weekend annihilating fellow heavyweights the Melbourne Storm and ensuring the Storm are out of this year’s running posting 50 points.
The Panthers are short priced favourites to win this year’s competition. You can’t win a competition in April, but I can’t see anyone coming close to them at the moment. Maybe the Origin period will be our great leveller.
Easter Specials
How good were the traditional Good Friday and Easter Monday matches? The sound of the packed crowds coming through the effects microphones was huge. As were the games.
Bunnies v Dogs
This was an entertaining game. Those doubting the Rabbitohs will have easter egg on their faces as they hop into the Top 4.
The game was soured for the Bulldogs with an injury to Stephen ‘Teflon’ Crichton that will see him miss several matches.
It is also a convenient excuse to do what Coach Ciraldo and Gus Gould have been wanting to do and that is shift Matt Burton from five-eighth to centre, Lachlan Galvin to five-eighth and bring in Sean O’Sullivan to half back.
Bronson Xerri who would be a logical replacement looks to have had his papers stamped and won’t feature in this reshuffle.
Eels v Wests Tigers
The round ended in the highlight match between the Eels and Tigers. There were some mistakes, but the game was a high flowing entertainment package.
The turning point was the unfortunate injury to Eels Bailey Simonsson and the ensuing sinbinning of Tigers Luke Laulilii.
In comes Apa Twidle making his NRL debut for the Eels scoring two tries in three minutes including his first touch of the ball.
The game fittingly ended in golden point, but Eels fan will be lamenting Mitch Moses’ poor kicking display kicking just 2 from 5.
Wests Tigers Jock Madden was flawless kicking 6 goals.
Phin’s v Manly
The Dolphins were the other team to have the dreaded red pen knock them out for this season. They were absolute rubbish compared to a red-hot Sea Eagles team winning their first game under interim coach Kieran Foran.
Despite winning 52-18, Manly really are a poor organisation.
Either the players didn’t bother to perform in the opening rounds, or the owner Scott Penn and head of football Jason King were too trigger happy getting rid of the coach.
When I heard players comment last week, it was mostly “obviously this,,, obviously that… but now we have Foz looking forward to the next match”. Only new recruit Jamal Fogarty was on record stating the Club had done the wrong thing and should have given Seibold an opportunity to turn it around.
I wonder what poor old Anthony Seibold was thinking watching this match from his lounge chair.
In other games:
The Knights continue to be the surprise team of the competition. How good was it to see a full and loud McDonald Jones Stadium! The Raiders have now notched up just one win in golden point since their shock loss to the Broncos in last year’s finals.
The Dragons were clueless in their home demolition by the Cowboys. Round 6 is v the Sea Eagles in Wollongong. It’s do or die time for Coach Flanagan.
The Broncos showed they are back but at the cost of losing Walsh, Hunt and Reynolds for the next 2-6 weeks.
The Sharks and Wah’s continue to confuse all Tipsters with their form. They play the Roosters and Storm next. Who knows?
This Round’s Results
This Round’s Stats
One Tipster missed out this round and got a very poor score. Tipsters, please, submit your tips early and change them later if you wish. Submit 10 times if you want to (no, this is not a challenge). We won’t mind.
| Standouts Correct | 35 |
| Standouts Wrong | 12 |
| Round High Score | 9 – Congratulations Chunka, Bart Simpson, iTerry, murch |
| Round Low Score | 0 – Timbo, isha68 |
| Average Score | 3.1 |
| Biggest Mover | +11 – murch |
| Biggest Drop | -18 – Timbo |
The Standout
70% correct this week with the Dolphins being the main tip that cruelled the majority that missed out.
Two Tipsters decided not to select a Standout. Please let me remind you all, as according to our rules, you cannot win the Bart Simpson Weekly Jackpot without selecting a Standout.
Main Competition
Woohoo! Chunka has defied all before and remains on top of the competition. That’s two weeks in a row.
Who is willing to take on Chunka for the outright lead?
Bart Simpson Weekly Jackpot
Rinse and repeat… Still no perfect rounds for 2026. The Bart Simpson Weekly Jackpot continues to climb to a new season high of B$60.
As always, good luck with your team and tipping this week.
Rob
The Creator
