Friday Night

Wests Tigers 24 – 22 Warriors

Saturday Night

North Queensland Cowboys 30 – 28 Penrith Panthers

Sunday

Manly Sea Eagles v Sydney Roosters
St George Illawarra Dragons v South Sydney Rabbitohs

Monday Night

Canterbury Bulldogs v Cronulla Sharks

2012 NRL Review Round 11

Wests Tigers v Warriors

A cracker of a match to kick off round 11 of the NRL with the Tigers using the Leichardt faithful to their advantage in a thrilling 2 point win over the Warriors. The Warriors were quite shocking in the second half after racing out to a 10 nil lead at the halftime break, their intensity was just not their and the Tigers looked like they wanted the win more.

Bill Tupou and Ben Henry got the Warriors off to a great start and their defence held strong in the first half. The Tigers were further hampered when makeshift 5/8 Chris Lawrence was ruled out of the remainder of the match with a slight hamstring strain.

The Tigers were the first to score in the second half despite the setback when Beau Ryan got the Tigers on the scoresheet. Lote Tuqiri scored just a few minutes later and Benji added the extras to put the Tigers in front 12-10 with half an hour to play. It was all the Tigers from this point and despite a Konrad Hurrell try in the 54th minute the Tigers looked like they were on top. 

Matt Utai put the Tigers back in front with a good try just 9 minutes later and Tim Moltzen wrapped up the match with just a couple of minutes remaining to give the Tigers an unlikely win in the absence of skipper Robbie Farah. Konrad Hurrell managed a late consolation try to further enhance his reputation as a deadly finisher but the Tigers somehow managed to turn this one on its head after a dismal first half.

North Queensland Cowboys v Penrith Panthers

The Cowboys managed a thrilling victory here, getting home by 2 points over the Panthers in a topsy turvy affair, however it came at a cost with NSW hopeful Tariq Sims stretchered off in the second half with a suspected broken leg. His season could well be over and his Origin dream for 2012 is in tatters. Sims broke the same leg last season and you have to feel for the bloke, he was notified today that he would be joining the Blues squad tomorrow as 18th man. A devastating blow to Sims, the Blues and the Cowboys.

Despite the loss of their rampaging back rower, the Cowboys managed to get the 2 points, by 2 points after the Panthers gave them an almighty fright. The Panthers went into the sheds at 12-10 in front and you could just tell this one was going to go down to the wire. 

The second half started in blistering fashion for the Cowboys with 2 quick tries to Gavin Cooper and Antonio Winterstein before the Panthers bounced back with one of their own to trail 22-18. The Cowboys opted for a penalty to take the lead out to 24-18 before Sims unfortunate incident, he was looking to make a cover tackle and as he went to ground he was caught on the leg by a Panthers play on the way down. A freak incident and it looks like he has broken the leg in the same place as last season.

This appeared to rattle the Cowboys and the Panthers capitalised with a quick fire double to Brad Tighe and Josh Mansour putting the Panthers in front 28-24. The Cowboys weren’t done with yet though as 4 minutes later Tariq’s older brother Ashton pounced on a loose ball to give the Cowboys a 2 point lead that they did not relinquish.

Friday Night

Collingwood 14.12.96 def Geelong 11.18.84

Saturday

Port Adelaide 14.11.95 def North Melbourne 14.9.93 
Hawthorn 17.17.119 def Fremantle 9.9.63
Sydney 21.12.138 def Melbourne 5.7.37
Western Bulldogs 9.18.72 def Gold Coast  4.10.34
Essendon 19.14.128 def Richmond 15.19.109

Sunday

Brisbane v GWS Giants
Carlton v Adelaide
West Coast v St Kilda

2012 AFL Review Round 8

Collingwood Magpies v Geelong Cats

A rematch of last years grand final and it lived up to its billing with a thrilling 12 point win to the Pies. The game was in the balance with 2 minutes remaining after the Cats came from behind to level the scores at 84 a piece before a controversial call cost the Cats the game. Alex Fasalo marked the ball for the Pies and the umpire gave him a 50m penalty for contact made by Josh Hunt after the ball was marked. There didn’t look to be much in it and the Pies kicked a goal as a result, they put the result beyond doubt with a goal to Scott Pendlebury to wrap things up for the Pies.

Collingwood were doing it tough to retain their lead in the final quarter. Not only were Geelong on the comeback trail, but the Magpies had only one interchange player available after a hamstring injury to Dane Swan and a quad injury to Ben Reid. The Pies had earlier substituted Alan Didak in the third quarter.

In the end the Pies were too good, even if it took a contentious call to gift them the win, and they got the revenge they were after as they looked to get one over the side that took their premiership dream away from them last season!

Port Adelaide Power v North Melbourne Kangaroos

Jay Schulz kicked 7 goals for Port as they turned a 21 point three quarter time deficit into a thrilling 2 point win over the Kangaroos at AAMI Stadium. It appeared that the Kangaroos had complete control of the match and they even kicked the first goal of the final term before Port started their stunning comeback. In fact, Port did not lead until the last kick of the match when Paul Stewart kicked a goal to put the Power in front.

Port kicked the last five goals of the game for its second win of the season before just 14,508 spectators – the Power’s third-lowest home crowd. 

Schulz sparked the late onslaught, booting four goals of his own in the final quarter as the Power dramatically broke a six-game losing streak and maybe got their season back on track.

Kangaroos forward Drew Petrie kicked five goals but stalwart Brent Harvey faces a nervous wait, landing a forearm to the head of Power rookie Chad Wingard in the third quarter. He could be in some trouble over that one.

Hawthorn Hawks v Fremantle Dockers

Fremantle managed just 7 goals to once again display their dour style and Hawthorn punished them in a 56 point win. A dominant first half inspired the Hawks to the big win.

The Hawks completely stifled Fremantle early in the game, restricting their opponents to just two goals in the first half and kicking 10 of their own, setting up a match-winning break. An 8 goal second quarter broke the backs of the Dockers and this now puts the Hawks well inside the 8 after 8 rounds.

While Fremantle rallied in the second half, the match was pretty much over by this point, the Hawks just going through the motions to record the comfortable win and boost their percentage.

Sydney Swans v Melbourne Demons

This was pretty much cut and dried before a ball was even kicked and the Swans showed why in a dominant first quarter where they went to the first break up by 40 points. They didn’t let up either, putting the Demons to the sword in a 101 point win that will go some way to erasing the bad memories of 2 losses on the trot.

This makes it 8 losses to start the season for the Demons and if Mark Neeld’s position wasn’t under pressure before, it is now.

On a night they celebrated 30 years in Sydney, the Swans also kicked their highest score in four seasons and recorded their first 100-point victory since beating Richmond by 118 in 2006. A great feat by the Swans and it shows just how far back the Demons are, it’s going to take years to rebuild this disappointing outfit.

Lewis Jetta kicked three goals for the Swans to move to 17 for the season, with Kieren Jack, Josh Kennedy and Luke Parker also kicking three apiece in the 101 point drubbing.

Western Bulldogs v Gold Coast Suns

The Western Bulldogs got a bit of a scare from the Suns but managed to put a dismal first half behind them to run out 38 point winners in a dour match at TIO Stadium in Darwin. The conditions made it hard for any side to really get into the game with the humid conditions making ball control particularly difficult.

The Suns went into the halftime break up by 3 points and an upset appeared on the cards with the exceptional Gary Ablett particularly good in the first half. He was closed down well though in the second and the Bulldogs managed to get a good roll on, the chiller at half time obviously doing them the world of good.

Ablett finished the match looking in some discomfort after taking a knock from Liam Picken. Ablett also copped a battering from several others with the Bulldogs using every opportunity to target the 28-year-old, he finished with 29 possessions to be the Suns best on ground despite his struggles.

The Suns will rue their return of 2 goals 9 in the first half as the Bulldogs booted 7 goals to 2 in the second half.

Essendon Bombers v Richmond Tigers

The Bombers managed to hold onto a win somehow after leading by 23 points at 3/4 time. Richmond gave them a scare in the final quarter, taking the lead with 4 unanswered goals before the Bombers hit back with 3 of their own to win the game by just 19 points.

The “Dreamtime at the G” match had everything, goals, end to end action, and plenty of intensity. In the end, the Bombers were just too classy for a Richmond team that will continue to ask plenty of questions of their opponents this season.

The Bombers now sit at the top of the table on their lonesome with the Eagles and Crows yet to play this weekend. They are guaranteed to remain in the top 4 for at least another week while the Tigers have dropped to 13th, they probably don’t deserve to be down their based on their performances so far this season.

]]> http://sportsbanter.com.au/2012-afl-results-review-round-8/feed/ 0 http://sportsbanter.com.au/free-nrl-preview-round-11-reading-the-play/ http://sportsbanter.com.au/free-nrl-preview-round-11-reading-the-play/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 23:06:13 +0000 Reading The Play http://sportsbanter.com.au/?p=5704 Round 11 Free Game Preview NRL 2012

Our friends over at Reading the Play have provided us with a free preview for Sundays match between the Dragons and Rabbitohs. Head on over to their site and check out the full round preview including 8 bet recommendations and be sure to check out their results so far this season. Impressive stuff!

St George-Illawarra Dragons v South Sydney Rabbitohs

Kogarah : Sunday 3pm

Hard to have the Dragons here even with a return to Kogarah where they have won 10 of their last 11, they are limping off the back of some very ordinary form and now a quickly thinning list with at least 6 key players unavailable (Merrin, Creagh, Weyman, Fien, Scott and Prior). The loss of Merrin, Weyman and Creagh off last Monday is significant, they’ve been poor through the middle in numerous games this year and this becomes most notable when their 2^nd string rotation is on the field, they will now be relying on them to get the job done and I think be found well short. Rabbits come off a credible win over the in form Sharks then a bye freshen up, they too lose key players in Taylor and Inglis, the later who has been in outstanding form but they look to have far more credible top grade replacements in particular with the switch of the talented Merritt to fullback. They will have taken considerable confidence out of their last two wins over the Sharks (3^rd) and Cowboys (4^th), and they’ve the forward strength to get the job done through the weakened middle. Luke, Sam Burgess and Sutton should lead the way here, Reynolds form continues to improve, they’ve a poor record at the ground but if ever they were to get the chance to turn that around then this is it. Rabbits 

Last Word : Like the Rabbits, Maguire has them improving each week, importantly they are growing in confidence.

Betting Interest : Take the H2H or play the short line now, I’m sure it will continue to shorten.   

Reading The Play : The Winning Edge on NRL. Expert analysis and betting advice for the serious NRL follower.

The full Round 11 Preview and Betting Advice is now online, including 8 bet recommendations

www.readingtheplay.com

Twitter @ReadingThePlay

Wests Tigers vs Warriors – 2012 NRL Round 11
Leichhardt Oval, Friday 18 May, 7.45pm (EST)

This round 11 clash has all the earmarks of a classic knowing the styles of both sides usually give us an entertaining brand of football. The Tigers on a Friday night usually throw up some interesting performances and the Warriors are a team that you don’t see much of on Friday night football these days.

The Tigers are coming off a bye last week while the Warriors are coming off a 30-26 win over the Roosters across the Tasman. Before the bye though, the Tigers escaped with a 15-14 win over the Titans in golden point thanks to a Robbie Farah field goal. They will be without their skipper for this one as he lines up for the Maroons on Wednesday night, for the first time since 2009. He is replaced, in a somewhat bold move by Tim Sheens, with Tom Humble.

The Warriors were fortunate to come away with a victory in that match against the Roosters with the lead changing several times before the Warriors looked to have put the game to bed. The Roosters didn’t give up though and scored with about 5 minutes remaining to set up an exciting finish. They held on for the win but that was soured by a season ending knee injury to Jerome Ropati. He was dropped in a shoulder charge by Boyd Cordner which was put on report, in the process Ropati did his ACL while falling to the ground. A massive blow to the Warriors and they’ll need someone to step up in his place for the rest of the season.

This should be a cracker if previous matchups are anything to go by, most notably last season’s semi final where the Warriors scored a last minute try through Krisnan Inu in controversial circumstances. The Tigers will be looking for revenge after that disappointment and will be looking to continue on their winning ways tonight. The home crowd at Leichardt should be enough to get the Tigers over the line.

Sports Banter Tip – Tigers

North Queensland Cowboys vs Penrith Panthers – 2012 NRL Round 11
Dairy Farmers Stadium, Saturday 19 May, 7.30pm (EST)

This match has been hit quite hard by Origin with Thurston, Tamou, Scott and Tate missing for the Cowboys, while the Panthers are without Luke Lewis and Michael Jennings (who probably would have been missing anyway). The Cowboys can count themselves lucky that they still have the services of Tariq Sims though as he was somehow left out of the Blues side for game 1.

The Cowboys are in the top 4 and are coming off the back of a solid 32-12 win over the Knights last weekend. That win was basically set up by some individual brilliance from captain Jonathan Thurston so they will be needing Ray Thompson and Matty Bowen to step up in the creative department this week. In a bit of a reshuffle, Neil Henry has promoted Michael Morgan from the bench to wear Thurston’s No.6 jersey, with Antonio Winterstein moving from wing to centre to cover for Tate. Faifai Loa takes Winterstein’s wing position.

The Panthers will miss the experience of Luke Lewis who was superb in their 13-12 golden point win over the Dragons on Monday night. They’ll need that same intensity if they are thinking of coming back from Townsville with the 2 points.On the plus side, the Panthers have won 9 from 14 matches played at Dairy Farmers Stadium, a good record and one they will rather focus on then the 30-18 in the corresponding fixture last season.

This should be an entertaining game and the Cowboys actually have a fair amount of depth now to cope with the loss of their superstars, something that could not be said of previous seasons. For this reason I think the Cowboys will have too much for the Panthers, I feel the loss of Lewis will outweigh the loss of Thurston here.

Sports Banter Tip – Cowboys

Manly Sea Eagles v Sydney Roosters

Brookvale Oval, Sunday 2.00pm

Sunday afternoon sees to classic all-Sydney clashes, the first of which is the Sea Eagles taking on the Sydney Roosters.

The Sea Eagles come into this clash with the team starting to click. Its been a slow start to the year for Manly, however recently they have fought hard to get some wins on the board. Their challenge here is how well they adapt to the origin period, with the Stewart brothers, Buhrer and Williams all called into the New South Wales side. Cherry-Evans is also in the extended Queensland squad, however he will play here.

The Roosters are only missing Mitchell Pearce, coming off fairly lightly as far as origin disruptions go. Their recruit of Daniel Mortimer will pay dividends here, slotting into the halfback role. However the issue I see it is not that Mortimer is a poor replacement, it is that Braith Anasta is likely to play an increased role for the Chooks. This can only be bad.

I see this game as a battle between the halves, and I think the combination of Cherry-Evans, Foran and Balling will be too strong. I expect Manly to come away with the points, and I’m very tempted to take them 13+.

Sports Banter Tip – Sea Eagles

St George-Illawarra Dragons v South Sydney Rabbitohs

WIN Jubilee Oval, Sunday 3.00pm

For an in-depth review of this game, check out the preview our friends at Reading The Play have done here.

Sports Banter Tip – Rabbitohs

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Cronulla Sharks

ANZ Stadium, Monday 7.00pm

Monday Night Football features the high flying Sharks taking on the Bulldogs, and with the Sharks proving the surprise packet of the year, this game should be a cracker.

The biggest issue here though will be how well Cronulla go without Gallen and Carney. Last week they showed they can win without their inspirational captain, over Melbourne no less, however the loss of both him and Carney could well be a different matter. Robson has re-invigorated his career, moving to the Sharks – this though is going be a test for him, leading the team around on his own. Graham will slot into 5/8, however he wont bring the same spark Carney has.

The Bulldogs last week suffered an embarrassing loss to the Titans, and will want to make amends here this week. No wonder Dessie needed a hair cut during the week, he probably pulled half of it out at Suncorp last Friday. With Morris called up to State of Origin, they lose a bit of strike power out wide.

However the strength of the Bulldogs is their forward pack, a group of hard workers that win the battle up the middle. This should be a great clash against the Sharkies pack, however I think in the end, the dogs will be able to capitalize on an understrength Sharks.

Sports Banter Tip – Bulldogs

On the positive side, The Roosters with the 12.5 start was a good bet, and Hawthorn and Collingwood did the business in the AFL. However the Bulldogs lost to the Titans, the Hurricanes beat the Highlanders and the Stormers couldn’t cover the line against the Cheetahs.

This week, I’m getting in early, I’m taking a similar bet to last week but I’m going to try and avoid any risks this time.

First up, tomorrow night I like the look of the Brumbies against the Hurricanes but I’m not game to take them straight, instead I’ll take the $1.40 being offered with a 12.5 start, that’s good value.

Also in the Super Rugby, on Saturday afternoon, I’ve taken the Crusaders minus the 10.5 line against the Blues, the Blues may have some false confidence after beating the Lions last week but they aren’t fooling anyone. Expect the Crusaders to bounce back after their shock loss to the Rebels, they also have Dan Carter slotting back into the No. 10 this week.

On Saturday afternoon in the AFL, I’ve taken the Swans to beat the Demons 25+, I was tempted to go 40+ but the Swans without Goodes are a different kettle of fish. Also on Saturday afternoon, I’ve taken the Western Bulldogs with a Triple Margin 15.5 over the Suns. Gold coast will struggle after they were embarrassed by GWS last weekend.

In the NRL, I’ve taken the Roosters with a 12.5 start on Sunday against the Sea Eagles, I risked it last week and it paid off, this week the Sea Eagles are missing the Stewart brothers, Buhrer and Williams who would have returned this week. At $1.44 that looks good to me.

Also on Sunday, I’ve taken the Rabbitohs with an alternate line of +6.0 against the Dragons. The Dragons have injury concerns and the Rabbitohs are in good form, despite the losses of Inglis and Taylor I think they can cover that line.

So there you have it, this weeks sports bet. A total payout of $109.20 for your $10 investment. Let us know your thoughts and what you are thinking of putting on this week!

Good luck and happy punting!

Join Sportingbet!

Collingwood look to be the big movers this week with Dale Thomas, Darren Jolly and Chris Dawes returning for this all important clash, while Alex Fasolo also returns. Geelong, not to be outdone, have confirmed that Jimmy Bartel, Matthew Scarlett, Mathew Stokes and Orren Stephenson also return from injury this week.

West Coast also receive a boost this week with the return of stars Adam Selwood and Nic Naitanui, a massive boost for them heading into this crucial match against high flying St Kilda.

Check out all the ins and outs, milestones and team compositions below.

Collingwood v Geelong, MCG, Friday 7.50pm (EST)

Collingwood
B: Heritier O’Brien, Ben Reid, Alan Toovey 
HB: Simon Buckley, Nick Maxwell, Tyson Goldsack 
C: Dane Swan, Sharrod Wellingham, Jarryd Blair 
HF: Heath Shaw, Chris Dawes, Ben Sinclair 
F: Dayne Beams, Travis Cloke, Alan Didak 
Foll: Darren Jolly, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom 
I/C: Dale Thomas, Martin Clarke, Lachlan Keeffe, Alex Fasolo 
Emg: Tom Young, Kirk Ugle, Paul Seedsman

In: Dale Thomas, Chris Dawes, Darren Jolly, Alex Fasolo 
Out: Nathan Brown (Knee), Cameron Wood, Paul Seedsman, Peter Yagmoor

Geelong
B: Matthew Scarlett, Tom Lonergan, Josh Hunt 
HB: Corey Enright, Harry Taylor, Andrew Mackie 
C: James Kelly, Joel Selwood, Jimmy Bartel 
HF: Steve Johnson, James Podsiadly, Steven Motlop 
F: Paul Chapman, Tom Hawkins, Mathew Stokes 
Foll: Orren Stephenson, Joel Corey, Taylor Hunt 
I/C: Trent West, Mitch Duncan, Jesse Stringer, Cameron Guthrie 
Emg: Shannon Byrnes, Billie Smedts, George Horlin-Smith

In: Jimmy Bartel, Matthew Scarlett, Mathew Stokes, Orren Stephenson 
Out: Shannon Byrnes, Tom Gillies (Ankle), Allen Christensen (Calf), Billie Smedts 
Milestones: James Kelly – 200 games, James Podsiadly – 50 games

Port Adelaide v North Melbourne, AAMI Stadium, Saturday 1.45pm (EST)

Port Adelaide
B: Jackson Trengove, Alipate Carlile, Jacob Surjan 
HB: Ben Jacobs, Troy Chaplin, Hamish Hartlett 
C: Kane Cornes, Domenic Cassisi, Danyle Pearce 
HF: Matthew Broadbent, Jay Schulz, John McCarthy 
F: Brett Ebert, John Butcher, Justin Westhoff 
Foll: Brent Renouf, Bradley Ebert, Travis Boak 
I/C: Matt Thomas, Paul Stewart, Chad Wingard, Darren Pfeiffer 
Emg: Jarrad Redden, Andrew Moore, Simon Phillips

In: Danyle Pearce, Matt Thomas, Jay Schulz, Chad Wingard, Darren Pfeiffer 
Out: David Rodan, Daniel Stewart, Tom Logan, Simon Phillips, Aaron Young (Ankle)

North Melbourne
B: Jamie Macmillan, Scott Thompson, Luke Delaney 
HB: Daniel Wells, Michael Firrito, Cameron Delaney 
C: Shaun Atley, Andrew Swallow, Leigh Adams 
HF: Ben Cunnington, Nathan Grima, Kieran Harper 
F: Aaron Edwards, Drew Petrie, Brent Harvey 
Foll: Todd Goldstein, Jack Ziebell, Ryan Bastinac 
I/C: Lindsay Thomas, Ben Warren, Levi Greenwood, Brad McKenzie 
Emg: Matt Campbell, Cruize Garlett, Cameron Pedersen

In: Ben Warren, Levi Greenwood, Nathan Grima 
Out: Hamish McIntosh (Knee), Samuel Wright (Shoulder), Liam Anthony

Hawthorn v Fremantle, Aurora Stadium, Saturday 2.10pm (EST)

Hawthorn
B: Brent Guerra, Stephen Gilham, Josh Gibson 
HB: Grant Birchall, Ryan Schoenmakers, Benjamin Stratton C: Isaac Smith, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis 
HF: Cyril Rioli, Lance Franklin, Shaun Burgoyne 
F: Luke Breust, Jarryd Roughead, Paul Puopolo 
Foll: David Hale, Brad Sewell, Liam Shiels 
I/C: Clinton Young, Brendan Whitecross, Shane Savage, Matt Suckling 
Emg: Xavier Ellis, Thomas Murphy, Broc McCauley

In: Josh Gibson 
Out: Michael Osborne (Knee) 
Milestones: Lance Franklin – 150 games, Clinton Young – 100 games

Fremantle
B: Garrick Ibbotson, Zac Dawson, Dylan Roberton 
HB: Michael Johnson, Luke McPharlin, Tendai Mzungu 
C: Paul Duffield, Ryan Crowley, Stephen Hill 
HF: Matthew de Boer, Christopher Mayne, Clancee Pearce 
F: Hayden Ballantyne, Matthew Pavlich, Zachary Clarke 
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy, Michael Barlow 
I/C: Jay van Berlo, Greg Broughton, Lachie Neale, Lee Spurr 
Emg: Jesse Crichton, Alex Silvagni, Jonathon Griffin

In: Jay van Berlo 
Out: Adam McPhee (Calf) 
Milestones: Hayden Ballantyne – 50 games

Sydney Swans v Melbourne Demons, SCG, Saturday 4.40pm (EST)

Sydney
B: Martin Mattner, Ted Richards, Rhyce Shaw 
HB: Nicholas Smith, Heath Grundy, Jarrad McVeigh 
C: Lewis Jetta, Josh P. Kennedy, Nick Malceski 
HF: Ryan O’Keefe, Tommy Walsh, Daniel Hannebery 
F: Ben McGlynn, Sam Reid, Trent Dennis-Lane 
Foll: Mike Pyke, Kieren Jack, Jude Bolton 
I/C: Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Craig Bird, Luke Parker, Alex Johnson 
Emg: Jesse White, Andrejs Everitt, Tony Armstrong

In: Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Mike Pyke, Tommy Walsh 
Out: Jesse White, Mark Seaby, Andrejs Everitt 
New: Tommy Walsh (St Kilda)

Melbourne
B: James Frawley, Jared Rivers, Clint Bartram 
HB: Jack Grimes, Colin Garland, Tom McDonald 
C: Cale Morton, Brent Moloney, Nathan Jones 
HF: Jack Trengove, Jack Watts, Liam Jurrah 
F: Jeremy Howe, Mitchell Clark, Aaron Davey 
Foll: Mark Jamar, Jordie McKenzie, Colin Sylvia 
I/C: Brad Green, Sam Blease, Jamie Bennell, James Magner 
Emg: Lynden Dunn, Rohan Bail, James Sellar

In: Brad Green, Jack Watts, Sam Blease, Liam Jurrah 
Out: Matthew Bate, Ricky Petterd, Rohan Bail, Jack Fitzpatrick

Western Bulldogs v Gold Coast Suns, TIO Stadium, Saturday 7.40pm (EST)

Western Bulldogs
B: Robert Murphy, Brian Lake, Ryan Hargrave 
HB: Dylan Addison, Mark Austin, Justin Sherman 
C: Mitchell Wallis, Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross 
HF: Daniel Giansiracusa, Liam Jones, Luke Dahlhaus 
F: Jarrad Grant, Ayce Cordy, Shaun Higgins 
Foll: William Minson, Ryan Griffen, Liam Picken 
I/C: Nathan Djerrkura, Thomas Liberatore, Clay Smith, Tory Dickson 
Emg: Zephaniah Skinner, Daniel Pearce, Fletcher Roberts

In: Liam Jones, Nathan Djerrkura 
Out: Jordan Roughead (Calf), Patrick Veszpremi (Groin) 
Milestones: Ryan Griffen – 150 games

Gold Coast
B: Jeremy Taylor, Matthew Warnock, Seb Tape 
HB: Sam Iles, Rory Thompson, Joel Wilkinson 
C: Michael Rischitelli, Karmichael Hunt, Matt Shaw 
HF: Harley Bennell, Tom Lynch, Andrew McQualter 
F: Campbell Brown, Sam Day, Luke Russell 
Foll: Zac Smith, Josh Caddy, Gary Ablett 
I/C: Daniel Stanley, Dion Prestia, Alex Sexton, Kyal Horsley 
Emg: Michael Coad, Tom Hickey, Liam Patrick

In: Rory Thompson, Daniel Stanley, Matt Shaw, Jeremy Taylor, Alex Sexton, Andrew McQualter 
Out: Jared Brennan, Trent McKenzie, Josh Toy, Charlie Dixon (Checkbone), Michael Coad, David Swallow (Knee) 
New: Alex Sexton, Andrew McQualter (St Kilda)

Essendon v Richmond, MCG, Saturday 7.50pm (EST)

Essendon
B: Dustin Fletcher, Cale Hooker, Dyson Heppell 
HB: Kyle Hardingham, Jake Carlisle, Courtenay Dempsey 
C: Ricky Dyson, Jobe Watson, Brent Stanton 
HF: Stewart Crameri, Patrick Ryder, Alwyn Davey 
F: Leroy Jetta, Michael Hurley, David Zaharakis 
Foll: Tom Bellchambers, Sam Lonergan, Ben Howlett 
I/C: Heath Hocking, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Angus Monfries, Jake Melksham 
Emg: Mark McVeigh, Henry Slattery, Cory Dell’Olio

In: Michael Hurley 
Out: Travis Colyer

Richmond
B: Steven Morris, Alex Rance, Chris Newman 
HB: Bachar Houli, Dylan Grimes, Jake Batchelor 
C: Shaun Grigg, Dustin Martin, Brandon Ellis 
HF: Brett Deledio, Brad Miller, Nathan Foley 
F: Reece Conca, Jack Riewoldt, Jake King 
Foll: Ivan Maric, Trent Cotchin, Shane Tuck 
I/C: Daniel Jackson, Shane Edwards, Robin Nahas, Matt Dea 
Emg: Angus Graham, Jayden Post, Matthew Arnot

Milestones: Chris Newman – 200 games

Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants, Gabba, Sunday 1.10pm (EST)

Brisbane
B: Ryan Lester, Matt Maguire, Josh Drummond 
HB: Jed Adcock, Joel Patfull, Mitchell Golby 
C: Pearce Hanley, Tom Rockliff, Daniel Rich 
HF: James Polkinghorne, Jonathan Brown, Jack Redden 
F: Ashley McGrath, Daniel Merrett, Patrick Karnezis 
Foll: Billy Longer, Simon Black, Andrew Raines 
I/C: James Hawksley, Ryan Harwood, Niall McKeever, Jared Polec, Joshua Green, Rohan Bewick, Dayne Zorko

In: Jed Adcock, Ryan Lester, Joshua Green, Rohan Bewick 
Out: Todd Banfield (Leg)

GWS Giants
B: Luke Power, Tim Mohr, Sam Darley 
HB: Adam Tomlinson, Phil Davis, Sam Reid 
C: WIlliam Hoskin-Elliot, Dom Tyson, Tom Scully 
HF: Adam Treloar, Jeremy Cameron, Stephen Coniglio 
F: Chad Cornes, Israel Folau, Toby Greene 
Foll: Jonathan Giles, Callan Ward, Jacob Townsend 
I/C: Anthony Miles, Andrew Phillips, Sam Schulz, Nathan Wilson, Rhys Palmer, Matthew Buntine, Taylor Adams

In: Sam Darley, Anthony Miles, Sam Schulz, Nathan Wilson, WIlliam Hoskin-Elliot, Matthew Buntine, Adam Tomlinson, Sam Reid 
Out: Tomas Bugg (Rested), Dylan Shiel (Rested), Liam Sumner (Foot), Devon Smith (Rested), Adam Kennedy (Shoulder) 
New: Sam Darley (Nth. Hobart), Sam Schulz (Murray Bushrangers/Culcairn), Matthew Buntine (Dandenong Stingrays)

Carlton v Adelaide Crows, Etihad Stadium, Sunday 3.15pm (EST)

Carlton
B: Christopher Yarran, Michael Jamison, Lachlan Henderson 
HB: Nick Duigan, Paul Bower, Zach Tuohy 
C: Kade Simpson, Chris Judd, Heath Scotland 
HF: Eddie Betts, Jarrad Waite, Jordan Russell 
F: Andrew Walker, Shaun Hampson, Jeffrey Garlett 
Foll: Matthew Kreuzer, Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs 
I/C: Bret Thornton, Dennis Armfield, David Ellard, Aaron Joseph, Mitch Robinson, Andrew Collins, Edward Curnow

In: Bret Thornton, Christopher Yarran, Andrew Collins 
Milestones: Jarrad Waite – 150 games, Christopher Yarran – 50 games

Adelaide
B: Michael Doughty, Ben Rutten, Graham Johncock 
HB: Matthew Jaensch, Daniel Talia, Brent Reilly 
C: David Mackay, Scott Thompson, Nathan van Berlo 
HF: Jared Petrenko, Josh Jenkins, Ian Callinan 
F: Matthew Wright, Kurt Tippett, Jason Porplyzia 
Foll: Sam Jacobs, Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane 
I/C: Bernie Vince, Brad Symes, Brodie Martin, Ricky Henderson, Luke Thompson, Brodie Smith, Tom Lynch

In: Bernie Vince, Brad Symes, Brodie Martin, Luke Thompson, Tom Lynch 
Out: Taylor Walker (Suspension), Jarryd Lyons

West Coast v St Kilda, Patersons Stadium, Sunday 4.40pm (EST)

West Coast
B: Sam Butler, Darren Glass, Will Schofield 
HB: Beau Waters, Eric Mackenzie, Shannon Hurn 
C: Matthew Rosa, Matthew Priddis, Andrew Gaff 
HF: Chris Masten, Quinten Lynch, Luke Shuey 
F: Dean Cox, Jack Darling, Josh Hill 
Foll: Nic Naitanui, Scott Selwood, Daniel Kerr 
I/C: Adam Selwood, Thomas Swift, Patrick McGinnity, Lewis Stevenson, Brad Sheppard, Koby Stevens, Jacob Brennan

In: Adam Selwood, Will Schofield, Nic Naitanui, Thomas Swift, Lewis Stevenson, Koby Stevens 
Out: Mitch Brown, Ryan Neates, Scott Lycett

St Kilda
B: Jason Gram, Sam Gilbert, Jason Blake 
HB: Tom Simpkin, Sean Dempster, Jarryn Geary 
C: Ahmed Saad, Lenny Hayes, Brendon Goddard 
HF: Jack Steven, Nick Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna 
F: Stephen Milne, Rhys Stanley, Terry Milera 
Foll: Justin Koschitzke, Nick Dal Santo, Clinton Jones 
I/C: James Gwilt, David Armitage, Farren Ray, Jamie Cripps, Arryn Siposs, Jack Newnes, Beau Wilkes

In: James Gwilt, Jamie Cripps, Jack Newnes

Now the first round of major byes is upon us, you’ll easily be able to see if your planning worked or if you’re going to be a player or more short this week or even forced into using your wildcard.

Number of trades before round 14 (next major bye round): 18 

Teams with the bye before Round 14. It’s important to watch the number of trades in from these teams over the next 3 rounds.

Teams with the bye in Round 12:

Warriors
Sharks

You should have 2 or less from these teams in your lineup after Round 11 trades (could be 3 but doesn’t allow for injuries/suspension)

Teams with the bye in Round 13:

Panthers
Roosters

You should have less than 2 of these teams in your lineup after your Round 12 trades and a combined max of 5 from these team and the Warriors and Sharks after your Round 11 trades.

To explain visually, here is a potential team I could trade for this week:

You can see my 3 trades for round 12 would be forced into Bakuya, Maloney and Wade Graham, any injuries or suspensions to other players and I’m a player short. The following week Ciraldo and Minichello have a bye so there is 2 trades gone.

This doesn’t include having active bench players though, which does give you a safety net.

Teams with the Bye in Round 14:

There are plenty of trades between now and then but keep an eye on the number of players combined from these teams:

Bulldogs
Manly
Cowboys
Parramatta
St George
Souths

Best teams to pick from this week:

West Tigers. The longest stretch without a bye of any team playing this round.

If you are short of trades:

If you are 1-3 players short this week, I still wouldn’t use the wildcard, you’ll find it much more useful in later rounds. These major bye rounds are traditionally lower scoring due to less games and the quality of players.

If you do take the wildcard, please do the math on the trades and plan to have a full team in every round from now on. 4 Tigers players to start with would make things easier. Happy to look at individual teams using the wildcard and help with the maths.

When choosing where to leave players in that aren’t play, consider a few things;

• If they are playing next week and a regular starter and non Origin players. As an example, I’d leave Corey Norman in my side and trade out Jarryd Hayne. Hayne is at risk of injury during SOO and then has another bye 2 rounds later. Norman is a definite starter without another bye until round 18.
• When in the transfers section, look at the data view and check you player prices. If you bought anyone early on and have seen their price rise, it might be worth sliding them to your bench for a week instead of trading out. As an example, if you picked up Jason Bakuya at the start of the year for $125k, his current selling cost price is $188k. It works as follows:

$188k current cost price – $125k purchase price = $63k divided by 2 (50% sell on fee) = $32k (rounded up)
Selling price becomes $157k to you. If you want to buy Bakuya back the next week, it will cost you $188k (give or take movement in his price)

So while it looks like you’re making a profit on selling him, it will really set you back $30k on your cap.

• Look at the teams that are affected by Origin, both when picking players from those teams and from the teams they are against. If halves are missing, attack can often suffer. More than 1 forward and teams can struggle for metres.

Remember:

Origin players don’t play this round and they are available to play in Round 12, pending injuries and coaching decisions.

Captains:

The captains this week are extremely important, without any of the standout players frequently picked, it becomes a great opportunity to move up the ladder. I haven’t decided on mine yet, Benji always has that big score potential, maybe Bowen against the Panthers, Ben Barba against a weakened Sharks team, Nathan Merritt at Fullback anyone? Issac Luke looks one of the safer bets with any of the 80 minute second rowers.

Hawthorn v Fremantle on Saturday afternoon should also be a close one as the Hawks will no doubt be looking to prove why they were early season favourites. Fremantle are on a great run of form and currently sit just outside the top 4.

For me though, the match of the round is on Sunday with 3rd taking on 4th, Carlton against Adelaide. This should be an entertaining match with the Blues looking to bounce back from Monday nights effort against the Saints.

With West Coast succumbing to their first loss of the season we have a real dogfight on our hands at the top of the table. I can’t remember a season where literally all of the top 8 sides, and the Cats in 9th are a genuine chance of the flag. No doubt the cream will rise to the top over the coming weeks but for now there aren’t really any indications of a side going for the throat.

Check out our preview of all 9 games of round 8 below and be sure to scroll down to see our tips for the weeks and best bets for each match.

Collingwood v Geelong, MCG, Friday 7.50pm (EST)

The Grand Final rematch has finally arrived and what a time to have it with both sides starting to hit their straps again after a poor start to the season by both teams standards. Geelong had a setback on the weekend however with a bad loss to the Crows and will be looking to pull themselves back into the top 8 with a win in this one.

Signs of 2006 are starting to appear for the Cats, they have not been outside the top 8 this far into the season since then. That was also the last time the Cats missed out on the top 8 altogether so they need to start getting a move on before the season passes them by. Geelong’s most recent victories over Collingwood were by 96 points in round 24 last year and by 38 points in the Grand Final. In fact they have not lost to the Pies since the 2010 preliminary final.

Collingwood are on a run of 4 straight wins and after losing two of their first three matches are now just 4 points off top spot. The Pies lost another player to injury on Saturday night though with Nathan Brown suffering medial ligament damage that will keep him out for around a fortnight. However, they have Dale Thomas, Chris Dawes and Travis Cloke available, and Chris Tarrant is getting closer to full fitness as well.

I think the Pies will get the points here, they have the momentum and stars returning while the Cats are looking for answers. I don’t think they’ll find them here.

Collingwood by 25 points

Port Adelaide v North Melbourne, AAMI Stadium, Saturday 1.45pm (EST)

Port Adelaide head into this match in much the same position they found themselves in last year, languishing towards the bottom of the table with just 1 win to their name. North Melbourne suffered a shock at the weekend, going down to the Western Bulldogs, they we extremely disappointing and it appears that they took the Dogs lightly and were made to pay.

Port Adelaide heave been very disappointing this season but after last season’s debacle I don’t think anyone thought they were going to do well. They have a young side and a coach who doesn’t seem up to the task in Matthew Primus. Sometimes ex players don’t make good coaches and this is a prime example of that.

The Kangaroos will need to be on their game here though or they could suffer another embarrassing defeat. The Kangaroos’ recent record against the Power has been quite good, having won five of their last six clashes. Even at AAMI Stadium, North has beaten Port six out of 11 times, including three of their last four encounters.

No brainer for me this week, Kangaroos by 30.

Hawthorn v Fremantle, Aurora Stadium, Saturday 2.10pm (EST)

Another tough match to call with Fremantle in such good form and the Hawks not having the best start to the season. One thing the Hawks do have going for them is the fact that they have had some tough matches already this season and only really have 4 of what you would consider tough matches left before the finals.

The Hawks were early season favourites but losses to Geelong, West Coast and Sydney had them on the back foot early on. They have hit back to sit just inside the top 8 however this is a crucial match for them. Clarkson welcomes back Stephen Gilham after he did his ACL last year, and their defensive options will receive a further boost in the next week or so with Jarrad Boumann likely to return. That seems to be the trend of the top teams so far with the Pies, Cats and Hawks all suffering from injury concerns.

Fremantle have not been pretty to watch at all this season but they have been getting the job done and that’s all that will matter in the eyes of coach Ross Lyon. This will be a massive test for them though as they will find it hard to restrict the Hawks to the lowly scores they have kept the likes of Brisbane and Port Adelaide.

I think this one will be ugly, but the Hawks by 30.

Sydney Swans v Melbourne Demons, SCG, Saturday 4.40pm (EST)

This could be a landslide if the Demons recent matches are anything to go by. Sydney have now lost to in a row and will be looking to get back to winning ways after winning their first 5 matches. The Demons are yet to win a match and I tip them to get the wooden spoon, this despite the emergence of Gold Coast and GWS in the last two seasons. This shows just how bad the Demons are actually travelling.

The Swans are still without captain Adam Goodes and you could see how much he was missed against the Tigers last week, although their performance overall was quite disappointing really. The Swans really need centre half forward Sam Reid to get back to some form after a great opening few weeks of the season, they need someone to step up in the absence of Goodes and he may be just the man to do it.

The Demons are 0-7 and at the bottom of the AFL ladder, they have struggled all over the pitch to be honest, you can’t pick just one area where they have been worse than others. They have Mitch Clark up front who is kicking goals and Clint Bartram doing his best at the back, they just lack some serious depth to compete with the other sides in the competition at the moment and are going through somewhat of a rebuilding phase it seems.

Swans by 50

Western Bulldogs v Gold Coast, TIO Stadium, Saturday 7.40pm (EST)

The Western Bulldogs caused a massive upset last week by beating the Kangaroos and will be looking to back that up this week to give themselves a 4-4 record. The Suns lost their 7th straight to open the season against the new boys GWS last week in a match that they would have earmarked as a certain 4 points. They’ll be doing it tough to get another win this season, that is until they come up against the Demons.

This match has been taken to Darwin and the Bulldogs absoultely love it there, winning their past 4 matches and convincingly. Ryan Griffen plays his 150th match for the Bulldogs in this one and he has been in great form this season, the Suns may struggle to contain him in this one.

With the Suns yet to win a match still, it’s hard to see how they have improved on last years form. But looking closely you can see that they haven’t been losing by massive margins like they did last season. Against Fremantly they only lost by 7 points and they were looking closer to a win until that capitulation against GWS.

Bulldogs by 40

Essendon v Richmond, MCG, Saturday 7.50pm (EST)

Essendon keep going from strength to strength this season and you would have to say they are serious challengers for the flag on what we have seen so far. I keep expecting them to falter at some point but they haven’t looked like doing that yet. Richmond head into this “Dreamtime at the G” match on the back of a solid win over the Swans last week and they have clearly improved on last year.

Essendon smashed West Coast by 61 points last week, the Perth outfit were previously unbeaten. They welcome back Michael Hurley from a hamstring injury and it’s going to be hard to find a place for him in the side, who do you leave out? The Bombers have Leroy Jetta and Alwyn Davey in superb form up front so far this year, they have kicked 25 goals between them already.

Richmond were unlucky to lose to Carlton, Collingwood, Geelong and West Coast early in the season, they have had the toughest start to the season out of any of the teams and the only way is up from here. Last weeks win against Sydney showed just how far they have come since last season and I can see this one being a close match. Essendon may just have too much firepower up front though.

Essendon by 10

Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants, Gabba, Sunday 1.10pm (EST)

This could be closer than you would think with the Giants getting their first win of their existence last weekend and the Lions going down once again, this time to Geelong where they were absolutely thumped. To me, the Lions are in a similar situation to the Demons, down on confidence and a win doesn’t look like is coming any time soon. GWS will be on a high after last weeks win and this may just see them lose a bit of focus going into this one.

The problem for Brisbane seems to be mainly up front, with Jonathan Brown a machine but not getting enough of the ball to contribute much to the scoresheet. he has only kicked 8 goals so far this season and the Lions will need plenty more from him if they are going to be competitive.

The Giants will need to get over last weeks win quite quickly as their younger players will be susceptable to getting ahead of themselves and will need the older heads to pull them to the side and get them focussed. GWS has impressed with its work at the clearances for a first-year club, currently sitting eight in the AFL with 39 per game thus far.

Brisbane by 10 points

Carlton v Adelaide Crows, Etihad Stadium, Sunday 3.15pm (EST)

Carlton head into this match on the back of a disappointing loss to St Kilda on Monday night and have not really found their form this season despite promising so much late last year. Adelaide were on fire last weekend, downing a Geelong side many had tipped to be challenging for the flag again this year. They’ve been good all season, apart from a blip against the Hawks, and currently sit inside the top 4 alongside Carlton.

This, for me, is the match of the round. Both sides look to play attacking footy, with the midfield of each team packed with energy. Carlton’s stars in Chris Judd and Marc Murphy will have a point to prove after being outperformed by the Saints last week so expect a big performance from them.

Adelaide’s Kurt Tippett came in for plenty of criticism after his performance against the Hawks, he’ll need to step it up even more with Taylor Walker suspended for 2 matches. He was leading the race for the Coleman medal and they will miss his presence, and goals, up front. I think this may just be the difference and Adelaide may not have enough firepower to outscore the Blues.

Carlton by 24

West Coast v St Kilda, Patersons Stadium, Sunday 4.40pm (EST)

Another cracker of a match between two quality sides here. St Kilda showed what they are capable of after disposing of the Blues on Monday night while we all know that the Eagles are a good side following their 6 match unbeaten start to 2012. They had a hickup last week, going down to the Bombers by 61 points, their lack of depth coming back to haunt them after a number of key injuries in the last few weeks.

This week, the Eagles should be boosted by the return of Nic Naitanui, Adam Selwood, Will Schofield and Ash Smith. This will be a massive boost to the Eagles and will go along way to getting them back to winning ways. The Eagles lost the clearances 42-24 last week against the Bombers and the return of Naitanui should get them back on the front foot in that regard.

The Saints small forwards were on fire last week against Carlton with Stephen Milne, Terry Milera and Ahmed Saad combining well and tearing the Blues apart. With Sam Fisher out, the Saints backline looks relatively small but Jason Blake has been a revelation back there and he will need to be at his best this week up against the likes of Naitanui, Lynch and Darling. With West Coast getting a plethora of key players back this week, I think they will have too much for the improving Saints.

West Coast by 20

Sports Banter Tips – 2012 AFL Round 8

Collingwood v Geelong – Collingwood
Port Adelaide v North Melbourne – North Melbourne
Hawthorn v Fremantle – Hawthorn
Sydney v Melbourne - Sydney
Western Bulldogs v Gold Coast – Bulldogs
Essendon v Richmond – Essendon
Brisbane v GWS – Brisbane
Carlton v Adelaide – Carlton
West Coast v St Kilda – West Coast

Banter’s Best Bets – 2012 AFL Round 8

Collingwood v Geelong – Collingwood 1-39 @ $2.50
Port Adelaide v North Melbourne – Kangaroos -15.5 @ $1.91
Hawthorn v Fremantle – TM Hawthorn Over 15.5 @ $1.45
Sydney v Melbourne – Sydney 25+ @ $1.40
Bulldogs v Gold Coast – TM Bulldogs Over 24.5 @ $1.60
Essendon v Richmond – Essendon @ $1.52
Brisbane v GWS – Brisbane 1-39 @ $2.18
Carlton v Adelaide – TM Carlton Over 15.5 @ $1.80
West Coast v St Kilda – West Coast @ $1.40

I’m pretty sure I could hear the groans echoing the streets on Sunday, as Slater got 10 in the bin. He was a popular choice as Captain but it definitely wasn’t his week.

With both Origin teams now named, making trades is easier this week but there will be those who planned and will have a full team and those that didn’t. For the ones that didn’t and are going to use their wildcard, just be careful. I’ve seen too many players use their card early, then be short again in 3 weeks time! Doing the math, it is possibly to have a full team throughout Origin but you’d need some good luck and good fortune.

From the scores of last week, the teams named this week, take note of

• Darius Boyd got a 37! Someone call the Vatican, a miracle has happened! 
• Jamie Lyon has broken his dry spell for a big past two weeks. With DCE not actually on Origin duty (he will be back in the lineup for the game on Sunday) Manly are still looking good for the next 3 weeks.
• The Sharks bounced back in a big way. After conceding many a point against Souths, they held competition leaders Melbourne to 10 and without Paul Gallen. Many teams should and will have 3-4 Bulldogs players against them this week and after their poor showing against the Titans, only time will tell if that Sharks can repeat that effort. TC has been outstanding the past month so the loss of he and Gallen may be too much for them
• Moga exists! Again named on the wing this week, not many cheaper players than him but still yet to prove if he has the big scores in him
• Konrad Hurrell looks like he might nail down that starting centre spot and play 80 minutes. Ropati is out for a while and Hurrell played his best game of the year against the Roosters.
• If Jarryd Hayne is going to continue to score at this rate injured, I may be too scared to not pick him at full fitness.
• Matt Ryan ($80k, backrow) continues to score well above his price. At least a bench option for rounds 15 on.
• Nathan Merritt gets a shot at fullback against an under strength and out of form Dragons team. Has a history of scoring well in the number 1 jersey.
• The Warriors are now 2 on the trot and have Lillyman and Sam Rapira back from injury. With no SOO players and 2 byes in the next 6 weeks, they are well placed to gain some ground on the competition leaders 
• With JT away, Matt Bowen should see many more touches this week against the Panthers who will be without Lewis and Jennings.
• Sam Burgess will be a popular pick and I think many will also go for him as captain, I’m just not sure if he’ll be straight back to 80 minutes like the start of the season, or around the 50-60 minute mark like in round 9.
• The Tigers don’t have their second bye until round 17 so be sure to pick at least a few this round to balance your trades over the next month.
• Wade Graham played 80 minutes in the back row with Gallen out to injury and with a shortage of good halves during Origin, keep you eye on him. Just be careful this week as Sharks have the bye next week.

Picking a captain this week will be quite spread compared to the regular Parker, Gallen, Slaters and I can’t say anyone jumps out at me at the moment. A tough round to tip, with my only picking 1 right last round, I may go the dart board this week.

State of Origin cheat sheet Round 11 out Thursday! 

Last weekend was a round full of upsets with the biggest of them all coming on Saturday night, the Rebels knocking over competition heavyweights the Crusaders. If that wasn’t enough, on Friday night the Hurricanes got one up over their neighbours the Highlanders and on Sunday the Reds knocked over the table topping Chiefs. I only picked 1 of those with the Reds sparing my blushes on Sunday.

The Waratahs wasted their chance of finals rugby last weekend with their loss against the Bulls, a last minute try all but ending their season unless their Australian counterparts the Reds and Brumbies capitulate.

This weekend should be a beauty, 7 great match-ups and only 6 weeks left after this until the finals kick in. We’re almost at the midseason break too, where we are treated to a month of international Rugby, we’ll bring you preview of all of that action too!

Hurricanes v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Friday 5.30pm (EST)  

The Hurricanes head into this match on the back of an upset win over their more fancied neighbours the Highlanders while the Brumbies got to put their feet up last week and watch the action with a bye.

The Hurricanes are making a real dash for the finals and that win last week over the Highlanders did no harm to their chances of a top 6 berth. They’ll need to continue that this week against the Australian conference front runners, and they’ll need fly-half Beauden Barrett to continue the superb form that has got him into the All Blacks preliminary squad.

The Brumbies on the other hand, they’ll need to perform without their in form fly-half Christian Lealiifano. Their record in New Zealand is far from impressive too, with no wins since 2009 and a record of 0-7 in their last seven matches across the Tasman.

Against the Waratahs, the Brumbies were outstanding, and they’ll need to reproduce that form here. They’ve been quite consistent this year while the Hurricanes have been up and down. For that reason, I am going to go for a Brumbies win in a high scoring encounter.

Highlanders v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, Saturday 3.30pm (EST)  

The Highlanders will be filthy that they let last weeks match against the Hurricanes slip and will be looking to make amends for that this week. That loss dealt a massive blow to their chances of making the top 6 and this week they come up against a Bulls side at the top of their game. They managed a come from behind win against the Waratahs last weekend and now sit at the top of the Super 15 Rugby ladder on 46 points.

With their loss to the Hurricanes last weekend, the Highlanders have now slipped out of the top 6 and have lost their last two matches. They won’t head into this one with much confidence and another loss will see them slip further and further away from an all important finals position.

The Bulls have been one of the most consistent sides of the competition and moving to the top of the ladder at the expense of the Chiefs will surely give them a confidence boost. They are the leading pointscorers in the competition with 338 points and I can see this one being another high scoring match. The Bulls don’t have the best of defences and the Highlanders will look to exploit that, however they’ll need their experienced players to step up this week after some substandard performances recently.

I can’t see the Highlanders bouncing back in this one to be honest, the Bulls are too strong all over the park and should have enough to get over the top of them.

Crusaders v Blues – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
Rugby League Park, Christchurch, Saturday 5.30pm (EST)  

The Crusaders were shocked last week, going down by 9 points to the Melbourne Rebels in Melbourne. They were on a run of 4 wins in a row and sitting pretty inside the top 6 until that upset and they’ll no doubt be looking to bounce back this week. The Blues got themselves off the bottom of the ladder with a win over the Lions last Friday night, their first win since early in the competition.

This could be a bloodbath with the Crusaders looking to bounce back from a loss they wouldn’t have seen coming, and the Blues gaining some false confidence from beating the leagues cellar dwellars in the Lions. The Crusaders won’t take them lightly like they did the Rebels last weekend, and the Blues have been so bad this year I can only pencil this one in as a certain 4 (possibly 5) points to the Crusaders.

Queensland Reds v Lions – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Saturday 7.40pm (EST)

Last week the Reds caused a bit of an upset by downing the Chiefs who had not been beaten since round 1 of the competition. While the Lions moved back to their rightful position at the bottom of the ladder with a loss to the now 14th placed Blues.

The Reds almost tossed that game away last week, going ahead early before conceding 3 cheap tries to put them on the back foot. They bounced back with 4 unanswered tries of their own and will head into this match with plenty of confidence knowing that their free flowing ways are finally returning. With Will Genia hitting top form following the mid-season controversy surrounding his on/off move the Western Force, the Reds now have plenty of momentum heading towards the finals and could welcome back Quade Cooper this week.

The Lions were atrocious once again last week, only managing to put on 3 points against a struggling Blues outfit. They will more than likely finish at the bottom of the ladder and that does not bode well for them with the last placed South African side likely to make way for the Kings from Durban next season.

The Reds in a landslide here.

Cheetahs v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sunday 1.05am (EST)  

The Cheetahs were unlucky to go down by 2 points to the Stormers last weekend, they put up a real fight and defensively they were solid, something I didn’t think I would say about them this season. The Sharks, they demolished the Western Force 53-11 at the weekend to keep their finals hopes alive. They moved into the top 6 at the expense of the Highlanders and will want to continue that form going into this one.

The Cheetahs have been a big surprise to me this season. I thought they would have really struggled to make an impact and they’ve proven me wrong. They don’t have much of a chance of making the finals but they will prove to be tough opposition for many teams over the next few weeks who are trying to get into that top 6.

The Sharks have plenty of firepower but they have not really shown what they can do enough this season. They have won 4 of their last 5 matches, their only loss coming against the previously table topping Chiefs which shows that their form heading into this stage of the season is spot on.

I think the Cheetahs will provide some resistance here, but I think the Sharks will come away with the 4 points.

Stormers v NSW Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
Newlands, Durban, Sunday 3.10am (EST)  

The Stormers head into this match at Newlands on the back of a narrow 2 point win over Cheetahs. They have the best defence in the league by a long way but they play the type of boring rugby that leaves you wishing you’d watched the grass grow instead. In saying that though, they are winning matches and if it wasn’t for the Bulls they would be at the top of the Super 15 Rugby ladder.

The Waratahs had another demoralising loss at the weekend, going down by 3 points to the Bulls after leading with less than a minute on the clock. That pretty much sums up their season, and the last 5 seasons. They always promise but when the going gets tough they are nowhere to be seen. This season has been full of promise but oncce again they have failed to deliver and this week is basically make or break for them. Their chances of finals football are pretty much gone, so they really have nothing to lose.

I think the Waratahs will be up for this one, but I just can’t see them cracking the Stormers defence, especially at home. I think the Stormers in a close one with the Waratahs picking up another bonus point.

Western Force v Melbourne Rebels – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
nib Stadium, Perth, Sunday 4.10pm (EST)  

The form of these two sides could not be any more different heading into this one. The Force were absolutely anihilated by the Sharks last weekend in an embarrassing effort, while the Rebels caused the upset of the season by knocking over the Crusaders. No-one saw that one coming and that will surely give them plenty of confidence heading into this local derby.

The Force were abysmal to the say the least against the Sharks last week, they’ll need some serious improvements if they are going to get anywhere near a Rebels side high on confidence. Last weekend was a wakeup call for them and it will be interesting to see if they take anything from that match.

The Rebels were outstanding in that win last weekend, I don’t know anybody who would have tipped them to beat the Crusaders. This will be a danger game for the Rebels as they have shown their inconsistency this year, they need to put together a few good wins on the trot to ever be considered a chance of making the top 6.

I think the Rebels will continue their form and take this one against the Force to move further away and leave the Force condemned to last place in the Australian conference.

Sports Banter Tips – Super 15 Rugby Round 13

Hurricanes v Brumbies – Brumbies
Highlanders v Bulls – Bulls
Crusaders v Blues – Crusaders
Reds v Lions – Reds
Cheetahs v Sharks – Sharks
Stormers v Waratahs – Stormers
Force v Rebels – Rebels

Banter’s Best Bets – Super 15 Rugby Round 13

Hurricanes v Brumbies – Brumbies +5.0 @ $1.91
Highlanders v Bulls – Bulls 1-12 @ $2.95
Crusaders v Blues – Crusaders 13+ @ $2.14
Reds v Lions – Reds 13+ @ $1.49
Cheetahs v Sharks – Sharks -2.5 @ $1.91
Stormers v Waratahs – Stormers 1-12 @ $3.00
Force v Rebels – Rebels @ $1.91