NRL Tips Round 22 2009 - AFL Tips Round 19 2009 - 4th Ashes Test Begins

If you are looking for Round 22 AFL Previews and Tips - click here. ========================= This is an archived story - so check the main page - www.wdnicolson.blogspot.com for the current round of tipping for NRL, AFL and Super 14. The site is also regularly updated with opinion, news and features on sport, entertainment and life. ========================= NRL Tips & Previews Round 22 2009 - AFL Tips & Previews Round 19 2009 - 4th Ashes Test Begins 56-0. Maybe Karmichael Hunt knew something we didn't by deciding to leave the Broncos... But the fact remains he played in the Broncos team that got thumped 56-0 on Saturday Night by the Canberra Raiders and he was just as much to blame as his teammates. But turning our attention to Round 22 and the Finals Race is getting absorbing. Wins by the Eels and Tigers kept them in the hunt and losses by the Knights, Sea Eagles, Broncos and Rabbitohs made the window of opportunity for clubs outside the Top 8 a little wider. Friday Night Football features the Panthers V Dragons and Storm against the Cowboys, to start Round 22 of the 2009 NRL Premiership. In the AFL the Saints just keep finding ways to win! They pinched win #18 with a behind in the final seconds to beat the impressive Swans. But with the perfect season on everyone's lips - can St.Kilda produce a Brownlow Medal winner out of that perfect season? Leigh Montagna, Nick Riewoldt, Nick Dal Santo and Brendon Goddard are the main threats but one argument against any one of them taking it out - is the presence of the others polling votes each week. Collingwood's Dane Swan, who has been eating up the possessions this season is the favourite, just ahead of Geelong's Gary Ablett Junior. In Cricket England reamin 1-0 up after a draw in the 3rd Test in Birmingham. With rain taking out almost two full days, the team with the 1st Innings lead was always going to be the only team in with a chance of winning. That was England but a partnership between Michael Clarke and Marcus North steered Australia home. Australia still need to win at least one of the final two Tests (ideally both) to retain the Ashes but England have been the far better bowling team in the past two Tests. Will Australia finally see Peter Siddle's ineffectiveness and play the bowler England don't want to see in Stuart Clark? You can follow the match and series in depth via regular video blogs here on wdnicolson.blogspot.com and my Twitter feed as Australia try to level the series. In Rugby Union the All Blacks were dusted again by the Springboks in Durban, thanks to point scoring machine Morne Steyn. If the Boks beat Australia this weekend - the Tri-Nations is all but over for 2009. Can you kick a goal from the sideline just 1.5 metres from the tryline - interested in giving it a go? Go to http://wdnicolson.blogspot.com/2009/05/kick-off-2009-are-you-up-to-challenge.html for more information on Kick-Off 2009! NRL & AFL Match Previews below. =================================================================== NRL ROUND 22 - 2009 Quick hit Previews for the Greatest Game of All. STORM over COWBOYS > Preview to come. DRAGONS over PANTHERS > Preview to come. SEA EAGLES over RABBITOHS > Preview to come. BULLDOGS over RAIDERS > Preview to come. TITANS over WARRIORS > Preview to come. TIGERS over ROOSTERS > Preview to come. KNIGHTS over EELS > Preview to come. BRONCOS over SHARKS > Preview to come.

=================================================================== AFL ROUND 19 - 2009 Friday Night Football will tell us how serious the Blues are about September, while the Crows and Magpies match should be a ripper. Plus can Hawthorn stand up to the St.Kilda juggernaut?. CATS over BLUES Preview to come. BULLDOGS over EAGLES Preview to come. SAINTS over HAWKS Preview to come. BOMBERS over LIONS Preview to come. MAGPIES over CROWS Preview to come. KANGAROOS over DEMONS Preview to come. SWANS over TIGERS Preview to come. POWER over WHARFIES Preview to come. =================================================================== 2009 ASHES UPDATE England and Australia drew the 3rd Test (thanks largely to rain) and will resume hostilities in Leeds this Friday. Shane Watson hit two half centuries replacing Phillip Hughes at the top of the order but his bowling left a lot to be desired going for 23 off just 3 overs. Australia must play Stuart Clark for Peter Siddle if they have any hope to take 20 English wickets as the current bowling attack is simply not good enough to get the job done. This website is covering the Ashes with regular video blogs, twitter updates and features over the course of the Test Series so keep checking the main page or the archive list on the right for the next addition. Follow me on Twitter during the Day's Play. =================================================================== WALLABIES TEST SERIES WINTER 2009 South Africa beat New Zealand again 31-19 in Durban to take both clashes between the nations in South Africa. Australia now play the Springboks in Cape Town, with the home team capable of taking a stranglehold on Tri-Nations with a win. Here is the Test Schedule for Winter 2009: June 6 Sydney 7:30pm (EST) Bundaberg Rum Series v Barbarians Won 55-7 June 13 Canberra 7.30pm (EST) Bundaberg Rum Series v Italy Won 31-8 June 20 Melbourne 8.00pm (EST) Bundaberg Rum Series v Italy Won 34-12 June 27 Sydney 8.00pm (EST) Bundaberg Rum Series v France Won 22-6 July 18 Auckland 5.35pm (EST) Tri-Nations v New Zealand Lost 22-16 August 8 Cape Town 11.00pm (EST) Tri-Nations v South Africa August 22 Sydney 8.05pm (EST) Tri-Nations v New Zealand August 29 Perth 8.05pm (EST) Tri-Nations v South Africa September 5 Brisbane 8.05pm (EST) Tri-Nations v South Africa September 19 Wellington 5.35pm (EST) Tri-Nations v New Zealand =================================================================== Good luck with your tips this weekend!