
|=| Are Brisbane about to implode without Lockyer?
All Team News Updated Friday August 20.
Round 23 of the Premiership saw Top 8 incumbents Manly and Brisbane open the door to the chasing pack with losses to the Dragons and the Eels respectively. Of the chasing pack - Canberra kept their head above water by defeating the Bulldogs 28-14, Parramatta beat Brisbane 30-14 and although South Sydney lost 18-16 to the Storm - they too stayed alive with their differential not taking a beating. After losing to the Warriors 22-10, Newcastle must win all 3 remaining games and rely on results to make the playoffs.
Further up the ladder the Roosters dropped to 5th with their shock 18-12 loss to the Sharks, while the Tigers jumped into 3rd by beating the Panthers 43-18. The Gold Coast beat North Queensland 37-18 to move into 2nd, while St.George-Illawarra defeated Manly 32-10.
But the team that struggled the most in Round 23 (compared to recent form) was the Brisbane Broncos who were without Darren Lockyer due to a rib injury. If he can't play until Round 26 as expected - the Broncos may need to win at least one game from the next two to ensure they can make the playoffs when he returns.
 |
Does No Darren Lockyer = No Hope for the Broncos? |
That leaves us looking at this week's schedule and highlighting the Knights-Broncos, Eels-Tigers, Panthers-Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles-Warriors & Raiders-Dragons as key battles for spots in the Top 8.
The fact that we've highlighted five of the eight games (and the Roosters-Titans game is a Top 4 battle) - is a good indication that this weekend should be a great round of footy!
If Manly and Brisbane win - they will make life extremely difficult for Parramatta, Canberra & Newcastle to make the Top 8 given their superior differential to those teams. Only South Sydney with +59 have a differential that is good enough to force their way into the Top 8 if they finish on equal points with any team above them currently.
|=| WHO HAS A DATE WITH A NUDIE RUN? + Waz catches up with 101.5FM Superstar Matt Duncan to talk Broncos and Quade Cooper to Rugby League + Nic and Waz walk you through what happened in Round 23 including the Mark Gasnier 'Try' Debacle and Preview Round 24 with our Special Fried Rice Picks + Dave tries to make sense of Darren Lockyer's Contract + Mat Rogers retires + NRL Tweet Player of the Year Update + Defending the 40/20 Kick and Why do teams ignore the Short Kick-Off?
All that and more on NOT The Footy Show!
With Waz, Nic & Dave on NOT THE FOOTY SHOW!
|=| ROUND 23 NRL PREMIERSHIP LADDER |=|
|=| NRL TWEET PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD |=|
Voting went into secrecy at the completion of Round 20 of the Premiership - check out
The NRL Tweet for updates on who made a move from Round 21 to 26.
|=| NRL ROUND 24 PREVIEW |=| August 20-23, 2010 |=|
ROUND TWENTY-FOUR OF THE NRL PREMIERSHIP SEASON 2010
KNIGHTS v BRONCOS
|=| 12th Newcastle Knights: 9-12, 433-491, -58, 22pts.
|=| 7th Brisbane Broncos: 11-10, 470-437, +33, 26pts.
|=| Wednesday's Market: NEW $2.00 v BRI $1.80
(Graphic is Tuesday's Team Lineup)|=| Recent Clashes: Newcastle have won the past 2 v Brisbane but only 3 of the last 10. Knights won 30-22 at Suncorp in Round 8.
|=| Wednesday's Preview: Newcastle may be only a mathematical chance at reaching the playoffs but they could deal the Broncos own hopes a huge blow by beating them at EnergyAustralia on Friday Night. Newcastle have named Jarrod Mullen to return from a rib injury and his inclusion mixed with the lack of Darren Lockyer for the Broncos - make the Knights a real threat despite their table position. Brisbane lacked direction without Lockyer last week despite plenty of possession and the home ground factor is big for the Knights.
Going with Newcastle to upset the Broncos and well and truly open the door to the teams outside the Top 8.|=| Team Selection + Fantasy News August 17 (Friday's Update with help from SMH's Late Mail): Newcastle have named Jarrod Mullen to return from a rib injury at the expense of Scott Dureau. That is the Knights only change to the 17 that lost to the Warriors last Sunday. Brisbane will be without Darren Lockyer again (and maybe for the rest of the regular season) with his own rib injury and Corey Norman has been listed to play five-eighth again despite Matt Gillett starting there against Parramatta. There are no other changes for the Broncos.
Update August 20: Matt Hilder & Cooper Vuna will play after passing fitness tests. Jarrod Mullen will also play - despite the pain of injured ribs. Brisbane will be 1-17.
|=| NRL Tweet's Prediction: KNIGHTS by 10 = ?