Friday 28 September 2012

NRL 2012: Grand Final Preview - Bulldogs v Storm Tips Teams Predictions Late Mail Podcast Odds


NRL GRAND FINAL TIPPING PREVIEW
By W D Nicolson 

It's Grand Final time people!

We get to watch the two best teams go at it this weekend, when the Bulldogs face the Storm, and pass on commiserations to the other 14 teams for being practically useless in 2012.

The whole NOT The Footy Show gang has their intricate predictions for the big one below or on the Podcast - which if you've never listened to I suggest you give it a go this week, as it could be the last one we ever do.

NOT The Footy Show
Episode 128
NRL Grand Final Preview 
Released Wednesday September 26, 2012
Right Click Save Target As This Link if you don't have iTunes for the MP3 File

The current premiership market as it stands after Week 3:
$1.80 - STORM (W1: $4.00, W2: $3.50, W3: $3.25)
$2.05 - BULLDOGS (W1: $4.50, W2: $2.75, W3: $2.75)

Dogs were favourites until the bookies saw what Melbourne did to Manly in the prelim final. But really the Dogs shouldn't be far out of even money status as they match up well with the Storm.

If you want to hear who the NOT The Footy Show team likes for between the Bulldogs and Storm in Sunday's Grand Final - grab yourself our 2 hour NRL Grand Final Podcast (right click/save target as).

The Toyota Cup market after Week 3:
$1.55 - RAIDERS U20s (W1: $4.25, W2: $3.50, W3: $3.00)
$2.45 - TIGERS U20s (W1: $6.00, W2: $3.75, W3: $4.00)

After Week 3 - Well the one team that's had Canberra's number this season is... you guessed it - the Wests Tigers. This Grand Final will be decided by whoever defends for the longest, because both teams can attack with the best of them - and that's why they are here on Grand Final Day.

Kick-off is at 2pm at ANZ Stadium and we like the Raiders by 8 points.

Canberra's Edrick Lee, Mitch Cornish and Anthony Milford hold the key.

Now there will be a Man of the Match Award voted on Twitter for the NYC Grand Final (#NYCGF) - follow #NRLTweetPlayerofSeptember during the coverage, as we vote on the #NRLGF, NYC and #VBNSWCupGF throughout the day.

In the NSW Cup Grand Final - the Newtown Jets take on the Balmain-Ryde Tigers with kick-off at 12pm at ANZ Stadium.

 | To the NRL Grand Final and NOT The Footy Show delivers a full preview of Canterbury v Melbourne plus we go one on one with former NRL star Luke Patten... so join Warrick Nicolson, Maria Tsialis, Matthew Duncan, Nic McInerney, DC Chapman and Eyes is back for our final show - Episode 128.

Be sure to check all the Team news on the NRL Injured List which is updated every Tuesday afternoon - and the Podcast has plenty of insight on those selections and your Late Mail and Panel Picks are below.

All the panel's picks are below with their Special Fried Rice selections - which is our lock of the week but we can't choose the same team as what one of the other six tipsters has already selected.
NRL GRAND FINAL PREVIEW - 2012
28/09 Odds are courtesy of Sportingbet Australia
For some more insight into the markets check out NOT The Footy Show's resident betting maestro's site GT Tips http://www.gttips.co.uk
All Kick-Offs are LOCAL time.
Grand Final Late Mail... 
If you have any reputable mail - Let me know via @NRLTweet
#1 BULLDOGS (+1.5) $2.05 v $1.80 #2 STORM
CBY: B Barba, S Perrett, J Morris, K Inu, J Wright, J Reynolds, K Keating, A Tolman, M Ennis (c), S Kasiano, F Pritchard, J Jackson, G Eastwood.
Bench: J Graham, D Finucane, C Payne, D Stagg, D Halatau.
[Late Mail - The Bulldogs will not bring Dene Halatau into the Grand Final 17 unless there is an injury in the warm-up, with Corey Payne and Dale Finucane set to hold their spots on the bench. ]
MEL: B Slater, S Waqa, D Nielsen, W Chambers, J O'Neill, G Widdop, C Cronk, J Bromwich, C Smith (c), B Norrie, S Manu, R Hoffman, T Lowrie.
Bench: R Hinchcliffe, K Proctor, J Lowe, R Fa'aoso, R Kostjasyn, M Fonua, S Vave, A Quinn.
[Late Mail - Sisa Waqa will just have to get through the pre-game warmup to take his place, with Mahe Fonua beating out Anthony Quinn to be his shadow player on the day. Rory Kostjasyn and Siosia Vave will be the other leftover men who miss out on a spot on the final bench. Kevin Proctor may start for Sika Manu as well. ]
| BOTTOM LINE |
The reasons for the Dogs and Storm winning this Grand Final are well documented in our Podcast - so do yourself a favour and have a listen.
In short - the start is where the Dogs can lose the game... but having said that - Melbourne aren't the all conquering team they once were, if they have to chase points late I'm not sold they are up to that challenge, Big 3 or not.
And the other crucial factor is the Dogs getting away with slowing Melbourne's play the ball... the reason Melbourne grind teams out of games is they play the ball super quick and slow the game down in defence... up to the Dogs to convince Tony Archer and Ben Cummins that they aren't doing anything more than the Storm on GF day.
Gee the Dogs could win this, but I have to pick Melbourne. Both teams can hang on in a game, so this shouldn't be completely decided until the final 10 minutes... go with Melbourne though, by 4 points.

For more on how we see the Weekend unfolding, check out the Podcast and Preview below.

Thursday 27 September 2012

NOT The Footy Show Episode 128 - Bulldogs v Storm Grand Final Preview Podcast 2012

Luke Patten joins us to preview the Canterbury v Melbourne NRL Grand Final in our final show for 2012.

NOT The Footy Show Episode 128 - Where too much League is just about enough in our super sized final episode... which could be our final ever.

Download the mp3 version

Join host Warrick Nicolson as he previews the Decider with former NRL star Luke Patten, Maria Tsialis, Matthew Duncan, Jake Hauritz, Nic McInerney, DC Chapman and Eyes is back with his GF tip.

So you get a comprehensive preview of the Dogs-Storm and all our predictions in all our categories for the decider.

So How do the Bulldogs Win?

And How do the Storm win?

NOT The Footy Show answers those questions and more with all our Guests.

Luke Patten takes us through a few key areas from his time at the Steelers, Dragons and Bulldogs - in particular how a team reacts to Salary Cap penalties and do they use that as ammunition for a run at a title a couple of years later?

Also who can win the #NRLTweetPlayerofSeptember Award with just the Grand Final to go?

We recap the Queensland Cup Grand Final between Redcliffe and Wynnum, talk about Joey Johns and his impending Immortal status, celebrate the return of Roy and HG's Festival of the Boot on the ABC and look at why Tim Sheens got shafted and expect him to head to the Warriors in 2013.

NOT The Footy Show has been somewhat part of your life for 3 years and if this is the end, THANK YOU for listening.


NOT The Footy Show Episode 128
NRL Grand Final Preview - Released Wednesday September 26, 2012
Right Click Save Target As This Link if you don't have iTunes for the MP3 File

Subscribe to the Podcast via this link / Download mp3 version

LIKE the show on Facebook for all the latest updates.
NOT The Footy Show is done for 2012... we may have a sneaky NTFS at the GF Video for you but that's a maybe, not a promise.

Tuesday 25 September 2012

NRL Grand Final 2012: Teams - Canterbury Bulldogs v Melbourne Storm

CANTERBURY v MELBOURNE: 
GRAND FINAL PRESS MONDAY
2012 NRL Premiership
By W D Nicolson 


The Dogs and Storm finished 1-2 in the regular season and now they've booked a Grand Final date with each other on the last Sunday in September. www.wdnicolson.com will have various blogs throughout the week taking in the Grand Final leadup.

Grand Final Show: Wed September 26!
Today have the official squads for the decider... and sadly the Dogs have given us next to no sub-plot by naming the same 17 that beat the Bunnies and the Storm have given us at least a little bit of interest surrounding the wing position and potentially the final makeup of the bench.

The biggest injury watch is that of Sisa Waqa of the Storm - which is not exactly column inch filling stuff...

NOT The Footy Show will have Luke Patten on our Grand Final Show this week and our entire panel's choices for the 2012 Premiership will be on Wednesday's Grand Final Episode 128 on iTunes.

So here is www.wdnicolson.com's low down on the Grand Final Teams on Tuesday.

Monday 24 September 2012

NRL Grand Final 2012: Canterbury v Melbourne - Monday's Press

CANTERBURY v MELBOURNE: 
GRAND FINAL PRESS MONDAY
2012 NRL Premiership
By W D Nicolson 


The Dogs and Storm finished 1-2 in the regular season and now they've booked a Grand Final date with each other on the last Sunday in September. www.wdnicolson.com will have various blogs throughout the week taking in the Grand Final leadup.

Our Grand Final Show: Wed September 26!
Today we give you the best press from the mainstream press on the Grand Final... and we haven't filled it with dribble. So enjoy.

NOT The Footy Show will have Luke Patten on our Grand Final Show this week and our entire panel's choices for the 2012 Premiership will be on Wednesday's Grand Final Episode 128 on iTunes.

So here is www.wdnicolson.com's wrap of the Grand Final Press on Monday.

Sunday 23 September 2012

NRL 2012: Canterbury v Melbourne - Early Grand Final Thoughts

CANTERBURY v MELBOURNE: 
EARLY GRAND FINAL THOUGHTS
2012 NRL Premiership
By W D Nicolson 


The Dogs and Storm finished 1-2 in the regular season and now they've booked a Grand Final date with each other on the last Sunday in September.
Our Grand Final Show is out Wednesday Night September 26!
Now www.wdnicolson.com will be at ANZ Stadium on Sunday to take in not only the First Grade fixture but the Totoya Cup clash between Canberra and the Tigers and the NSW Cup GF between Newtown and the Tigers.

While the 1st Preliminary Final was a rout thanks to Manly not showing up and Melbourne putting the lifeless Sea Eagles out of their misery 40-12, the 2nd Preliminary Final was a far better game and worth of the semi final stage as Canterbury overcame the Bunnies 32-8.

NOT The Footy Show will have our entire panel's choices for the 2012 Premiership on Wednesday's Grand Final Episode 128 on iTunes.

But in the meantime - here are www.wdnicolson.com's early views on the Grand Final combatants.

Thursday 20 September 2012

NRL 2012: Finals Week 3 NRL Preview Tips Teams Predictions Late Mail Podcast Odds


NRL FINALS WEEK 3 TIPPING PREVIEW
By W D Nicolson 

Well we've reached the pointy end of the 2012 season everyone, and www.wdnicolson.com is cheering because as much as we enjoy bringing you our weekly preview, podcast and coveted Late Mail - we've only got one more edition after this one to go!

Happy days!

But that's with my team done in September after a surprising run into the finals, there are still four sets of fans who are living the dream for at least another week and here is a look at the odds entering the two Preliminary Finals.

The current premiership market as it stands after Week 2:
$2.75 - BULLDOGS (W1: $4.50, W2: $2.75)
$3.25 - STORM (W1: $4.00, W2: $3.50)
$4.00 - SEA EAGLES (W1: $3.00, W2: $6.00)
$5.75 - RABBITOHS (W1: $6.00, W2: $9.00)

Sea Eagles and even the Storm remain the value... as the big game experience of both teams gives them the edge once one of them get into the Grand Final. Dogs still too short unless they tear the Bunnies a new one on Saturday night.

If you want to hear who the NOT The Footy Show team likes for this weekend's Preliminary Finals - grab yourself our 84 minute NRL Finals Podcast (right click/save target as).

The Toyota Cup market after Week 2:
$3.00 - RAIDERS U20s (W1: $4.25, W2: $3.50)
$3.75 - ROOSTERS U20s (W1: $11.00, W2: $9.00)
$3.75 - DRAGONS U20s (W1: $21.00, W2: $11.00)
$4.00 - TIGERS U20s (W1: $6.00, W2: $3.75)

After Week 2 - Upset wins by the Roosters and Dragons make the Toyota Cup race interesting, as the Tigers and Raiders were the underdogs in their opening week semis... and now the Dogs and Warriors are gorn! Enjoy two good semis here people...

 | To the NRL Finals for Week 3 and NOT The Footy Show delivers a full preview of Melbourne v Manly and Canterbury v South Sydney plus plenty more (including a QLD Cup Grand Final Preview)... so join Warrick Nicolson, DC Chapman, Matthew Duncan and guest Adrian McMurray for Episode 127.

So grab NOT The Footy Show for 84 minutes of Rugby League!

Be sure to check all the Team news on the NRL Injured List which is updated every Tuesday afternoon - and the Podcast has plenty of insight on those selections and your Late Mail and Panel Picks are below.

All the panel's picks are below with their Special Fried Rice selections - which is our lock of the week but we can't choose the same team as what one of the other six tipsters has already selected.
NRL FINALS WEEK 3 PREVIEW - 2012
20/09 Odds are courtesy of Sportingbet Australia
For some more insight into the markets check out NOT The Footy Show's resident betting maestro's site GT Tips http://www.gttips.co.uk
All Kick-Offs are LOCAL time.
Finals Week 3 Late Mail... 
If you have any reputable mail - Let me know via @NRLTweet
#2 STORM $1.65 v $2.30 #4 SEA EAGLES (+3.5)
MEL: B Slater, S Waqa, D Nielsen, W Chambers, J O'Neill, G Widdop, C Cronk, J Bromwich, C Smith (c), B Norrie, S Manu, R Hoffman, R Hinchcliffe.
Bench: T Lowrie, J Ryles, J Lowe, K Proctor, R Kostjasyn, M Fonua, R Fa'aoso.
[Late Mail - Jason Ryles will miss with a hamstring injury, Richie Fa'aoso or Rory Kostjasyn will make the bench as his replacement. Mahe Fonua is on standby for Will Chambers and a dodgy hamstring. Sika Manu will play. ]
MAN: B Stewart, J Taufua, J Lyon (c), S Matai, D Whare, K Foran, D Cherry-Evans, J King (c), M Ballin, B Kite, A Watmough, T Williams, G Stewart.
Bench: J Buhrer, J Galuvao, D Lussick, V Mauro, G Rose.
[Late Mail - Jason King's shoulder is kaput but he will probably play anyway, meaning the last spot on the bench comes down to Vic Mauro v George Rose. ]
| BOTTOM LINE |
Great matchup worthy of a Grand Final without 'salary cap' issues... but instead we get them in a Prelim Final and that's the next best thing.
If the Storm hold the middle then the Big 3 win the game, but if Manly win the physical battle - they could do a number on the Storm... leaning home team, just.
Taking Storm in Melbourne... just worried about Manly's front row holding Bromwich if King is no good.. but Sea Eagles better than a $2.30 outsider in a Preliminary Final.

#1 BULLDOGS $1.48 v $2.72 #3 RABBITOHS (+6.0)
CBY: B Barba, S Perrett, J Morris, K Inu, J Wright, J Reynolds, K Keating, A Tolman, M Ennis (c), S Kasiano, F Pritchard, J Jackson, G Eastwood.
Bench: J Graham, D Finucane, C Payne, D Stagg, D Halatau.
[Late Mail - The Bulldogs only added Dene Halatau to their squad from the team that won in the semi final against Manly but there's only a slim chance he replaces someone on the bench. ]
SOU: G Inglis, N Merritt, C McQueen, D Farrell, A Everingham, J Sutton, A Reynolds, L Burgess, I Luke, R Asotasi, S Burgess, D Taylor, M Crocker.
Bench: N Peats, D Tyrrell, E Pettybourne, B Lowe, J Hunt, J Clark.
[Late Mail - Nathan Merritt is back on the wing with Justin Hunt going to the bench and Jason Clark is added to the squad as well. Luke Burgess starts at prop, Sam Burgess into the backrow (where he played last weekend) and Ben Lowe and Dave Tyrrell look set to keep their spots on the bench. ]
| BOTTOM LINE |
South Sydney are a team that has to click from the get go and they can be very hard to stop, the Dogs however have won a few games when not at their best - but great starts were a huge factor in their minor premiership run. If Souths do their homework they can shut down Canterbury's two most effective set moves. but the Dogs could harass the Bunnies into error to square the ledger... hopefully there's at least 60,000 there on Saturday at ANZ..
Souths aren't going great... and the Dogs are nicely rested. Down to Barba and Reynolds v Sutton and Luke... because Greg Inglis will be great regardless. Dogs by 6.

For more on how we see the Weekend unfolding, check out the Podcast and Preview below.

NOT The Footy Show Episode 127 - NRL Finals Week 3 Preview Podcast 2012

Just one win from the big one... and two wins from a ring.

NOT The Footy Show Episode 127 with Manly's Kieran Foran and Steve Matai on the eve of the Preliminary Finals.

Join hosts Warrick Nicolson and DC Chapman as they preview both Preliminary Finals: Melbourne v Manly and Canterbury v Souths with Matthew Duncan and Adrian McMurray.

We talk the sheer genius of the Video Referees these days, recap all the votes from Week 2 of the #NRLTweetPlayerofSeptember Award, Ask how has it been to be a South Sydney fan? Preview the Queensland Cup Grand Final between Redcliffe and Wynnum, Talk the standards that some mainstream media don't seem to get and predict more Over/Unders for the crowds at AAMI Park and ANZ Stadium this weekend.

NOT The Footy Show where you get a brand new Macca's burger to request next time you are out - for absolutely nothing... well just 84 minutes of your life.


NOT The Footy Show Episode 127
NRL Finals Week 3 Preview - Released Wednesday September 19, 2012
Right Click Save Target As This Link if you don't have iTunes for the MP3 File

Subscribe to the Podcast via this link / Download mp3 version

LIKE the show on Facebook for all the latest updates.
NOT The Footy Show will release another Podcast for our Grand Final Show next Wednesday September 25 AND A VIDEO!

Monday 17 September 2012

NRL 2012: Final Four Premiership X-Factors

FINAL FOUR 
PREMIERSHIP 
X-FACTORS
2012 NRL Premiership
By W D Nicolson 


Well time hasn't been overly kind so the content rich 2012 Finals Series that I had hoped to bring to www.wdnicolson.com hasn't really happened... but this might tide you over in the short-term.

The term 'x-factor' is so loosely used these days it appears to have been on an intern-ship at the Telegraph, but with just three games left to decide the 2012 Premiership - here is our look at the four players who have true premiership deciding x-factor written all over them.

Some are obvious... others might surprise.

NOT The Footy Show will have our entire panel's choices for their Final Four X-Factor on Wednesdays Episode 127 on iTunes.

FINAL FOUR X-FACTORS
BULLDOGS
Benjamin 'I Score Tries In My Sleep' BARBA
Really, honestly and truly - Barba is Canterbury's X-Factor.
Ok he was an obvious choice but he only just shadows Josh Reynolds - because both have the ability to lay on a try from nothing (and that's huge praise for Reynolds after just one season in the NRL as a starter).
Barba just needs to avoid getting smashed on kick returns early and he's the weapon that took the Bulldogs to the Minor Premiership and he came up with the play that decided the Qualifying Final against Manly.
But what makes Barba the special player he is?
He backs himself to make the play no matter what... though he's yet to get a chance to prove that is going to be the case in as big a game as this Saturday night.
He's been the face of the NRL this season, and he'll live up to that tag if he gets the Dogs into the decider.
STORM
Jesse 'My Middle Name Isn't James' BROMWICH
The real roughie on this list - for two reasons:
One - you aren't going to learn anything more about Billy Slater, Cameron Smith or Cooper Cronk that you didn't already know and Two - Melbourne's title challenge will come down to their ability to hold a team in the ruck.
And that's where Bromwich and Jason Ryles (if fit) come in.
The Storm's biggest issue isn't whether or not the Big Three fire - but whether their pack is good enough when the top sides apply the blowtorch in the middle. So Bromwich's combination of size, footwork and knowledge of his role in the team in particular - makes him Melbourne's x-factor in providing the opposition with a problem up front.
If Bromwich fires, then the Cronk-Slater-Smith three-headed monster can do what they do best.
RABBITOHS
Greg 'Just Give Me The Ball Please' INGLIS
No-brainer in the sense that he is the BEST Big Game Player in the Game.
Yes there may be better overall players (though not many) in the game but when the big games come around - Inglis has won more games than anyone due to his influence.
Inglis just imposes himself on the game with a will that has just grown and grown since he was part of that Storm run to the Grand Final in 2006.
If Souths have got half a brain - Inglis touches the ball almost every time in an attacking set of six and if he does - they are a great chance of not only beating the Dogs but maybe Manly or Melbourne the week after.
SEA EAGLES
Kieran 'I Didn't Touch The Ball' FORAN
It could've been Daly Cherry-Evans but I've gone with Foran because he holds the key to Manly's left edge being a factor in a big game.
Foran wasn't dubbed by Peter Sterling as the best young player in the game for no reason before Manly won the title last year, and though injury has slowed him this season - he's still got arguably the best go to the line pass in the game.
The reason that pass is so devastating is because he's got Tony Williams next to him and Steve Matai and Hip Hip Jorge Taufua are pretty handy options if he decides to go long rather than short to T-Rex. Then there's a guy called Brett Stewart who can also chime into that left edge... can you say handy?
Foran hasn't been the force in defence this year, but I get the feeling he's waiting to the biggest games of the season to re-announce that side of his game to the NRL.
WHO ARE YOUR FINAL FOUR PREMIERSHIP X-FACTORS?
Just give me one good reason.
NOT The Footy Show Episode 127
Out Wednesday Night September 17

Subscribe to the Podcast via this link

LIKE the show on Facebook for all the latest updates.
NOT The Footy Show will release another Podcast this Wednesday night - September 19 with our Preliminary Finals Preview.