#NRL 2013: Round 16 Tips Late Mail Predictions Preview #NRLLateMail #NRLDT #Supercoach

ROUND 16 TIPS and LATE MAIL
Plus The Postman's NRL Dream Team/NRL Super Coach Picks

2013 NRL Premiership

By W D Nicolson - June 27, 2013
Follow @NRLTweet

EXTRA LATEST OF LATE MAIL ADDED THROUGHOUT ROUND
ALL EXPERT PICKS AND SPECIAL FRIED RICE ADDED AS RECEIVED

So QLD won Game 2 huh?

Moving right along... nothing to see here, we're going to a decider - less said about my Lang Park experience the better... it was handy, bar the result of course.

So the big Late Mail news is Cameron Smith, James Maloney and Paul Gallen definitely won't back up (and Trent Merrin is suspended for a week)... so The Postman's advice is below - TIME TO FRET!

To the tips!

#NRL 2013: Thurston and Parker split Game 2 #OriginMOTM Votes as Inglis surges in #NRLTweetPOTY

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Inglis in pole-position? Plus Origin 2 Votes.
@NRLTweet Player of the Year Leaderboard after Round 15

2013 NRL Premiership

By W D Nicolson - June 28, 2013
Follow @NRLTweet

With 15 Rounds in the books for 2013, here is a look at the current leaderboard in the The @NRLTweet Player of the Year Awards. Plus we reveal which Queenslanders featured heavily in the Man of the Match Votes from Origin 2.

| @NRLTweet Player of the Year Awards Leaderboard after 15 rounds below |

Round 15

Cronk's POTY lead dwindling as Inglis and Thurston close in...

Melbourne's Cooper Cronk still has the lead in the 2013 #NRLTweetPOTY Awards but his QLD team-mates Greg Inglis and Johnathan Thurston are now within striking distance through 15 rounds of the year.

#NRL 2013: 15th Complete Set - Extra NRL? QLD's reaction? June 30 signings and more | #NRLTweetPOTY Votes for Round 15

15th COMPLETE SET: Channel Nine wants more NRL? How will QLD react? June 30 movement and more...
Round 15 News and Views and @NRLTweet Player of the Year Votes
2013 NRL Premiership
By W D Nicolson - June 24, 2013
Follow @NRLTweet

This is a regular feature on www.wdnicolson.com - every week we will post a Set of 6 Tackles that form a Complete Set by the end of the Round. It also features Votes from Round 15 of The @NRLTweet Player of the Year Awards. Let us know what you think of each topic via @NRLTweet

ROUND 15 #NRLTweetPOTY VOTES plus more below...

#Origin 2013: Mal Meninga on a Bicycle...

ORIGIN II: Mal Meninga on a bicycle...
Origin 2 Analysis - Wednesday June 26 in Brisbane

2013 NRL Premiership

By W D Nicolson - June 21, 2013
Follow @NRLTweet

Enjoy

Follow @NRLTweet

#Origin 2013: QLD v NSW Game 2 Team Analysis - What's doing QLD? #StateofOrigin

ORIGIN II TEAMS: QLD v NSW Team Analysis
Origin 2 Squads for June 26 in Brisbane

2013 NRL Premiership

By W D Nicolson - June 20, 2013
Follow @NRLTweet

A man walks into a bar...

Was it Blake, Josh, George or Mal?

Okay admittedly that's the first joke I've written in a very long time... that is actually half decent. So forgive me for leading the Game 2 Team Analysis with it.

Here are my thoughts on the teams picked for Game 2... prepare yourself, it isn't a big bouquet of rosy endorsements.

2013 State of Origin Schedule
Game 1: NSW 14 def. QLD 6 at ANZ Stadium, Sydney – June 5
Game 2: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane – June 26
Game 3: ANZ Stadium, Sydney – July 17

QLD SQUAD FOR GAME 2
Analysis: Where have all the front rowers gone?

QLD's greatest strength through their streak (after the fact they've got 6 or 7 uberstars) has been their prop rotation and due to injury and retirement they went into Game 1 without Ben Hannant and Petero Civoniceva from the 2012 series... and got beaten in the middle.
So instead of bolstering Matthew Scott and David Shillington with another prop or two - they dropped Shillington for a backrower (admittedly a handy one in Josh Papalii) and replaced another forward - Ashley Harrison with a halfback in Daly Cherry-Evans.

What's doing QLD?

Are you scared that NSW's somewhat mobile team has the right formula?
Well you shouldn't be.
Game 1 was NSW's for two reasons: 1. NSW won the ruck emphatically in the 1st half, and 2. QLD's superstars weren't allowed to get into the game as a result.
So why wouldn't you pick a team that can wrest some dominance back in the middle and let your superstars have more than a couple of chances in Game 2?

Evidently - that's not the plan.

#NRL 2013: Round 15 Tips Late Mail Predictions Preview #NRLLateMail #NRLDT #Supercoach

ROUND 15 TIPS and LATE MAIL
Plus The Postman's NRL Dream Team/NRL Super Coach Picks

2013 NRL Premiership

By W D Nicolson - June 19, 2013
Follow @NRLTweet

EXTRA LATEST OF LATE MAIL ADDED THROUGHOUT ROUND
ALL EXPERT PICKS AND SPECIAL FRIED RICE ADDED AS RECEIVED

Continue reading below for the Round 15 Tipping Preview.

A man walks into a bar...

Was it Blake, Josh, George or Mal?!

Anyhoo... onto the footy. Origin 2 is next Wednesday in Brisbane - so only 8 teams are playing in Round 15,  and of those 8 teams - they don't have their Origin stars.

So realistically - don't expect much in terms of quality this weekend, but hopefully a game or two is half decent and the stars who are still playing do the business.

To the tips!

#NRL 2013: 14th Complete Set - Paging Dr Dugan and Super Sunday rules | #NRLTweetPOTY Votes for Round 14

14th COMPLETE SET: Long live Super Sunday, Dr Dugan, Jamie's Jet Plane and more...
Round 14 News and Views and @NRLTweet Player of the Year Votes
2013 NRL Premiership
By W D Nicolson - June 17, 2013
Follow @NRLTweet

This is a regular feature on www.wdnicolson.com - every week we will post a Set of 6 Tackles that form a Complete Set by the end of the Round. It also features Votes from Round 14 of The @NRLTweet Player of the Year Awards. Let us know what you think of each topic via @NRLTweet

ROUND 14 #NRLTweetPOTY VOTES plus more below

#NRL 2013: Top 10 Things of NRL Season 2013 so far | #NRLTweetPOTY Team of Year Update

1ST HALF RECAP: Ten things we like from Rounds 1-13...
@NRLTweet Player of the Year Team of the Year so far

2013 NRL Premiership

By W D Nicolson - June 14, 2013
Follow @NRLTweet

With 13 Rounds complete in 2013 and every team now having played half their regular season schedule, here is a look at the Top 10 Things www.wdnicolson.com likes about the NRL Season so far.

TOP 10 BEST

So what have been the best things to happen so far in Season 2013?

The team at www.wdnicolson.com put this list together... it isn't all encompassing but all we're going for is interesting....

| @NRLTweet Player of the Year Team of the Year after 13 rounds is also below |

#NRL 2013: Round 14 Tips Late Mail Predictions Preview #NRLLateMail #NRLDT #Supercoach

ROUND 14 TIPS and LATE MAIL
Plus The Postman's NRL Dream Team/NRL Super Coach Picks

2013 NRL Premiership

By W D Nicolson - June 12, 2013
Follow @NRLTweet

EXTRA LATEST OF LATE MAIL ADDED THROUGHOUT ROUND
ALL EXPERT PICKS AND SPECIAL FRIED RICE ADDED AS RECEIVED

Continue reading below for the Round 14 Tipping Preview.

Halfway home...

The second half of the 2013 NRL Regular Season officially begins this weekend, and looking at the ladder - we've got three quality sides, a decent side and a bunch of pretenders.

South Sydney and Melbourne are the standard, with the Roosters showing they can back up their early season surge. Manly have dropped away in recent weeks without Brett Stewart - but remain by far and away the fourth best side in the competition.

Then you've got the Gold Coast in 5th with 7 wins from 12 starts... that's not bad (and the same amount of wins as Manly it must be noted) and then a run of mediocre teams:

Cronulla, Canterbury and Canberra have 14 points (at least 6 wins) to round out the Top 8, followed by Newcastle and Penrith 12 points (at least 5 wins) and then Brisbane, St George Illawarra, Warriors and Tigers have 10 points (at least 4 wins).

Not that far behind - though they bring up the rear in 15th and 16th - North Queensland and Parramatta have 8 points (Cows have 4 wins, Eels have a league low 3).

Oh and if you are wondering why some teams are on the same amount of points but have less wins... that's the beauty of the BYE.

It's a little confusing for teams to get 2 points for doing nothing, but for some reason giving teams 2 points for a bye is apparently more logical than not giving them any points for doing nothing - per the official premiership ladder scoring system.

In short - 3 teams are playoff certainties, Manly are too good to miss out from here and the rest are playing for the other 4 openings in the Top 8.

Welcome to the 2nd half of 2013.

To the tips! Plus The Postman has gone nuts with Fantasy Advice this week...

#NRL 2013: 13th Complete Set - Stuart sends a message | #NRLTweetPOTY Votes for Round 13

13th COMPLETE SET: Mediocre footy reigns over mid-season...
Round 13 News and Views and @NRLTweet Player of the Year Votes

2013 NRL Premiership

By W D Nicolson - June 10, 2013
Follow @NRLTweet

This is a regular feature on www.wdnicolson.com - every week we will post a Set of 6 Tackles that form a Complete Set by the end of the Round. It also features Votes from Round 13 of The @NRLTweet Player of the Year Awards. Let us know what you think of each topic via @NRLTweet

ROUND 13 #NRLTweetPOTY VOTES Below...
PLUS: Stuart sends a message, Gus is eloquently ropeable, too many dud teams leave Top 8 race wide open, Quotes and more...

#NRL 2013: Carney makes his move as Lewis takes #Origin Votes | #NRLTweetPOTY Leaderboard + Team Top 5

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Carney makes his move
@NRLTweet Player of the Year Leaderboard after Round 12

2013 NRL Premiership

By W D Nicolson - June 7, 2013
Follow @NRLTweet

With 12 Rounds in the books for 2013, here is a look at the current leaderboard in the The @NRLTweet Player of the Year Awards. Also included is the Man of the Match Votes from Origin 1.

| @NRLTweet Player of the Year Awards Leaderboard after 12 rounds below |

#NRL 2013: Round 13 Tips Late Mail Predictions Preview #NRLLateMail #NRLDT #Supercoach

ROUND 13 TIPS and LATE MAIL
Plus The Postman's NRL Dream Team/NRL Super Coach Picks

2013 NRL Premiership

By W D Nicolson - June 6, 2013
Follow @NRLTweet

EXTRA LATEST OF LATE MAIL ADDED THROUGHOUT ROUND
ALL EXPERT PICKS AND SPECIAL FRIED RICE ADDED AS RECEIVED

Continue reading below for the Round 13 Tipping Preview.

Game 1 @ ANZ Stadium
NSW 14 QLD 6

So who backs up?

With Origin 1 in the books and NSW taking a rather commanding 1-0 lead (as 1-0 leads go after losing 7 straight series) after a 14-6 win over QLD - attention turns to which Origin players will backup in Round 13 of the NRL this weekend.

Origin 1 wasn't as brutal as ones we have seen in the past, but a number of stars are in doubt to backup and at least one - Robbie Farah - might not be right even for Game 2 in Brisbane in late June.

For those playing at home - South Sydney are the unofficial Minor Premiers of the halfway mark of the competition, as they have a bye this weekend and will maintain at least a one point lead on Melbourne through 13 rounds.

The reason this went up Thursday night instead of its usual Wednesday afternoon slot - ORIGIN. No point putting out Late Mail before a game like Origin... and of course, injuries/resting players impact who we all tip right?

To the tips!

#Origin 2013: Game 1 Picks + #OriginMOTM Voters

Obviously... GO THE BLUES!

ORIGIN 1 PREDICTIONS:
The rest of our panel's picks are on the Podcast
Pick the Score (Margin): 
NSW 19 QLD 12 (NSW by 7)
HT Score: 
NSW 13 QLD 6
Over/Under 33.5 total points: Under
1st Tryscorer: Michael Jennings
Last Tryscorer: Greg Inglis
Man of the Match: Robbie Farah
1st Error: Brent Tate
1st Penalty Conceded: Sam Thaiday
Over/Under 6.5 Penalties: Over
Most Tries: G Inglis v M Jennings v Tie = TIE
Most Tackles: C Smith v R Farah +0.5 = Farah with 56
Most Runs: J Tamou +0.5 v M Scott = Scott with 18
2013 ORIGIN SERIES PREDICTION:
Game 1: NSW by 7
Game 2: QLD by 4
Game 3: NSW by 2
NSW win series 2-1... Feel free to post your picks below.

And if you need to fill an hour of your Wednesday waiting for the game... give our one-off Origin Special a chance to take the edge off the wait.

NOT The Footy Show Episode 129

2013 State of Origin Special - Released Saturday June 1, 2013

Click here for the MP3 Download

#Origin 2013: NSW v QLD Game 1 Last Word... #uptheblues #QLDer

GO THE BLUES!

And if you need to fill an hour of your Wednesday waiting for the game... give our one-off Origin Special a chance to take the edge off the wait.

NOT The Footy Show Episode 129

2013 State of Origin Special - Released Saturday June 1, 2013

Click here for the MP3 Download

#Origin 2013: State of Origin Preview Podcast Special | NOT The Footy Show Episode 129

The team reunites for an hour and a bit of Origin chat, a dash of fun and perhaps, some frivolity.

Warrick Nicolson is joined in studio by Nic McInerney and Dave Chapman to preview The State of Origin Series and Game 1 with guests Jake Hauritz, Matthew Duncan and a special appearance by the Queen of Rugby League Maria Tsialis.

We're not coming back by any means but we thought this might be a good excuse to catch up with friends and a treat to those fans who actually miss us every week.

We'd love to hear if you enjoyed the show and who knows we might see you again if the Blues win the series!

More Rugby League at www.wdnicolson.com

NOT The Footy Show Episode 129

2013 State of Origin Special - Released Saturday June 1, 2013


Right Click Save Target As This Link if you don't have iTunes for the MP3 File

---

Download mp3 version

---

Waz, DC and Nic... together one last time

LIKE the show on Facebook to discuss the Special.
NOT The Footy Show is no longer running every week... there's still plenty of NRL content at www.wdnicolson.com however, so check it out.
ORIGIN 1 PREDICTION CATEGORIES: 
Our Panel's picks are on the Podcast
Pick the Score (Margin): ?
(ie. NSW 44 QLD 4 gives you NSW by 40)
HT Score: ?
Over/Under 33.5 total points: ?
1st Tryscorer: ?
Last Tryscorer: ?
Man of the Match: ?
1st Error: ?
1st Penalty Conceded: ?
Over/Under 6.5 Penalties: ?
Most Tries: G Inglis v M Jennings v Tie
Most Tackles: C Smith v R Farah +0.5
Most Runs: J Tamou +0.5 v M Scott
2013 SERIES PREDICTION:
Game 1:
Game 2:
Game 3:

Feel free to post your picks below.