Wednesday, 4 September 2013

#NRL 2013: Round 26 Tips Late Mail Predictions Preview #NRLDT #Supercoach #NRLLateMail

ROUND 26 TIPS and LATE MAIL
Plus The Postman's NRL Dream Team/NRL Super Coach Picks

2013 NRL Premiership

By W D Nicolson - September 4, 2013


EXTRA LATEST OF LATE MAIL ADDED THROUGHOUT ROUND
ALL EXPERT PICKS AND SPECIAL FRIED RICE ADDED AS RECEIVED
View 2013 @NRLTweet PLAYER OF THE YEAR Final Public LEADERBOARD
Forget the Minor Premiership battle...
NRL LADDER |

The games that will decide your Tipping League will be as follows:
Broncos v Bulldogs and Raiders v Sharks.

All the other games - Dragons v Warriors, Storm v Titans, Cowboys v Tigers, Sea Eagles v Panthers and Knights v Eels are no-brainers - you HAVE to take the favourite. But with the Rabbitohs v Roosters being a toss of the coin job - who you pick on Thursday Night and Sunday Night will decide your final position.

If you get all 3 right - you will win your Tipping Comp... that is if you didn't already have an insurmountable lead to start Round 26 with.

Grab the latest Podcast of NOT The Footy Show: Mundane Ferguson with Maria and Waz plus Rd26 talk and a shout out to Luke Douglas. Go get it.

This is the final regular season round so let me take this opportunity to thank you for your patronage of www.wdnicolson.com throughout the 2013 season and for the last few years. I'm not sure if we'll be back next year despite great numbers every week but for the time being - thank you for searching for our Injured List and Tips every single week.

Alternatively there is this thing called 'Bookmarking a webpage' so that might be handy next time around...

And also thanks to our regular tipsters - Jake Hauritz, Matthew Duncan and Dave Chapman, well really just Jake because the other two haven't exactly tipped sensationally this season - unlike Jake who had a tipping season for the ages.

The upside is you will be able to hear each of these guys on NOT The Footy Show's Podcasts through September - so there's that.

Anyhoo - #NRLTweetPOTY Award voting allocation is below as is the rest of what you need for your weekend of footy.

Latest of Late Mail and Round 26 Tips below!

For our analysis of Tuesday team selections for Round 26 - click here.

As far as Late Mail goes the rolling lockout for all you NRL Dream Team and NRL Super Coach nerds should have allowed you to make any last minute changes quite easily, but once again our Latest of Late Mail should help in any selections you make before the round begins.


@NRLTweet Player of the Year
Track live round votes via #NRLTweetPOTY

Check out the Round 20 Leaderboard before it goes silent

Voting Allocation for Round 26 of the NRL is below.

NRL TIPPING PREVIEW + LATE MAIL
ROUND 26, 2013
Wednesday Odds Courtesy of Sportingbet | NRL LADDER
Thursday 7:45pm at Suncorp Stadium
BRONCOS $2.45 v $1.57 BULLDOGS
FOOTYTAB: BRI +4.5
Tuesday Teams Analysed on NRL Injured List
@NRLTweet Player of the Year Award Voters:
| Matthew Duncan @mrpeninsula Matt Trodden @trods2906 |
Track live round votes via #NRLTweetPOTY
@NRLTweet's PREDICTION:
Brisbane can't make the playoffs... but Canterbury could drop to 6th if they lose. That said it really doesn't make any difference to the Bulldogs' semi final position (as 5th and 6th get a home elimination final in Week 1) but the impending return of Ben Barba is interesting. If he plays (which seems likely given he got on the plane to Brisbane) then Canterbury probably win... but I really can't get behind the way the Bulldogs are playing right now. It's not like they are playing poorly but Barba makes them that much better... if he's able to hit the ground running. And Brisbane may have got run down by the Knights but the Sam Thaiday sin binning was a huge turning point (and the right decision mind you)... I'll take Brisbane at home for their last game of the season, mainly because I'm not convinced that the Bulldogs will play with enough intensity in this game given they are safely in the Top 8. I'm expecting somewhat of a shootout though... Brisbane will throw caution to the wind here.
Broncos by 4 points.
LATEST OF LATE MAIL:
Broncos - Expected to be 1-17 with Anderson missing out on the bench. Kahu is not over a quad strain, so Maranta holds his spot.
Bulldogs - The comeback everyone's been waiting for seems on - Barba flew to Brisbane and needs to pass a fitness test on his ankle within the next 24 hours to play. Morris would go to the centres and Lafai would either miss out entirely or go onto the bench for Taupau or Browne. Burr may yet make the final bench (that is if he flew out of course).
PRE-GAME UPDATE? Barba is playing but off the bench, Graham also moves to bench and Kasiano starts Taupau out. Broncos 1-17.
Friday 7:45pm at ANZ Stadium
RABBITOHS $1.55 v $2.50 ROOSTERS
FOOTYTABSYD +4.5
Tuesday Teams Analysed on NRL Injured List
@NRLTweet Player of the Year Award Voters:
| Warrick Nicolson @NRLTweet Maria Tsialis @mtsialis |
Track live round votes via #NRLTweetPOTY
@NRLTweet's PREDICTION:
Great matchup on paper... playing for the Minor Premiership and all that - but the Roosters are struggling for impact from their bench of late (arguably their greatest improvement under Trent Robinson's coaching directly vs the influx of key talent like Jennings, Maloney and SBW) and are missing the depth that having O'Donnell, Cordner and Kennedy provided. Souths on the other hand looked like they could drop to 3rd or 4th a few weeks ago when Melbourne crushed them... and now are in the box seat for the Minor Premiership we thought they'd won 2 months ago. Souths to win but the Roosters (even with no Tuivasa-Sheck and lack of quality on the bench) could give them a run for their money if the Bunnies start as unfocussed as they did against the Tigers last Friday. Hopefully ANZ has 50,000+ fans as well, but low 40,000s seems more likely.
Rabbitohs by 1 point.
LATEST OF LATE MAIL:
Rabbitohs - Inglis will play and the Bunnies are unlikely to change a winning combination here.
Roosters - Aubusson is in doubt after a head knock last weekend forced him off, how close is Kennedy... the Roosters say Finals Series but if he's close enough... may come in for Arona this Friday. Tuivasa-Sheck will not play this week.
PRE-GAME UPDATE? SBW is playing. Aubusson will not play with Guerra into the centres, Napa starts in the backrow and Kennedy in on the bench - which we mentioned on Wednesday. Luke Burgess is out with Clark coming in on the bench and Thomas Burgess starting at prop.
Saturday 3:00pm at WIN Stadium
DRAGONS $3.80 v $1.28 WARRIORS
FOOTYTABSTI +8.5
Tuesday Teams Analysed on NRL Injured List
@NRLTweet Player of the Year Award Voters:
| Justin Davies @dragonpunk12 Adrian McMurray @adrmcm |
Track live round votes via #NRLTweetPOTY
@NRLTweet's PREDICTION:
Warriors will enter this game with the knowledge that all they have to do is win and they give themselves hope for a playoff spot... they think about anything else - like IF the Cowboys or Knights win or lose and the Dragons could beat them. If ever Matt Elliott needed to prove his worth as a coach it is getting his 17 Warriors to focus on winning their game and worrying about nothing else. They can worry after fulltime with 2 points in hand and a temporary spot in the Top 8... think of anything else and they could hand the Cowboys and Knights a playoff spot without even breaking a sweat.
Warriors by 18 points.
LATEST OF LATE MAIL:
Dragons - Will Drinkwater finally start? Not likely... Fien to stay at 7 and move to 9 when Rein is benched for whatever reason Price comes up with this week.
Warriors - Nielsen is touch and go and Ropati may be ruled out as soon as tmw... check back for more then. Laumape and Peyroux would start if both miss with the SS Taukeiaho getting a berth on the bench.
PRE-GAME UPDATE? Ropati/Nielsen out, Laumape/Peyroux start. Dragons lose Frizell and Vidot, with Matthews and Green replacing them.
Saturday 5:30pm at AAMI Park
STORM $1.11 v $7.00 TITANS
FOOTYTABGLD +24.5
Tuesday Teams Analysed on NRL Injured List
@NRLTweet Player of the Year Award Voters:
| Matt Vickers @mercurialmattyv Adrian McMurray @adrmcm |
Track live round votes via #NRLTweetPOTY
@NRLTweet's PREDICTION:
The Titans may have stunned the Roosters... but there's no way known Melbourne lose here. Never been more confident of anything tip wise in my life... Yet start wise the TAB are pretty spot on... still the Storm will win, doesn't matter by how many - they'll just WIN BABY!
Storm by 28 points.
LATEST OF LATE MAIL:
Storm - Widdop will play QLD Cup... or maybe if Bellamy is convinced he's ready - come off the bench for the Storm. Kenny Bromwich's spot looks the most vulnerable with Moors and Setu also playing QLD Cup now.
Titans - Kelly and Bailey should play despite being dusty after Sunday's win, while Ioane is likely to come in for Myles who is next to no hope after tearing ankle ligaments. Idris is not expected back this year but check who flies out of the Gold Coast first!
PRE-GAME UPDATE? Storm 1-17, Titans bring Ioane in for Myles.
Saturday 7:30pm at 1300SMILES Stadium
COWBOYS $1.13 v $6.35 TIGERS
FOOTYTABWTG +16.5
Tuesday Teams Analysed on NRL Injured List
@NRLTweet Player of the Year Award Voters:
| Matthew Duncan @mrpeninsula Ben Hoese @gunnermcdagget |
Track live round votes via #NRLTweetPOTY
@NRLTweet's PREDICTION:
I like the Tigers... not to win as a straight out pick but at +16.5 I think that flatters the Cowboys minus Matthew Scott. The Cowboys now hold their Top 8 destiny in their own hands and I can't see the hottest player in the game right now - Johnathan Thurston (no I wasn't about to write Rory Kostjasyn) won't let it slip... surely? Most important aspect of this match is the Warriors play before them in the afternoon - so the Cowboys will know if they have to win or not to make the playoffs. Which is why I'm tipping the Tigers with the start deluxe - just can't see the Cowboys blowing them away... plus it is the last time Farah and Marshall will play together - I think that's another key factor.
Cowboys by 4 points.
LATEST OF LATE MAIL:
Cowboys - Will be interesting to see if Feldt is recalled for Ulugia as a prelude to their semi final squad... if they win of course. Unlikely to see any changes otherwise.
Tigers - Bell or Spence as the final man on the bench looks like the only decision, Pettybourne is playing NSW Cup but is unlikely to force his way into the NRL squad.
PRE-GAME UPDATE? Cowboys bring Taumalolo in for Thorby, while the Tigers bring Bell in for Seumanufagai.
Sunday 2:00pm at Brookvale Oval
SEA EAGLES $1.17 v $5.25 PANTHERS
FOOTYTABPEN +18.5
Tuesday Teams Analysed on NRL Injured List
@NRLTweet Player of the Year Award Voters:
| Ben Hoese @gunnermcdagget Warrick Nicolson @NRLTweet |
Track live round votes via #NRLTweetPOTY
@NRLTweet's PREDICTION:
Manly are seriously down on troops but do you really want to pick Penrith at Brookvale? After all you probably picked Melbourne last weekend and got egg on your face right? As long as DCE, Foran and Ballin are fit - you pick Manly at Brookie. Penrith might fight early but their season was over when they rolled over at home to the Cowboys a month ago. Manly please.
Sea Eagles by 14 points.
LATEST OF LATE MAIL:
Sea Eagles - Manly will not risk their injured brigade as they'll play in Sydney regardless of Sunday's result. Will Symonds start on the wing? Doubtful - may depend on Manly's 2nd tier cap situation more than anything if he does.
Panthers - Only question is whether or not Latimore beats out Smith for that final bench spot, you'd expect Latimore given he was playing good footy before being surprisingly dropped for Plum last weekend. Newton is in doubt with a head knock so Smith may yet play.
PRE-GAME UPDATE? Trbojevic and Gutherson debut, Lawrence rested, Sene-Lefao left out. Symonds to bench. Panthers 1-17 with Smith 18th man.
Sunday 3:00pm at Hunter Stadium
KNIGHTS $1.07 v $9.00 EELS
FOOTYTABPAR +18.5
Tuesday Teams Analysed on NRL Injured List
@NRLTweet Player of the Year Award Voters:
| Greg Delaney @gregdelaney84 Nigel Wilbow @parramatters |
Track live round votes via #NRLTweetPOTY
@NRLTweet's PREDICTION:
If Gidley was playing (he isn't and you can now write off the Knights in September) then Newcastle might win this by 40... He had an injury interrupted year but he looked the goods against Brisbane before hurting himself scoring a try... Tyrone Roberts is the kind of kid who will look a million bucks v Parra this weekend and then won't be sighted in the semi final a week later. Still Jarrod Mullen will pick the Eels back three apart - so Knights win. Just maybe not by 40... though Eels played their 'up' game last week and are liable to switch off again this week.
Knights by 16 points.
LATEST OF LATE MAIL:
Knights - Smith remains a game time decision so don't be surprised if he's rested - especially if the Cowboys or Warriors lose on Saturday and he doesn't need to play. Gower may also be added to the bench but if he's not right then Hilder will apparently get the call.
Eels - Will Hayne make the trip up the F3? Well probably but whether or not he'll strap the boots on is an entirely different matter... doubtful at best.
PRE-GAME UPDATE? Hilder will play and replaces Tetevano who will go to NSW Cup.
Sunday 7:00pm at Canberra Stadium
RAIDERS $2.00 v $1.83 SHARKS
FOOTYTABCAN +4.5
Tuesday Teams Analysed on NRL Injured List
@NRLTweet Player of the Year Award Voters:
| Matt Spillane @devonhead Warrick Nicolson @NRLTweet |
Track live round votes via #NRLTweetPOTY
@NRLTweet's PREDICTION:
Canberra will not face a full-strength Cronulla team on Sunday night but as long as Todd Carney plays - it's hard to pick against the Sharks. Canberra look disinterested in defending right now - so if Carney gets some time and space he'll carve the Raiders up like a Christmas Cake. If Canberra do get permission to play Mitch Cornish then that makes the game somewhat interesting for Canberra fans but truth be told - the rest of the Canberra team clocked off the day the Storm ran 68 points by them... when Canberra sat in 7th spot. Cronulla might also have a sniff at 5th here... not that it matters really as we explained in the Bulldogs preview. Just can't see Canberra fighting unless Cornish plays... you know the whole 'show the rookie we care' factor.
Sharks by 8 points.
LATEST OF LATE MAIL:
Raiders - Cornish plays if the NRL lets him... but they didn't so Williams is likely to get a recall at halfback. Berrigan may also start in his last NRL game with McCrone going where he belongs - the bench.
Sharks - In addition to Gallen missing through suspension and Bukuya/Graham being rested - expect Lewis to get a spell also. Cronulla have plenty of depth up front to play the rest card. Carney had his week off to get right last Sunday, he'll play to tune himself up for the semis... well you think that'd make sense if his hamstring strain isn't as minor as we were led to believe last week.
PRE-GAME UPDATE? Cornish is not allowed to play.
What are your tips for Round 26? 
Let us know by commenting below or replying on Twitter.




@NRLTWEET's 2013 TIPPING RECORD 
TIPPING TOTAL AFTER 25 ROUNDS - 115/184 @ 62.5%
FOOTYTAB TOTAL AFTER 25 ROUNDS - 93/184 @ 50.5%
SPECIAL FRIED RICE involves each tipster taking a 'certainty' in a set order, with the tipster with the highest score at the end of the year literally winning a mountain of Special Fried Rice. The SFR Order rotates every week and is a fun way to put your rice where your mouth is.
ROUND 26 SELECTIONS | The Awesome Foursome
@NRLTweet
Warrick D. Nicolson, The NRL Tweet
TIPPING:
Broncos Rabbitohs Warriors Storm Cowboys Sea Eagles Knights Sharks
LW: 3/8 | SEASON: 115/184
FOOTYTAB:
BRI +4.5 SYD +4.5 WAR -8.5 MEL -24.5
WTG +16.5 PEN +18.5 NEW -18.5 CRO -4.5
LW: 1/8 | SEASON: 93/184
Special Fried Rice: KNIGHTS over Eels (Has 3rd Pick)
Season SFR: 17.5/25
CAN4 CBY3 SOU2 MEL1 CRO4 MAN3 SYD2 SYD1 SOU4 MEL3 NQL2 SOU1 MEL4 CRO3 CBY2 SOU1 SOU4 CBY3 CAN2 CBY1 SOU4 BRI3 WAR2 MEL1 MEL4 NEW3
TIPPING:
Broncos Roosters Warriors Storm Cowboys Sea Eagles Eels Raiders
LW: 3/8 | SEASON: 98/184
FOOTYTAB:
BRI +4.5 SYD +4.5 WAR -8.5 MEL -24.5
WTG +16.5 PEN +18.5 PAR +18.5 CAN +4.5
LW: 1/8 | SEASON: 88/184
Special Fried Rice: STORM over Titans (Has 1st Pick)
Season SFR: 16/25
SOU2 SOU1 MAN4 PAR3 NQL2 MEL1 BRI4 WAR3 STI2 BRI1 NEW4 NEW3 CBY2 SOU1 MEL4 NEW3 SYD2 BRI1 WAR4 BRI3 MEL2 MEL1 BRI4 NA3 SYD2 MEL1
@Horry37
Jake Hauritz, Channel 9 Darwin
TIPPING:
Broncos Rabbitohs Warriors Storm Cowboys Sea Eagles Knights Sharks
LW: 3/8 | SEASON: 125/184
FOOTYTAB:
BRI +4.5 SOU -4.5 STI +8.5 MEL -24.5
NQL -16.5 PEN +18.5 PAR +18.5 CRO -4.5
LW: 0/8 | SEASON: 92/184
Special Fried Rice: COWBOYS over Tigers (Has 4th Pick)
Season SFR: 17/25
MEL1 BRI4 MEL3 CRO2 MEL1 CAN4 NQL3 MEL2 MEL1 CAN4 MAN3 CBY2 SYD1 BRI4 CAN3 MEL2 MEL1 MAN4 MAN3 SOU2 MAN1 CBY4 CRO3 NA2 SOU1 NQL4
@MrDC
DC Chapman, League Lover
TIPPING:
Bulldogs Rabbitohs Warriors Storm Cowboys Sea Eagles Knights Sharks
LW: 5/8 | SEASON: 114/184
FOOTYTAB:
CBY -4.5 SOU -4.5 WAR -8.5 GLD +24.5
NQL -16.5 MAN -18.5 NEW -18.5 CRO -4.5
LW: 3/8 | SEASON: 82/184
Special Fried Rice: SEA EAGLES over Panthers (Has 2nd Pick)
Season SFR: 16.5/25
NEW3 MAN2 CRO1 NEW4 SOU3 NEW2 MEL1 NEW4 BRI3 SOU2 SOU1 GLD4 PEN3 MEL2 SOU1 STI4 MAN3 PEN2 SOU1 MAN4 NEW3 SYD2 SYD1 SYD4 STI3 MAN2
The NRL Injury List is updated regularly during each week of the season, making it an invaluable Fantasy and Tipping Tool alongside our Weekly NRL Previews once again.
Remember if you want game-specific Late Mail every week, then check out our Round Previews Every Wednesday and they are updated with all the very latest Late Mail on Friday.
Who will take Ben Barba's mantle as champion in the 4th Annual @NRLTweet Player of the Year Awards?

The Prestigious Award is closing in on naming a new champion in 2013.
@NRLTweet Player of the Year Award Voters:
Warrick Nicolson @NRLTweet | Nigel Wilbow @parramatters
Justin Davies @dragonpunk12 | Greg Delaney @gregdelaney84
Matt Spillane @devonhead | Matt Trodden @trods2906
Matt Vickers @mercurialmattyv | Ben Hoese @gunnermcdagget
Adrian McMurray @adrmcm | Matthew Duncan @mrpeninsula
Maria Tsialis @mtsialis | Ben Jones @benwah87
Jake Hauritz @horry37

Review all of the voting results from 2012 right here

Remember you can track all the votes each week after each match in 2013 via the Twitter hashtag #nrltweetpoty