NRL PREVIEW: A daring Dragons raid

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CANTERBURY v PARRAMATTA (ANZ Stadium, Friday, 7:35pm)

There is no more bitter rivalry in the NRL than that between Canterbury and Parramatta, with the enmity between the two sides dating back the better part of 30 years. It started in the right spirit back in the 1980s with the two clubs winning eight of the 10 grand finals on offer, playing against each other in two deciders. By the time the Super League War erupted though, the rivalry had moved to outright antipathy, at least from the Canterbury side, when Parramatta, backed by ARL funding, poached four players including current Canterbury coach Jim Dymock – a battle that dragged through the courts for months. Nearly every Canterbury fan to a man will name their favourite ever win to be that in the 1998 preliminary final when the Bulldogs overcame an 18-2 deficit with 11 minutes to play to march into the premiership decider in one of the game's great comebacks. The match is remembered on both sides as the Paul Carige Game after the Parramatta winger, whose hapless efforts ensured he never played first grade again. In more recent times, Parramatta have had the best of it, winning eight of the last 10 matches played between the two rivals. Canterbury got the points, however, when these two met in round six. Parramatta led 14-0 before the match turned spiteful and four players were sin-binned for fighting and dissent, allowing Ben Barba to spark a memorable comeback, with Canterbury winning 34-14. Canterbury is a club in crisis at present though and with new coach Dymock dumping Josh Morris, it is hard to get too excited about the Bulldogs. Parramatta may just have too much skill, particularly with Jarryd Hayne moving to the five-eighth position and Luke Burt to fullback.

BPL Tip: Parramatta by 4
TAB Sportsbet odds: Canterbury $1.95, Parramatta $1.85

MELBOURNE v BRISBANE (AAMI Park, Friday, 7:35pm)

The two strongest teams of the last decade have met in some incredibly important matches, playing off in finals encounters every year between 2004 and 2009. The Storm have had the best of those matches more often than not, winning five of the six battles, but Brisbane did shock them in the 2006 Grand Final, the most important match these two sides have ever contested. After neither side played finals last year, these two are destined to meet again at the business end of the season this year, with both sides entrenched in the top four. This Friday night blockbuster will provide a salivating preview, a measuring stick of where both sides are at. At this stage of the year, Melbourne can lay rightful claim to favouritism. The Storm have been significantly stronger defensively and Craig Bellamy's men do have more upside when it comes to attacking prowess with the likes of Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater capable of anything. With the Storm having won 14 of 18 at AAMI Park and 13 of 17 against the Broncos, all signs point to Melbourne in what should be a cracking battle with points few and far between.

BPL Tip: Melbourne by 7
TAB Sportsbet odds: Melbourne $1.53, Brisbane $2.50

GOLD COAST v NORTH QUEENSLAND (Skilled Park, Saturday, 5:30pm)

Without doubt, the least inspiring match of a very exciting round of rugby league. This match was once a highlight if for no other reason than the match-up of quality halfbacks, Johnathan Thurston and Scott Prince. But with Thurston sidelined and Prince hopelessly out of form, there is little to be inspired by here. The front row battle between Matt Scott and Luke Bailey should be a solid war though, with the new bull taking on the old. The Cowboys have won three of their last four against the Titans and given Ashley Harrison's absence from the Titans line-up, there will likely be too many holes for the likes of hard runners such as Gavin Cooper and Tariq Sims.

BPL Tip: North Queensland by 6
TAB Sportsbet odds: Gold Coast $1.90, North Queensland $1.90

WESTS TIGERS v SYDNEY ROOSTERS (Leichhardt Oval, Saturday, 7:30pm)

The match of 2010 was, undoubtedly, the semi-final between these two. It was a classic, arguably one of the best matches of the NRL era. The Tigers led 15-14 until Braith Anasta kicked an astonishing field goal to send the match to extra-time, where it took near-on 100 minutes to separate the two sides, the match ending on a length-of-the-field Shaun Kenny-Dowall intercept try. Though the Tigers would fight another day, it broke their hearts and cost them a Grand Final berth. A year is a long time in rugby league though and since then, the Roosters have faded horribly, managing only five wins this season and worried more about the wooden spoon than finals football. The Tigers are hardly faring any better. They sit seventh on the premiership ladder but have had a spluttering season that has been marred by in-fighting and speculation of player unrest. Both these teams have been hard hit by injury in 2011 but they are now getting plenty of players back with Lote Tuqiri and Matt Utai both back for the Tigers this week and Anthony Minichiello named for the Roosters. The Tricolours have won their last four against the Tigers and have looked good in patches over the last few weeks. The Tigers are coming off a big win and have won seven of eight at Leichhardt but they are still playing sketchy football and look vulnerable.

BPL Tip: Sydney Roosters by 2
TAB Sportsbet odds: Wests Tigers $1.42, Sydney Roosters $2.85

CRONULLA v NEWCASTLE (Toyota Stadium, Saturday, 7:30pm)

Newcastle have become a mighty pain in the posterior to Cronulla and have been a distraction for the Sharks for much of the year. The issue, of course, has been the future of prop Kade Snowden, who the Sharks announced would be staying before, in a major embarrassment, Snowden walked out for a big-money deal at the Knights. The Sharks hit back by signing former Shark and current Knight Isaac De Gois but there is still plenty of resentment over the Knights poaching their representative prop. There is little doubt that Cronulla, playing in good form, will be up for this. The worry, however, is the health of Sharks skipper Paul Gallen, who is battling a calf injury. The Knights have won six of nine against the Sharks and with Kurt Gidley returning and Rick Stone sure to have given the Knights a hard week after a dismal effort against Manly, the upset looks to be on.

BPL Tip: Newcastle by 4
TAB Sportsbet odds: Cronulla $1.65, Newcastle $2.25

SOUTH SYDNEY v NEW ZEALAND (ANZ Stadium, Sunday, 2pm)

South Sydney are a very ordinary team on the road. They are 2-6 away from ANZ Stadium this year, leaking 26.25 points a match in a shocking defensive statistic. At ANZ Stadium though, the Bunnies are 5-4 and have won four of their last five with their only loss coming in a gritty performance against Melbourne. Their defence is over seven points better at the Homebush venue and they have appeared much more dangerous with the ball when at home. The Warriors have put together consecutive wins but those wins have only come against Gold Coast and a broken Bulldogs team, and both victories have been at home. South Sydney are false underdogs in this one.

BPL Tip: South Sydney by 8
TAB Sportsbet odds: South Sydney $2.00, New Zealand $1.80

PENRITH v MANLY (Centrebet Stadium, Sunday, 3pm)

It would seem silly to side against Manly at present, particularly on a Sunday afternoon. The Sea Eagles have won 11 of 13 and have put on 68 points in the last two weeks, both on Sunday afternoons. They looked like genuine title contenders against Newcastle last week, giving the Knights the Blitzkrieg Pop. But Penrith are the masters of their own domain, winners of five straight at home including wins over top-five teams Brisbane and North Queensland. They have won six of nine and haven't lost consecutive matches since round eight. If Luke Lewis can shake up the Manly halves as he did Johnathan Thurston and the big Penrith pack can get on top, as they should, a Panthers win looks like it could be on the agenda.

BPL Tip: Penrith by 2
TAB Sportsbet odds: Penrith $2.60, Manly $1.50

CANBERRA v ST GEORGE-ILLAWARRA (Canberra Stadium, Monday, 7pm)

Perhaps the most surprising era of domination of the last decade has been the Raiders complete and utter supremacy of the St George-Illawarra Dragons. In a period dating back to 2001, where the Dragons have won a premiership and played in the finals eight of ten seasons while the Raiders won their first final of the decade just last year, Canberra has lost only two of 15 against St George-Illawarra. At Canberra Stadium, the Raiders have won eight straight with St George-Illawarra's last victory in the nation's capital coming back in 2000. It is hard to imagine that run continuing on Monday night though, particularly with the selection of both Danny Galea and Daniel Vidot as the left centre and winger. Galea is a backrower masquerading as a centre and Vidot is a terrible defensive winger. Mark Gasnier is going to have a field day ripping to shreds that Raiders left fringe. After going easy on the Dragons during the Origin period, Wayne Bennett has them back on song and that will be too much for a spiritually broken Canberra outfit who have a coach that should have been fired long ago.

BPL Tip: St George-Illawarra by 10
TAB Sportsbet odds: Canberra $2.75, St George-Illawarra $1.45

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