PUNTING SPECTATOR: A feast of footy
After scoring a win betting on Big Brother last week, Dr Turf is set for a huge week of NRL, AFL and rugby union. And he's very keen on some of this week's outsiders.
Well, the bookies loaded up on rugby league last week and I can't remember ever seeing such a strange set of results. I am a big fan of the Titans, but I thought they were no hope against the Roosters. Yet they came from 12 points behind to get up and beat them. It was one of those sort of weeks. Penrith let the team down with an abysmal performance against the Knights, and Cronulla weren't much better against Manly. Both of them have got ‘life' from me…for this week anyway.
But we must soldier on because give up never won a race and I do think there is some good value this week. Here are the prices from Lasseters. As always, the prices are subject to change.
Team | Price |
Manly | 1.25 |
Parramatta | 4.25 |
Gold Coast | 1.80 |
Penrith | 2.03 |
Canterbury | 1.63 |
NZ Warriors | 2.30 |
Cronulla | 1.51 |
Newcastle | 2.60 |
Canberra | 2.27 |
Sydney | 1.65 |
South Sydney | 1.87 |
Wests Tigers | 1.95 |
Melbourne | 1.18 |
St George Illawarra | 5.00 |
Most of you would have seen that Willie Mason's peers have voted him the most over-rated player in the league. Do these players have a death wish? There is no doubt Mason will come out steaming this weekend, but I just don't know whether this be enough for the Roosters to beat the Raiders. Canberra have to be one of the gutsiest sides in any competition in the country, and the bookies have written them off again. They are an amazing $2.27 outsiders, or there is also the 4 ½ points start. I will be having some of both.
We were but a week out when tipping the Springboks against the All Blacks a fortnight ago. I felt quite ill sitting there last Saturday night watching them beat the same team at the juicy odds of $5.00, but that's the way my luck has been running lately. This week, South Africa play the Wallabies in Perth, and when you look at a map of the world and squint a little, it looks closer to a home game for the Springboks than for the Aussies! There is a huge South African population living in Perth, so they will have their fair share of crowd support, and on last week's performance I think they'll win again.
Onto this week's big round of AFL.
Team | Price |
Geelong | 1.57 |
Western Bulldogs | 2.45 |
Richmond | 1.65 |
Essendon | 2.25 |
St Kilda | 2.67 |
Hawthorn | 1.47 |
Brisbane | 1.10 |
West Coast | 7.00 |
Carlton | 2.35 |
Sydney | 1.60 |
Port Adelaide | 1.95 |
Adelaide | 1.85 |
Fremantle | 1.45 |
Melbourne | 2.75 |
We didn't do too badly in the AFL last week but I do reckon we were stiff with the Crows at the line. Losing their two best players this year during the game was very tough. But the Tigers did the right thing by us with a great win in Perth on Sunday. This week they take on the Bombers who made it four on the trot against the Lions. Looks a good game on paper with both teams mathematically able to make the finals. Not that they would last more than three minutes. I reckon the Tigers are morals. Take the $1.65. Just do it.
Of the other matches there are three slight outsiders all worth speculation. In a much-anticipated game the Bulldogs take on Geelong at the Cattery. This is a huge game and Geelong will be missing two of their stars: Cameron Ling with a re-assembled cheekbone courtesy of a Dean Solomon elbow and the injured superstar, Gary Ablett. I'm happy to have something on the Dogs at the $2.45.
In another ripper, the Saints are finally rewarding us for sticking by them after they blundered their way through the first half of the season. They're going OK now and in a big test for them against the Hawks, I'm happy to have a bit of the $2.67.
The last game of the round is Fremantle at home to the Demons on Sunday night. The Dees are going OK and, again, are worth an interest at$2.75.
In all of the above-mentioned games the line is between 11 ½ and 15 ½ points. If you feel like it, try these outsiders both ways.
And finally, I cheered long and loud on Sunday night when Cherry was evicted from Big Brother, then I cheered longer and louder again when they announced that Big Brother itself was to be evicted from my TV set forever. I don't mind spending a bit of time doing the form before I have a bet, but three months is too long to be glued to that garbage. At least there was a happy ending with Cherry getting the Tijuana, and the icing will be well and truly on the cake if Terri wins the final on Monday night.
Good luck and good punting and hey, let's be careful out there.
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