Battler's NRL Round 4

Melbourne $1.85 v St George

Rooters $1.38 (-8) v Brisbane

Cronulla $3.60 (+12) v Parramatta

Cowboys $1.50 (-5.5) v Titans

Warriors $2.25 (+3.5) v Manly

Raiders $2.40 (+4) v Tigers

Newcastle $1.67 (-2.5) v Penrith

Rabbits $2.60 (+5.5) v Dogs

Round 1 (4-3) +0.71 units

Round 2 (12-5) +5.82 units

Round 3 (8-15) -7.83 units

YTD (24-23) -1.30 units

Friday Night might be the best $$$ night this week

Things I learned from round 3:

• The Tigers are still harder to pick than a broken nose.
• Parramatta are still hopeless.
• Cayless is way past his use by date - although, as Ace points out, Poore isn't much better.

Things I learned from round 3:

• The Dragons are by far the best team in the comp at the moment - that will be vetted on Friday though.
• If I was a Dragons fan, I'd be filthy they are playing this good this early.
• The Cowboys are still hopeless.

Things I learned from round 3:

• Melbourne continue to stand-up, even if their squad is a shell of years past.
• Penrith continue to be hopeless - and they were on the weekend.
• The refereeing continues to be hopeless - year after year after year after fucking year.

Things I learned from round 3:

• I possibly underestimated the ticketed no. 2686's this year. They could well have been 3-0 going into this week. Dessy has them angry and they'll bash a lot of teams out of it. The two young halves look promising.
• Newcastle are still hopeless.
• The left-hand-edge defense by Newcastle on the weekend was not of NRL (as in, Newcastle Rugby League) standard.
• Kurt Gidley can't come back soon enough
• Newcastle's war-chest would be a whole lot bigger if they gave me the broom.

Things I learned from round 3:

• GC's position on the ladder is artificial, and now that Prince is out, watch for the extreme mean reversion.
• The Raiders on the road are still hopeless, like Newcastle and Parramatta.

Things I have learned from round 3:

• Brisbane are hopeless.
• Really hopeless.
• The culture (Bruno) must change, how can you let the players go that they have and field a squad like that?
• Hopeless.

Things I have learned from round 3:

• The Dogs were the situational  play of the season on Sunday, and I ignored it.
• The Dogs aren't 'fixed' at all, although it was a much better showing.
• The Roosters suffered some extreme mean reversion, but all is not lost out at Roosterland.

Things I have learned from round 3:

• Cronulla will always be hopeless
• I think the Rabbits are playing to where they'll be, cusp of the 8.
• Nothing to get too excited about in beating the worst team in the comp.
• Cronulla are hopeless.

At first glance:

Melbourne $1.85 v St George - Dragons

Rooters $1.38 (-8) v Brisbane - Roosters

Cronulla $3.60 (+12) v Parramatta - Plegics

Cowboys $1.50 (-5.5) v Titans - Cowboys

Warriors $2.25 (+3.5) v Manly - Coin flip

Raiders $2.40 (+4) v Tigers - Tigers, maybe

Newcastle $1.67 (-2.5) v Penrith - Newcastle

Rabbits $2.60 (+5.5) v Dogs - Coin flip

Parra can only play ad lib, shut down the off load, shut down Parra. The ball is not always going to bounce for Hayne.

Refs are programmed by the TAB

Mason bringing that "culture" with him.......He and Tonga,

That left hand edge was one of the worse things i have witnessed from an NRL team.

Cronulla total will be around 40

Cowboys 42

Canberra 46

Good to see the term Mean Reversion catching on

Lulia is fucked off this week.

Sau, Cross and Vuna are welcome additions. They should put up a much better effort at home. Penrith are hardly world beaters.