Storm five-eighth Brett Finch strolled through some threadbare defence from dummy-half to set up a 70th-minute winning try for centre Dane Nielsen after the Storm had trailed 14-0 in the first half.

The premiers then withstood a relentless second half barrage from the Knights.

Playing their first home game since a drugs scandal rocked their off-season and threatened their year, the spirited Knights did everything but put the premiers away in a 10-minute period of the second half after leading 14-12 at the break.

Nielsen’s try came against the run of play and silenced the loyal crowd of 16, 242 after they had willed the hapless Knights to get home in a high-quality clash.

Newcastle hammered the Melbourne line during a 10-minute period of the second half but, despite two uncharacteristic handling blunders from Greg Inglis, couldn’t force their way over to increase their lead.

They were denied twice in two minutes, first when prop Evarn Tuimavave was controversially called back when a Knights strip was ruled a knock-on, and then when a Jarrod Mullen pass to Akuila Uate was ruled forward.

Then winger Copper Vuna was tackled into touch close to the line in the 63rd minute.

The Knights raced out to a 14-0 lead after 21 minutes before the Storm replied with two tries, both from former Newcastle players.

A scintillating 70m run from Uate resulted in the Knights winger crossing for the first try a play later in the seventh minute before five-eighth Mullen sent a pinpoint cut-out ball for Adam MacDougall to stroll over in the 21st.

After some uncharacteristic errors in attack, the Storm finally got its together in the 26th minute when a flying Billy Slater sent MacDougall’s younger brother Luke over out wide for 14-4.

The visitors’ fightback continued after Newcastle had thrown the ball into touch at their own end and Smith sent another former Knight, Anthony Quinn, over in the 33rd minute.

It was a night to remember for the MacDougall brothers.

Apart from their tries, elder sibling Adam kept Inglis quiet all night while Luke defused several Knights bombs and was involved in the try-saving tackle on Vuna.

“There’s plenty of people who came up to see the Knights play and see how they were going to go after last week, I think they wouldn’t have gone away disappointed with the effort or the resolve we showed again,” Knights coach Rick Stone said.

“I think they’d be proud of their footy side. I know I am.”

Storm coach Craig Bellamy said his side’s resilience at their own end was the difference and reserved special praise for 28-year-old Finch.

“I thought he was certainly our best player tonight,” he said.

“The reason we brought Finchy to the club … he’s just a competitor.

“He wants to be involved in every play if he could.

“When the team’s in trouble, he’s the one trying to get you out of trouble.

“When you’re on the front foot, he wants to get you further on the front foot.”

And the Melbourne coach agreed superstar Inglis had been far from his best.

“I thought his involvement tonight was a lot better than it was last week but he certainly came up with a couple of errors there and we had a couple of touchy moments down our left hand side defensively as well.”

Storm forward Adam Blair was placed on report for a 65th minute incident in which his forearm appeared to come into contact with Knights prop Ben Ross’ head.

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After coming short of gunning down a 24-0 deficit against the Broncos last weekend, the Cowboys were again staring down the barrel at 14-0 down in greasy conditions as Cyclone Ului edged closer to the coast.

But a second-half blitz saw them run away with their first win of the season, a Michael Bani special sealing the result in the 70th minute.

With the scores locked at 20-20, the Thursday Island speedster showed a clean pair of heels to turn Lachlan Coote, Michael Gordon and Luke Lewis inside out to score a sensational try.

A 76th minute penalty goal from Cowboys skipper Johnathan Thurston then put the game out of reach for the Panthers, who had won their last three games in North Queensland.

Penrith entered the game without Trent Waterhouse (quad) and Nathan Smith (groin) and may face further problems with representative lock Lewis limping from the field with a leg injury following the Bani try.

In the wet conditions, the Panthers welcomed two back-to-back penalties in the opening minutes and slotted home a penalty goal when Willie Tonga was pinged for working Nigel Plum in a tackle.

Former Cowboy Travis Burns was given a North Queensland welcome by Grant Rovelli and Ashley Graham but their crunching tackle earned the Panthers a penalty when Rovelli tried to work him onto his back.

Lewis then found a gaping hole in the defensive line to score the opening try, Gordon’s conversion extending their lead to 8-0.

Thurston answered with a penalty before the Panthers extended their lead 12 minutes from the break when Luke Walsh crossed the line.

The home side struck back eight minutes after the break when Scott Bolton sold a perfect dummy to Gordon to score the easiest of tries, Thurston nailing the extras to put North Queensland back within six.
But a howler from Ty Williams saw the fullback knock-on a Walsh kick on his own line allowing Lewis to clean up the crumbs for his second try.

A clever pass from Grant Rovelli to Thurston kept the home side in the hunt with the skipper finding space before finding Willie Tonga who dashed 40 metres to beat Coote and score.

The Cowboys levelled the scores in the 66th minute before Bani’s late brilliance stole the points.

Cowboys coach Neil Henry said his players were always confident they could find a way back from the sizeable deficit.

“We said at halftime we were in striking distance,” he said.

“We just needed a bit of field position and we got that.

“That’s two weeks in a row now we’ve been down by a lot of points … to come back and hold them out late in the game with a couple of repeat sets, I’m very happy with that.”

Penrith counterpart Matthew Elliott was critical of his team’s second-half defensive effort.

“We basically sent a welcoming party into our tryline (in the second half) and you can’t do that in this competition,” he said.

“It was a huge momentum swing and the opposition have got some handy players and they took advantage of that.”

Vatuvei’s impressive performance at Mt Smart Stadium backed up his opening-round brilliance, when he bagged two tries in a 24-18 loss to Gold Coast.

The big winger has now scored 10 tries in his last six matches, taking the 24-year-old’s career total to 63 from 96 matches.

Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said Vatuvei had been under-rated as a player following a horror 2007 match against Parramatta that saw him cop flak for dropping the ball six times.

“He’s got better hands than he’s been given credit for over the years,” Cleary said.

“He’s got an incredibly strong character and that goes back probably to 2007 when he was basically ridiculed in the league.

“A lot of guys wouldn’t have been able to handle what was thrown at him.”

Playing their first home game of the year, the Warriors recovered after giving up an early 16-0 lead to run in two unanswered second-half tries to continue the Sharks’ woes.

An aggressive start from the Warriors, reminiscent of the up-tempo opening against Gold Coast last week, saw the hosts pile on three tries in the opening 20 minutes.

Hooker Aaron Heremaia opened the scoring with an easy try from dummy-half before Vatuvei capitalised on a break by second rower Lewis Brown to add the Warriors’ second.

On his debut as skipper, Simon Mannering pounced on a well-placed grubber from Lance Hohaia in the 17th minute and the Warriors looked on their way to a comfortable win.

But, mirroring their collapse in last week’s 24-18 loss to the Titans, the Warriors ran out of steam toward the end of the first half, allowing Cronulla to close the gap to just two points at the break.

First, winger Luke Covell crossed for the Sharks and then centre Blake Ferguson, with halfback Scott Porter converting both from the sideline and then adding a penalty to leave the Warriors 16-14 ahead at halftime.

Porter landed another goal early in the second half to tie the scores before Vatuvei swung the match the Warriors’ way with two tries in six minutes.

Prop Sam Rapira sealed the victory when he forced his way over with six minutes to go.

The Warriors travel to Brisbane next weekend to tackle the Broncos, while the Sharks host fellow winless cellar dwellers South Sydney.

The Warriors will be without halfback Brett Seymour, who missed Saturday night’s game against his former club after being ruled out for six weeks with a broken thumb.

Cleary said it was a massive blow to lose his star player so early in the season.

“He’s gone through so much to get out doing what he loves doing most,” Cleary said.

Central to the Rabbitohs failure to miss the semis last season was the lack of communication and organisation between his Indigenous halfs Chris Sandow and John Sutton. They just do not talk and importantly do not compliment their big forwards.

Sutton is a gifted playmaker but is crying out for a half back to take pressure off him. Sandow is a 7 who plays “off the cuff” and nobody knows what he is about to do, including himself.

This strategy failed in 2009 but Lang has shown that he is not prepared to change. He has also stuck solid Rhys Wesser in the other crucial spine position of fullback as opposed to try scoring freak Merritt. Lang has history at Penrith with Wesser but he appears to be playing with a “used by stamp” on his forehead.

Young Adam Reynolds is a star in the Toyota Cup but he also may be a Sandow clone. Maybe the talented Luke Capewell can provide the missing link.

John Lang could do worse than take on board advice from Confucius: “A man who has committed a mistake and doesn’t correct it is committing another mistake.”

Is it groundhog season again? When will I wake up from this nightmare and be free to enjoy a victory without a big black cloud of impending doom hovering overhead?

I’ll tell you when, when Wayne Bennett realises that the epitome of stupidity is doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result.

Is Wayne a “one-trick pony”? Is he coaching “scared”? Or do I have “baggage”? These questions and more will be answered come September. Whatever the case, his fragile tactics leave me cold and concerned.

A game of statistics can work when you’re in control of the scoreboard, but the wheels can fall off quickly, and without the necessary tools in the box to fix it, a resulting loss is inevitable.

I say “fragile” tactics because all it takes for a game of statistics to unravel is an opposition that plays an unconventional game, case in point; final round against Canberra last season. Canberra had nothing to lose and played with gay abandon, a rushing defense and a hot potato attack left the St George players dumbfounded, without reply, and defeated.

They never recovered from that defeat, it haunted them for the rest of the season, and may continue to.

There’s no ad-lib, no contingency and even if there were it would be too new to them to effectively employ.

In other words if a side gets in front by any decent margin or rattles their cage, they become stupefied and lost.

Wayne Bennett seems like fairly conservative fellow and probably drives wearing a helmet, and that’s okay if the helmet doesn’t keep slipping over his eyes and causing him to crash into the same tree again and again.

I like Wayne Bennett, but as much as I’m sure he’s happy to hear that Polyglot likes him, I’m sure he needs to think beyond statistics and prepare now for sides that are onto his one dimensional tactics.

If not he will surely feel like “the little trainer that couldn’t”, and I, like a sad character in my own perpetual nightmare. Who said it’s only sport?

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The Dragons proved last week’s win over Parramatta was no fluke as they produced another flawless display to record their first win over Canterbury in Wollongong, the loss leaving the Bulldogs without a win after the first two rounds ahead of a clash with the red-hot Sydney Roosters.

There are no such concerns for St George Illawarra who blew away the opposition with a stunning opening burst which yielded 16 unanswered points in as many minutes to make the match-up between the two sides which finished one and two on the ladder last year a no-contest.

The Dragons wasted little time in getting the 16,177-strong crowd on their feet, with a Brett Morris swan dive in front of a hill bathed in red, white and blue making it 6-0 off the back of a brilliant Darius Boyd cut-out pass.

If that was precise, the Dragons’ next effort could only be described as pitiful with the Bulldogs defence opening up on its own line for Dean Young to go through untouched, and it was all the home side when Morris had his second following a Matt Prior bust inside his own half.

The Bulldogs were giving themselves no chance as they continued to piggy-back the Dragons up the field, their efforts made a little harder when Michael Hodgson limped off before a quarter of the game had passed with a suspected medial ligament strain.

The Dragons’ dominance was shown up when Ben Hornby spilled the ball for their first error in the 21st minute, while the Bulldogs’ frustration boiled over when Bryson Goodwin traded blows with Beau Scott on halftime.

Veteran Brett Kimmorley did his best to extend the Dragons’ lead as he gave up two penalties and dropped the ball all inside the first six minutes of the second half, the second of the penalties allowing Jamie Soward to extend the margin to three converted tries.

The Bulldogs finally earned themselves a repeat set ten minutes into the second stanza, and the sustained period of attack paid dividends as Ben Barba danced his way over to give the small visiting contingent in the stands some hope.

Their momentum was crushed when Gary Warburton gave away a dubious flop penalty near the Dragons line, the home side weathering the Canterbury surge before Nick Emmett stretched out to confirm the two competition points before Morris completed his hat-trick three minutes from time.

“I was just happy to get two to catch up to Josh (brother and Bulldogs centre Josh Morris) but I did one better and I’ve got him covered now,” said Brett Morris, who won a case of beer last year for beating Josh in the try-scoring ranks.

“Hopefully I can stay on top and we might have to bring the bet back out.”

Dragons coach Wayne Bennett fired an ominous warning suggesting the best was yet to come for the read and whites.

“Of course there’s lots of improvement in us – it’s ridiculous to think we’re on the top of our game after two weeks,” Bennett said.

“I suppose a lot of things we did well last week we did well again.

“It was a good start by us but they were a little bit off the pace – they wouldn’t be happy with the way they started.”

Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore lamented a lopsided 9-3 penalty count and his side’s second poor start in as many weeks, while also admitting his side had some work to do on its left sided defence.

“Steve (Turner) and Jamal (Idris) are a new pairing together – we need to keep working hard with them,” Moore said.

“A couple of times we made some poor choices.

“Getting to 16-0 after 17 minutes, that hurt but there wasn’t a lot in the rest of the game.”

Titans captain Scott Prince calmly slotted an 80th minute penalty goal to level the scores at 18-18 before landing the winning field goal in the second minute of extra time to complete a see-sawing night for both sides.

Down 16-6 after 49 minutes, the Rabbitohs had mounted a revival, scoring two unanswered tries, one while Titans hooker Nathan Friend was in the sin-bin, to sneak ahead 18-16 through Issac Luke’s three-from-three with the boot in front of 10,943 fans.

But as the Titans mounted a last ditch attack, Souths halfback Chris Sandow was penalised and also sin-binned in the final minute for Prince to level the scores by coolly slotting home.

In a rugged match often dominated by the referees’ whistles, Souths took full advantage of Friend’s 63rd minute sin-binning to almost get out of jail, with centre Beau Champion bagging a double for the night.

But they now start their much hyped season none from two after last week’s shock 36-10 thumping at the hands of the Sydney Roosters.

The Titans have won both their opening games in come-from-behind performances after last week’s 24-18 victory over the Warriors.

The Rabbitohs will have some concerns for Champion, who was placed on report for a lifting tackle on Titans five-eighth Greg Bird, who was playing his first match in Sydney since being stood down by Cronulla in 2008 and was roundly booed at times.

In the same incident, Sandow was cautioned for a cheap forearm to Bird’s head while the No.6 was on the ground.

The Titans led 12-6 at halftime after the Bunnies had looked keen to play some football early, throwing the ball around with abandon.

Their approach paid dividends in the eighth minute when Champion streaked 25 metres down the right side of the field to score.

But the Titans were on the board in the 14th minute when replacement fullback William Zillman took a neat inside ball from Mat Rogers and second-rower Anthony Laffranchi gave Gold Coast the lead for the first time when he crashed through three defenders from close range in the 35th minute.

The Titans extended their lead nine minutes after the break when Joseph Tomane was first to a Prince grubber before a Rabbitohs revival.

Champion got his second in the 59th minute after Bird had been penalised for a tackle infringement.

Souths replacement Dave Tyrell barged over from close range to draw the home side level, Luke’s conversion making it 18-16.

Champion was denied a hat-trick in the 73rd minute, video referee Steve Clark ruling he was held up.

“I sort of half pooed myself there when I pushed it wide,” Prince said of his shot of goal, which rebounded in off the right upright.

Disappointed Souths coach John Lang saw some hopeful signs in the way his side is coming together.

“I didn’t think we were out of it and we never had it won,” he said.

“We had our chance to probably kill them off, maybe they thought they had their chance to kill us off … in that second half.”

In a match that featured 21 penalties, a count won 11-10 by Souths, Rabbitohs captain Roy Asotasi summed up the feeling of the players.

“I felt like I was playing a game of rugby union,” he said.

Another Dragons game on the box, so another date with my nemesis. If rugby league is all about rivalries, well, as they say, “it doesn’t get any bigger.”

I’ll cut to chase. What is the story with the Saints fan who holds up the “GST, Great St George Team” sign?

Fair dinkum, it is driving me mad.

The sign was sharp and politically incisive halfway through the year 2000. It is now 2010, surely time to rip up another bed sheet and open up the tin of red paint.

Now, no question on the bloke’s commitment. He is there at every game. I know this because I see him EVERY TIME THEY PAN TO THE CROWD, AND HAVE DONE FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS.

But lord above, get a new sign.

Did he really feel that strongly about Federal wholesale sales taxes to begin with? Has no political decision moved him in the same way since?

Now, he clearly is one of those great fans that makes signs, but why has he been so incapable of producing another? Are we dealing with some chronic case of writer’s block?

I should add, I love signs. “Me So Hornby”is my personal favourite at present.

But they need impact, otherwise they have all the humour of bumper sticker on your own car that you’ve seen every day for the last ten years. Only The Footy Show believes a gag can last that long.

Also, watching the match from the vantage point of the sign holders is certainly a unique experience and one I always expose to visiting relatives. That does cause some friction when I’ve spent the last hour or so explaining the rules and the sign holders are using a, shall we say, different interpretation.

But it’s all good fun, so long as no direct eye contact is made.

If all that seems like an odd way to preview a round, it is, because there is no way I’m making any bold predictions on a round in which I can’t confidently predict a single winner.

Next week: Why did Phil Gould repeat a Katie Perry song virtually word for word in his season preview on the Panthers?

The mental imagery still haunts me.

The former Test star and Sydney Roosters coach sat through the NRL club’s session on Thursday before chewing the fat with coach Wayne Bennett, assistant Adrian Lam and Dragons players.

“It was good to have him down here,” Lam told AAP.

“I think he’s going around to most clubs and just having a look around.

“He came down and spoke to Wayne about it so it was good to catch up with him.

“He’s just watching, seeing how different clubs do different things.”

Lam said Fittler’s commentary role with the Nine Network had been the catalyst for his visits to clubs’ training sessions.

Fittler, who was cut loose by the Roosters at the end of last season, also has a consultancy role working with the NRL’s referees to provide the whistle-blowers with a player and coach’s perspective on their calls.

He also has ties with both Bennett and Lam.

He was Bennett’s assistant coach for the NRL All Stars side in February and played and coached alongside Lam at the Roosters.

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The Blues are looking down the barrel of an unprecedented fifth-straight Origin series loss this year as they continue the search for a solution to a halves dilemma they’ve had since the retirement of Andrew Johns.

While they scored a consolation game three victory last year, it was veterans Brett Kimmorley and Trent Barrett in the playmaking roles, two players who could retire at the end of 2010.

The dawning of a new Roosters’ era under Smith with an upset 36-10 win over fancied South Sydney last Sunday immediately sparked talk Carney and Pearce could be in selectors’ minds.

“I think they do have the talent to play Origin but personally I think they should be made to show that they’ve got the consistency to play at a really high level for at least 12 months,” Smith told reporters on Thursday.

“At this time next year if they’re talking about them for Origin and the Roosters have done well and we made the playoffs, then it would be time, not now.”

Veteran mentor Smith is concerned the publicity Carney is attracting in his return to the game following his deregistration for repeated off-field incidents is not helping the 23-year-old former Canberra star.

“The Todd Carney story’s just about been done to death,” he said.

“He’s gone from zero to hero and nothing could be further from the truth with him and also with young Mitchell (Pearce).”

And the renowned disciplinarian went further in trying to relieve the pressure on his players by declaring talk of club-imposed booze bans was wide of the mark.

Carney swore off alcohol after a New Year’s Eve prank resulting in a friend’s pants catching fire went wrong, while Pearce has also had a dry patch as he reins in a party-boy lifestyle.

“I think some people got a bit carried away or misconstrued the decision that some of our players have made about how they want to change their lifestyle and particularly around the use of alcohol,” Smith said.

“There’s absolutely zero ban on here on anything except my bad jokes.

“Those guys have made decisions to do whatever they’re doing with their lives and socially what they do with their lives are their decisions.

” … Young Mitchell’s got his 21st coming up.

“Seriously, you wouldn’t expect him not to have a few beers if he felt that that was appropriate and he might have more than a few.

“If he decides that’s appropriate, if he’s in the right place and he conducts himself well, certainly no one around here cares anything about that.”

Meanwhile Smith believes his young side will need to go up several notches to compete with the Wests Tigers in Sunday’s Sydney Football Stadium blockbuster.

“They scared the socks off me, just the intensity of that game (a 26-22 win over Manly) was enormous,” he said.

FRIDAY
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA v CANTERBURY at WIN Stadium, 7.35pm.
Head to head: Bulldogs 12, Dragons 6
Last clash: Dragons 20 bt Bulldogs 18 at WIN Jubilee Oval (Rd 10, 2009)
TAB SportsBet: Dragons $1.50, Bulldogs $2.50
FootyTab: Bulldogs +5.5.

The Dragons followed coach Wayne Bennett’s game plan to the letter to upset Parramatta in round one with an amazing completion rate of over 90 per cent while the Bulldogs missed superboot El Masri in their shock loss to Newcastle. The last time these two teams met at Kogarah Oval the game ended in uproar with video referee Stephen Clark making a clanger that cost the Dogs. The Bulldogs have won their last eight games at WIN but Bennett wasn’t a factor.

Key: Both clubs will be without their first-choice hookers so whoever adjusts best at dummy-half will win.
Tip: DRAGONS

SOUTH SYDNEY V GOLD COAST at ANZ Stadium, 8.35pm.
Head to head: Titans 3, Rabbitohs 2
Last clash: Titans 22 bt Rabbitohs 14 at ANZ Stadium (Rd 23, 2009)
TAB Sportsbet: Souths $1.70, Titans $2.10
FootyTab: Gold Coast +1.5.

Souths were victims of their own press last week, believing what they read about how intimidating their new pack would be headed up by English international recruit Sam Burgess and boom Brisbane prop Dave Taylor. The Titans are a professional outfit who came from 12-0 down to wear down the Warriors last weekend but the man who inspired the comeback, Preston Campbell, has been ruled out late. They aren’t great performers away from Skilled Park but the Rabbitohs’ 4-10 record at ANZ 10 isn’t exactly anything to get too excited about either. Titans five-eighth Greg Bird will be looking to improve on his debut “shocker”. If the Rabbitohs can’t hit back, questions will be asked.

Key: Whether the Titans can take their Skilled Park form on the road this season.
Tip: Rabbitohs

SATURDAY
WARRIORS V CRONULLA at Mt Smart Stadium, 5.30pm.
Head to head: Sharks 13, Warriors 11
Last clash: Sharks 18 bt Warriors 10 at Toyota Stadium (Rd 13, 2009)
TAB Sportsbet: Warriors $1.50, Cronulla $2.50.
FootyTab: Cronulla +5.5.

Both these sides opened 2010 with losses but they were gallant in defeat, the Warriors falling victim to fatigue against the Titans and Cronulla giving premiers and world club champions Melbourne a real run for their money. The Sharks have lost their last 11 games and have a poor record at Mt Smart but the Warriors didn’t set the world on fire in back half of last season. The Warriors’ attack was good against the Titans while the Sharks still look to have problems in that department.

Key: New No.7 Brett Seymour and five-eighth James Maloney looked dangerous against the Titans and will be better for the run.
Tip: Warriors

NEWCASTLE V MELBOURNE at Energy Australia Stadium, 7.30pm.
Head to head: Knights 9, Storm 3
Last clash: Knights 26 bt Storm 14 at Energy Australian Stadium (rd 23, 2009).
TAB Sportsbet: Melbourne $1.65, Newcastle $2.20
Footytab: Newcastle +2.5

Melbourne have been the most successful club of the past decade but Newcastle have been the most successful at beating them, especially at Energy Australia Stadium where their record is an impressive 10-2. Knights coach Rick Stone pulled off a massive upset over the Storm in his first outing as head coach last year after replacing Brian Smith and he came up with the right tactics to upset the more-fancied Bulldogs last weekend. Melbourne will miss the organisation and composure of Cooper Cronk.

Key: Whether Newcastle can keep in touch with Melbourne long enough for their boisterous fans to get them home again.

Tip: Storm

NORTH QUEENSLAND V PENRITH at Dairy Farmers Stadium, 9.30pm.
Head to head: Panthers 15, Cowboys 9
Last clash: Panthers 28 bt Cowboys 20 at Dairy Farmers Stadium (Rd 20, 2009)
TAB Sportsbet: Cowboys $1.57, Panthers $2.20
Footytab: Penrith +4.5

This is a tough one to pick. The Cowboys, or at least Johnathan Thurston, staging a serious comeback from 24-0 down to lose 30-24 to Brisbane and Penrith bursting out of the blocks to beat a disappointing Canberra last week. This looks a very even contest but the Panthers have the wood on the Cowboys in recent years and they cope well with the Dairy Farmers atmosphere. Whichever pack gains the supremacy – Petero Civoniceva, Frank Pritchard and co or Cowboys enforcers Luke O’Donnell, Willie Mason and Antonio Kaufusi – will give their side the best chance.

Key: Thurston is in wonderful form so early while Penrith need centre Michael Jennings to get involved.
Tip: Cowboys

SUNDAY
PARRAMATTA V MANLY at Parramatta Stadium, 2pm.
Head to head: Sea Eagles 76, Eels 42, drawn 4
Last clash: Sea Eagles 34 bt Eels 10 at Brookvale Oval (Rd 10, 2009)
TAB Sportsbet: Eels $1.36, Sea Eagles $3
Footytab: Manly +8.5

Manly coach Des Hasler must be wondering what else can go wrong after a spate of injuries including the loss of star fullback Brett Stewart, who is looking at five months on the sidelines. Parramatta were expected to justify their premiership favouritism but couldn’t beat a disciplined Dragons outfit last weekend, although they showed flashes a brilliance at times. Manly played on Monday and the short turnaround will work against them while Parramatta coach Daniel Anderson has had time to work on correcting some areas that broke down against the Dragons. Manly have won their last five games against the Eels.

Key: Jarryd Hayne – one of the game’s most opportunistic attackers and if he fires it could be a tough day for the injury-hit Sea Eagles.
Top: Eels

SYDNEY ROOSTERS V WESTS TIGERS at SFS, 3pm.
Head to head: Roosters 8, Tigers 7
Last clash: Wests Tigers 17 bt Roosters 10 at SFS (Rd 22, 2009)
TAB Sportsbet: Tigers $1.30, Roosters $2.60
Footytab: Roosters +3.5.

Lote Tuqiri’s first game of rugby league in seven years stole the headlines from a very impressive Tigers comeback win over Manly while the last year’s wooden spooners looked good in bursting the Rabbitohs’ bubble with an eye-catching victory. There was a lot to like about the performance of both these sides, especially the combination between Roosters No.7 Mitchell Pearce and fullback Todd Carney, who amazed coach Brian Smith with his return to the NRL. The Roosters have an average record at the SFS and lost twice to the Tigers at the ground last season.

Key: If Pearce and Carney can get some time and space, they could make it a tough Sunday for the Tigers.
Tip: Roosters

MONDAY
CANBERRA V BRISBANE at Canberra Stadium, 7pm.
Head to head: Broncos 21, Raiders 15, drawn 1
Last clash: Broncos 22 bt Raiders 10 at Suncorp Stadium (Rd 26, 2009)
TAB Sportsbet: Raiders $1.70, Broncos $2.10
Footytab: Brisbane +2.5

Canberra, Monday night. Alarm bells for Brisbane, whose last visit resulted in the club’s biggest-ever loss, a 56-0 thrashing last August. The Broncos haven’t managed to bring a premiership point home from the capital since 2005, which suggests another tough journey for Ivan’s infants. Canberra were outgunned by Penrith in round one but showed enough attack to suggest they will be a dangerous rival. Brisbane put 24 points on the Cowboys in a blink to lead 24-0 before hanging for a six-point win. Darren Lockyer, Peter Wallace and Israel Folau are three very good reasons why they can avenge their big loss.

Key: Can teenage fullback Corey Norman repeat his heroics against the Cowboys in Canberra, where conditions can make it very difficult?

Tip: Broncos

Club CEO, Todd Greenberg has had discussions with the Brisbane Broncos but has stated that he will only release Hannant if he receives the equivalent playing talent in return.

Hannant has poured cold water on the idea and seems to be staying put after not liking the idea of running out for the Broncos alone.

Lucky, as I’m not sure the result of this one was going to do much to convince Hannant to stay. Puffs by 12.

Rabbitohs v Titans ANZ Stadium, Sydney. Friday 7.35pm
Souths’ co-owner, Russell Crowe was so incensed by his Club’s inept performance against the Chooks last week that he demanded all players report to the video room at Redfern Oval first thing Monday morning for a motivational session.

Crowe sat all the boys down and proceeded to load what he thought was a DVD of one of his movies, perhaps his greatest performance even, ‘Gladiator’ into the DVD. The hope was that this would inspire his Team to realise their supposed destiny and fight alongside their brothers in this war that is the NRL Premiership.

Crowe was left with egg on his face when the movie started and it was in fact a movie of his that is probably more synonymous with the Bunnies start to the season ‘Proof of Life’….Um, Russ, we’re still looking for some. Titans by 8.

Warriors v Sharks Mt Smart Stadium, Nu Zullund. Saturday 7.30pm
Warriors honchos have decided to play episodes of the popular kid’s show ‘Shawn the Sheep’ on the big screens during this match in an effort to a) entertain the kiddies and b) take people’s attention away from the drubbing the Wannabe Aussies will be copping.

Lucky it’s a kid’s show, otherwise they might have had to pour cold water on the crowd to dampen their excitement at watching giant sheep on a big TV! Sharks by 6, which is about all the points they have in them.

Knights v Storm Energy Australia Stadium, Newcastle. Saturday 7.30pm
In keeping with their history of mind boggling plot lines, the producers of the hit TV show ‘Lost’ have taken another twist with the plan for the show’s next season.

Apparently the Newcastle Knights will provide all the material for every episode of the show, and will have cameras following the players’ every move for the remainder of the season.

Because God knows, a bunch of people stuck on an Island have got nothing compared to how lost the Knights will be after this week. Storm by 30.

Cowboys v Panthers Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville. Saturday 7.30pm
Cowboys enforcer, Carl Webb, has been detained by Police on fraud charges, in another black eye for the NRL.

Upon being questioned by Police, Webb has admitted to attempting to forge the signature of Champion halfback, Johnathan Thurston on his, as yet unsigned, nw contract with the Cowboys, in a desperate bid to ensure his Captain remained at the Club.

Webb was said to be baffled at just how Police tracked him down, as he was of the opinion his plan was fool proof. We at Round Review HQ have got our paws on a copy of the defrauded contract in question…which was signed in the name of JAWNAFUN FURSDEN.

Yep…no idea how they pinned it on Webby!?!?! Lucky JT is still around for this one, Cows by 14.

Eels v Sea Eagles Parramatta Stadium, Parramatta. Sunday 2.00pm
In an all too common act of heroics, Manly Police avoided a major catastrophe on a railway line near Brookvale Oval this week.

The Authorities pulled a Manly fan from the tracks just as a train was about to make impact with him, in what seemed like a bizarre game of ‘Chicken’. When the Eagles desperate was interviewed by Police, and asked just why he was standing there, the Man stated that he had wanted to see what it was like to throw his body in front of a runaway train, just like Brett Stewart did last Monday night.

Sadly, it seems, Manly fans are as daft as their players (well, most of us already knew that, didn’t we). Eels by 20.

Roosters v Tigers Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney. Sunday 3.00pm
After witnessing the appalling decision to suspend Tigers winger, Beau Ryan for an apparent crusher tackle against Manly last week, new recruit, Lote Tuqiri is in serious doubt for this game.

Tigers Coach Tim Sheens is hesitant to include Tuqiri in the side after the Ryan decision, as Lote is sure to be suspended when he crushes the entire Roosters squad whilst scoring a hat trick of tries this weekend. Tigers by 40 if Lote plays….30 if he doesn’t.

Raiders v Broncos Canberra Stadium, Canberra. Monday 7.00pm
A plan to have this game sponsored by Sesame Street in order to get more families to attend has been thwarted by heartless Broncos chiefs at the last minute.

After a meeting with Sesame Street boffins, including Big Bird, Elmo and Cookie Monster, it was revealed that the game was to be brought to us by the number 56.

Brisbane CEO, Bruno Cullen, decided that this number would invoke nightmares about the corresponding game last season for Bronco fans of all ages and pulled the plug on the idea. Heartless bastard! Raiders by 56.

Brisbane have made the finals for the past 18 seasons straight but the NSW punter claimed TAB Sportsbet for $100,000 to $80,000 (odds of $1.80) about Ivan Henjak’s men missing the finals this year.

It’s the biggest bet ever placed on Brisbane to miss to top eight so early in the season.

“He’s a regular rugby league punter,” said TAB Sportsbet’s Glenn Munsie, adding the Broncos were one of the least supported to teams to win the premiership at $21.

With three debutants and no Karmichael Hunt, Brisbane beat North Queensland 30-24 after racing to a 24-0 lead early in the first half.

But Munsie said they were $2.10 outsiders to beat Canberra in Canberra on Monday night.

In strange week of game betting, five winners from last week’s first round are getting a start this weekend.

The last time Henjak took the Broncos to the capital they were embarrassed 56-0, something Brisbane’s players will be reminded off regularly before Monday night’s clash.

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Just one game into a comeback after 16 months out of the game, Carney found his name tossed up as a State of Origin contender after a stunning Sydney Roosters debut.

Shown the door by Canberra midway through 2008 after a string of alcohol-related incidents, the 23-year-old looked like he’d never been away as he toyed with the South Sydney defence, but he admitted talk of a NSW jumper was beyond his ambitions.

“Nate (teammate Nate Myles) was into me about being the saviour and things like that but I’m not looking into it that much,” Carney said of NSW selection.

“I remember the headlines 18 months ago – I don’t want to jump into things too early, just keep working hard and keep my head down.”

Still, Carney could be an intriguing option for NSW selectors trying to end Queensland recent dominance, and he was on the verge of a call-up when his world came crashing down in 2008.

At home at halfback and five-eighth, Carney proved against the Rabbitohs he was more than capable in the No.1 jumper, though his chances of representative selection could be determined as much by his ability to keep things in check off the field as his performances on it.

Without a drink since the new year, Carney is determined to leave the past behind.

Just prior to being shown the door at the Raiders, the Goulburn junior was handed a final chance with the club which was contingent on him adhering to a five-point plan – one point being that he stay away from alcohol until 2012.

Carney rejected the offer and promptly had his contract torn up.

No such constraints have been placed at the Roosters, but Carney said a change in attitude had negated the need for any mothering.

“I’m going day by day, week by week and I just keep going the way I am,” Carney said.

“I don’t need one so I’m happy not drinking.

“That side’s passed me and I’ve still got a lot to work on but I’m feeling comfortable and excited and happy.

“I’m just going along with my football, happy to turn up to training everyday, I’m just excited to be back playing football.

“The change has been great, I’ve seen that in myself and I think everyone can see that.”

Carney said he had no hard feeling towards Canberra for letting him go, and while the Raiders claim they feel the same way toward the troubled star, there is no doubt more performances of the ilk he produced against South Sydney will leave the talent-starved club with some regrets.

“I did the wrong thing at Canberra and they had the right to sack me,” Carney said.

“It was a business (decision) for them and they sacked me. I’ve got on with it, they’ve got on with it.”

Under siege Newcastle produced the upset of the opening round when they held off a fast-finishing Bulldogs, with Moore left lamenting a lack of focus from a team which was expected to challenge for this year’s title.

Facing a trip to WIN Stadium to face the Dragons – who started the year in stunning fashion as they disposed of Parramatta – Moore said he far less concerned about his side’s mental approach.

“I think it’s a positive for us (playing the Dragons), you’ve got to get back on the horse,” Moore said.

“We were disappointing last week, we don’t want to hide from that fact so going down to Wollongong on Friday night against a team that started tremendously against Parramatta last Friday night is a great challenge for us.

“They took up where they left off last year and we were hoping to do that but we didn’t – we were disappointed the attitude wasn’t where it needed to be.”

While the Bulldogs conducted the usual post-mortem on Monday, skipper Andrew Ryan said he was still scratching his head trying to figure out exactly what went wrong against the Knights.

“It’s a bizarre one because our trial form was good,” Ryan said.

“We worked hard for each other in the trials … but unfortunately the handling errors and all those little things we like to pride ourselves on, they just weren’t there last weekend.”

The Dragons put on a masterclass in doing the little things against the Eels as they came up with a miserly three errors for the entire game.

Knowing the Bulldogs would be hurting from their loss to the Knights, and with the sting of last year’s controversial encounter between the two sides no doubt still fresh, Dragons skipper Ben Hornby said his side was preparing for a backlash.

Last year’s only meeting between the two sides ended in dramatic circumstances when a refereeing error denied Bulldogs centre Jamal Idris a match-winning try.

“They’re too good a side for that,” Hornby said when asked if the Bulldogs could put in a shocker two weeks running.

“We have to go out there and perform like we did in the first round, hold the ball and try and build from there.”

What if the NSW and Queensland teams played a ‘dream’ State of Origin series in Sydney and Brisbane?

NEW SOUTH WALES:
1. Clive Churchill
2. Ken Irvine
3. Reg Gasnier
4. Graeme Langlands
5. Dally Messenger (c)
6. Bob Fulton
7. Andrew Johns
8. Frank Burge
9. Sandy Pearce
10. Glenn Lazarus
11. Ron Coote
12. Norm Provan
13. John Raper

RESERVES
14. Wally Prigg
15. Dave Brown
16. Steve Rogers
17. Roy Bull

SQUAD MEMBERS (if there was a State of Origin series)
Wayne Pearce
Ray Price
Max Krilich
Brad Fittler
Peter Sterling
Brett Kenny
Mick Cronin
Laurie Daley
Steve Mortimer
Ben Elias
Paul Harrogan
Steve Roach

COACH: Phil Gould

QUEENSLAND
1.Darren Lockyer
2.Cecil Aynsley
3.Tom Gorman
4.Mal Meninga
5.Dennis Flannery
6.Wally Lewis (c)
7.Allan Langer
8.Mick Madsen
9.Noel Kelly
10.Duncan Hall
11.Brian Davies
12.Arthur Beetson
13.Bob Lindner

RESERVES
14.Jim Craig
15.Duncan Thomson
16.Gene Miles
17.Herb Steinohrt

SQUAD MEMBERS
Paul Vautin
Greg Dowling
Chris Close
Billy Slater
Cameron Smith
Martin Bella
Mark Coyne
John Lang
Gorden Tallis

COACH: Wayne Bennett

The referees for the series would be:
Game 1: Bill Harrigan
Game 2: Barry Gomersall
Game 3: Greg Hartley

Who would win the series and why?

Tuqiri turned back the clock with some trademark runs in his first rugby league game since switching codes in 2003 in a comeback that suggested he could be a State of Origin contender.

“His return was pretty eye-catching,” Morris told AAP after watching the highlights of the Tigers comeback win over Manly on Monday night.

“That will make Mal all warm and fuzzy I would think.

“It’s great to have him back in our game.

“It definitely adds another string to our bow and helps our depth.”

Queensland will be lining up for a record fifth successive series win this year but Morris warned the Blues would be “fired up” after hitting back to win the third game last year.

Tuqiri’s return however is timely with Test centre Justin Hodges likely to miss the entire Origin series after surgery on his snapped Achilles.

NSW went for size out wide last year selecting the likes of of Josh Morris and Jarryd Hayne and Meninga could switch Israel Folau into the centres should Tuqiri recapture the form that saw him play in the 2002 series before joining the rugby union ranks.

Meninga will also make changes to his pack with tackling demon Dallas Johnson, now playing overseas.

Brisbane backrower Corey Parker got his Origin application in early with 54 tackles against the Cowboys to open his season impressively.

“We’ll have to see what happens when the time comes but we’re getting some genuine depth in our ranks and Lote coming back is an added bonus to us,” said Morris.

“Corey (Parker) has played three Origins for us and in the latter part of last year he started to get more involved and he seems to have settled into that role a lot better.

“One would expect if he kept that form up he could be a real chance of playing Origin again.”

Tuqiri, whose 145 metres gained was the best by any player and combined with two line breaks and six tackles, was rapt in his comeback game describing it as a “dream return” to league.

But he admitted to making a gaff after half time, chipping ahead on the third tackle only to realise he wasn’t playing the “other” game.

“I chipped ahead on the third tackle and remember thinking `what am I doing’ knowing any of my Waratah team mates in the stands would have been laughing their heads off,” he said.

Tuqiri experienced mixed emotions leading up to the game, a talk to coach Tim Sheens just before taking the field calming him down.

“I was stuffed just doing the warm-up,” laughed the 104kg Fijian born Tuqiri.

“I’d felt nerves and excited all day.

“But the coach (Sheens) said not to put pressure on myself and it was good advice.”

Teams named for round two of the NRL:/strong>

FRIDAY
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA v CANTERBURY at WIN Stadium, 7.35pm
DRAGONS: Darius Boyd, Brett Morris, Beau Scott, Nick Emmett, Jason Nightingale, Jamie Soward, Ben Hornby (capt), Matt Prior, Luke Priddis, Michael Weyman, Jeremy Smith, Ben Creagh, Dean Young. Interchange: Jon Green, Trent Merrin, Dan Hunt, Jarrod Saffy

BULLDOGS: Luke Patten, Steve Turner, Josh Morris, Jamal Idris, Bryson Goodwin, Ben Roberts, Brett Kimmorley, Ben Hannant, Blake Green, Michael Hodgson, Yileen Gordon, Andrew Ryan (capt), David Stagg. Interchange: Mickey Paea, Gary Warburton, Jarrad Hickey, Ben Barba

Referees: Tony Archer, Matt Cecchin

SOUTH SYDNEY v GOLD COAST at ANZ Stadium, 8:35pm
SOUTHS: Rhys Wesser, Nathan Merritt, Junior Vaivai, Beau Champion, Fetuli Talanoa, John Sutton, Chris Sandow, Luke Stuart, Issac Luke, Roy Asotasi (capt), David Taylor, Sam Burgess, Ben Lowe. Interchange: Scott Geddes, Shannan McPherson, David Tyrell, Jason Clark

TITANS: Preston Campbell, Kevin Gordon, Mat Rogers, Joseph Tomane, David Mead, Greg Bird, Scott Prince (capt), Luke Bailey, Nathan Friend, Brad Meyers, Anthony Laffranchi, Mark Minichiello, Ashley Harrison. Interchange: Matthew White, Sam Tagataese, Bodene Thompson, Riley Brown, Will Matthews (one to be omitted)

Referees: Ashley Klein, Tony De Las Heras

SATURDAY
WARRIORS v CRONULLA at Mt Smart Stadium, 5:30pm
WARRIORS: Lance Hohaia, Kevin Locke, Brent Tate, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, James Maloney, Brett Seymour, Sam Rapira, Aaron Heremaia, Russell Packer, Lewis Brown, Simon Mannering (capt), Micheal Luck. Interchange: Wade McKinnon, Jeremy Latimore, Jesse Royal, Ben Matulino, Joel Moon (one to be omitted)

SHARKS: Nathan Stapleton, Isaac Gordon, Ben Pomeroy, Blake Ferguson, Luke Covell, Trent Barrett (capt), Scott Porter, Kade Snowden, John Morris, Luke Douglas, Grant Millington, Anthony Tupou, Paul Gallen. Interchange: Adam Cuthbertson, Josh Cordoba, Albert Kelly, Paul Aiton, Broderick Wright (one to be omitted)

Referees: Jason Robinson, Bernard Sutton

NEWCASTLE v MELBOURNE at EnergyAustralia Stadium at 7:30pm
KNIGHTS: Shannon McDonnell, Akuila Uate, Wes Naiqama, Adam MacDougall, Cooper Vuna, Jarrod Mullen, Scott Dureau, Ben Cross, Matt Hilder, Evarn Tuimavave, Steve Simpson (capt), Cory Paterson, Mark Taufua. Interchange: Isaac De Gois, Daniel Tolar, Richard Fa’aoso, Zeb Taia, Cameron Ciraldo (one to be omitted)

STORM: Billy Slater, Luke MacDougall, Dane Nielsen, Greg Inglis, Anthony Quinn, Brett Finch, Cameron Smith (capt), Aiden Tolman, Ryan Hinchcliffe, Jeff Lima, Adam Blair, Kevin Proctor, Todd Lowrie. Interchange: Rory Kostjasyn, Ryan Tandy, Hep Cahill, Jesse Bromwich

Referees: Steve Lyons, Alan Shortall

NORTH QUEENSLAND v PENRITH at Dairy Farmers Stadium, 9:30pm
COWBOYS: Ty Williams, John Williams, Ashley Graham, Willie Tonga, Michael Bani, Grant Rovelli, Johnathan Thurston (capt), Matthew Scott, Aaron Payne, Antonio Kaufusi, Scott Bolton, Steve Southern, Luke O’Donnell. Interchange: Anthony Watts, Steve Rapira, Willie Mason, Manase Manuokafoa, Carl Webb, James Tamou (two to be omitted)

PANTHERS: Lachlan Coote, Michael Gordon, Michael Jennings, Adrian Purtell, Shane Elford, Travis Burns, Luke Walsh, Tim Grant, Kevin Kingston, Petero Civoniceva (capt), Frank Pritchard, Trent Waterhouse, Luke Lewis. Interchange: Joseph Paulo, Nathan Smith, Matthew Bell, Sam McKendry, Ryan Walker, Nigel Plum, Frank Puletua (three to be omitted).

Referees: Ben Cummins, Chris James

SUNDAY
PARRAMATTA v MANLY at Parramatta Stadium, 2pm
EELS: Jarryd Hayne, Luke Burt, Joel Reddy, Timana Tahu, Eric Grothe, Daniel Mortimer, Jeff Robson, Nathan Cayless (capt), Matt Keating, Justin Poore, Nathan Hindmarsh, Ben Smith, Feleti Mateo. Interchange: Kris Keating, Tim Mannah, Brendan Oake, Fuifui Moimoi, Krisnan Inu (one to be omitted).

SEA EAGLES: Michael Robertson, Tony Williams, Chris Bailey, Steve Matai, Ben Farrar, Jamie Lyon (capt), Kieran Foran, Jason King (capt), Matt Ballin, Josh Perry, Anthony Watmough, Shane Rodney, Glenn Stewart. Interchange: Terence Seu Seu, Brent Kite, George Rose, Matt Cross, Joe Galuvao (one to be omitted)

Referees: Shayne Hayne, Brett Suttor

SYDNEY ROOSTERS v WESTS TIGERS at Sydney Football Stadium, 3pm
ROOSTERS: Todd Carney, Anthony Minichiello, Phil Graham, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Sam Perrett, Braith Anasta (capt), Mitchell Pearce, Lopini Paea, James Aubusson, Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Aidan Guerra, Mitchell Aubusson, Nate Myles. Interchange: Daniel Conn, Jason Ryles, Brad Takairangi, Nick Kouparitsas, Ben Jones, Sonny Tuigamala, Joseph Leilua (three to be omitted)

TIGERS: Tim Moltzen, Lote Tuqiri, Blake Ayshford, Chris Lawrence, Beau Ryan, Benji Marshall, Robert Lui, Bryce Gibbs, Robbie Farah (capt), Keith Galloway, Liam Fulton, Gareth Ellis, Chris Heighington. Interchange: Jason Cayless, Junior Moors, Mark Flanagan, Daniel Fitzhenry

Referees: Jared Maxwell, Gerard Sutton

MONDAY
CANBERRA v BRISBANE at Canberra Stadium, 7pm
RAIDERS: Josh Dugan, Reece Robinson, Jarrod Croker, Joel Thompson, Daniel Vidot, Terry Campese, Marc Herbert, David Shillington, Alan Tongue (capt), Scott Logan, Joe Picker, Bronson Harrison, Shaun Fensom. Interchange: Travis Waddell, Trevor Thurling, Troy Thompson, Dane Tilse, Josh McCrone, James Stuart (two to be omitted)

BRONCOS: Corey Norman, Antonio Winterstein, Gerard Beale, Israel Folau, Denan Kemp, Darren Lockyer (capt), Peter Wallace, Nick Kenny, Andrew McCullough, Scott Anderson, Ben Te’o, Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker. Interchange: Alex Glenn, Matt Gillett, Mitchell Dodds, Josh McGuire, Lagi Setu (one to be omitted)

Referees: Gavin Badger, Phil Haines

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