WIN Stadium, more like WIND Stadium

Well I’m hitting Origin II on a positive note with another 7/8 on the picks, after pulling off the big pick of the Sharks in Townsville, thanks to that late pissweak sin bin to the Cowboys, plus the Knights somehow pinching that win against the Warriors after Kalyn Ponga didn’t play… turns out the Raiders being the Faders and losing by 2 points in The ‘Gong cost me a perfect round!

On a more positive note for the league through all the blowouts this weekend, The Mark Hughes Foundation set a goal of $3,000,000 for Beanie for Brain Cancer Round, and it turns out they set their standards too low….

Because they raised $4.1 million AUD and smashed their own fundraising record in the process.

Full credit to everyone in the league community, plus Sportsbet and the McCloy Family Foundation who donated a cool $1,000,000 – They gave 110%, dug deep, backed themselves and came away with the 2 points, plus seven figures towards brain cancer research.

South Sydney Rabbitohs 46 defeated Brisbane Broncos 0 – Correct

If getting devoured by the Killer Rabbits of Redfern wasn’t dire enough, Tevita Pangai got told to look for another club during the game, because there’s no better way to motivate an employee than to tell them they’re getting the arse at the end of the year, Head of Football Ops Peter Nolan and Head of Performance Andrew Croll were given their marching orders, and according to Fox League, Kevin Walters is now facing a player revolt at Red Hill.

It could be true, it could be bullshit, but based on this game, the only thing revolting involving the Broncos is their on-field product.

So on the bright side for the Bronx, Ben Ikin has finally found a way to escape hosting NRL 360 and Fox Sports, and he’ll now replace Nolan as the Head of Football Ops, and it goes to show he must’ve really wanted to get the heck away from Paul Kent if he’s willingly going back to the current mess at Red Hill.

Who are we kidding, instead of Lara Pitt, it’s going to be Ray Hadley alongside Kenty.

Cronulla Sharks 26 defeated North Queensland Cowboys 24 – Correct

You should never underestimate a shark, when he is in trouble.

Especially when he is underwater…. or because the referee gives them a player advantage in the final minutes because Reece Robson committed an act that didn’t even attract a fine.

Penrith Panthers 38 defeated Sydney Roosters 12 – Correct

6 Origin players straight back into the lineup for the Mountain Men, and look what happened.

They had fried chicken for dinner on a Friday night!

Newcastle Knights 10 defeated New Zealand Warriors 6 – Correct

I hope Roger Tuivasa-Sheck asks his Warriors teammates to be pallbearers at his funeral.

So they can let him down one more time.

St George-Illawarra Dragons 22 defeated Canberra Raiders 20 – Incorrect

It’s a great thing the Raiders got blown away by the strong wind after leading 20-8, because the NRL won’t be able to take the 2 points off them for the Xavier Savage 18th man interchange breach in the 2nd Half.

It’s not surprising the Raiders would do something as dumb as misunderstanding the 18th man rule…. They didn’t even bother going for a 40/20 with gale-force winds at their backs…

Mainly because Jack Wighton kept kicking it out on the full.

Melbourne Storm 66 defeated Wests Tigers 16 – Correct

Sportsbet were probably glad they only agreed to donate $1000 per try to the Mark Hughes Foundation, because the Storm would’ve bled them dry otherwise with the Satanic torture they inflicted on the Tigers.

In fact, here’s a snippet of the commentary from Fox League after the Storm went 60-0 up:

Parramatta Eels 36 defeated Canterbury Bulldogs 10 – Correct

After a reasonably competitive opening 40 minutes as the Dogs played error-free footy and the Eels produced errors like a conveyor bely, reality set in after the Eels scored 2 quick tries out of the break and the Dogs were knocked down to 12 players when Luke Thompson was sin binned.

Manly Sea Eagles 56 defeated Gold Coast Titans 24 – Correct

Hello everyone I stopped watching at half-time, how much did the Titans win by?

They did what?

They gave up 9 TRIES IN 31 MINUTES?

And Tommy Turbo scored another hat-trick in Queensland?

Deary me, well may we say God Save The Queen, because nothing will save the Gold Coast Titans.