So we’re on to Round 18, and I don’t think anyone will be recovering from last night’s match for many years, and I can confirm my own statement, because the first 20 minutes was so brutal I got concussed just by watching Cam Murray, Selwyn Cobbo and Lindsay Collins convulsing on the floor.

At the end of it all, Ben Hunt had his moment in the sun in sealing the series off the Nathan Cleary chargedown, almost 7 years after being a Grand Final pariah, but if you ask me, Ben Hunt’s moment in the sun is every week in a Red V jersey, because he’s the only reason St George haven’t won a wooden spoon since 2019.

Great player stuck in a crap team.

On the other hand, Freddie Fittler managed to lose the unloseable series for the second time in 3 years, and he’s copped crap for his rancid team selections, for instance Stephen Crichton was so useless that Michael Crichton would’ve been a better option, Daniel Tupou had a mare after getting the gig over Josh Addo-Carr, and Murray Takagi only got a gig thanks in part to flattening Morgan Harper a few weeks ago….

When you think about, thanks to Morgan Harper getting turned into a speed bump, Manly have both indirectly and directly cost New South Wales the series, considering Daly Cherry-Evans captained the Maroons.

So looking back on Round 17, technically speaking I did get my first perfect round of the year in terms of NRL games, getting all 4 games with relative comfort (Cheers Cronulla), but I didn’t officially get a perfect round as I was off the mark with New South Wales in yet another Game 3 decider at Lang Park.

I reckon they’ll put life on Mars before New South Wales win another Game 3 at Lang Park.

Progressive Score After Round 17: 92/130 (69.8%), without Origin 91/127

AND NOW… THE SUCCINCT ROUND 18 PICKS, BECAUSE I RAN OUT OF TIME TO FIND ENOUGH MATERIAL:

Let’s be honest, me just posting a picture of the picks is more entertaining than me posting a bunch of boring cultural references that have absolutely nothing to do with football….

So on that note, here’s my prediction for the opening game of Round 18….

The Cowboys are going to jump the Shark, ala The Fonz!