Crikey’s NRL Hot Form Chart

It’s the cusp of winter and Treasurers and State of Origin selectors alike have been hard at it. New South Wales sprung a surprise by selecting a halfback at halfback. Queensland have put a five-eighth at centre, a fullback at five eighth, some journeymen on the bench.

Perhaps, like the Budget, the Origin series won’t turn out as predicted.

The player most spurned — Scott Prince of the Titans — has the perfect “I told you so” opportunity against the struggling Bulldogs this weekend. Gold Coast supporters will at least be happy to have the competition’s in-form half all to themselves.

For Parramatta, tonight is the acid test. The Eels’ rise up the Hot Form Charts looks impressive but they face a more imposing opponent in the Roosters, and only the fair dinkum contender will remain standing.

The Sharks seem well placed at home to Brisbane at the beginning of the Origin cycle. But Toyota Stadium is where Cronulla have had their problems and they are without the grimace twins Bird and Gallen.

Hot Form darlings Melbourne and Manly normally would not encounter any problems with the Dragons or Cowboys, but the Origin exodus clouds things a little. We’re sticking with the form and will let the personnel look after itself.

Crikey’s crunch game sees the Tigers taking on the Knights at Newcastle. Tipping Wests has been about as easy as scoring at a Melissa Etheridge concert so it is only a faltering thumbs up to the boys from Balmain.

The Form Charts says Canberra should beat Souths, but “shoulds” are like one night stands after a Melissa Etheridge concert – often regretted in the morning.

And Penrith – fast becoming Crikey’s favourite team – host a Warriors outfit that contributed only two players to the New Zealand team for the Centenary test. There’s a message in that somewhere but it’s difficult to concentrate with the chorus of Somebody Bring Me Some Water going through my head.

Form* Team Last week NRL ladder position Sequence
1 Melbourne 1 1 W-W-W-W-W
2 Manly 2 4 W-L-W-W-W
3 Titans 3 2 W-W-W-W-L
4 Penrith 5 9 W-L-W-L-W
5 Roosters 7 5 W-W-L-L-W
6 Brisbane 4 3 W-L-W-W-L
7 Parramatta 10 10 L-L-L-W-W
8 Warriors 9 11 L-W-L-L-W
9 Cronulla 13 6 W-L-L-L-W
10 Newcastle 8 7 L-L-W-W-L
11 Tigers 11 8 L-L-W-W-L
12 Canberra 14 13 W-L-W-L-L
13 Cowboys 6 15 W-W-L-L-L
14 Rabbitohs 16 16 L-L-L-L-W
15 Dragons 15 14 L-L-L-W-L
16 Bulldogs 12 12 L-L-W-L-L

*The past five games

Crikey’s Hot Form Tips for Round 10 are:

  • Roosters
  • Titans
  • Melbourne
  • Manly
  • Cronulla
  • Newcastle
  • Penrith
  • Canberra

Last week: 5
Season: 36

Crikey’s AFL Hot Form Chart

Collingwood and St Kilda have been very litmus papery so far this year — any team that is fair dinkum would want to beat both. Tonight, they play each other, with the Pies trying to overcome poor form and the Saints trying to overcome legal action by former coach Grant Thomas.

Ross Lyon of course will never be forced to sign away his leave entitlements. In fact, if they lose tonight he can take a few days off in September.

Richmond have been playing well for little reward, a trend that will continue against Geelong.

The match of the round, as far as Crikey sees these things at least, is Hawthorn and Port at Launceston. The Power is back on the bicycle and should pose Hot Form flyers the Hawks with their most serious challenge to date.

The last time Carlton played Brisbane, the Lions won by 177 points and JB (as the Hot Form Chart calls the man you know as Jonathan Brown) kicked 10 goals. But Carlton mark ’08 is a different team so expect no repeat of the Brown black day ’cause the Blues are in the pink.

Not so West Coast who take on North without serial bad-boy Daniel Kerr, and with confidence, form and — yes, self-esteem — at an all time low. Given your average Gold Coast resident’s well known passion for the mysterious workings of sporting karma, expect the locals to turn out en masse to cheer on the team who extended the middle finger in the general direction of Cavill Avenue.

The Crows and Swans will be expected to account for Melbourne and Essendon easily enough at their respective home venues over the weekend, although the Bombers may fire up after their chairman went public with his opinion that Damien Peverill and Jason Johnson were washed-up has-beens. You never know, Freo may trade for them at season’s end.

The Dockers themselves host the Bulldogs, a team that underlined their credentials by outclassing Sydney at home two weeks ago. The Freo faithful will surely be frothing at the mouth following their team’s abysmal fade-out against Melbourne. Then again, the same crowd gave the Dockers a standing ovation after being thumped in a final by Essendon so who knows?

Form* Team Last week AFL ladder position Sequence      
1 Geelong 1 1 W-W-W-W-W
2 Hawthorn 2 2 W-W-W-W-W
3 Bulldogs 3 3 W-W-D-W-W
4 Adelaide 4 4 W-L-W-W-W
5 Port Adelaide 8 9 L-L-W-W-W
6 Carlton 11 11 L-W-W-L-W
7 St Kilda 10 5 L-L-W-L-W
8 Brisbane 7 10 L-W-L-W-L
9 Collingwood 9 8 W-L-L-W-L
10 North Melbourne 5 7 L-W-W-D-L
11 Sydney 6 6 W-W-L-D-L
12 Richmond 12 12 W-L-D-L-L
13 Melbourne 16 16 L-L-L-L-W
14 Essendon 13 13 W-L-L-L-L
15 Fremantle 14 14 W-L-L-L-L
16 West Coast 15 15 L-L-L-L-L

*The past five games

Crikey’s Hot Form Tips for the bye:

  • Collingwood
  • Hawthorn
  • Geelong
  • Carlton
  • North Melbourne
  • Adelaide
  • Sydney
  • Bulldogs

Last week: 6
Season: 40