After a week off for the Rep Round the NRL is back in full swing.
With State of Origin three weeks away the logjam of teams from the 2nd placed Dragons to the 11th Warriors, amazingly separated by only 4 points after 9 rounds, will have to start making their moves.
Round 10 promises some enticing matchups and so without further ado lets preview the round.
BULLDOGS V COWBOYS
7.50pm AEST Thursday, May 11 at ANZ Stadium
Kicking off tonight at ANZ Stadium, a resurgent Bulldogs outfit who have won 3 of their last 4 matches take on a Cowboys team coming to terms with the loss of talismanic leader, Jonathan Thurston; who just last weekend returned from injury, only to go down in the ANZAC test for another long stint on the sidelines.
The Queensland team have had the opposite luck winning just 1 in the past four and will be looking to steady the ship going into Origin, where they may lose Michael Morgan and Julian O’Neill.
However, they welcome back half their spine tonight in Hooker, Jake Granville and Fullback, Lachlan Coote. This should make them a more competitive squad.
For the Dogs, firebrand five-eighth Josh Reynolds is out for a month and has been replaced with impressive rookie Matt Frawley, in what will be a preview of life after Reynolds could be come 2018.
Tip: With the Return of Granville and Coote from injury, Michael Morgan should have more time to play his natural game, although without JT, I feel the Bulldogs have too much experience across the park in this one. The Dogs to win a close one.
Watch this space for more NRL Tips.
-The 3rd Ref-
