NRL 2014 Round 3: My head hurts

Breaking news from the NRL this week came in the form of a new rule that if a player is concussed, they need to harden up take a break for a week and have some diagnostic tests done by the marketing manager a doctor before playing again.  This comes after players such as Ian “Have I Mentioned Lately That I’m Gay?  Well, I’m Gay” Roberts and Mario “what?” Fenech came out with the shocking revelations that they have forms of brain damage due to having constantly damaged their brains while playing footy.

I am not a football player (they won’t let me due to my extreme awesomeness, plus my hatred for Todd Carney), but I have been knocked out a few times - more if you include the times when alcohol was involved – and I’ve found that the whole ‘falling over when you’re standing still’ effect of a concussion should probably be enough of a sign that you shouldn’t be in a huge rush to get back on the field so you can run headlong into a 110kg bloke who’s running headlong into you at the same time. 

But that’s just me.  Honestly, I’m just not sure how this is even an issue in 2014 where coaches, managers and trainers haven’t been given a swift arse-kicking for plonking some bloke back in the game after he copped a face-full of some other dickhead’s head, just in case he’s able to fall over the try-line because the crowd, the sponsors and the management would prefer that Favourite Player #1 gets the points over Replacement Player #3.  Because, let’s be Francine with each other here, if that malarkey keeps going, Favourite Player #1 might not be around as long as he could be. 

Am I getting too serious here, or is it just me?  It’s Friday, it’s been a long week.  Piss off. 

Round 3

For most of the games this week, it appears fairly cut’n’dry with who to tip, with the exception of the Broncs vs the Rooters and the Penny Panthers vs the Doggies.  And I’ll throw in Sharkies and the Dragons too, just because they Sharks are playing shit and the Dragons are playing well, but that situation is about ready to switch itself around.

West Tigers vs South Sydney Rabbitohs

Brisbane Broncos vs Sydney Roosters

Penrith Panthers vs Canterbury Bulldogs...

Cronulla Sharks vs St George Illawarra

Nth Queensland Cowboys vs New Zealand Warriors

Manly Sea Eagles vs Parramatta Eels

Melbourne Storm vs Newcastle Knights

Game of the Round

Canberra Raiders vs Gold Coast Titans

Round Three sees the Raiders at home for the first time in 2014, and the unveiling of the new GIO Stadium (sign).  The Titans have been traditionally rubbish so far this year, while the Green Machine have been in pretty decent form against two top-eight teams from last year.  As long as no one gets complacent (although I wouldn’t put complacency about making the grand final past the Raiders after a close loss and a close win), the mighty lads from our nation’s capital should notch up a tidy victory.  Pop a $5 on Edrick Lee to cross for a couple.