NRL Weekly Blog Post - 1st February

The Week it's Been...
Cameron Smith, Ben Hornby, Tony Williams. All out of the All Stars game! Big disappointment for many NRL fans, including me, to see three players bow out in such quick succession. Fortunately, Wayne Bennett has three more than handy replacements in Aaron Payne, Anthony Watmough and Nathan Fien, who all have a big chance to prove themselves. In other news, a very understrength South Sydney Rabbitohs side has lost to English Super League side Warrington, 34-28. New Rabbitohs recruit Matt King was playing against his old team, as well as young gun Adam Reynolds, who is tipped to replace Chris Sandow (gone to Eels) in the number 7 jersey. Both King and Reynolds were impressive in that game despite their team being defeated. Also, hard luck for new Cowboys recruit Robert Lui, who dislocated his knee in training and will need surgery. Cowboys have confirmed he is in doubt for the season opener.



Big Games Coming up...
My apologies for last week writing that the All Stars game, the Cowboys v Broncos and the Dragons v Bulldogs was coming up in the week. It is coming up THIS week. My tips remain the same from last week (Indigenous All Stars, Broncos, Bulldogs). This week there are other big games coming up too:

• Warriors v Gold Coast Titans - Trial (Warriors)
• Sharks v Manly - Trial (Manly)

Both games will be closer than many predict, I believe, as although the Titans and Sharks finished badly last year, both squads have been bolstered with some great new recruits.



Team of the Week...

<><><><> <><><><> <><><><>

Chris Sandow will be playing for the Eels this year - will he step up?

Again, no games have been played this week (except Rabbitohs v Warrington), so again I will nominate the Parramatta Eels. Chris Sandow will be wearing the yellow and blue this year, and could combine brilliantly with flyer Jarryd hayne, possibly forming a daunting combination for other teams. Ben Roberts will probably partner Chris Sandow in the halves, quite an underated player, in my opinion, and Robert's partnership will Sandow may also be deadly.
Brothers Willie and Esi Tonga could easily be the centre pairing for the Eels in 2012, both hard, dynamic runners with great fends. Add these exciting backs to a forward line that boasts the likes of Fuifui Moimoi and Nathan Hindmarsh, and the Eels could be a major force to be reckoned with in the 2012 season.



Dream Team News...
Lone Scout, is the Toyota NRL Dream Team's (link on first blog post - 25th January) guru, who posts regularly on the NRL website. This week, he posted the top 10 bargains for the 2012 season. They are:

• Corey Norman - $171,800 (Fullback-Winger; Half)
• Tony Williams - $161,000 (Second Row; Centre)
• Terry Campese - $248,900 (Half)
• Todd Carney - $203,600 (Fullback-Winger; Half)
• Tariq Sims - $218,900 (Second Row)
• Clint Newton - $164,200 (Second Row)
• Zeb Taia - $227,400 (Second Row)
• Justin Poore - $111,400 (Front Row)
• Sam Burgess - $201,400 (Second Row; Front Row)
• Nathan Friend - $246,500 (Hooker)

Thanks for reading NRLWeekly. Please follow next week's blog, which will be posted on Wednesday
Thanks again.