The greatest Friday night ever and are the Dogs cooked
In the latest episode of Kenty Blitz, Paul Kent and Johnny Elias look ahead to a blockbuster weekend of rugby league. With "the greatest Friday night ever" on the horizon featuring the top four heavyweights, the panel questions whether the Bulldogs can handle the heat and if veteran milestones will be overshadowed by transfer talk.
The Greatest Friday Night Ever
The round 25 schedule has thrown up a mouth-watering Friday night double-header that Kent believes will decide the premiership. With first, second, third and fifth all in action, the weekend provides a rare back-to-back look at the genuine contenders.
"It's the first second third and fifth are playing. Unbelievable night of football. They're the four teams that going to win the comp. It won't come from anywhere else. It'll give everybody a good sense watching them back to back of where all those teams are."
Are the Bulldogs Being Bullied?
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs face a massive test against the Melbourne Storm following a physical loss to the Roosters. Kent suggests that teams have identified a lack of "grunt" in the middle of the Bulldogs' mobile pack.
"The roosters really bullied the bulldogs on the weekend. The bulldogs have these small, mobile, agile, high work rate players. What they're doing to the bulldogs now is they're just trying to bully them through the middle and really just work their forwards over. There just there's no grunt through the middle and that's i think what particularly irritated Ciraldo last week."
Kent expects Storm coach Craig Bellamy to exploit this further, specifically with the return of Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
"I think Craig Bellamy will pick him back specifically for that purpose to just sort of rub it into the bulldogs how small their forwards are. It's a big test for canterbury."
The 350 Game Milestone and the DCE Dilemma
Daly Cherry-Evans is set to celebrate his 350th game for Manly this weekend, but the occasion is marred by his impending move to the Roosters. Kent expressed disappointment that the milestone won't be the "raucous" celebration it should have been.
"It's a shame. Spent his whole life there. I don't know if they'll be right behind him like they they would have normally been for a blood cup run out for his 350th game for the club. I think it lacks class if they do to be honest. Daily Cherry-Evans I think what he's given that club he deserves to go out on his own merits."
The David Fifita Rescue Mission
With reports that David Fifita has reached out to Wayne Bennett for a move to South Sydney, Kent believes the move is essential for the back-rower to save his career after a stagnant period at the Titans.
"Wayne bennett gave him his start in the broncos when he was 18 years old and so he knows him well. One of wayne's true skills is he's a great motivator and wayne will be great for fita from that point of view. At the moment he's certainly not worth half of what he's on. He contacted wayne bennett for feed he wants out he wants to go to south sydney. I think he realizes the very fact he's contacted wayne shows he realizes that wayne's a guy to get him going again."
Expanding the Talent Pool
Addressing the current injury crisis that has seen millions of dollars worth of talent sitting on the sidelines, the panel discussed the possibility of expanding club squads beyond the current 30-man limit.
"It's got merit but the other thing well that's basically a salary cap restriction. You can't grow without without doing that. You can't just say okay we're going to go from 30 to 35 there's got to be sort of financial ramifications to that as well. But to grow the game you have to you just have to do it it's it's part of your growing pains but that's the reality."
Final Predictions
Despite the high stakes for several clubs, Kent remains firm on his tips for the weekend, leaning towards the Storm and the Roosters to maintain their dominance at the top of the ladder.
"I think the storm get them. Roosters, I don't give paramount much hope at all i think that'll be a big score. I think the resters will put put some points on them."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6LfnYaS5Pk
