#1 Dazzlers Dingoes (Current: 9-2, Diff: +1186, Home: 4-0, Away: 5-2)
The Run home:
Rnd 12 – Dragons 1015 (H) – Predicted: 834-665 W
Rnd 13 – Rosebery Rampage (H) – Predicted: 774-762 W
Rnd 14 – Papatoetoe Piranhas (H) – Predicted: 826-777 W
Three home games, two top four contenders
One game clear and now with three to play, the Dingoes can still drop out of the top two if they don’t take care of business from here. Rampage and Piranhas are the big ones to come and the ‘good’ Piranhas in the season finale could cause complications as well. They wouldn’t want to play too many more games this year without Cody Walker and Cameron Munster – both vitally important to the Dingoes structure.
Predicted Finish: First and Minor Premiers (12 wins, 2 losses) +1416
#2 Rosebery Rampage (Current: 8-3, Diff: +647, Home: 5-1, Away: 3-2)
The Run home:
Rnd 12 – Grubs (A) – Predicted: 711-731 L
Rnd 13 – Dazzlers Dingoes (A) – Predicted: 762-774 L
Rnd 14 – Basic B!tches (H) – Predicted: 733-730 W
One home game, one top four contender
The Rampage added a whopping 141 points differential after breaking their duck in their destruction of Eely Avengers last time out. They have tough battles in their next three, but their hold on second place will likely come down to the round 14 game, home to Basic B!tches. Win that and Rosebery is looking at two home finals, including potentially a home preliminary final – a remarkable performance.
Predicted Finish: Third (9 wins, 5 losses) +618
#3 Papatoetoe Piranhas (Current: 7-4, Diff: +447, Home: 5-2, Away: 2-2)
The Run home:
Rnd 12 – Balmain Tigers (A) – Predicted: 826-830 L
Rnd 13 – Dragons 1015 (A) – Predicted: 784-744 W
Rnd 14 – Dazzlers Dingoes (A) – Predicted: 777-826 L
Zero home games, two top four contenders
The Piranhas also enjoyed a bumper 165 point differential increase after their hammering of Basic B!tches last game and could win all three games from here to the finals. Now in a race with Rampage and Tigers for top two, top four and the double chance, so there can be no let-up here. Tigers and Dingoes away will be their toughest games from here to the finals.
Predicted Finish: Fourth (8 wins, 6 losses) +434
#4 Balmain Tigers (Current: 6-5, Diff: +361, Home: 2-2, Away: 4-3)
The Run home:
Rnd 12 – Papatoetoe Piranhas (H) – Predicted: 830-726 W
Rnd 13 – Eely Avengers (H) – 821-666 W
Rnd 14 – Grubs (H) – 878-713 W
Three home games, one top four contender
Balmain should run the table from here and the next three weeks in particular offer real hopes of boosting its points difference to close the gap on the Rampage and Piranhas. If Papatoetoe or the Rampage do drop a game then the Tigers will be ready to pounce on a top-two finish. But here’s the poser for the Tigers: Who would they rather play in the opening week of the finals if they don’t finish top two? – Dingoes at Edmund Thornton Reserve or Papatoetoe at Kohuora Park?
Predicted Finish: Second (9 wins, 5 losses) +785
#5 Basic B!tches (Current: 4-7, Diff: -433, Home: 3-4, Away: 1-3)
The Run home:
Rnd 12 – Eely Avengers (A) – Predicted: 795-665 W
Rnd 13 – Grubs (A) – Predicted: 792-738 W
Rnd 14 – Rosebery Rampage (A) – 730-733 L
Zero home games, one top four contender
Amazing. By letting the Piranhas make a miraculous comeback late on Sunday, the B!tches threw away their chance to move one game closer to fourth place. The battle between teams fourth to sixth is desperately close, but with the hopeless Grubs and hapless Avengers in the next two weeks, Basic B!tches still have a chance to move past its rivals into the top four. The game that will cause the B!tches the most anxiety between now and finals is the Showdown in round 14 where form traditionally, has counted for zero.
Predicted Finish: Fifth (6 wins, 8 losses) -252
#6 Grubs (Current: 4-7, Diff: -643, Home: 0-5, Away: 4-2)
The Run home:
Rnd 12 – Rosebery Rampage (H) – Predicted: 731-711 W
Rnd 13 – Basic B!tches (H) – Predicted: 738-792 L
Rnd 14 – Balmain Tigers (A) – Predicted: 713-878 L
Zero home games, one top four contender
Last round at Kirrawee Oval could have been a statement game for the Grubs, but the meek final score of 473 against Dingoes again underlined the view that they aren’t quite at the level of the best of the competition. They need to win one more game to make absolutely sure of avoiding the wooden spoon, but there are no gimmes for the rest of the season, starting with the Rampage at Turruwul Park next week. There is something about Grubs that isn’t quite working in 2019.
Predicted Finish: Sixth (5 wins, 9 losses) -842
#7 Dragons 1015 (Current: 3-8, Diff: -698, Home: 0-5, Away: 3-3)
The Run home:
Rnd 12 – Dazzlers Dingoes (A) – Predicted: 710-834 L
Rnd 13 – Papatoetoe Piranhas (H) – Predicted: 744-784 L
Rnd 14 – Eely Avengers (H) – Predicted: 687-586 W
Two home games, two top four contenders
The spirit was willing, but the bodies weren’t against Balmain Tigers last round and poor form at Kogarah Oval is starting to spiral out of control at the wrong end of the season. The double chance still a long shot, but a more realistic goal might be a home elimination final, and they need to win two of their last three for that to be a chance. Dingoes and the Piranhas in the next fortnight will be tricky.
Predicted Finish: Seventh (4 wins, 10 losses) -761
#8 Eely Avengers (Current: 3-8, Diff: -867, Home: 2-4, Away: 1-4)
The Run home:
Rnd 12: Basic B!tches (H) – Predicted: 665-795 L
Rnd 13: Balmain Tigers (A) – Predicted: 666-821 L
Rnd 14: Dragons 1015 (A) – Predicted: 586-687 L
One home game, one top four contender
Eely Avengers fate from here is in its own hands and while the draw is difficult, every win from here will likely elevate it at least one position up the ladder. So a top-six finish and perhaps even a home elimination final is not out of the question. And after a pair of gun player, Tommy Turbo and DCE returning, the form and confidence from the first part of the season might be returning.
Predicted Finish: Eighth and Wooden Spooners (3 wins, 11 losses) -1253