A most unexpected victory in State Of Origin 2 makes everything else redundant. Queensland should still be very wary.
AFL continues to be a misery.
This round should be straightforward, but wait and see.
NRL not too bad.
Impacts on teams from injured players makes tips a bit tricky, especially not knowing who may yet drop out.

NRL (last round 3/4; season tally 75/111)
New Zealand
Gold Coast
Penrith
Canberra
Easts
Saint George
Cronulla

AFL (last round 2/6; season tally 62/108)
Adelaide
Sydney
Port Adelaide
Greater Western Sydney
Western Bulldogs
West Coast
Geelong
Richmond
Saint Kilda

AFL seems determined to destroy me this year.
NRL is lulling me into a false sense of security.
State of Origin 2 is on Wednesday.
A stronger Queensland team will struggle if the forwards can’t at least hold their own.

NRL (last round 6/8; season tally 72/107)
Souths
Melbourne
Cronulla
Saint George

AFL (last round 2/7; season tally 60/102)
Geelong
North Melbourne
Sydney
Port Adelaide
Gold Coast
Western Bulldogs

The long weekend (what’s that?) means both football codes are stretching from Thursday to Monday this week.
Even with the AFL a couple of games short to accommodate the mid-season byes.
The trend of reasonable NRL results and diabolical AFL picks continues.

NRL (last round 6/7; season tally 66/99)
Melbourne
Lottoland Eagles
Brisbane
Gold Coast
Penrith
North Queensland
Easts
Saint George

AFL (last round 2/6; season tally 58/95)
Western Bulldogs
Adelaide
Hawthorn
Fremantle
Port Adelaide
Greater Western Sydney
Melbourne

Black armband week.
Dominant performance by New South Wales over a Queensland team that didn’t look like it had much to offer.
The passion of the players was great, too.
So often in club and even test footy there’s a look of easy come – easy go.
AFL felt a little more settled, with the three wrong tips being very close games.
Still no favourite yet. I’m not convinced by Adelaide.
The bye rounds in the AFL start this weekend.

NRL (last round 4/4; season tally 60/92)
Melbourne
Parramatta
Saint George
Brisbane
North Queensland
Lottoland Eagles
Penrith

AFL (last round 6/9; season tally 56/89)
Port Adelaide
Adelaide
West Coast
Greater Western Sydney
Western Bulldogs
North Melbourne
Fremantle (at home)

Shortened round in the NRL because of State of Origin Game 1.
I’ll tip Queensland, but it’s the most even looking series for a while.
Hoping existing combinations get Queensland up while NSW get used to each other.
The AFL still looks like it could be anyone’s competition this year.
Collingwood got an unexpected boost last week as they start a run where victories should come more easily.

NRL (last round 6/8; season tally 56/88)
Paramatta
New Zealand
Cronulla
Canberra

AFL (last round 6/8; season tally 50/80)
Port Adelaide
Sydney
Western Bulldogs
Melbourne
Essendon
Adelaide
Collingwood
North Melbourne
Greater Western Sydney

Still managing a higher ratio of correct NRL tips than AFL tips.
Not sure what that means because I’m going fairly rubbish in both comps.
Gold Coast and Port Adelaide get a week off to recover from their trip to China.
Should stand Port in good stead for their next game in Geelong.
Gold Coast get to go to Alice Springs. Who did their draw?

NRL (last round 5/8; season tally 50/80)
Cronulla
New Zealand
Brisbane
Gold Coast
Canberra
Penrith
Easts
Melbourne

AFL (last round 4/9; season tally 44/72)
Geelong
Sydney
Greater Western Sydney
Adelaide
Hawthorn
West Coast
Melbourne
Fremantle