Going out tonight.

NRL (last round 2/4; season tally 100/176)
Cronulla
South Sydney

AFL (last round 2/4; season tally 142/201)
Melbourne
Greater Western Sydney

So, we’ve arrived at the business end of the season.

More or less six of the eight NRL sides and maybe three of the AFL sides have realistic chances of winning.

Other sides may get an upset but won’t sustain the two or three wins needed to be overall winners.

The AFL got underway yesterday and I’d already tipped Richmond for my online comp, so we off to a reasonable start.

NRL (last round 6/8; season tally 98/172)
Melbourne
New Zealand
Easts
Brisbane

AFL (last round 7/9; season tally 140/197)

Richmond

Geelong

Sydney

West Coast

This week sees the final round of the NRL with the AFL having a week off before the finals.
The conceit of the AFL week off was to discourage teams already assured of a place in the finals from resting players in the last round.
The NRL don’t need it because their competition has been so equal (this year at least). Although the eight is settled, apparently all teams in the eight could theoretically finish as high as second (although some of them would have to win by 100 points to achieve it).

Anyway, here we go.

NRL (last round 4/8; season tally 92/164)
Souths
Canberra
Melbourne
Saint George
North Queensland
Easts
Cronulla
Brisbane

AFL (last round 7/9; season tally 140/197)

The last round of the AFL, with one more week of NRL to go.
Where does the time go?
Last week’s NRL tips were dire, the AFL was acceptable.
This week, who knows?
It’s easier to follow who’s the Prime Minister of Australia than who is winning NRL.

NRL (last round 2/8; season tally 88/164)
Wests
Penrith
North Queensland
Souths
Melbourne
Easts
Cronulla
Saint George

AFL (last round 7/9; season tally 133/189)
Port Adelaide
Geelong
Richmond
Collingwood
Sydney
Adelaide
West Coast
Melbourne
North Melbourne

I was too late to tip Souths on my online tipping comp. Sigh. Holidays will do that to you.
And now I see Brisbane are leading. That’s funny

NRL (last round 3/8; season tally 86/156)
Souths
Manly
Melbourne
Penrith
Wests
Cronulla
New Zealand
Easts

AFL (last round 8/9; season tally 126/180)
Richmond
Collingwood
Geelong
Greater Western Sydney
Brisbane
Hawthorn
Western Bulldogs
West Coast
Adelaide

Below average round of tips.
No more confident this week.
Got to pack for holidays.

NRL (last round 3/8; season tally 83/148)
Brisbane
New Zealand
Souths
Penrith
Manly
Saint George
Canberra
Melbourne

AFL (last round 6/9; season tally 118/171)
Essendon
Hawthorn
Richmond
West Coast
Collingwood
Greater Western Sydney
North Melbourne
Sydney
Fremantle

So, Richmond have laid down the gauntlet to the other teams in the AFL. Back-to-back premierships are rare, but the Tigers managed to win last year as a side who had not peaked, so their form this year is both more consistent and higher.
In the NRL Easts have shown that they’ll be there at the business end of things. Melbourne and Souths are the other two likely contenders. Melbourne still seem irresistible, both as a team and because they have two great players in Slater and Smith.
Also, well done on Rugby League ‘grandfathering’ in three pre-war players among their ‘Immortals.’ The original selection criteria caused the imbalance that has been somewhat rectified.

NRL (last round 5/8; season tally 80/140)
Brisbane
Wests
Melbourne
Saint George
Gold Coast
Easts
Cronulla
Penrith

AFL (last round 5/9; season tally 112/162)
Hawthorn
Richmond
North Melbourne
Port Adelaide
Saint Kilda
Collingwood
Greater Western Sydney
Melbourne
West Coast