Game 1 is at Leitch Oval in Narrabri, with the Essential Energy TAFL Pre-Season competition winners the Narrabri Eagles taking on the New England Nomads. This game last year saw the Eagles go down by 10 Points. Both the Eagles and the Nomads have picked up players in the off season. The Nomads pickups may be a bit better but not all of them have been training consistently. The Eagles had a good win over the Bulldogs a few weeks ago and that could just be the confidence booster that they need. The Nomads, on the other hand, received two forfeits and will be underdone for match fitness. This is going to be a really good game and with the Nomads training on the big Bellevue Oval, they will find the small Leitch Oval a bit confining.
Prediction: Being the first game of the year and the fact that the game is in Narrabri, I am going for the Eagles by 9 points.
Game 2 is going to be hard to pick. At Tamworth's No.1 Oval the Tamworth Swans host the Gunnedah Bulldogs. The Swans got a big wakeup call against the Tamworth Kangaroos in Round 1 of the Pre-Season competition, being beaten by 10 goals. The only other team to play 2 Pre-Season games was the Bulldogs and while they only lost to the Eagles by 16 points, their very undermanned side got hammered by the Kangaroos a week later. The Swans have recruited well over the summer and will be hurting after their last game. The Bulldogs on the other hand have lost some of their favourite sons and will struggle this year.
Prediction: The Swans will bounce back by 56 points.
Game 3 will be held at Varley Oval in Inverell. The all-conquering Inverell Saints were a disappointment during the Essential Energy TAFL Pre-Season competition forfeiting both their games. For the team that has been the bench mark for the last 4 years, this has been very uncharacteristic for them. The Muswellbrook Cats know only too well what it is like to struggle for player numbers as they have been winless for the last 3 years. Since their last successful season in 2007 the Cats have only managed to get a team to Inverell once. That will be the first big test for the Cats, followed by trying to beat the Saints. The Saints seem to have lost some of their stars from last year and it will be a different Saints side in 2011.
Prediction: The Saints will win this one but it won't be the 100 point+ hiding it would have been in the past. This time they will win by 49 points.
The Tamworth Kangaroos will have to wait until next week to get their season started as they have the bye.
Last Modified on 26/04/2011 21:22