NRL: Game of the week

DOGS OF WAR: The Bulldogs' new signing "Cranky Frankie" Pritchard. Photo / Getty

Warriors v Bulldogs
Mt Smart Stadium, Sunday 2pm
Having alleviated fears another ill-fated trip to Eden Park might morph into another horror 0-3 start, the Warriors head to their rightful home for the first time this season. They face a Bulldogs side that has made a sparkling 2-0 start under new coach Des Hasler, with last week's 30-4 pantsing of the sinking Dragons the most eye-popping performance of the young season.

The Dogs also accounted for Penrith on the road in round one in comfortable fashion, although on the evidence so far neither of those vanquished foes appear likely to trouble the top eight this season. Last year, Dogs coach Kevin Moore sensationally walked out of the club on the eve of this match, leaving assistant Jim Dymock in charge. The Dogs stormed to a 12-0 lead, but were then swamped by 36-unanswered points from the Warriors.

Ben Barba may have caught a cold on a chilly Auckland day, but that was about all he caught as the Warriors bombed the shaky fullback into the ground. This time around the Dogs appear an entirely more committed opponent. Frank Pritchard is back from a one-week ban for KOing Panthers wing David Simmons. Hasler (see They Said It) has drawn deeply from his seemingly endless well of indignant outrage, so look out dressing shed doors if things go pear-shaped for the Dogs. This really should be a classic.

Casualty ward
Round two was a grim week for superstars and fantasy NRL players, with Jarryd Hayne's comeback lasting all of 11 minutes and Corey "must have fantasy player" Parker breaking a thumb. Hayne is out indefinitely after hearing his knee pop, while Parker will be out for two months. Kurt Gidley dislocated a shoulder, but the key Knights utility has poo-pooed suggestions the injury will end his season, while Esi Tonga ripped up a hamstring chasing Bill Tupou. The Raiders have lost another prop, with Dane Tilse joining Tom Learoyd-Lahrs on the bench after busting some rib cartilage in the win over the Titans.

Shooting star
Apparently it's not plagiarism if you declare it, so here's a straight out lift from the Sydney Morning Herald for you. Tiger cub (yes, their phrase) Jordan Marshall - younger brother of one B. Marshall - is to make one of the most anticipated debuts in Toyota Cup history tonight. The 19-year-old will start off the bench for the Tigers against St George Illawarra at Jubilee Oval.

"I can see a lot of similarities in them," Cub's coach Todd Payton said. "He's got great skills with his hands and he can read and identify numbers." Sounds like that year at Keebra Park High wasn't entirely wasted then.

The middle Marshall brother sounds like he is dealing okay with the massive expectation. "There's a lot of similarities there between both of us. I've got the flick, I've got the step too, but when it comes down to it, that's not everything in a game. People expected me, as Benji's brother, to be exactly like him, but growing up and maturing more, I've found out that I've just got to be myself and play my own game." All the best with that lad.

Say what?
"We were told last week that Frank Pritchard's tackle was deemed a careless grade-one offence," fumed Bulldogs coach Des Hasler. "We were told that the burden of care was placed on him when tackling. We were told that an attacking player who stepped late or was falling was no excuse and that the burden was on the player to bend his back to ensure no contact was made to the head of an opposing player. We were told that any contact with another player's head can be deemed a careless high tackle."

Then the Bulldogs were told Manu Vatuvei got off without suspension for a tackle not entirely dissimilar to the one that landed big Frank in purgatory for a week.

Where in the world is?
Originally intended to be a segment dedicated to frequently MIA Warrior Krisnan Inu, we now take a look at the NRL's great disappearing acts. This week we bring you Robert Lui, the star Cowboys signing who finds himself running around for Northern Pride in Mackay in the Intrust Super Cup. Lauded as the man who could ease Johnathan Thurston's playmaking responsibilities, Lui departed the Tigers in a blaze of domestic assault allegations. On arrival in Townsville he promptly buggered a knee and was relegated to the bench, where he rather sucked during the Cows' season-opening horror show against the Titans.

"I want to start," said Lui when quizzed on his fate. "I reckon I can take a lot off pressure off Thursto at halfback, that would give him time to do his thing when he gets the ball."

Odds on
A good week for those who like to employ the "I'll bet on the opposition so if my boys lose at least I'll have something to be happy about" strategy. Clearly it takes more than a dry-humping of the Dragons to impress the oddsmakers at New Zealand's TAB, which has the Bulldogs paying a whopping $2.55 in the head-to-head betting. For the extreme pessimist, Bulldogs 13+ looks serious value at $6.50.