XIII Oceans

Last week there wasn’t that much worth mentioning as films of the week.  This week I’ve picked out two films that are modern classics and one that’s an entertaining story based on a rumour from Hollywood’s early years.

Tonight on BBC1 at 10.20pm is a film that gets slated by many for being pompous, full of luvvies and typical Oscar winning fare and although I can why people say that I think they’re wrong.  The English Patient is one of those films of love set against the backdrop of major historical event, this one being WWII.  Like Gone With The Wind and Dr Zhivago it’s a beautifully shot sweeping epic with wonderful central performances.  The English Patient is one of those rare adaptations that I believe to be better than the original source novel and given the book’s award winning tag that’s a strong statement to make.  The genius in the film though is a combination of Anthony Minghella’s direction and the screenplay that ditches the primary love story of the book, exploring a love story that has nowhere near as much depth or feeling in the novel.  The film differs from the two epics mentioned previously because it takes two characters that by and large are unsympathetic people and by doing so plants the premise of love against what many would consider to be an amoral situation.  It’s here that the film excels making the feeling of love powerful enough for you to not only believe but understand its relationship to the characters.

On Film4 on Wednesday night/Thursday morning at 1.30am is Peter Bogdanovich’s The Cat’s Meow.  Told to Bogdanovich by Orson Welles it’s based on the true events of a death on the boat of William Randolph Heart in 1924.  It’s a lovely little period piece starring Eddie Izzard as Charlie Chaplin (one of the guests at the party) and he’s mixed in this for me whereas Kirstin Dunst, as silent starlet and Hearst’s mistress, Marion Davies is arguably her best performance to date, although I understand that she didn’t capture enough of Davies’ real-life personality for many.  Bogdanovich hasn’t really directed anything of note for thirty years but he shows some flashes of the magic that had him touted as the new Orson Welles.

If you recently watched Javier Bardem and are wondering how he’s burst onto the scene, Film4 gives you the opportunity on Thursday night at 10.40pm to see him blow you away, bettering his No Country For Old Men performance in The Sea Inside.  Directed by Alejandro Amenábar (The Others and the original Vanilla Sky, Open Your Eyes) this is based on a true story and despite its subject matter is wonderful.  If you only pick one of these three to see, this is the one that I’d recommend, my film of the week.

Had a bit of a surf this morning and stumbled onto YouTube and thought I’d mention a couple of songs that have caught my ear recently. The first, amazingly, didn’t get to number one which I am flabbergasted about. It’s Alphabeat’s simply brilliant Fascination. What a belting pop song and I’m too painfully aware that I’m beginning to sound like an old folk talking about the latest sounds so no need to remind me.

Getting a lot of airplay on the radio is Gabrielle Cilmi with Sweet About Me which is one of those songs that you’ll either love of hate because of her voice.

If all that pop posturing and corporate singalong gloss is too much for you, here’s a couple of lost American alternative cuts that raged against the machine in the much darker days before corporate indie took over the charts. Both of these are personal favourites. Sadly I was unable to find any video to go with the first of these, which isn’t surprising because indie music in those days meant the most basic homemade style vids, if you even got a vid. I can remember a Pale Saints video that was absolutely terrible. I had a look at it again and yes it’s just as bad now.

First up is a live performance of Catatonic by Babes In Toyland. Fronted by the very alluring Kat Bjelland I was fortunate enough to catch Babes In Toyland a couple of times and they were electric, if a bit light on melody at times.

Second up is one of those really early videos for bands that are putting out music on their own label. It’s Bongwater with The Drum. About as basic a video as you can get and although it’s pretty far away from being their best song it has excellent pop sensibilities and I’m tshows that it is possible to do great cover versions that are better than the original.

Coincidentally both Babes In Toyland and Bongwater features in John Peel’s Festive 50 for 1991.

Highlights from Cronulla’s shock 17-16 win over current NRL champions, Melbourne here, including the double sending off that occurred following a late elbow on the kicker.

We’re nine rounds into Super League XIII and although there’s a clear favourite for this year’s competition I wanted to say that it’s been tricky predicting many of the results this season, more so than any other season I think. This weekend offers only one game for me where there’s no clear favourite and that’s Hull trip to Perpignan. Out of the rest I think there’s a relatively clear favourite to take the points but even then none are really foregone conclusions and as fans I’m not sure we could ask for much more than that. I’m not saying that you don’t have matches that you expect to win, of course you do, but by and large these are home games. Send your team on a trip to another team’s playground and I think you would find that the majority of supporters would now be looking at each away trip as a game in which they know they could easily lose if the opposition plays well.

We’re not talking about a dilution of the competition as some may say, we’re talking about intensity in every match and knowing that if you’re not on your game for the full eighty minutes that a side that is can win the game against form. This last week we had Castleford, who are managing to get to grips with the competition as each week goes on, almost capturing the two points against Warrington on Easter Monday when, in theory, they have no right to. I would imagine that every Warrington fan was expecting to take the two points in that game but I expect that most of them would also be thinking that should Castleford get it together they could upset the odds. Of course, newly promoted teams will eventually start to reduce the number of errors in their game but the pleasing thing with Castleford is the commitment to youth which would probably not be as extensive if relegation was in play. Instead of seeing overseas signings clogging up the first seventeen the Tigers, as is the norm in Super League, are giving youngsters a chance and that can only be good for the game. Would this be the case if relegation was in the frame? Would it be the case for other sides if they weren’t restricted to a salary cap? Two straightforward questions that we should all consider.

(+4) Saints v Leeds
This has to go down as the game of the week with a lot of the British rugby league watching public hoping that Saints can muster some sort of opposition to a Leeds side that appears to be in complete control of their own destiny for this year. Two years ago Saints themselves raised the bar in this competition with a benchmark season during which they lost four games all by four points or less. It was a seminal year in Super League as Saints defence suffocated pretty much every single team in the competition, making each ball carrying player fight for every single inch going forward. Have we reached another seminal year with the Rhinos? Is this current side the logical successor? Of course, it’s too early in the competition to state with anything other than pure speculation that this Leeds side will be hailed by many as the best their club has ever produced. However, all the signs are there for Leeds and unlike in previous years they are looking every much like a championship winning side with the ball, which is not something that you could honestly say about them before this season. Yes, Leeds have sought to promote the ball previously but they have never managed to link up and offload like they have done this season and it’s not just a highlight of their play to see a forward pushing through the tackler and offloading to a runner on their shoulder, it’s also becoming a trademark for this year’s team. Brian McClennan has taken this side forward, in attack, in defence and more importantly in self-belief. Leeds now have a mental toughness that Tony Smith wasn’t able to instil on a consistent basis and if you’re looking at what you need to win the title and what others are missing at the moment it’s that. It’s not often that I’ve said this but a try and keeping the opposition under forty would be manageable as a home fan. Leeds by 12.

Wigoon v Wakefield (+12)
As expected, Wigoon were able to put behind them their Good Friday horror show and barge Hull KR off what would have been a tremendous four point weekend. Not only did it protect their bouncebackability status it also sets them up for Wakefield, a side that has improved away from home without getting any reward from that improvement. Throw into that mix Brough’s absence and I can’t see the Wildcats troubling arguably the league’s most mysterious side. Richie Mathers returns for the home team forcing the debate towards whether Pat Richards, who has impressed at full back, should stay there. The choice between Richards, who is proving to be one of the most reliable performers in Super League, and Mathers is an interesting one. Mathers was sounded out by many opposition fans as being a gamble, because of his injuries and known weak defence, which has been noticed by Warriors fans as well. Do you slot Richards into that role and reduce the impact he has with the high kicks? It’s tricky. You can say that Richards can drop onto the wing for the final tackle but I think that in doing so you take away something from his and the team’s game. I doubt that the third tackle bomb to him from Barrett a couple of weeks ago would have happened had he been at full back and whilst Richards has that phobia about running his own body weight he still is a handful close to the line. Richards on the wing, take a chance with Mathers at full back because Wakefield won’t be strong enough to punish him this weekend. Wigoon by 14.

(+6) Catalans v Hull
If I wasn’t going to the game of the week, this is the other game that I’d be most interested in attending, not just for the language difficulties that would arise for me although I do speak enough French to get by with one set of supporters. No, this game is a hard game for Hull to win yet it’s a game that their fans will be looking at as one that they need to push for a win because it’s the Bulls at home next week, which certainly isn’t a should-win. Can Hull do it? I don’t know. From the start of the season and through last season, to some extent, I’ve looked at their attack and see nothing that would give me any hope that the return of two very good props would alleviate. Okay, Richard Horne returning would mean that there’s a couple of tries a year from his close yardage play but there still remains that lack of verve when they do have the ball. Against Catalans you might be able to get away with not being adventurous with the ball because you can usually rely on them having periods during the game when they’re going to suffer fumble frenzies which means you will get opportunities against them. This all dovetails quite nicely into another one of those games where you can’t pick out, with conviction, who is going to walk away with the two points. Like most of the closer match-ups you have to look at pure form and home advantage to see if there’s something outside of the starting seventeen that gives an indication as to where the points are going to go. Hull are missing perhaps too many key players to guarantee a win in this one I think and the chance to win four in a row is probably too good for Potter’s players to pass up. Catalans by 6.

Warrington v Harlequins (+12)
A couple of weeks ago this Saturday tussle would have had people talking about a potential humdinger, free-scoring Warrington up against a tight defensive Harlequins. Sadly injuries in the Harlequins squad have shed light on the rest of their players and I don’t think it’s disrespectful to say that Brian McDermott is still in the process of building up his side, particularly underneath the first seventeen. The very fact that we’re allowed to talk about Harlequins actually just needing a bit more time to bring through their own youngsters is progress in itself and perhaps proof of the benefits of how youth development and its importance is enhanced by the salary cap. Last year Warrington would have the majority of fans backing them but with many still undecided. It still grates with some sections of the Warrington support that not everyone is praising their efforts and pushing their case for expected participation in one of this year’s finals and I can understand why that is. This year Warrington’s results speak for themselves in justifying Wire fans’ complaints about any scepticism without completely satisfying those for whom doubts remain and I include myself in that crowd. I don’t think anyone will be backing against Warrington, however even a comfortable win in this game, which is what it should be, won’t remove reservations that people have about Cullen’s defensive coaching which is still an uncertainty for his supporters. It’s unlikely that Harlequins will push Warrington too much in this encounter and they’ll be relying on another strong showing without the ball to keep them in this game so the question will be how long can Harlequins keep that attack at bay. Warrington by 18.

Bradford v Castleford (+16)
Joe Westerman is attracting a lot of plaudits after only a few games in the top flight and rightfully so. Compared already to back-to-back Man of Steel winner, Paul Sculthorpe, it’s fair to say that he’s performing better than I remember either Sculthorpe or Farrell doing at the same age. Hopefully Castleford can tie the future international into a long-term deal to prevent him going to one of the bigger clubs and I include my own in that. Asking him and Sherwin to construct a victory over at Odsal is going to be tough though. It’s not that the Bulls are flying high, they aren’t, but they usually have enough to beat the Tigers at home. Bulls by 14.

Hull KR v Huddersfield (+4)
Huddersfield coach Jon Sharp said his side have “started to earn the respect of the whole rugby league world” and I am not one to argue with that. It didn’t take a win over Saints to confirm that to me (I was already there) and although that win was tremendous it’s in games like these where the lesser teams earn their respect. Every side can pull a win out against one of the competition favourites so the focus for the Giants and Rovers, turns towards how they do against sides of perceived similar ability and aspirations. At home the Giants are a match for anyone this year, away remains the place where they need to rise to the occasion and this game is a chance for them to announce themselves this year. Kevin Brown was impressive against Saints and despite his slight stature he promises to break through the advantage line when he takes on the defence. Rovers’ defence though is strong and like Huddersfield they are a physical side, probably harder than the Giants can handle away from home. There’s power and skill in both sides, however I feel that Rovers, who pushed Wigoon for the points on Easter Monday, just have that extra class that can prove a difference at home. Against Hull, Rovers were strong and more importantly clever and I expect that combined with the Giants inconsistency during games to be too much for Sharp’s men. Hull KR by 8.

Easter Monday’s predictions;

Bulls by 18 (won by 8 )
Warrington by 14 (won by 3)
Catalans by 5 (won by 8 )
Saints by 8 (lost by 2)
Leeds by 10 (won by 26)
Wigoon by 10 (won by 6)

Third round in a row for five out of six correct making it 32-16 or two out of every three games correct.

Bradford v Harlequins RL (+14)
It was even more painful than predicted for the Bulls as Maundy Thursday turned out to be a crucifixion of sorts at the hands of the champions. There’s been a fair bit of talk about the result and how much is down to Leeds’ brilliance and how much down to absent players and poor RL play. Whilst the truth lies somewhere in the middle I don’t think it’s a crazy statement to say that the lack of five starters and the Bulls inability to run, pass, catch and tackle contributed to the result more than the champions. If you’re coming off that I don’t think there would be many other fixtures that the Bulls would prefer than Harlequins at home. Losing to the Dragons after being 18-6 at half time is a very poor result because they would expect to secure a win from that position against a team of similar ability. The lack of weight in the pack proved telling on Friday against Catalans and although the Bulls are missing some big men of their own they have enough to expose that again at Odsal. Harlequins know where the try line is despite not being big yardage makers, which suggests that they are a team that exploits opposition mistakes to the fullest. Given that the Bulls continue to have difficulty in handling the ball there will be opportunities for the visitors but the Bulls can contest this game more easily than the Headingley thrashing. Bulls by 18.

(+12) Castleford v Warrington
A strong showing at local rivals Wakefield has the Tigers going into this game with some confidence following a second half at Belle Vue in which they completed sixteen of eighteen sets. That kind of control is going to be needed against the Wolves who stretched away from the Giants in the final quarter of their round seven match. Warrington struggled to get a grip on their game and turning the ball over will do nothing other than give the home side that confidence that can quickly build up when the locals sense the smell of west coast blood. I can’t imagine that a Wire team that has seen off Hull KR, Huddersfield and Wigoon is likely to give the Tigers enough field position to win the game, especially with the momentum that they have going into this game. If Monaghan is back there should be plenty of daylight between the two. Warrington by 14.

Catalans v Wakefield (+
A terrific opportunity for Catalans to register a third consecutive win as the Wildcats visit with their dismal road form. There was an element of theft in the Dragons successful trip to The Stoop which is adequate compensation for their last defeat, at home to the Bulls. Wakefield’s Danny Brough found it difficult to establish a hold of the game at Hull and the return of his half back partner, Rooney, at home meant he didn’t suffer the same kind of problems versus Castleford. In Wakefield’s last two away trips they’ve not been overwhelmed and have competed at a level higher than expected so this becomes another match that should go one way but could easily go the other. The Dragons are on a roll, returning home, looking to get two points that will put them level in the playoff hunt with Hull the next guests. I just can’t see past Wakefield’s results away from home even though they’ll be looking at this game as one of those away games where they can win. Dragons by 6.

(+10) Huddersfield v Saints
Some difference one performance can make on your perception towards a game like the Giants hosting Saints. Go back to the day prior to Good Friday and I was looking at this game as one of those Giant big name killings but now my thoughts have changed. Saints showed a resilient determination to swamp Wigoon and set themselves on their way to playing the game like they can. Defensively Saints were strong and they will need to repeat that effort on Monday, knowing all too well how powerful the Giants can be at home. At Warrington the home side managed to push the Giants off the pitch which should give fans at the Galpharm something to worry about going into this clash. On the other hand, the Giants know that they had the better of Saints before when they’ve had their first choice front row playing so doubt should not be an issue. What is a concern is the creativity at half back, which was highlighted in the seaon preview. Robinson and Brown were always likely to be the subjects of an examination when the side doesn’t win putting more pressure onto the two against a side that completely shut down man of steel contenders, Barrett and Leuluai, on Friday, thanks to an outstanding effort without the ball. Had Good Friday’s game been closer then my concerns over Saints facing up to the Giants monsters would have me leaning towards a home win and although I think that’s more than possible it’s difficult to predict that form suggests it won’t be the outcome. Saints by 8.

(+ Hull v Leeds
Hull fans seem a bit divided about their team’s performances this season with half blaming injuries and half looking towards Peter Sharp’s lifeless attacking play.  Whatever the case, it’s been the latter that’s been the most obvious to me because some of the younger players that have come through have played well and certainly not let the side, with the exception of Tommy Lee’s kick on the third tackle on Friday.  The loss of the two starting props is clearly preventing Hull from competing against the big guns but it shouldn’t be a barrier against winning all their games, however it’s a big gun in town today.  Leeds gave out such a whooping on Thursday that Bradford’s payroll department have been told they’ll have to come in tonight to prepare P45s if they lose against Harlequins today, whilst Leeds payroll are processing yet more bonus payments.  If Hull had Carvell and Dowes fronting up then there’d be questions marks over this scoreline but I’m not sure that even they could bring two points home with a one out attack that is going to play straight into the hands of the Rhinos defence. Leeds by 10.

Wigoon v Hull KR (+
Humiliation on Friday will act as all the motivation that Wigoon need to return to winning ways.  Simply put they were not in the game, outclassed with the ball and inept without it, something that Brian Noble should have ironed out of the side by now.  Instead the home still have that capability of coughing up the ball, straying offside and just general indiscipline.  That’s a stark contrast to a Hull KR side who played controlled football in typical Craven Park weather and will seek to use that to capitalise on anticipated Wigoon mistakes.  Hull KR shocked the RL world last season when they strolled to a monstrous half-time lead, surviving a second half fight back to win and they’ve no reason to be lacking in confidence today.  They have the game to expose the kind of mistakes that the home side are committing, however Wigoon don’t lose two games in a row often and although the volume of defensive work may have taken its toll on  them, I think that the same can be said for Hull KR.  If the away team do win it’ll be because they’ve been clever and kept it tight but I can’t see Wigoon not turning up again against these guys at home. Wigoon by 10.

Last week’s predictons.

Leeds by 16 (won by 42)
Hull KR by 6 (won by 1)
Saints by 2 (won by 36)
Harlequins by 2 (lost by 2)
Warrington by 8 (won by 16)
Wakefield by 10 (won by

Second round in row with five out of six results correct (is that evidence enough for me to say I have a bit of a clue? lol), making it 27-15 (64%) overall

Leeds v Bradford (+
A much needed win against a fellow playoff contender for the Bulls puts them in better shape to face their derby rivals in the Easter weekend opener.  It used to be the case that no matter how well Leeds were playing, the Bulls would usually win the majority of derby matches, but those days are gone.  Nowadays a Leeds side in form doesn’t appear to have too much difficulty in winning these ones and the Bulls no longer have Big Les to save their skins so everyone is leaning towards a comfortable victory for the home team.  In round six both clubs returned to winning ways with Leeds electrifying Harlequins with the kind of reality check not seen since Bath last ventured into the north for a rugby match and although the Bulls bettered one of the competition’s form teams it still remains a win that they would have expected prior to the start of the season.  Let’s not cheapen that win though, Warrington have been playing in bursts this year and those bursts have seen off lesser teams so to hold what was the league’s most potent offence to just ten points says something about the determination that the Bulls had to not slip out of top four contention.  Sadly for the Bulls, the worm has well and truly turned in this fixture and without the mythical Vainikolo to instil frailty in the Rhinos ranks I can see only one winner in this, especially with Vagana, Platt, Tupou, Sykes, Morrison and Langley missing.  It could be painful.  Leeds by 16.

Hull KR v Hull (+2)
Super League XII saw the restoration of this rambunctious head-to-head.  Eagerly anticipated, they were matches of Slavic intensity further enhanced by the Paul Cooke soap opera.  A season later and that anticipation is arguably even greater thanks to the on field performances by Rovers who can threaten to put distance between the two by winning this one.  Anything beyond a competitive showing last year was a bonus so to actually get the better of Hull was incredible not just for their fans but also for a watching public that was invited to witness a local rivalry in which form wasn’t really playing a part.  How is this game going to pan out?  There’s a straightforward train of thought that says Hull have recovered some form in the past few weeks, they have NRL stars at half back and some of their youngsters have been playing at a level much higher than can be expected, Houghton in particular getting many mentions.  Alternatively, there’s the train of thought that I subscribe to which is the weather is poor, Rovers have the bigger pack, it’s at home and both Ben Fisher and Paul Cooke are back in the side. It is a derby though and last year nobody could really have predicted the outcomes so doubt creeps in.  However, I think the conditions and temperament of the home side (better ball control and discipline) favour them for the win.  Hull KR by 6.

Saints v Wigoon (+
Good Friday’s traditional headliner isn’t generating the same amount of column inches this week thanks to indifferent starts to both teams but it’s still second versus fourth and very much game of the round.  Saints prop problems have been well discussed and led to closer results at home and defeats away.  Similarly, their rivals have fought their way through moments of mediocrity to register four wins, three of which were definite banana skins.  There is unlikely to be any shortage of confidence from either team despite their displays this year because neither has managed to produce their top form but still sit high up in the league table.  When you look at the likely starting 17s there’s a healthy mix of star names and proficient youngsters with the visiting side shading things in power with their two main props.  Get beyond the front row and it becomes an analysis of defensive players, competent players, squad players and youngsters who are still in many ways taking their first steps in the first grade.  In the backs it’s pretty even with the moving of Richards to full back likely to be the only movement that takes something off either side’s attack.  Who will win?  It’s important for the home side to stop the runs of Paleaaesina because without those you wonder where the yards are going to come from now that Hock is injured.  The league is still waiting for Fielden to regain consciousness and if there’s a time to do it then against a pack containing one big man is that time.  It’s a very tight call and not reflective of the eight points start that the second place team is getting particularly when you realise that Saints have stolen two of their wins at home against the current tenth and eleventh placed teams.  Unlikely to be a classic, likely to be a desperate attempt by both to win a game that sets Wigoon on their way or stops a Saints rot.  Saints by 2.

Harlequins v Catalans (+4)
Two key forwards are missing from the Harlequins line-up shifting this can-win game into something a lot riskier.  Catalans will be confident after disposing of Saints with relative ease and it was against a side, like Harlequins, missing their big men so you have to believe that this game is well within their sights.  It’s a potentially great game for the locals as Harlequins welcome back some of their leaders, most of whom they will need against a side with the visitors’ size.  When your opponents are constantly pounding you with big energy and morale sapping runs it’s your veterans that lead by example and emphasise the importance of being mentally strong, be that in defence of taking up the ball.  McDermott will be more than disappointed about the humiliation at Headingley but it will also have given him a better assessment of his side’s progress than beating Wakefield and Castleford would have.  Was last week just a blip or a more truthful indicator of where his side is at?  His side have already demonstrated that they are better than other teams fancied to finish outside of the playoff positions so you have to believe that a powerful Catalans side should be something they can handle and although I question whether Harlequins’ pack is up to this test, I’ve backed against them in less favourable games already this year to my cost and their benefit.  Harlequins by 2.

Warrington v Huddersfield (+10)
This is a clear statement.  Warrington cannot lose this game if their progress is to be taken seriously.  The loss at Odsal wasn’t entirely unexpected and perhaps only Leeds would go there with justifiable belief that they will take the two points so we haven’t read too much into that result.  With all due respect to the Giants it’s Warrington that are the focus of this match because victory for the home side is expected (a ten point start for Huddersfield) whereas for the side that threw away two points last week, I think they probably fancy their chances more at home to Saints on Monday.  The one critical factor for this game is Michael Monaghan’s participation.  At the moment it’s looking like he may not be playing and I’m sure that his non-appearance would have a strong negative impact on the home side’s ability to crash over the line out wide from their speedy distribution.  It is a doubt though so I’m assuming he’s playing and although the Giants forwards might well have an edge on the Wolves there’s a bit more magic in that Wire side both in promoting the ball and in controlling the pace of the game.  All that talk of Warrington winning and expecting to win does mean that a defeat here means the first twisting of the pop bottle top of those supporters’ frustrations.  Warrington by 8.

Wakefield v Castleford (+
Yet another cracking derby and one that I don’t think is as big a game as an eight point start.  Okay, we know that Castleford have proven vulnerable in defence and their ability to retain possession, however we are talking about local rivals travelling with little pressure on them for one of the league’s top grudge .  Unfortunately for the Tigers, Wakefield have Jason The Argonaut, Tony Martin and Jamie Rooney returning whilst Danny Sculthorpe has managed to avoid further absences through injury.  Both teams have some tidy footballers in their ranks and not just in the backs and even in the darkest days of Super League these two have served up some dazzling rugby, usually interspersed by severe bouts of incompetence.  I expect that tomorrow’s game will play out in a similar manner so Castleford may well hang in there for some time but you look at their opponents and see that there are four or five players that can make things happen which persuades you to review the Tigers defence and wonder if they can keep them quiet for so long at home.  Build on these early games and get character Castleford because it’s only through such encounters that you can return later in the year to wreck that chase for the playoffs.  Wakefield by 10.

Last week’s predictons.

Hull by 4 (won by 10)
Leeds by 16 (won by 4
Catalans by 6 (won by 14)
Hull KR by 12 (won by 16)
Bulls-Wire draw (Bulls won by 13)
Wigoon by 4 (won by 1)

Good week with five out of six results correct, making it 22-14 (61%) overall

Tonight on Channel 4 at 9pm sees the premiere of Nick Broomfiel’s drama documentary Battle For Haditha.  Broomfield takes his documentary skills and applies them to create a dramatisation of the events that lead up to the massacre of 24 Iraqi cilivians by US soldiers.  If you’ve enjoyed either of Paul Greengrass’ United 93 or Bloody Sunday then this is for you.

Thursday night on Film 4 offers a chance to catch Rian Johnson’s  Brick, a kind of drug noir that transplants the genre into an American high school.  Starring Third Rock From The Son’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt it’s one of those films, like Memento, that gives your mind a bit of a workout, keeping you on your toes throughout.  Levitt shines, adding another good performance to an increasingly interesting list and the film was nominated for several independent film awards.

Film of the week is Friday night’s Shampoo (midnight, BBC2).  It’s 24 hours in the life of a Los Angeles hairdresser on the eve of the 1968 American election.  Directed by one of my favourite directors, Hal Ashby, it’s a funny social, sexual and political satire full of wonderful acting performances.  Jack Warden steals the show but Warren Beatty really holds the film and its essence together as the hairdresser keen to set up his own business.  The film rarely gets mentioned amongst the great comedies and although I would never suggest it’s right up there at the top there are few that can match its comedy and its intelligence.

Hull v Wakefield (+12)
Saints’ most recent get-out-of-jail-card victims clash for what could be an entertaining game.  I say could be because they’re also teams that without form can give you the scrappiest of games.  Logic says six rounds in still isn’t competency week so I’m guessing it might just be one of those testing games to watch.  After Brough’s attempt to claim the two points at Knowsley Road two weeks ago, Adam Dykes poked for the leaks last week and like Wakefield was denied in true Entertainment with a capital E style.  Of the two teams Wakefield showed a lot more imagination with the ball, John Kear applying some great strategy by just bombarding Saints with big man after big man.  Hull’s strength I thought was a clever ball control game supported by strong defence.  What difference that is going to make is disputable.  Kear might try the same power game off the bench here and it could well work so maybe it’s a chance worth taking with Hull missing their two main props.  Does that play into Hull’s hands?  Hull are relatively tough to run over and at home they can go above determined football and take you to the cleaners.  Halfway through the season I’d be expecting Hull to have overcome their ball retention issues whereas I would probably vision Wakefield still lacking consistency in that area.  Right now though I think the home advantage coupled with Wakefield backing up after two tough games favours Hull in a game they’d expect to win at any stage of this season.  Hull by 4.

Leeds v Harlequins RL (+14)
Indisputable game of the week as first takes on second.  I’ve continued to back against Harlequins, home, away, against lesser opposition, against the run of form but not against Leeds.  That Harlequins are so far up the table at this stage is very credible and demands more than simple patronising platitudes and observations.  The teams that have lost to Harlequins don’t lend themselves to a dissection of the greatest talent in the league, however on-paper teams have failed where Harlequins have succeeded and its no coincidence that the two teams leading the competition have conceded the least points.  Leeds will be missing Matt Diskin whilst Henry Paul sits this one out for Harlequins.  How much of an influence that will have on the result I’m not sure.  The Tower Of Strength, Jamie Peacock comes back from a week’s rest so expect a different side this Friday to last and in front of what’s likely to be a big crowd for their first game as new World Club Champions.  Castleford played well last week and nobody is taking anything away from that victory by suggesting that Leeds may have been a bit bleary eyed in attitude.  With Saints at Catalans and Warrington at Bradford there’s every chance that Leeds could be sitting four points clear of the pack with only six rounds gone and last week’s loss won’t matter if that’s the case.  Points difference gives us little difference between the two teams but you only have to glance down the OPTA stats to see that there is.  Harlequins lie second in the number of tackles made so far during this season and have racked up over 250 more than Leeds who have a made the second lowest in the league.  Their defence will be put to the test against a Leeds side that sits 300m ahead of their closest rival, Wigoon, in metres made, tops the offload and tackle bust totals and lies second in the number of clean breaks made.  This is a completely different side to what Harlequins have played before and some stats don’t lie so the visitors will need to defend exceptionally well.  Most  Harlequins fans are used to this now but I can’t see a repetition of last week’s dumping of the champions.  Leeds by 16.

(+6) Catalans Dragons v Saints
The X-Factor audition of RL over in Perpignan sees the Dragons looking to secure some treasure in the form of two points from a Saints side that’s snatched victory at the death in consecutive home games.  In both of those games it was the forwards that set the tone of the match with Wakefield rotating four forwards off the bench and Hull finding it relatively easy to make yards against Saints.  We all know that the one thing that Catalans have brought with their forwards is size.  It was something that the rest of the league probably thought they would struggle with before they were integrated into the competition.  After various performances over the past two years any questions on their pack focus on defensive tenacity so they should be able to make yards going forward against a Saints defence that has held its own when it’s needed to.  Both sides are missing key players and the last two home results for Saints suggest that this is a home win for Catalans with Potter keen to impress.  Saints haven’t got a great record at the Dragons lair and although it’s certainly within their reach I think that Catalans’ power will just catch up with Saints’ lack of weight in defence.  Catalans by 6.

Hull KR v Castleford (+
Terrific win last week at home leads to a tough game on the road for Cas and despite those heroics I can’t see past a home win.  Hull KR continue to push the results and have been unlucky in all their defeats this year with those close results surely proving enough motivation for them to produce a positive scoreline this week.  Brent Sherwin turned in a man of the match performance last week and he will need some good support for the Tigers to mount a serious threat in this one.  The lack of physical strength in the pack was highlighted prior to the start of the season and it shows with Castleford sitting next to bottom in number of metres made.  Some of that can be put down to the fact that the Tigers concede yardage and points, placing greater emphasis on the need for their defence to perform.  However, you’re struggling in Super League if you can’t move the ball away from your own line and you give good field position to your opponent.  Hull KR have invested wisely in their pack, competed in every game and done so without really promoting the ball in a manner that we have become used to.  A tight, efficient outfit is what Hull KR are turning into and a side with good ball control can quite easily wear you down, putting you in positions you do not want to be trying to play football in.  Hull KR by 12.
 

Bradford v Warrington (Scratch)
A last minute win saved the Bulls from starting this week in the bottom three as their attention now shifts towards facing up to the most potent attacking outfit in Super League.  That was a bonus win which really didn’t ease the pressure on the players or coaching staff because Sunday’s game is two points that you can’t switch off for but anticipate winning.  At the moment the season is still a struggle to find their feet for the former champions and I’m not sure that a resurgent Warrington team are what you’d want to be facing.  It’s not that Warrington don’t have moments of spontaneous human combustion, they may even be the most frequent of those teams that experience it, it’s that they are in their best form of the professional era.  Just one loss sits under that big L and Big L is the kind of player that the Bulls have relied on in the past to spark them out of a rut.  Last week’s win can realign the home team to a winning spirit in the players if it’s followed up with a win here.  Progress in performance is not enough for McNamara in this fixture, already we’re looking at yet another key game for his side.  Warrington announced that they were genuine contenders by beating a twelve man Wigoon side and although harsh critics would point out that some decisions may have gone their way they won’t be able to ignore that their forwards had a good workout too.  Form points towards an away win and Warrington have managed it before in more trying circumstances and form but there’s that feeling that everyone must have about the Bulls that they can’t sit this still for so long.  There must be a time when they get their game together, however I’m not sure that they’re ready to return to there and similarly I’m not sure that they’re going to flop about in the mud giving us all a laugh either.  Draw. 

(+2) Huddersfield v Wigoon
Wigoon’s loss to Warrington was overshadowed by Hollywood Ganson accusations whilst Huddersfield’s failure to register a score sank into the background as the RL public sought to give Harlequins some well deserved recognition.  I’ve said several times this year that you can’t read too much into some results and I believe that last week’s defeats don’t hold too many clues to these team’s chances this weekend.  Both teams were on their travels against sides that can turn it on at home and did.  If either side’s result was more easily explained away it is the visitors who can offer over-zealous officials and ill-discipline as reasons for not competing as well as they can.  Stats wise, the teams are very similar with the only significant differences being Huddersfield’s propensity to run from dummy half and the amount of tackles they have made.  To counter that Wigoon have shown themselves to make more tackles around the ruck than any other side with 206 compared to the Giants’ 99, which is second from bottom in the league.  With tight games you tend to look at the line-ups and see which team has the personnel to give it an edge which pushes you towards the bigger names of Wigoon.  Huddersfield won’t mind that.  In recent years they’ve handed out some beatings to better teams that this so Trent Barrett’s name on the team sheet won’t stick too much in the mind for a side that has trampled all over reputations before.  You can’t complain about difficult to call games when they match up as well as this.  Who do you go for?  The home team that’s just been kept scoreless by a team tipped to finish in the bottom three or a squad of reputations that are not just reputations on paper?  Brian Noble won’t be thinking about maintaining his side’s unbeaten derby run next week, he’ll be aiming to bury last week and get his side playing rugby again.  Although Huddersfield have dominated this team before I worry about a side that can’t score against Harlequins when I probably shouldn’t.  Noble’s knows what to expect from Huddersfield and I think that the Giants dummy half game plays right into the hands of an outfit that hasn’t lost two games in a row since early August last year.  Wigoon by 4.

Last week’s predictions

Leeds by 14 (lost by 1
Saints by 12 (won by 1)
Bulls by 8 (won by 2)
Gaints by 4 (lost by 24)
Wigoon by 4 (lost by 12)
Wakefield by 2 (won by 2)

Some big blow outs there tagged with a perfect prediction making the overall total 17-13 (57%).

Tonight at 11pm on Channel 5 is a film that I’ve not seen but have heard is an interesting watch.  Crusing is directed by The French Connection and The Exorcist helmer, William Friedkin and stars Al Pacino in a story of serial killer in New York that’s targetting gay men.  The film came under a lot of attack by gay rights campaigners for being homophobic.  The film bombed at the box office because of the publicity and poor reviews but it’s also a bit of a curiousity for Al Pacino’s role as a cop who has to go undercover to try and solve the case.

Wednesday 9pm on Film 4 is Jonathan Glazer’s Birth with Nicole Kidman in the lead.  Although the film received positive reviews I think it got overlooked by the public, which is a shame because I think it’s a great film.  Don’t let the presence of Kidman deter you from watching this.  Kidman gives the best performance I’ve seen from her and changed my own perception of her ability as an actress.  The film itself is a real style and mood piece, perfectly capturing the thoughts and emotions of the main characters.  It’s a psychological horror that is also a great study of grief and it’s handled well by Glazer who taps into a Stanley Kubrick vibe to great effect.  Glazer you may know as the man who directed the award winning sea horses Guiness commercial and Sexy Beast.  Definitely worth a watch if you haven’t seen it.

2pm BBC2 on Saturday gives us Hitchcock’s Strangers On A Train, which is everything you would expect from a Hitchcock film.  Based on a Patricia Highsmith novel at times the acting might grate but Hitchcock’s ability to create and maintain tension is in evidence throughout.  Currently No.100 in the imdb’s top 250 films.

(+16) Castleford v Leeds

If you were going to pick a side to play after you’ve just been out partying, celebrating your first trophy of an anticipated quadruple, a team sat at the bottom of the league and still trying to find their feet would probably be your first choice for a holiday.  Leeds went head to head with Melbourne last week, triumphing without really being pushed, which isn’t to say that the Storm were pushed that much either.  A harder game this weekend could have been an interesting draw, instead the onus of responsibility for ending this unbeaten run falls to the team least likely to.  Castleford are at full strength after showing some spirit last week and the longer than they sit at the foot with zero points the more they will need to call upon that spirit.  Hopefully Matterson is getting across to the players the importance of confidence and of not letting depression run unchecked through their minds because this plugging away at the beginning of the season can bring benefits later this season and for the next.  You don’t need to have the RL insight of The King Of The Internet to know that Castleford could raise their game and still come down on the opposite side of a forty point winning margin with Leeds’ superior fitness levels allowing the world champions to push on once the Tigers have burnt themselves out.  It’s SKY’s game of the week and that’s probably more surprising than the result will be.  Leeds by 14. 

Saints v Hull (+10)

At any other point during the past three years this would probably have been the pick of the round’s action.  Injuries mean that this game is unlikely to be of the standard we’re used to between these teams, nevertheless there remains a stream of good forwards and backs playing for both teams.  Last weekend Hull were drilled into submission by the Giants, which was a result more consistent with this season’s performances than their sole win of the campaign so far.  The Giants have a big pack and whilst Dowes and Carvell are huge losses, facing a Saints side that is missing three international props might even be preferable to tackling Eorl Crabtree’s mucky streaks.  The lack of even a second choice starting front row for both teams should move this game away from the standard biff, bash, bosh approach, or alternatively allow players like Radford to look like world beaters with the big men missing.  Hull don’t have, what for them are key players and that appears to have been overlooked amidst the crisis that has hit the league at the start of the season.  How much of this is genuine and how much of this is Peter Sharp floundering around for more excuses after his decline from Grand Final inspirer to derby dodo?  I’m inclined to say that some of the blame can be left at the foot of the Gremlins.  Horne, Yeaman and Whiting are good club players that aren’t easily replaced and other sporadic injuries like Dykes and Berrigan disrupt team cohesion so it’s difficult for your side to build form and momentum whilst critical playmakers are out of the side.  However I look down that Hull line up and I don’t see a side that should be held to just one try in two of the four opening rounds.  What I do see is a side that, since Paul Cooke’s departure have even less moves now that he’s taken his long pass to the left and kick behind the threequarters with him.  Hull fans laughed when Saints fans referred to their side as only having those two moves and now they don’t even have them.  Sharp must be praying that Dykes and Berrigan can give him something extra in attack because he’s not been able to generate it himself and when you look at how John Kear has Wakefield playing rugby at times I think the finger is slowly moving closer to pointing at Sharp.  Saints by 12.

(+6) Catalans v Bulls

Which is worse?  No Joe Vagana or no Casey McGuire?  Which is worse three sin binnings or playing like the Bulls did last week?  All the criticisms of the Bulls half backs over recent years crashed together last week with a disorganised, dispirited and frankly lifeless outing furthering the calls for McNamara’s head.  Iestyn was spared from another ineffective eighty as Ben Jeffries was left to shoulder some of the blame whilst Paul Deacon stayed clear of the flak thanks to his kicking game.  It’s amazing to know that Paul Deacon, as a lad, collected the award for top try scorer across all age groups whilst at Hindley RL because he poses less threat to the advantage line than a mistimed Gallipoli assault.  We had Sam Burgess flying around like the new cop on the block tying to bust everyone’s ass for the most minor misdemeanours before Stuart Fielden’s cheekbone reminded him that strong defensive play requires technique as well as uncontrolled playground aggression.  Joe Vagana disappeared from the field and so with it went the Bulls chances.  Travelling to Catalans is usually a tough trip for any side but the losses of Carlaw and McGuire for about a month should make it easier for the Bulls to return to form.  Mike Potter’s audition for the Saints role isn’t exactly running smoothly and an out of sorts Bulls is a scalp waiting to be taken.  I’ve not seen or heard enough about the Dragons to give me hope that they can push the Bulls further away from the top spots and even when not performing the Bulls have that power that can get them through poor periods of form against the lesser teams.  Bulls by 8.  

(+6) Harlequins v Huddersfield

How brilliant it would be for these two teams to be in similar positions come playoff time.  Fourth at home to sixth with the only defeats coming by way of losses to Wigoon, Bradford and Leeds.  Is this the first true test of each team’s ability?  I think it is for Harlequins.  Their fans will quite rightly tell you that they fully deserve their three wins, two of which were on the road at Castleford and Hull, tell me which group of fans would not be happy about that.  Great stuff and yet I still remain to be convinced about Harlequins, to the extent that last week I backed Cas to turn them over, which they nearly did.  I don’t think I’m wrong in my continual asking of questions about Harlequins because you expect any side to come away with the points against a newly promoted side, this early in the competition anyway.  The closeness of the results suggests to me that my reservations are not unfounded which is why I look to this game for a more accurate measurement of their prospects.  The Giants can give the London forwards some opposition and their backs can stretch their legs when given the chance with some solid creative players hustling away inbetween those groups.  Interestingly on the stat front, Kevin Brown leads the competition in tackle busts and Rob Purdham tops the tackle count.  It’s unlikely that either of these facts will be critical in determining the result and Huddersfield’s two wins have been convincing whereas London’s three haven’t.  Funnily enough Castleford, Wakefield and Hull, the three teams these clubs have beaten between them have committed more errors than any other teams in the league with the exception of the Bulls who have committed one less than Hull.  Bearing that in mind, my suggestion that this is a defining match has its own question mark hovering over it but this game should allow us to appraise Harlequins position which is why I predict a third consecutive win for the Giants.  Giants by 4.

Warrington v Wigoon (+6)

The Double Ewe New Wave fans from both clubs are unlikely to have been out of primary school the last time that Warrington and Wigoon occupied second and third spot in the table and even a more seasoned supporter like myself would have to hazard a guess at it being the year that the title was handed over to the devil with Smith fiddling in exchange.  Undoubtedly game of the week and not just because of the positions in the table.  Both teams claimed the points last time out and against teams that we’re struggling to get a reliable perspective about.  Wigoon’s win was tempered by a mixed display against a team that were found in Page 492 of my dictionary hiding underneath the word ‘flat’.  It was a scrappy game with occasional glimpses of quality, Barrett’s kick for Richards being a play that could grace any game.  In the forwards Stuart Fielden returned and managed to stay clear of Sam Burgess’ persistent attempts to clean him out, whilst Thomas Leuluai has given his supporters reason to believe that he’s not a dud.  The visitor’s forward strength has been questionable in recent years and nothing has happened this year for us to state that it no longer is, leading to this game which is a game against a set of men that on paper could unleash a powerful back division if they could be arsed/more consistent (delete according to your bias).  It’s a very interesting match up for a neutral, the forwards aren’t too different, perhaps Warrington possess more power, Wigoon a higher workrate and the backs contain some of the best players in Super League in their positions with the edge going to the home side.  Mix into that balance defences that don’t appear to be that tight and we could be looking at another sixty point thriller.  It’s a difficult game to call.  Okay, the Bulls are struggling this year and were abysmal at the Stade De La Cruste but that game still needed winning, the weather was poor and we are talking about Warrington here, a side that has been only been consistent with its inconsistency.  Psychologically I see Warrington having the greater confidence and with their goal line attack it’s a test of Noble’s coaching ability to stop it now that it’s getting to be a known quantity.  Wigoon have a mobile pack, Hock has shown semblances of the form that made him an international and they can make an argument that they should be unbeaten this year without even having played well.  This is a test for both.  Can Warrington prove their mettle and at the same time expose Wigoon’s fragility or will they succumb to their designated role of pretenders and blow this opportunity for an amazing start to the season?  Wigoon by 4.  

Wakefield v Hull KR (Scratch)

A simply divine performance last week by Danny Brough almost delivered two points for Wakefield and as close as the final result was it really wasn’t an indicator of how in control the Wildcats were at Knowsley Road.  Saints truly stole the points last week and not because they were unlucky to fall behind, they were simply outplayed by a side that a couple of years ago received several nominations for ‘Best Away Team Performance’ on the Saints fans’ forum.  The fact that both teams are coming off a loss means that this isn’t my game of the week and it also means that it’s going to be difficult to predict who is likely to return to winning ways.  At the start of the season I tipped Hull KR for just missing out on the playoffs and as each week has gone on I’ve started to look at them as serious contenders for some postseason action, the result against Warrington cast doubts in my mind.  Not enough doubt though, because anyone who has seen Warrington this year will know that redzone attack is lethal and it’s no surprise that they slit somebody’s throat with it.  We know that Hull KR came back strong, possibly because of a change in attitude from the visitors, more likely Rovers recovered from being stunned.  I believe that Rovers can come away from Wakey with the two points and it is one of those fixtures that Morgan will be circling as a potential away win, which any team with playoff aspirations needs to rattle up to make it.  John Kear, on the other hand, will have a similar circling of this game with less potential and more must win.  We don’t need to analyse the implications that a loss at home to a bottom half team does for anyone so we know there’s more pressure on the home side for this game.  Honestly I feel that I should be going with Hull KR for this game, they have better players and better form behind them.  However, at Saints last week, Brough working behind his pack turned in the kind of showing that even though it didn’t take the points it should somehow entice a prediction from me for them because I owe them that.  Hull KR’s pack isn’t as weak as Saints is at the moment and I know that could be enough to turn the game their way but I can’t overlook Wakefield’s efforts.  Wakefield by 2.

Last week’s predictions;

Leeds by 10 (won by 7)Wigoon by 4 (won by 14)