Country v City
Country Origin 18 l. City Origin 40

2009 City vs Country Index [Draw]

Location: Australia > New South Wales > Senior Representative Competition: City vs Country

Australia v New Zealand & City v Country Betting Previews
Fri May 8, 2009
Source: www.rleaguebetting.com

The Australian selectors have picked an out of form team for redemption in tonight's one off Test Match.

Take the Kiwis with the 14 points start at odds of $1.99 from Pinnacle Sports. Or use the handy Pick Your Own Line odds from Centrebet - in particular the $2.23 odds for the Kiwis with 12.5 start look attractive. If you want to back the Kiwis straight out, SportingBet
are top odds of $4.75.

If you happen to think the Aussie might just get their redemption, Pinnacle will give you top odds of just $1.24. There also seems to be good value in Sports Alive's quote of $3.50 for an Aussie victory by 1-12 points in Margin Betting.

In the 1st TryScorer market, Bet365 are offering a whopping $41 for Iosia Soliola, compared to the $17 available elsewhere. The best value for the favourites lies with Sports Alive where you can get $10 for Folau or Slater, or $12 for Darius Boyd.

Click Here to Compare Odds on Australia vs New Zealand

City vs Country is always a tight battle, and there seems good value in taking the $2.75 odds of a victory to either team by under 6.5 points at Sportingbet. With it being almost impossible to pick a favourite, take the $1.98 odds from Centrebet of a Country victory. Also, the $8.50 odds of it being a draw at half-time or the end of normal-time from Sportingbet might be worth a plunge.

Sportingbet have top odds on all the favourites in the 1st Try Scorer market. You can get $12 for Joel Monaghan, Michael Jennings, and Jarryd Hayne; or $13 for David Williams. Various other agencies all have quotes of $9 for these players. The next chapter in the Ennis vs Farah saga continues and Centrebet are top odds of $29 for either of them to be first try scorer. Click Here to Compare Odds on City vs Country

* Note all prices are subject to change


Why schedule representative matches on the same night?
Fri May 8, 2009
Source: The Roar

The ARL might be a little miffed that the ANZAC Test has been somewhat overshadowed by the itchy feet of the last placed NRL club. But they may only have themselves to blame.

By scheduling the Test on the same night as the City Vs Country game, they've already taken away some of the spotlight.

In fact, there seems to be more interest than normal in the City Vs Country match, which is probably down to the fact that it is being seen as a genuine Origin trial for plenty of jumpers (given the fact that Queensland nearly makes up the entire Australian side).

This is something that those of us with more than half a brain have been banging on about for years. If the City Vs Country match is to have any point, it needs to be as a proper trial.

Remember when a certain analyst, who is constantly declaring he knows best and has the game's best interests at heart, especially those of bush footy, wanted all Origin players quarantined from the match, instantly turning it into a farce?

So hopefully we will learn something from the exercise.

Another thing we should learn is not to have such ridiculous clashes with representative football.

All rugby league eyes should be on the Test match, especially given its billing as a rematch of the World Cup final (although New Zealand don't have to give the trophy back if they lose).

But to have it on the same night as City Vs Country just dilutes it.

Of course, it does give Channel Nine a cracking double header. I hope they remember it at the next broadcast deal.

But what also dilutes it is when the new coach says, "I'll be picking on form," when what he really means is, "It will be the same old stagers".

Why doesn't every new coach feel the need to make a variation of the "reputations mean nothing" statement?

Rather than picking blokes in form, Sheens has gone for the novel approach of going with some players dramatically out of form.

Paul Gallen? Fair enough when the Sharks were firing, but what about when they are coming last. And he has already missed a few games on suspension.

Glen Stewart, Anthony Watmough and Brent Kite have all been pretty average for the Sea Eagles this year. Watmough's defence against Melbourne last Friday was barely of first grade standard.

As debated on this site earlier this week, it isn't like there aren't plenty of other candidates.

Of course, against a New Zealand side that has Dene Halatau at hooker, it should make it all academic.

But we've heard that before, haven't we.

Steve Kaless is an expert columnist with www.theroar.com.au.

Fri May 8, 2009
• City v Country: It's time to end the Farce
  
Thu May 7, 2009
• Preview: Country v City
  
Thu May 7, 2009
• Country out to thrill fans in Orange
  
Wed May 6, 2009
• Country team the pride of Orange
  
Tue May 5, 2009
• Pomeroy replaces injured Lawrence for City, Best still ignored
  
Mon May 4, 2009
• Cooper, Simpson and Hornby out of Country side
  
Mon May 4, 2009
• Cuthberston out, O'Meley in, Jennings & Lawrence passed fit
  
Sun May 3, 2009
• 2009 City Origin Team
  
Sun May 3, 2009
• Ryan to captain 2009 Country Origin Team
  
Wed April 29, 2009
• DISCORD: Edition #3
  
Wed April 22, 2009
• DISCORD: Edition Two
  
Mon March 16, 2009
• Cartwright named new City Origin Coach
  

Advanced Search