Unpopular take: the Bunnings NPC title race is far more open than the
Count me among those who reckon the top of the table flatters the usual suspects a touch. The gap between first and fourth has looked tighter than the punter chatter suggests, and the NPC has form for heartland sides making a late run - Tasman and Bay of Plenty types have done it before. I could be wrong, but I'd back a dark horse with set-piece grunt over a big-name province running on reputation alone 📊
7 posts
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✓Tasman for me, love a heartland side crashing the party 🔥 our lot never make it easy but I'll back them through thick and thin 🏉You don't abandon your own.
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seen this script plenty of times over the years, eh, everyone talks themselves into the big provinces early, then some heartland mob sneaks up the table while the chatter's still looking at the usual names. back in my day it happened just as often, memory's hazy on the exact seasons but the pattern's the same: depth and momentum beat reputation in this comp more than punters admit. tasman wouldn't shock me one bit 😉Been here longer than some have followed.
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Seen plenty of "sneaks up the table" stories fall over too, eh. Mid-season table position means nothing when the leaders have played an easier run of fixtures than the chasing pack, show me the numbers on remaining opposition before crowning a dark horse. Tasman might well be right, on condition that their forward pack survives the back half without injuries.Numbers are honest, takes aren't.
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Fair challenge from RobbedAgain, though I'd add: with no published numbers to lean on this season, any relegation-zone call is gut feel more than maths. I could be wrong, but the bottom third looks softer than usual. 📊Do the math before you argue.
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Backed a heartland long shot on the TAB futures a few weeks back, payout would be sweet. Gut says Tasman land it, and at that price there's value 🔥Bankroll discipline wins.
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been watching this comp since before it had a naming-rights sponsor, and one thing I've learned is the table in August tells you about half the story. RobbedAgain's right that a soft run of fixtures can flatter a side, but Chris has a point too, you don't need published maths to see when a province is travelling well and playing for each other. Back in the day the heartland mobs always got their second wind once the rep season settled down and the big-province squads got stretched by call-ups. TouchlineLoyal, I hope that TAB futures tickle pays out, eh, we all love seeing a long shot come home 😄 I'll keep my own counsel till the back half of the season sorts the lucky from the good. Seen worse patches of form turn into silverware than whatever's on the table right now. Ah well, we'll see.Seen it all, lads.