The NRL enters Round 14 and that means that we are officially past the halfway mark of the regular season and beginning the long run towards the finals.
Origin spots are up for grabs and several players will be eager to put their best foot forward. NRL Round 14 tips below.
The Ricky Stuart Derby opens Round 14’s NRL action on Thursday night and there’s a bit of value around both clubs in the market.
I’ve dubbed it the Ricky Stuart Derby because these are the two clubs that he hasn’t really extracted the potential out of, as a coach. I might be forced to eat my own words at the end of this season because the Raiders have been pretty good, but I’ve never been in the market to make a big claim after the fact, like a coward.
I really do not rate the Sharks so far, but they’ve produced better results than a lot of other teams and remain sixth on the ladder leading into this. In saying that, I think that the Raiders will be too good.
How about those NEDS GOLD COAST TITANS!? For the second season in a row, they’ve thoroughly done the Broncos in Brisbane and that is enough for me to peg them as Queensland’s premier club side.
That’s four wins for the season now for the Titans and I am extremely confident that they can make if five on Friday. Realistically, they’re unlucky not to be shooting for four in a row – the win over the Sea Eagles three back was outstanding and it goes without saying the Cowboys were lucky to fall over the line two back.
The Warriors have been typically impossible to trust this season, particularly from a betting perspective and it goes without saying they offered little resistance against the Storm last week.
Even money for the Titans is overs.
One of the more intriguing games of the round looks like materialising in Townsville on Friday night when the Cowboys host the Wests Tigers, also proudly sponsored by Neds.
As you could have pulled out of the previous game’s previous, the Cows were lucky to get there two weeks ago, and that form was franked when they dropped the bundle at home against a so-so Sea Eagles on Saturday night. They certainly are not a premiership threat and if anything, they’re simply contesting the 2019 season to grow combinations and attempt to maintain some sort of consistent supporter base.
There is absolutely no hiding from the fact that the Tigers weren’t in the same class as the Raiders last weekend, but this looms as a far better prospect for them and they represent value in head-to-head betting. They’re certainly good enough to cover the line.
Clearly the match of the round and I simply cannot wait for the Knights to roll into Melbourne and weather the Storm.
The Storm were too good for the Warriors last week, but I reckon my old high school side could put the Warriors to the sword in current nick and I’m not having a bar of that as a form reference. Sure, they’re sitting first and sure, a lot of people are going to say I’m stupid for this, but I just do not think that the Storm are nearly as scary as what they have been previously. I think they might be found out here.
Given I tipped them, I was not surprised to see the Knights beat Souths last week and for mine, they have all the momentum running into this. I simply cannot get over the difference in prices between these two clubs in head-to-head betting. Has anyone been watching the Knights play recently? They have pulled themselves into serious premiership calculations and I am more than happy to take the value around them, yet again.
With the majority of their stars surely having freshened up from Origin 1 by this point, South Sydney will host Penrith on Saturday evening.
Souths became the latest victim of this red-hot Knights side in Round 13, but I really don’t think that’s something to be too concerned with at this point of the season and they’re faced with a good opportunity to return to winning form at the expense of Penrith.
I couldn’t have potted the Panthers more last weekend and they made it three in a row. Good for them. I think that this is going to be a real test of their legitimacy, though and I can’t look past the Bunnies. The Panthers really need to earn back my trust and a win here would go a long way towards doing that.
The Eels have really started to realise their god-awful potential and they face another big task in the form of the Broncos on Saturday night.
Any hint that they might be a credible side is now well and truly in the rear-view mirror and I’m almost getting to the point of completely writing them off, and we’re only halfway through the regular season. The win two weeks ago was a gimme and they weren’t good against the Sharks last week.
The Broncos were thoroughly outclassed by the Titans last week, but their form prior to that game was credible and this looms as the perfect opportunity for them to bounce back into the winner’s stall. The even money on offer at publish could be the bet of the round.
Manly will attempt to sore back into the top six when they host a pretty lacklustre Dragons outfit on Sunday afternoon.
The Sea Eagles were a different side with Tommy Turbo on the paddock last week and even though he himself was far from lethal, his presence alone lifts everyone around him. A great opportunity faces Manly and the Brookvale faithful should be cheering on Sunday afternoon.
The Dragons haven’t been a shadow of the side that were unlucky not to win into last season’s semis and I’m not about them. I can’t imagine they’ll put in a full 80-minute performance on the Northern Beaches.
Round 14 will draw to a close on Sunday afternoon when the Roosters and Bulldogs do battle at the SCG.
If you’ve read even one of my round previews this season, you’d know that I am a next-level fanboy of this current Roosters side (I don’t actually support the club though, so don’t worry too much), but boy they’ve fallen off the perch of late and I’m one loss to a crap club away from jumping off the wagon, at least for a little while.
Enter the Bulldogs, who could very well turn out to be that crap club! They’re as good as last on the ladder and nothing is expected of them. Perhaps that’s the key to their return to success.