There are two spots in the NRL Finals left up for grabs and it is d-day for a number of clubs this weekend.
The Panthers, Broncos, Sharks, Tigers, Warriors and Knights all remain in the battle for those top eight positions and it is fair to say that consistency has been an issue for every single one of those clubs in 2019.
Who will step-up this weekend and move one step closer to a top eight finish? We have analysed every single game this weekend and our complete 2019 NRL Round 22 tips can be found below!
I feel let down, hurt and disappointed.
Just when I was ready to let the Manly Sea Eagles into my life, they go and lose to the bloody New Zealand Warriors!
The Sea Eagles will go into this clash as deserving favourites, but I am going to find it tough to trust them on the back of that effort.
The Neds Wests Tigers are also coming off a disappointing loss, at the hands of the Canterbury Bulldogs, and desperately need to win this clash to keep themselves in finals contention.
The Tigers have had the wood over the Sea Eagles in recent seasons and have won the past four games played between the two sides.
I really don’t think that there is as much between these two teams as the current market suggests and the Tigers are a great bet to cover the line with a healthy start.
The Gold Coast Titans (proudly sponsored by Neds) produced an improved effort against the St George Illawarra Dragons last weekend and would have covered the line if not for an unlucky Jason Saab try late.
I am confident that they will improve again this weekend and they can give the Parramatta Eels a genuine scare.
The Eels held their nerve to beat the Newcastle Knights last weekend and their recent form has been good, but I am adamant that there is no more boring side to watch in the competition.
This will be a dour, low-scoring clash and the Titans will be in it for a long way.
Do either of these teams even want to play finals?
The Brisbane Broncos did everything possible to lose to the North Queensland Cowboys last weekend and the Penrith Panthers also did their best to throw away what looked like a guaranteed win against the Cronulla Sharks.
Who knows what to expect from either of these teams this weekend?
To be fair to the Broncos, they have had the edge over the Panthers in recent years and they have generally saved their best rugby league for their meeting with Phil Gould’s men.
They have won the past three games between the two sides and a couple of those wins have been by large margins.
I think this might be the week that things finally click for the Broncos and I’m backing them to put up a big score.
The Newcastle Knights and the North Queensland Cowboys have combined for ten losses on the trot, so I can’t wait for this Saturday afternoon blockbuster.
Somehow the Knights remain in finals contention, but it is quickly becoming clear that they don’t deserve to be anywhere near the top eight.
Their motivation levels are flat and it does seem as though Nathan Brown has completely lost the dressing room.
Josh McGuire took all the headlines for his grubby antics last week against the Broncos and that distracted from the fact that the Cowboys failed to close out another tight game.
They have now lost four of their past seven games by four points or less and the lack of game management from the likes of Michael Morgan and Jake Clifford is a huge concern.
In saying that, the Cowboys have won their past three meetings with the Knights and they haven’t lost to their rivals since 2015.
Taking on the Knights has been a highly profitable play over the past couple of months and the Cowboys are good value at their current quote.
The Melbourne Storm are currently involved in an intense investigation.
Not they haven’t been rorting the salary cap again, but Craig Bellamy and another member of the Storm coaching staff had their mobile phones stolen by the coaches box during their win over the Rabbitohs.
No wonder the NRL refuses to move a team to the Central Coast.
I remain confident that the Storm will be able to put aside this distraction and score a comfortable win over the Raiders.
The Canberra Raiders were not disgraced by the Sydney Roosters last weekend, but I remain confident that they are still below the level of the two best sides in the competition.
The Storm have won their past five games against the Raiders and they have won nine of their past 11 games as home favourites.
Who saw this coming from the Canterbury Bulldogs?
The Bulldogs looked certainties to win the wooden spoon earlier this season and Dean Pay’s days in the job looked numbered, but they have now won two games on the trot and are set to play finals spoilers.
I’m not sure that the Bulldogs are big enough to make it three wins on the trot with a victory over the Rabbitohs, but they are giving it a crack and that is all we can ask for at this stage of the season.
The Rabbitohs were not disgraced against the Storm last weekend and they have generally been a fairly reliable side as favourites this season.
They have won nine of their past 11 games as home favourites, but they are a poor 4-7 against the line in that scenario.
The Bulldogs will be in for the first and they are a good bet to cover the line in this contest,
Is there a more frustrating side in the NRL than the New Zealand Warriors?
Just when it looked as though they had given up on 2019, they come out and beat the high-flying Manly Sea Eagles.
Can they reproduce that effort? Probably not.
The only consistent thing about the Warriors is their inconsistency and it could get ugly if they don’t turn up for this clash with the Roosters in the right mental state.
The Roosters made it four wins on the trot with a tough victory over the Raiders and I still think that they have another gear in them.
Look out for a repeat of the Roosters big win over the Titans.
The Battle Of The Shire.
Scott Morrison vs John Howard.
Paul McGregor vs His NRL coaching future.
The Dragons finally ended their losing streak with a win over the Gold Coast Titans, but they are going to need to string a few victories together to be any chance of saving McGregor’s job.
The Cronulla Sharks looked set for a run towards the top four, but they forgot to turn up in the first half against the Penrith Panthers last weekend and they are now back outside the top eight.
You can generally throw out the formline when these two sides do battle and there have been plenty of upsets in recent years.
I can’t tell you who will win, but I expect this to be a low-scoring affair and the Under is the betting play to follow.