NRL Round 12 Tips & Preview

NRL Round 12 Tips & Preview

Round 12 of the NRL is Indigenous Round, and to celebrate, we’ll be treated to another eight exciting and potentially crucial games of footy.

There is a case to be made for both the Dragons and the Rabbitohs returning to winning form in Round 12, and their highly anticipated clash is first cab off the rank on Thursday night.

The Broncos will have their hands full with the Sharks, the Sea Eagles will host the Panthers and on Sunday afternoon, the Knights will have the unenviable task of lining up opposite the Storm.

I’ve previewed the lot, and you can find my NRL Round 12 tips below.

St George Illawarra Dragons vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Dragons (+4.5)

The action is underway at Kogarah on Thursday night, with what promises to be an intriguing contest between the Dragons and Rabbitohs.

Both sides enter this clash off the back of similarly tough performances that unfortunately resulted in losses, and both will be chomping at the bit to bounce back into winning form.

The Dragons have been a different side since Mary McGregor faced the music.

Most coaches that are called in front of the board are immediately sacked, but the decision to instead put the bloke on notice has incredibly drawn results.

The Bunnies are staring down the barrel of a third-consecutive loss and have subsequently dropped out of the eight.

Another loss here would be extremely detrimental to their cause, given the shortened season and the bottleneck that is the fight for positions in the eight.

I give both sides a real shot at winning this and for that reason, I am happy to take the Dragons at the line as outsiders.

Wests Tigers vs New Zealand Warriors
Warriors (+14.5)

Wests Tigers will do battle with the Warriors in Friday’s early game.

The Tigers have been competitive in 2020, but they find themselves outside of the eight heading into Round 12.

A thrashing win over the Broncos two weeks ago was largely franked against the Eels in Round 11 but ultimately, they weren’t able to get the points.

There is no doubt that this represents an excellent opportunity for them to return to winning form.

It was a loss, but the Warriors returned arguably their biggest performance of the season to go within eight points of the reigning premiers last week.

Evidently, they lack consistency and an eighty-minute performance, but they are still clearly more than capable of competing on their day, and a similar effort would put them right in finish with the Tigers.

The line is currently set at 14 points and I think that the Warriors might have been undervalued again.

Brisbane Broncos vs Cronulla Sharks
Sharks (-4)

The down and out Brisbane Broncos face another big task when a tough Cronulla Sharks side roll into town on Friday night.

The Broncos have simply forgotten how to win.

Obviously, there is a lot going on behind the scenes than most of us know, but the their squad remains one of the best on paper in the NRL and I find it truly incredible how many points they leak each and every week, and how one-dimensional they are in attack.

The Sharks’ early season inconsistency is beginning to become a thing of the past and they enter Round 12 off the back of good wins over the Dragons and the Warriors.

The line is set at just four points and the Sharks should be able to sew it up comfortably.

Sydney Roosters vs Gold Coast Titans
Titans (+22.5)

Betting suggests that the most one-sided game in Round 12 will materialise when the Roosters and Titans square off on Saturday afternoon, but I’m not so sure.

In my opinion, the Roosters remain the benchmark in the NRL.

There is no doubt, however, that they are in something of a slump (by their lofty standards) as we head into the back-half of the regular season.

They lost to an understrength Raiders and trailed the lowly Warriors at the break last weekend and in Round 12, they come up against a Titans side who are clearly continuing to improve as the season progresses.

That was evident in Justin Holbrook’s boys remains in the contest for the full eighty minutes with the competition-leading Panthers last weekend.

The line is a whopping 22.5 points at publish and at $2, I think the Titans look a great bet.

North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders
Raiders (-8.5)

The Cowboys are sure to have their hands full when a resurgent Raiders outfit arrive in Townsville on Saturday evening.

The end of the season simply cannot come quickly enough for the Cowboys. Paul Green is gone, stars are injured, and they seemingly cannot win a game.

An offseason refresh, a new game plan and fit and healthy squad will renew hope in 2021.

It should be a similar story for the Raiders at the moment, given the enormity of their injured stars list but instead, Ricky Stuart has continued to get the most out of the players he has at his disposal, and they are seeking a hat-trick of wins on Saturday night.

Stuart remains one of the most polarising figures in the NRL, but it is extremely difficult to argue with his results in times like this.

This is easily the weakest side that the Raiders have faced for a few weeks, and they should just be winning again.

Manly Sea Eagles vs Penrith Panthers
Sea Eagles to Win ($2.40)

An intriguing contest shapes between the Manly Sea Eagles and the competition-leading Penrith Panthers on Saturday night.

Manly have been ravaged by injury and ill-discipline but if their performance of the last couple of weeks are any indication, they are starting to believe in themselves and their ability to do the job, without their best possible team on the park.

The Panthers have lost just one game in 2020 and continue to find ways to win, but they haven’t been quite as impressive in Rounds 10 and 11, and I think they’re due a loss.

From my perspective, the Sea Eagles just need to hold themselves at the edge of the eight (which is anything but a foregone conclusion) until Turbo returns.

If they can sneak into the finals and he remains fit, they are a Premiership threat. A win over the Panthers would further strengthen their claims.

Canterbury Bulldogs vs Parramatta Eels
Favourites 6 Pack

Round 12’s penultimate contest will see the Bulldogs come up against the Eels at ANZ Stadium.

There is no doubt that the Bulldogs produced their best performance of the year to defeat the previously fourth-placed Knights in Round 11, and they will surely be buoyed by that result.

I don’t think there’s any doubt that the Dogs will put in their best effort again this week, I’m just not sure that it will be good enough to mix it with the Eels this time around.

Parra weathered a typically spirited fight from Wests Tigers and got the two competition points, and they are justifiably short favourites again in Round 12.

The 16.5-point line looks to be about the right figure for mine, and I think that both sides are a real chance of covering.

There are some prolific try scorers engaged in this contest, and that’s where I’ll be looking for the value!

Melbourne Storm vs Newcastle Knights
Storm (-13.5)

The Newcastle Knights have dropped out of form, and they’ll face an enormous task in regathering it against the Melbourne Storm on Sunday afternoon.

How clinical are the Melbourne Storm.

Statement, not a question.

Even when they aren’t playing ‘well’, they are still way too good for most other sides.

They’ve amassed 98 points in their last two games, they don’t underestimate any opponent, and they are rewarded for their work week-in, week-out.

I don’t think there’s a lot more to be said about this one, other than I’m expecting another comfortable win for Bellamy’s Boys.