NRL Round 14 Tips & Preview

NRL Round 14 Tips & Preview

The fast slide towards the finals continues with eight exciting games in Round 14 of the NRL.

The Sydney Roosters and Melbourne Storm will write another chapter in their storied rivalry first-up on Thursday night, before the Eels and Dragons do battle in Friday’s primetime slot.

We managed to unearth eight winners from as many tips last weekend, and I am full of confidence ahead of Round 14.

Sydney Roosters vs Melbourne Storm
Storm (+7.5)

There’s little doubt that Round 14 of the NRL will hit a peak on Thursday night, and it will be all downhill from there.

Some of the matches contested by the Roosters and the Storm in recent seasons have been instant classics, including their round eight clash that saw the Storm finish over the top in the dying moments.

For their standards, I don’t think there’s any doubt that the Roosters are in something of a form slump at the moment.

They’ve just barely scraped past the Warriors, Titans and Dragons at their last three and prior to that, lost to an understrength Raiders outfit.

The Storm meanwhile have more than re-affirmed their Premiership credentials and enter this contest on a seven-match winning streak.

They live for the big moments and even with a couple of injuries, there really is no reason why they won’t take a power of beating again this week.

I simply cannot figure out how they’ve been priced as such rank outsiders ($3.05) and I think there’s every chance they just win.

New Zealand Warriors vs Penrith Panthers
Panthers (-18.5)

The Warriors have the unenviable task of facing the first-placed Panthers, first-up on Friday evening.

For a side that has faced as much adversary as they have in 2020, I think that the Warriors have done an outstanding job.

With how little a chance they are given every week, you wouldn’t know that they have won five games and sit just two wins outside of the eight.

They proved too good for Manly in Round 13 and have surely taken plenty of confidence from that performance and result.

That being said, there is no doubt that they’ll need to muster a season-best performance to even compete with the ladder-leading Roosters for eighty minutes.

Ivan Cleary’s men have fast become one of the most well drilled and intimidating sides in the NRL.

They’re too good for most ‘good’ clubs and make light work of the rest.

At their best, I do think that the Warriors could cover 18.5 points, but it’s almost impossible to tip against Penrith at the moment.

Parramatta Eels vs St George Illawarra Dragons
Dragons (+11.5)

An intriguing battle between the Eels and the Dragons occupies Friday night’s primetime slot in Round 14.

Betting suggests it’ll be one of the more one-sided fixtures of the round and while I completely understand why that is the case, I’m not so sure it will prove to be the case.

At the end of the day winning is all that matters, and Parramatta have continued to do that, but like the Roosters, I think they’re in a bit of a slump.

They beat the Sharks by just two points last weekend. Two weeks ago, the beat the last-placed Bulldogs by just two points. Three weeks ago, they weren’t a lot better than the out of form Tigers.

The Dragons have lost their last three, but they’ve been in the contest almost the entire way and there is no doubt that they have continued to improve as the season has progressed.

Interestingly, coach Paul McGregor’s job has been a hot topic again this week and the last time that happened, the Dragons kicked into gear.

I’m happy to be with St George at the line as outsiders.

Cronulla Sharks vs Gold Coast Titans
Titans (+11.5)

Saturday afternoon will see the Sharks go up against the in-form Gold Coast Titans (proudly sponsored by Neds) at Kogarah.

The Sharks won three in a row heading into their Round 13 clash with the Eels and while they weren’t able to get the result, there was a lot to like about their performance.

They are justifiable favourites to win again this week, but in my opinion, they are noticeably under the odds.

HOW GOOD WERE THE NEDS TITANS IN ROUND 13!?

I was confident they’d put in a good performance and boy, did they!

That result was just the next step in what has been a vastly improved four weeks for Justin Holbrook’s men, and facing a fair opponent away from Fortress Cbus will be a real indication as to how they’re going.

Like several outsiders this week I think they are a live chance of winning, and the Titans can certainly finish within an 11.5-point line.

North Queensland Cowboys vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Souths (-8)

The end of the season can’t come quickly enough for the Cowboys, and they face another big task in Souths on Saturday evening.

Round 13 pretty much summed up the season for Paul Green/Josh Hannay/likely new coach’s men – they struggled from the outset, were never in the contest and were handed a comfortable defeat.

As expected, Souths became the latest side to beat the Broncos.

The danger from a result like that one is complacency, but the Cowboys are hardly a better opponent and a similar result would just see them winning again.

Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos
Favourites 6 Pack

Saturday night will see the Raiders host the Broncos in the chilly nation’s capital.

In the early 90s this would have been the game of the round. We can live on the memories.

The Raiders lost to the competition leaders in Round 13 and with that result, they also drifted in Premiership betting ($8 out to $13).

They are offered the perfect opportunity to respond this week though, and if they can’t beat the Broncos, something is seriously wrong.

It was just another loss for the down and out ‘Cos in Round 13 and this will be no easier.

They’ll step out the longest price of any club in Round 14 and justifiably so.

Because there’s no value left for the Raiders, I’m looking elsewhere for the value.

Newcastle Knights vs Manly Sea Eagles
Knights (-7.5)

We’re off to the Hunter on Sunday afternoon for a replay of the 1997 ARL Grand Final.

The Knights bounced back into winning form via an utterly dominant display against West Tigers in Round 13, and understandably have all the running ahead of this one.

Blake Green was a very exciting inclusion for Newcastle, but there is no doubt that Kalyn Ponga stole the show.

The Sea Eagles, however, suffered another disappointing defeat – this time against the inconsistent Warriors.

Despite their slow start, they had ample opportunity and time to win the game, but ultimately didn’t take their chances.

Manly are becoming very difficult to trust from a betting standpoint, particularly when nothing is expected of them, but surely the Knights prove too good.

Wests Tigers vs Canterbury Bulldogs
Bulldogs to Win ($2.75)

Round 14 will conclude at Bankwest Stadium on Sunday when the Tigers and Bulldogs square off.

While we here at Neds love the Wests Tigers, there is no denying that they are in a little bit of a form slump.

Since thrashing the Broncos in Round 11, they are winless, and were handed a pretty hefty defeat by the Knights last week.

The Bulldogs were also given a touch up in Round 13 (by Melbourne), but they’ve actually been a lot better recently.

At $2.75, I actually think that they can win this game.