NRL Round 24 Tips & Preview

NRL Round 24 Tips & Preview

We’ve arrived at the penultimate round of the 2021 NRL Premiership season and positions in the top eight remain on the line.

Both the Knights and the Titans are well and truly entrenched in that fight, and one club will take a huge step in the right direction by winning on Thursday night.

The Roosters and the Rabbitohs will square off in a Friday night blockbuster, while the Storm can make history and win yet another minor premiership by beating the Eels on Saturday.

All that and plenty more covered in my NRL Round 24 Preview and Tips below.

Newcastle Knights vs Gold Coast Titans
Titans (+1)

The Knights and the Titans are both fighting for a finals berth and that is sure to add even more spice to their Round 24 clash on the Sunshine Coast.

They’ve had a relatively weak run of matches, but the Knights have certainly made it count, and are seeking a fifth win in succession this week.

Round 23’s triumph over the Bulldogs saw them climb into seventh and ultimately, put themselves in the best possible position to win into the post-season.

The Titans’ winning run of form came to an end at the hands of the Storm, but they still played some great footy and for a few moments, even looked like winners.

I’m happy to stick with our boys to bounce back.

New Zealand Warriors vs Canberra Raiders
Raiders (-7.5)

The Raiders were unlucky not to pull off another upset win over the Sea Eagles in Round 23, and they can respond by beating the Warriors on Friday evening.

They’ve certainly been an improved side since Origin, but a few key losses have seen them languishing in tenth.

Had they won last week, the Green Machine would have entered Round 24 eighth on the ladder and with their finals fate in their own hands.

The Warriors lucked into one of the better contests of the round with the Broncos last weekend and while they appeared to have every chance to win, they failed to make it count.

That effort and result pretty much summed up their season and it’s tough imagining anything changing against a stronger opponent like Canberra.

Sydney Roosters vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Roosters (+11.5)

I just cannot wait for Friday night.

The Roosters and the Rabbitohs will square off in an exciting top four clash, and potentially a preview of something that will materialise deep into the finals.

For a short while, it appeared as though the Roosters were doing their best to drop out of the top four, but they’ve regathered in the last couple of weeks to record tough wins over an improved Broncos side and the Dragons.

This is a real acid test for them, and with Manly snapping on their heels, they absolutely need to win again.

The Bunnies exceptional run of form came to an end at the hands of a very impressive Penrith outfit in Round 23, and they will be eager to get back into winning form on Friday night.

I do believe that Souths deserve their favouritism, but I don’t have as much between them as our bookies do and for that reason, I think that the value might lie with backing the Roosters at the line as outsiders.

St George Illawarra Dragons vs North Queensland Cowboys
Dragons 1-12 ($3.10)

The Dragons and the Cowboys will square off in about the only game all weekend with absolutely nothing on the line.

Neither side has looked like a finals prospect for a long period of time now, and there’s no doubt that each have one eye on Mad Monday celebrations.

The Dragons were taught a lesson by the Roosters in Round 23, while the Cowboys are now well and truly into the double-figures of weeks since their last win, and they were leapfrogged by the Broncos following last week’s loss to the Eels.

There won’t be much for the neutral supporter in this contest, but it should be a reasonably tight affair.

Cronulla Sharks vs Brisbane Broncos
Broncos to Win ($2.60)

I’m actually really looking forward to Saturday evening’s match between the Sharks and the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.

I’ve potted them quite a bit this season, but the Sharks have done a credible job of pulling themselves up off the canvas and putting themselves into the finals conversation.

They enter this match in eighth position and off the back of a 50-20 hiding of Wests Tigers in Rockhampton.

I’ve also potted the Broncos a lot this season (and for good reason), but there is also no doubt that they have been a far better team for the last four weeks or so, and they were rewarded with a deserved win over the Warriors last week.

I do understand why the Sharks are favourites in betting, but their inconsistency has continued, and I’m going to give the Broncos a real chance to make it two in a row for the first time in a long time.

Melbourne Storm vs Parramatta Eels
Eels (+22.5)

You wouldn’t know that both of these clubs will make the finals if match betting was your only indication.

The Storm have once again opened clear $1.07 favourites in NRL betting this week, and it’s pretty much write your own ticket territory for the Eels at $8.50.

They did plenty wrong, particularly in the first half, but the Storm ultimately walked away from their Round 23 clash with the Titans as winners, and at the same time tied the 1975 Roosters’ record of 19 consecutive wins.

This is an outstanding opportunity for them to win their way into the history books, and while I’ve thought they’ve looked a little vulnerable in the last couple of weeks, they’ll surely get the job done.

The Eels broke their losing streak with a comfortable victory over the Cowboys, but this is obviously a completely different prospect for them.

I’m very confident that the Storm will win, but I think that the Eels are still better than the 22.5-point start they are giving away here.

Manly Sea Eagles vs Canterbury Bulldogs
SGM: Sea Eagles/Turbo 2+ Tries

The Sea Eagles can keep the pressure on the Roosters and perhaps even climb into the top four by beating the last-placed Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon.

While they fell behind early and forced their fans into some very tense moments, the Sea Eagles ultimately got the job done against the Raiders in Round 23, having rested Tommy Turbo.

Given their last two opponents of the regular season are currently sitting last and second last respectively, you’d have to think something will need to go terribly wrong not for them to win both.

The Bulldogs have been a little better recently, but they have been so bad for the entire campaign that it has hardly been noticeable.

It’s tough imagining them putting up too much of an obstacle this week, particularly against a side who put 66 on them a couple of months ago.

Penrith Panthers vs Wests Tigers
Panthers (-26)

Another mismatch will see the resurgent Panthers taking on the thirteenth-placed Tigers in the final fixture of Round 24.

There were a few lean weeks through Origin and without Nathan Cleary but the Panthers look to be near their best again, and they will take enormous confidence into the penultimate round after beating Souths comfortably last weekend.

The Tigers allowed themselves a small chance of sneaking into the eight with a few great performances through July and early August, but last weekend’s thrashing at the hands of the Sharks all but ended those prospects.

Penrith will win this match with plenty in hand.