The 2022 NRL Premiership season continues in Round 3 and another eight exciting matches are on the slate.
Some clubs remain undefeated, others are yet to get off the mark, and the ladder is yet to take anything of a familiar or reliable shape.
I’ve run the rule over every game, and you can find my complete NRL Round 3 Tips below.
Round 3 begins with an intriguing match between the Dragons and Sharks in Wollongong.
The Dragons have returned two competitive performances in 2022. The proved far too strong for the Warriors in Round 1, and they pushed reigning premiers Penrith all the way on Friday. Jharal Yow Yeh picked them as a top four side in Episode 1 of the Neds NRL Punting Podcast, and it’s actually not looking completely without a chance.
The Sharks squandered a great opportunity to win in Round 1, but they responded with a tough performance to sink the Eels in Round 2 – a result that is sure to have delivered Craig Fitzgibbon’s men with plenty of confidence.
I personally cannot split them, and for that reason, I am taking the value around the Dragons as outsiders.
The first two weeks of the 2022 NRL Premiership season has suggested that Wests and New Zealand could be vying for the spoon, and the two clubs will clash on Friday evening.
I thought that Wests showed some glimpses of good footy in Round 1, but they were completely flat against the Knights in Round 2 and it’s tough imaging who they might beat on their current trajectory.
The Warriors are also 0-2, but they’ve been more competitive than their Round 3 opponents, and they were only just denied by a credible Titans outfit in Week 2.
To me, this looks an open and shut case.
Looks like Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire might need to log on to Seek in the coming weeks according to @Jharalyowyeh5 and @JaredTimms pic.twitter.com/lf91JeVTw3
— Neds (@NedsAus) March 21, 2022
The Rabbitohs have started the season winless, and things probably won’t get any easier for them when they clash with the Roosters on Friday night.
They were extremely rusty as dominant favourites against the Broncos in Round 1, and after fighting back into the contest with the Storm in Round 2, they were ultimately beaten in extra time. That second half performance was obviously a vast improvement, but they can’t afford to keep starting slowly.
The Roosters were thoroughly outplayed by the Knights first-up, but that club has since franked their performance, and Trent Robinson’s men also came out and won in Round 2.
I think that the bookies have just about got this one right in match betting, but I think that Souths can make a serious contest of it.
I wouldn’t have picked this to be the likely match of the Round less than a fortnight ago, but it very well could be!
The Panthers have started their title defence in the best way possible, cruising past the Sea Eagles first-up before surviving a late charge by the Dragons last week. Fitter third-up and with plenty of upside, they’ll start justifiable favourites in betting.
The Knights, however, are the real deal in 2022.
Their Round 1 performance and win over the Roosters looked as though it might have been a fluke, but that was the case until they destroyed Wests last week, and I genuinely think that they have the makings of a top four side.
I genuinely think that Newcastle can win this, but I am going to take the slightly softer option at the line.
It might only be Round 2 but @Jharalyowyeh5 and @JaredTimms like what they see from the Newcastle Knights so far in 2022.
Punters, have the boys gone the early crow here? #NRL pic.twitter.com/cyobr1HJN6
— Neds (@NedsAus) March 21, 2022
The Storm are clear favourites to keep alive their unbeaten start to the season at the expense of the Eels on Saturday afternoon.
The started the season understrength and were made even moreso when several key players went down with injury in Round 1, but the Storm rallied to defeat Wests Tigers, while they did allow Souths back into the contest in Round 2, but iced the game in extra time.
The Eels meanwhile leaked 28 points to the Titans in Round 1 but escaped with the W, before suffering defeat to the Sharks in Round 2. They were in both contests the whole way, I would personally be shocked if they didn’t take improvement into this match.
For that reason, I think that the Eels can cover the line as outsiders.
In my opinion, this is the match that we can extract some real value from in Round 3.
The Raiders were lucky to sneak home over the Sharks at home in Round 1, and they were taught a serious lesson by a Cowboys side whom we aren’t expecting to have much of an impact in 2022.
The Titans meanwhile were unlucky not to get over the line against a Parramatta outfit many have earmarked to finish the season in the top four, before recording their first win of the season over the Warriors in Round 2.
I cannot get my head around match betting – I am assuming the Raiders have been installed as favourites simply because this is being played in Canberra, and the $2.10 about the Titans is over the odds.
It’s a good old-fashioned Queensland Derby when the Broncos host the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon, and the home side will understandably start favourites.
These two clubs contested one of the best Grand Finals on record in 2015, and many subsequent meetings between the two have gone right down to the wire.
It’s fair to say that neither club has been particularly impressive for a few seasons now, but after Round 2, both have shown some promise for the campaign ahead.
The Broncos have been particularly impressive, and I think they’ll be winning again. I’m going to pump up my odds with a Same Game Multi.
The Sea Eagles are winless in 2022, but they are offered the perfect opportunity to record their first of the year against the Bulldogs on Sunday evening.
Round 1’s loss to reigning premiers Penrith was somewhat understandable, but I thought that the Sea Eagles were quite poor against the Roosters in Round 2. They just cannot seem to put a first half performance together, and while they’re always improved in the second forty, they leave themselves too much work to do.
The Bulldogs snuck past the Cowboys in Round 1, but they were outclassed by the Broncos last week and I’m reasonably confident that loss will have hurt them mentally.
I’m happy to give Manly another chance.