We’re almost a month into the new season and only one club remains undefeated – the Penrith Panthers.
They’ve lost key players to other clubs, they’re missing some serious talent through injury, and they haven’t experienced anything of a premiership hangover – are the Panthers just going to go through undefeated and win the whole thing again?
Their Grand Final rematch with South Sydney is just one of eight games in Round 4 of the NRL, and you can find a complete preview and tips below.
The Titans will be without exciting fullback Jaiden Campbell when they host Wests Tigers on Thursday night.
Thankfully for the Titans, they’re only playing Wests Tigers, and could therefore field almost anyone at fullback and probably still win.
In all seriousness, the Titans have shown glimpses of a decent footy side this season, but they absolutely should have won in Round 3, and were left licking their wounds after letting slip a decent halftime lead over the Raiders.
The Tigers are 0-3, and I maintain that I have no idea where and when a win will come for them in 2022.
The Sharks continue to build in form and confidence, and they host the Knights first-up on Friday evening.
They were unlucky not to get there in Round 1, but the Sharks have since have since recorded wins over the Eels and Dragons, and their form has been franked by the former as well.
As recently as five days ago, this would have shaped as one of the standout matches of the round, but as has been the case so many times since their last premiership in 2001, the Knights came crashing back down to Earth in Round 3.
Granted, they were playing the reigning premiers, but they didn’t look a shadow of the side who won their first two with conviction, and they have subsequently drifted to $3.05.
I’m pretty confident the Sharks will win this with conviction.
It’s a Grand Final rematch when the Penrith Panthers take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs in primetime on Friday.
The Panthers have already been forced to deal injuries on top of their loss of a couple of key players to other clubs in 2022, but they have been nothing short of clinical, and they are the only club that remains undefeated this season.
The Rabbitohs suffered a shock loss to the Broncos in Round 1, they were held off by the Storm in Round 2, and they finally broke through to defeat the Roosters in Round 3, as pretty friendless outsiders I might add.
I think they their building condition means that Souths can push the Panthers in Round 3, but I certainly cannot have them as winners at this stage.
The Warriors and the Broncos will do battle at Moreton Daily Stadium in Redcliffe on Saturday afternoon, which is in theory a New Zealand home game but in reality, a Broncos home game.
The Warriors weren’t as good as thought they would be in Round 3, but in the words of the great Dominic Toretto; “It doesn’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile, winning’s winning,” and they saluted for us at the line.
The Broncos meanwhile started clear favourites in their Queensland Derby against the Cowboys at Suncorp afternoon, and the bubble burst in an enormous way.
It is extremely difficult to trust the Warriors from a betting perspective, I believe that it’s really hard to know what we’re going to get from the Broncos in response to last week’s performance, given how wildly mediocre they’ve been for the last few years.
For those reason, I am staying well away from match betting and the line. Let’s box up a couple of jets for some value.
The Sea Eagles will start clear favourites in betting when they host the Canberra Raiders in Round 4 of the 2022 NRL Premiership season.
It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t convincing, but the Sea Eagles broke through for their first win of the season in Round 3, and I really don’t think that can be undervalued. Sure, it was against a Bulldogs side who we’re not expecting to challenge for the Provan Summons this year, but Manly are a confidence team, and I think there’s every chance that result kicks them into gear.
The Raiders meanwhile were down and out against the Titans at home in Round 3, but they rallied to pull off the comeback of the season so far.
Regardless, Manly at Brookvale are a completely different kettle of fish, and I am happy to stick with Dessie’s men.
Inspired by the Titans/Raiders clash on the weekend, @JaredTimms and @JharalYohYeh5 reflect on Rugby League's greatest comebacks of all time #NRL pic.twitter.com/4aVCJlZ5Us
— Neds (@NedsAus) March 28, 2022
The Cowboys return home following their most impressive performance of the season, and they will line up opposite a Roosters side who have underperformed.
They were beaten by the Bulldogs in Round 1, but the Cowboys have continued to improve for each effort back, and they were impressive against both the Raiders and the Broncos. Everything seems to be falling into place, Jason Taumalolo in back in form, and they’ll be quietly confident again in front of their parochial home crowd.
The Roosters were shocked in Week 1, they weren’t entirely convincing against a misfiring Sea Eagles side in Round 2, and they were comfortably beaten again by Souths in Round 3.
I think that this is a serious danger game for the Roosters, particularly in Townsville, and I am going to back the upset!
Betting suggests that this will be the most one-sided game of the round, and for good reason.
The Storm certainly haven’t been at their best through the first three Round of the season, but they’ve been good enough to win twice, and I don’t think that there’s any doubt they’ll be too good for the Dogs, as well.
The 2022 Bulldogs are certainly better than the 2021 Bulldogs, that really isn’t saying much, and they are lucky to have won one game already.
It’s open and shut – the Storm are winning this with their eyes closed.
The Eels stormed back into form (pun intended) in Round 3, and they will start clear favourites in Sunday evening’s clash with the Dragons.
They leaked 28 points to the Titans in Round 1, they lost to the Sharks in Round 2, but they pushed the Storm the whole way last week and were ultimately rewarded with a rare win in Melbourne. That performance and result has surely pumped them up, and this is a great opportunity for them to really frank their form.
The Dragons meanwhile were pretty bad in their Round 3 match with the Sharks, and it was in stark contrast to the excitement that they provided their fans in the first couple of weeks of the comp.
I don’t think that Parra are a Premiership threat, but I think they’ll win this one.
Is this the year of the Eel? 🏆 🔵 🟡
Spoiler alert: it isn't according to @JharalYowYeh5 and @JaredTimms
(🧾 keep your receipts Parra fans) #NRL pic.twitter.com/9GFiPHmQfn
— Neds (@NedsAus) March 28, 2022