Round 15 of the NRL kicks off in Wollongong on Thursday night, when the out of sorts St George take on South Sydney, who are showing glimpses of the side that made it to last season’s Grand Final.
Friday Night Footy looks as though it will absolutely go off! Manly can squeeze in to the top eight with a win and their return to form sets up a blockbuster clash with the red hot Cowboys.
Melbourne’s AAMI Park then plays host to a potential finals preview and monster top four clash between the Storm and Broncos.
The Titans will be hoping they can lift themselves off the bottom of the ladder with a win over the Sharks, before the Eels attempt to make up for a dismal performance against the Dogs when they face the Roosters.
On Sunday, the Knights and Raiders will go to battle before the Bulldogs and Tigers both have a grand opportunity to distance themselves from the foot of the table.
One of the NRL’s most historic rivalries is reignited in Thursday night footy.
I’ve been in the Dragons’ corner more often than not this season and recently, they’ve been inconsistent at best.
That being said, they’ve done enough to hold a position on the edge of the eight, and an upset win this week would strengthen their position.
The Bunnies have recorded two wins on the trot leading into this contest, and I can absolutely understand their favouritism heading into this one.
Latrell Mitchell still isn’t back, but their continually improving combinations will provide the Dragons with plenty of headaches.
I think that the bookies have just about got the match betting and line markets right, so I am going to stay away from them.
The resurgent Sea Eagles face an acid test in the ironically high-flying Cowboys at Brookie on Friday evening.
The Sea Eagles made the prelims in 2021, while the Cowboys were lucky to avoid a wooden spoon.
Fast-forward to Round 15 in 2022 and the Cowboys are a genuine premiership threat, starting clear betting favourites on the Northern Beaches.
The loss of Turbo is obviously enormous for Manly, and it renders their premiership chances almost completely null and void.
That being said, they’ve been very impressive against a couple of weaker opponents these last two weeks.
The Cowboys continued their outstanding season with a Round 14 thrashing of the Dragons, and they’ll be equally confident of a result on Friday.
I don’t rate Manly as easybeats however, and for that reason, I’m staying away from match betting and the line again, instead investing on two of the game’s most prolific weapons.
I nearly fell off my chair when I saw the disparity in prices between the Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos in Round 15!
Sure, it’s in Melbourne and sure, the Broncos’ record against the Storm in recent seasons has left a lot to the imagination…. but WOT!
Have I been watching a different comp than the bookies this year?
It’s certainly due to Adam Reynolds’ absence, but I don’t think that he is the difference in this many points and the Storm certainly haven’t been close to their best recently, either.
I’d rate 2 losses from their last four starts as a slump, for them.
Alas, I’ve probably now talked myself out of trusting the Broncos, but an 18-point line (at publish) does look generous.
The Cronulla Sharks are offered another great opportunity at a soft kill when they host the now last-placed Gold Coast Titans in the Shire on Saturday afternoon.
A little dip in form appears to be in the history books for the Sharks, and they enter Round 15 off the back of an easy win over the Warriors.
With a few blokes set to be called up for Origin again this week, look for a polished and dominant effort again this week.
What is going on at the Titans?
They snuck into the finals in 2021 and looked to have plenty of upside, but they’ve regressed horribly, and they’ve been leapfrogged by the Bulldogs at the bottom of the table.
They seem to lack a belief in their jersey, their cause and a continued lack of support also won’t be helping.
It’s tough imagining anything changing for the Titans in Round 15.
The Warriors take on the competition leading and reigning premiers the Penrith Panthers on Saturday evening.
If you’ve seen even a skerrick of football this season, you’d know that there really isn’t a lot to be said about this match.
It’s almost certainly going to be a flogging, and I think it’s a great opportunity to have a crack at a nice Same Game Multi!
Our Same Game Multi suggestions are:
- Panthers (-26.5)
- Brian To’o Anytime Try
- Taylan May Anytime Try
- Over 44.5 Points
- Highest Scoring Half (2nd)
The Parramatta Eels have been typically frustrating in 2022, and I don’t think that they are any chance of winning the premiership.
Boy it has been a long time for their fans, and it’s going to be an even longer wait!
The Parramatta Eels suffered a 34-4 thrashing at the hands of the last-placed Bulldogs in Round 14 of the #NRL. @JharalYowYeh5 and @JaredTimms give them NO CHANCE of winning the Premiership in 2022!👎 pic.twitter.com/z2KsronhFU
— Neds (@NedsAus) June 14, 2022
That being said, they are usually decent off the back of a loss, but the manner of last week’s loss to the Bulldogs was simply too great to ignore.
The Roosters have been humming along under the radar, and they take their place in Round 15 eighth on the ladder, and a great chance of playing competitive finals footy.
They weren’t disgraced against the Storm last week and they look a touch of overs here, in my opinion.
The penultimate match of the round takes us to the nation’s capital on Sunday afternoon, and the resurgent Raiders can continue their climb with a win over the Knights.
Six weeks ago, they looked as though they’d be in the wooden spoon dogfight, but the Raiders truly have been enormous improvers, and a win in Round 15 could mathematically see them into the eight, though several other results would also have to fall favourably for them.
The Knights will be caught in the wooden spoon dogfight and Adam O’Brien is surely the luckiest bloke not to have already been sacked this season.
It’s unlikely to be a memorable one, but I am confident that the Raiders can record another nice win.
A couple of the league’s cellar-dwellers do battle in the final game of Round 15, and there is a case to be made for both the Bulldogs and the Tigers.
What a performance it was from the Dogs in Round 14!
They were nothing short of outstanding against the Eels, and it off the back of some starring solo performances from the likes of Matt Burton and Josh Addo-Carr.
Wests have continued to hum along quietly and interestingly, their last win came over this opponent in Round 11.
The Dogs’ last effort was too good to ignore, and without Trent Barrett there to overdo it, I’m going to give them the chance to make it two in a row!