Round 7 hosts some compelling affairs and none better than the Roosters and Storm on Thursday night with James Tedesco returning.
The Dolphins move forward without Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow in Darwin while Bathurst also hosts the Panthers and Tigers.
Newcastle are sweating on the health of Kalyn Ponga and Dane Gagai in what shapes as another exciting weekend of NRL action.
Melbourne head to Sydney to tackle the Roosters to kick off Round 7 and it shapes as a clash that should be a tight one.
Melbourne certainly look the play with the Roosters still without Sam Walker, and the Storm seem to be getting it done though.
They have a great recent record against the Roosters, winning nine of 10 and covering eight of those, while also the last four against the Chooks in Sydney.
The Roosters have covered just three of 11 off a win. In what should be a tight affair, the edge is with the Storm.
Daniel Tupou has been in elite tryscoring form and comes up against Will Warbrick, who has been defensively poor this year, Xavier Coates has seven tries in five games against the Roosters.
Recommended Bets
- Best: Melbourne Win ($1.92)
- Next: Tri-Bet 1-6: Either Team Less Than 6.5 ($2.50)
- Tryscorer: Daniel Tupou ($10 First, $2.30 Anytime)
- SGM: Daniel Tupou Try/Xavier Coates Try ($5.28
The Dragons getting a big start at home are one of the top bets of the week.
The Dragons are sensational bets at Wollongong, they have covered 12 of 16 at the venue including eight of 10 as an underdog and seven of eight as an outsider of at least a try at the ground.
This is a huge spot for them and early season home underdogs of at least a try are always a bet.
The Warriors are hardly in a strong spot either, they have covered just six of 16 when favoured by more than a try and 11 of 32 on the road off conceding 22-plus.
With the Dragons covering four of five against the Warriors, they look an elite bet.
Tyrell Sloan has six tries this season, Zac Lomax has five and has been in elite form this year.
DWZ has 14 tries in 24 games that he has played with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.
Recommended Bets
- Best: St George Illawarra +5.5 ($1.90)
- Next: St George Illawarra ($2.50)
- Tryscorer: Tyrell Sloan ($12.50 First, $2.55 Anytime)
- SGM: Tyrell Sloan Try/Zac Lomax Try/Dallin Watene-Zelezniak Try ($14.86)
The NRL returns to Darwin on Friday night with the Eels hosting the Dolphins.
Both teams have key injuries which makes this game difficult to get a grip on.
The Eels are entitled to win and win well but they have covered just four of 14 interstate.
The top play in this game though – and one of the better bets of the week – is the over.
These teams piled on 68 points last year and both are in strong over spots.
The over is 11-3 when the Eels travel interstate and 13-4 when they are favoured away from CommBank and the over has hit in seven straight night games that Parramatta have played in, while the over is also 6-2 when the Dolphins play interstate.
Expect the points to flow freely in this one.
Jake Averillo has scored just once this year but is a speedster who can take advantage of poor tackler Will Penisini.
Jack Bostock has six tries in nine games and Penisini scored a double when these teams met last year.
Recommended Bets
- Best: Over 45.5 Total Points ($1.90)
- Next: Total Points (Bands) 61+ ($7.25)
- Tryscorer: Jake Averillo ($16 First, $3.05 Anytime)
- SGM: Jack Bostock Try/Will Penisini Try ($6.59)
Whether it is complacency or looking down the road or a belief that sheer talent will be enough, the Panthers have had some trouble with the Tigers.
In torrential conditions, the Tigers won 12-8 when these teams met in Bathurst last year, with the Tigers have covering in four straight games against the Panthers.
Penrith have no Nathan Cleary and don’t typically play well off long rest, covering just three of 10 off 11-plus days rest.
The Tigers have covered nine of 15 getting a start of 14 or more points and look a nice bet, having conceded 14 of their 16 tries in the middle or on the right and Scott Sorensen looks the best value right-sided player.
Turuva and Tago have been Penrith’s most lethal weapons this year, while Bula has scored three tries this year and looks the Tigers’ most dangerous tryscoring weapon.
Recommended Bets
- Best: Wests Tigers +14.5 ($1.90)
- Next: HT/FT Wests Tigers/Penrith ($7.25)
- Tryscorer: Scott Sorensen ($17 First, $3.50 Anytime)
- SGM: Sunia Turuva Try/Izack Tago Try/Jahream Bula Try ($15.41)
Gold Coast are an exceptionally good bet this week with the team seeming to turn a corner in the final quarter against North Queensland and the taking the Raiders to golden point, where they should have won.
Big early-season home underdogs of at least eight points cover at 64% in the opening eight rounds.
Manly have hardly proven themselves worthy of being big road favourites either.
They have covered just three of 11 away from Brookvale when favoured.
Gold Coast can win this one, particularly as Des Hasler knows this Manly team as well as anyone.
Khan-Pereira marked his return to the top grade with a double against the Raiders.
He now has 23 tries in 27 NRL games, Tom Trbojevic has nine tries in seven games against the Titans and is an auto-bet most weeks.
Phillip Sami has four tries in his last six against the Sea Eagles.
Recommended Bets
- Best: Gold Coast +8.5 ($1.90)
- Next: Gold Coast Win ($3.30)
- Tryscorer: Alofiana Khan-Pereira ($10 First, $2.05 Anytime)
- SGM: Alofiana Khan-Perera Try/Tom Trbojevic Try/Phillip Sami Try ($11.77)
Brisbane could absolutely put a number up on a Raiders team that has benefited from a very easy start to the season.
The Broncos are mixing form a little but they can score from anywhere and can score in bunches.
Brisbane won’t find a better spot to dominate in either, they have covered seven of eight at Suncorp, 11 of 13 at night and 15 of 23 off a win of 13 or more points.
Canberra are 17-31 against the spread off scoring 20-plus.
If Brisbane click like they have the last two weeks, this could be anything.
Mam has scored in 27 of 45 first grade games and is huge overs, Arthars has scored in four of his last five and Walsh is in hot tryscoring form with tries in seven of his last 10 games.
Recommended Bets
- Best: Brisbane -7.5 ($1.85)
- Next: Exact Winning Margin: Brisbane 30+ ($7.25)
- Tryscorer: Ezra Mam ($13 First, $2.60 Anytime)
- SGM: Jesse Arthars Try/Reece Walsh Try/Ezra Mam Try ($10.51)
Canterbury have been playing some much-improved football of late and it is surprising that the Bulldogs are underdogs at home against a Knights team that is far from flying and has two stars in doubt.
Kalyn Ponga looks unlikely to play despite being named while Dane Gagai is also out.
The Knights absolutely thumped the Bulldogs in both meetings last year – 66-0 and 42-6 – so there is no question Canterbury will have pencilled this one in as a must-win.
The Bulldogs have covered their last three day games and now they are playing with speed, look a good bet against an injury-depleted Knights.
Kikau has just two tries in his 16 games for Canterbury but is creating plenty of opportunities.
Josh Addo-Carr comes off a hat-trick and benefits from being outside of Kikau.
The Bulldogs are leaking tries down their right, putting Greg Marzhew in the mix to score.
Recommended Bets
- Best: Canterbury Win ($1.95)
- Next: Canterbury 13+ ($4.40)
- Tryscorer: Viliame Kikau ($23 First, $4.40 Anytime)
- SGM: Josh Addo-Carr Try/Greg Marzhew Try ($4.37)
North Queensland are very bad travellers and in a bad spot look a huge take-on team this week.
Teams on back-to-back interstate games cover at just 44% since 2008 and those who lost the first game cover at just 42%.
The Cowboys have covered just nine of 26 interstate games.
The Sharks have dominated the Cowboys with 14 wins and covers in the last 17 meetings and Cronulla are at their best at Shark Park, covering 15 of 24.
The Sharks are a steady proposition, something the Cowboys most certainly are not.
Teig Wilton has 15 tries in 42 starts in the second row, with three in his last five games.
Ronaldo Mulitalo has 71 tries in 93 games including six this year and comes off his best career match.
Nicho Hynes has not scored this year but has scored in his last two against the Cowboys with North Queensland worst defensively through the middle.
Recommended Bets
- Best: Cronulla -3.5 ($1.90)
- Next: Cronulla 13+ ($3.25)
- Tryscorer: Teig Wilton ($17 First, $3.25 Anytime)
- SGM: Ronaldo Mulitalo Try/Nicho Hynes ($9.05)