Parramatta loom as the unlucky recipients of a Penrith bounceback after the Panthers were bested by Brisbane at home last week. It’s proof that the four-time premiers are beatable this time around, but it’s a big ask for this Eels side to go with them in a grind.
The Eels haven’t enjoyed much reward for effort this season but those effort areas should impress the blue-and-gold faithful with an eye to the future. They’ll make this a contest early but expect Nathan Cleary to cause nightmares for Parramatta’s big edge backrowers once fatigue sets in.
Tips
Best: Panthers 13+ @ $1.67
Anytime Try Scorer: Casey McLean @ $2.20
Same Game Multi: Panthers 13+ + Casey McLean Anytime Try @ $2.88
We continue to wait for Easts to find their best form but an ugly win in the wet last week (and without James Tedesco) might be evidence that it isn’t far away.
In Daniel Tupou and Mark Nawaqanitawase, the Roosters have fail-safes on either wing if their attack isn’t clicking. It’s not the exciting, flashy footy we’ve come to expect from this Easts attack but those high-percentage options will serve them well in the pressure moments, as they did last week.
Newcastle have played out a tough month of footy and were unlucky to lose on goalkicking last week. They won’t roll over easy but this is Easts to win.
Tips
Best: Roosters @ $1.75
Anytime Try Scorer: Daniel Tupou @ $1.87
Same Game Multi: Roosters + Daniel Tupou Anytime Try @ $2.57
Melbourne were given no chance by the bookies against Easts last week but displayed all the improvements made under Craig Bellamy this year to make it a contest. A season ending injury to Will Warbrick (and a try bombed by his replacement) rubbed salt in the wounds for a Storm side that’s navigated hurdle after hurdle this season without reprieve.
In stark contrast, South Sydney dropped a winnable one against Canberra as their inconsistencies linger. They needed more of Cody Walker on the ball in that loss and I’m expecting the five-eighth to feature more heavily in this one.
Tips
Best: Rabbitohs @ $1.95
Anytime Try Scorer: Campbell Graham @ $2.10
Same Game Multi: Rabbitohs + Campbell Graham Anytime Try @ $3.23
Held scoreless against Canterbury in NRL Round 20, we simply need to see a response from Benji’s Tigers here. Between Adam Doueihi and Jahream Bula, Wests can trouble Canberra who have been spotted up on the edges at different times this year if they play it right.
Whether it will be enough against a Raiders team that’s played itself into form remains to be seen.
Ethan Sanders was superb at halfback last week to kick Souths to death and orchestrate scoring actions from there. Even without Hudson Young on that left edge, there’s still enough moments in this Raiders attack behind a full strength prop-forward rotation to make it four straight.
Tips
Best: Raiders @ $1.24
Anytime Try Scorer: Ethan Strange @ $3.35
Same Game Multi: Canberra Raiders + Ethan Strange Anytime Try @ $3.59
St George-Illawarra applied the pressure last week but this Warriors juggernaut keeps on keeping on. The impact they enjoy from bench forwards Leka Halasima, Demetric Vaimauga and Tanner Stowers-Smith often allows the Warriors to play downhill from siren to siren and few opposing packs can match them in yardage.
Canterbury will try to make this a grind but as New Zealand continue to show, they’re happy to win them close or comfortably.
The Wahs are simply doing too much right at the moment to tip against.
Tips
Best: Warriors 1-12 @ $2.70
Back to almost full strength last week, we shouldn’t have been surprised by what the defending champs dished up against Penrith. With his forwards winning the ruck and his halfback hitting good spots on the field, Reece Walsh was set up for success with the ball in hand.
Despite the big result, Brendan Piakura is a significant loss for a Broncos left edge that has struggled for continuity and cohesion this season. Expect this slingshot Cowboys attack to make a target of that channel and cash in through the ballplaying of Scott Drinkwater in the second- or third-layer.
Tips
Best: Cowboys @ $2.15
Anytime Try Scorers: Braidon Burns @ $2.02 & Scott Drinkwater @ $2.65
Same Game Multi: Cowboys + Braidon Burns Anytime Try + Scott Drinkwater Anytime Try @ $6.73
The Gold Coast were ambushed early by Manly last week but impressed to stay in the grind, turn momentum and make it a contest. Their edge defence remains a concern though and the speed of Tyrell Sloan can be a factor for St George here if they play it right.
The Dragons would’ve beaten plenty of rivals with the performance they produced in NRL Round 19, but New Zealand were simply too good. If they can make this a battle of attrition like they did against the Warriors, I can see St George pressuring the Titans into a few too many errors and doing just enough with the ball from there.
Tips
Best: Dragons 1-12 @ $3.00
Anytime Try Scorer: Tyrell Sloan @ $1.90
Same Game Multi: Dragons 1-12 + Tyrell Sloan Anytime Try @ $4.84
Journeyman Oliver Pascoe carved up this Manly middle last week and it’s ominous to think what an elite dummy-half like Blayke Brailey might do to them here.
The Sharks are in a rich vein of form right now, playing behind one of the biggest packs in the NRL to put a lot of fatigue into their opposition middle most weeks. From there, Braydon Trindoll and Nicho Hynes are relishing the cues their big forwards are generating in the defensive line, and they meet a Sea Eagles forward rotation here that is struggling to keep the pace.
Fresh off another devastating Tom Trbojevic injury, it’s hard to see how Manly go with this flying Sharks attack.
Tips
Best: Sharks @ $1.65
Anytime Try Scorers: Sione Katoa @ $1.92 & Briton Nikora @ $ 4.10
Same Game Multi: Sharks + Sione Katoa Anytime Try + Briton Nikora Anytime Try @ $9.00
