The 2016 NRL season continues this weekend with a full round of action as there is no byes this weekend. Continue reading for our NRL Round 14 Preview and Betting Tips.
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Brisbane Broncos vs Canberra Raiders (Thursday 7.50pm AEST)
The Broncos suffered their third straight loss on the weekend as their normally brilliant defence was non-existent as the Origin period has already taken its toll on the side. They had their chances but errors at crucial times cost the side as they were disallowed to tries due to a forward pass within the final minutes of the first half which would have seen them reduce the deficit to just one try for the final 40-minutes. However, it is likely the side will be back to full strength this weekend with the inclusion of Corey Oates and Matt Gillet to improve the side in both attack and defence.
Meanwhile the Raiders have continued to climb the ladder on the back of three straight victories. Their attack has gelled over this period and they are living up to their full potential. Their forward pack has continued to grow with Junior Paulo having a massive impact in his first match for the side since signing from the Eels and he and the other big men will continue to lay the platform for the backs to dominate off. However, on a disappointing note, Jack Wighton will be forced to miss a week after he placed a light hand on the referee. Wighton had his best game of the season against the Sea Eagles and it will be a shame he won’t be able to build upon that performance.
It is difficult to see the Broncos losing four straight matches and as they will be at full strength for this one I will be predicting them to turn things around. The Raiders are notorious for being poor on the road and they will suffer a narrow loss.
TIP: Broncos 1-12 @ $3.00 with Sportsbet
Wests Tigers vs South Sydney Rabbitohs (Friday 7.50pm AEST)
These two sides are coming off disappointing losses as they allowed the match to slip away from them in the early stages. To the Souths credit they were able to force a big comeback and send the match into overtime but after a correct decision went against them they would fall to an Ashley Taylor field goal.
It was just a little over a month ago when these two sides last faced off and it was the Bunnies who came out on top in a tight contest. The Tigers raced out to a quick lead but they weren’t able to maintain that for the full 80-minutes which has been their demise for the majority of this season.
The move of Greg Inglis to five-eighth has improved the Queenslanders performances at club level but it will be interesting to see how long coach Michael Maguire will leave Luke Keary on the bench as he has brought a lot of impact into the match when his number has been called.
New recruit Matt Ballin’s season is over as the hooker will undergo another knee surgery. This will mean NSW Blues hooker Robbie Farah will get the start in the position despite the issues between the player and coach Jason Taylor.
The Tigers and Rabbitohs are two inconsistent teams and I am leaning towards the Bunnies to earn the victory on the road. As the side hasn’t been able to put teams away this year I am backing the match to be a close one.
TIP: Rabbitohs 1-12 @ $3.10 with William Hill
Newcastle Knights vs New Zealand Warriors (Saturday 3pm AEST)
The Warriors had one of their best performances of the season against the Broncos on the weekend as their full potential in attack was on display. Shaun Johnson had a tremendous game as he crossed for an early try and was involved in a lot of the home sides success. However, it was Tuimoala Lolohea who had the best performance as the replacement fullback for Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was carving up the Broncos defence the entire match. It is a shame he won’t be able to play in the halves with Johnson this season, as Tuivasa-Sheck will miss the remainder of the season with the ACL injury he suffered over a month ago.
The Knights will be looking to avoid another big score line this weekend. If the Warriors play with the same composure as last week then it is highly likely they suffer another massive defeat. The Knights have by far the worst defence this season and have allowed 441 points in just 13 matches. The Warriors have a good record at Hunter stadium and I am predicting a big win for the New Zealander’s.
TIP: Warriors 13+ @ $2.30 with Ladbrokes
Parramatta Eels vs Gold Coast Titans (Saturday 5.30pm AEST)
The Eels are coming off a bye and it was almost a necessity for the side to have a week off and regroup after all of the drama that has been surrounding the club this year. They earned a narrow victory against the Knights in their last match but prior to that they had suffered two painful losses and their chances of reaching the finals this year are low after they will lose 12-competition points.
Meanwhile the Titans are a club on the rise as they have pushed themselves into the top eight and have defied all odds to do so. They were the favourites to earn the wooden spoon prior to the season started with a lot of injuries and players leaving the club. However, the side has stuck together and coach Neil Henry needs to be given a lot of credit. Ashley Taylor has been tremendous in his rookie season and has controlled the team outstandingly considering he is just 20-years of age. He is a pure halfback and always seems to choose the right option and his calmness under pressure was shown on the weekend as he slotted a field goal from 35m out to win the game for his team.
The Eels have lost Kieran Foran for the season due to a shoulder injury he suffered against the Knights and to rub salt into their wounds they will be facing their former hooker Nathan Peats this weekend who they were forced to offload due to the salary cap issues and he will be primed for a huge game. There is too many issues at the Eels at the moment to expect them to put in a good performance and the Titans will come out on top.
TIP: Titans -1.5 @ $1.90 with CrownBet
Sydney Roosters vs Melbourne Storm (Saturday 7.30pm AEST)
The Roosters picked up a victory against the Tigers in the horrible conditions in Sydney on the weekend and they were forced to do it without Mitchell Pearce who was ruled out prior to kick off which brought the out of favour youngster Jackson Hastings into the side. He had a solid performance and will likely play again this weekend with Pearce in doubt. The Roosters have a number of other injuries as Boyd Cordner’s foot injury is worse than first thought and could be out for close to a year and young gun fullback Latrell Mitchell is also unlikely to play this weekend. A positive for the side was the performance of Jared Warea-Hargreaves in his first start for the side since returning from injury. He was back to his brilliant best and they will need him fired up this weekend.
Meanwhile the Storm is sitting on equal competition points with the Sharks on the top of the table and they are continuing to grind out victories. They outmuscled the Panthers big forward pack and Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk backed up from Origin to lead their side to victory. Cronk was again exceptional as he played to the conditions and strangled the life out of the Panthers. The injuries to the Roosters will impact their performance and the Storm will show too much class to earn the victory.
TIP: Storm -5.5 @ $1.90 with Palmerbet
Manly Sea Eagles vs Penrith Panthers (Sunday 4pm AEST)
The Panthers lost in a tough match against the Storm in Melbourne as the side dropped out of the top eight. They need to find a way for their attack to gel properly as it has struggled at stages and they rely too heavily on Matt Moylan to produce a special pass. However, their forward pack has been strong for them this season and they should get the upper hand of the Sea Eagles smaller forwards, especially with the sides injuries and suspensions.
The Sea Eagles suffered a lot of blows in their loss to the Raiders and were forced to finish the match with no bench. Daly Cherry-Evans is expected to miss the next month, captain Jamie Lyon will miss at least two weeks with a hamstring injury, Brenton Lawrence is expected to be out for the remainder of the season with a pectoral injury whilst Jamie Buhrer and Lewis Brown will have to get through the week to be available for selection. It will be a massive reshuffle for the side that is already struggling and the Panthers will earn a comfortable victory to put their season back on track.
TIP: Panthers 13+ @ $3.00 with Sportsbet
St George Illawarra Dragons vs Canterbury Bulldogs (Monday 4pm AEST)
The Dragons are coming off a bye and will be fresh for this match with a long break since they defeated the Cowboys on home soil. Their opponents were affected due to State of Origin and weren’t at full strength but it was still a solid performance from the Dragons. They won the match on the back of their strong defence but they seem to be relying on this area far too much and will need to find some spark in their attack if they are going to continue to fight for a finals position.
The Bulldogs led the match against the Sharks for close to 70-minutes but it was a final minute conversion from James Maloney that sunk the side. It would have been a disappointing loss to suffer and the victory would have seen them climb into a comfortable position on the ladder. Whilst halves Moses Mbye and Josh Reynolds can both show some brilliance, they seem to be two players that don’t work well together as neither have good options to the end of their sets with the Bulldogs turning the ball over far too much on the last tackle as they would elect to not attempt a kick into the in goal to try to score a try or earn a repeat set. They will need to be a lot better in this area this weekend to crack the Dragons defence. However, it could be on the back of their superior forward pack that they gain an advantage as the Bulldogs have a lot more size and this could create space for Reynolds and Mbye to use their running game.
TIP: Bulldogs 1-12 @ $3.15 with William Hill
Cronulla Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys (Monday 7pm AEST)
The NRL Round 14 will end with the match of the round as the top of the table Sharks host the defending premiers the Cowboys. The Sharks are riding a nine game winning streak and have proven to be one of the best attacking and defensive sides in the competition. These two sides have both allowed 188 points this season but the Cowboys have played an extra match then the Sharks, as they are yet to have a bye. The Cowboys dismantled the Knights defence and a lot of their origin stars got an early rest.
The Sharks were forced to do it the hard way against the Bulldogs as they were unlucky to not have the lead earlier in the match. Sosai Feki seemed to have opened the scoring but his boot had just touched the sideline before he placed the ball down and Ben Barba looked to have scored a superb solo try but he dropped the ball as he went to place it on the ground. These errors looked to have cost the side victory but a last minute try saw them remain undefeated.
The Cowboys were the victors in the meeting between these two sides earlier in the season and it will be another close match with the two sides evenly balanced. The forward packs and back lines mirror each other but the Cowboys have the advantage with the halves pairing. Johnathan Thurston and Michael Morgan have more experience than James Maloney and Chad Townsend as Townsend is yet to play in a finals match and this game has a feeling of a finals contest. The Cowboys have shown over the past two seasons that they can find a way to win in the close contests and I am predicting they will come with a point to prove in this match.
TIP: Cowboys 1-12 @ $3.00 with CrownBet
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
