The 2016 NRL season continues this weekend and there is only five rounds of the regular season remaining. Continue reading for our NRL Round 22 Preview and Betting Tips.
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St George Illawarra Dragons vs Brisbane Broncos (Thursday 7.50pm AEST)
The Dragons and Broncos are arguably the two teams with the least amount of form in the competition. The Broncos have won just two of their last nine games and they have dropped from first place into a dangerous position on the ladder. They are only just holding onto a top eight spot and another loss would be a disaster. Their forward pack has lost all of its go-forward whilst their defence has been cracked far too easily. Coach Wayne Bennett has a lot of work to do if this side is expecting to reach its second straight Grand Final.
Meanwhile the Dragons are on a four game winning streak and their last victory came against the bottom placed Knights. Their problems have stayed the same all season as they struggle to score points. They had all the possession in the second half against the Bulldogs but managed just two tries and they came off kicks.
The Dragons have performed a lot better on home soil this season and have won six of their nine matches. However, we are predicting that they won’t be able to get the win in this one as the Broncos are due to perform and will welcome back Sam Thaiday, Josh Maguire and Matt Gillett to their line up whilst the Dragons will be without Joel Thompson and possibly Tyson Frizell.
TIP: Broncos 1-12 @ $2.90 with Sportsbet
Parramatta Eels vs Sea Eagles (Friday 7.50pm AEST)
The Sea Eagles season looked dead and buried a month ago but a four-game winning streak has given the side hope and they are now within striking distance of a spot in the finals. It is no secret the success has came due to the impressive form of the teenager Tom Trbojevic. The fullback has been playing at an incredibly high level and he is proving to have all the skills needed to be successful at fullback as he has a great running game, is hard to tackle and has playmaking ability.
The Eels season was derailed due to the salary cap issues but that hasn’t stopped them from putting in a lot of effort despite losing their last three matches. The Sea Eagles can expect tough opposition on Friday night. Coach Brad Arthur needs to be commended for being able to keep the side focused on the job at hand.
Jamie Lyon didn’t play for the Sea Eagles on the weekend and if he returns to action it will be a massive boost for the side, as Daly Cherry-Evans plays a lot better with Lyon at five-eighth. We are expecting Lyon to return and the Sea Eagles to earn a narrow win.
TIP: Sea Eagles 1-12 @ $3.05 with CrownBet
Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs (Saturday 3pm AEST)
The Knights are on a 13-game losing streak and it doesn’t look like ending anytime soon. They have by far the worst defence in the competition and the end of the season can’t come quick enough for Newcastle. They suffered another heavy loss on the weekend against the Sea Eagles and if it wasn’t for a late second half fight back it would have been even worse. Their point’s differential is a staggering -401 and they have just one win to their name this year.
The Bulldogs may have earned the two-points against the Dragons last week but they have raised more question marks than given answers. Their inconsistencies throughout the year are remarkable as one week they can look like true title contenders whilst the following they don’t deserve to reach the finals. They were poor in attack and they didn’t come out to play in the second half and if they turn up with that mindset against one of the topsides then they will receive another score line like they did against the Cowboys a fortnight ago. However, they will pick up the victory against the lowly Knights this Saturday to cement their position in the finals but the margin is unknown and we suggest to steer clear of this match.
TIP: No bet
Cronulla Sharks vs Canberra Raiders (Saturday 5.30pm AEST)
This is arguably the match of the round and should be an absolute thriller. The Raiders earned a massive 50-point victory against the Rabbitohs on the weekend as their attack was clicking on all cylinders whilst their defence was impressive throughout the opening 20-minutes.
It will be a tremendous match up in the back lines and forward packs and the winner of this contest will receive a huge boost heading into the final regular season matches. It will be a true test for the Raiders as they will need to put together a full 80-minute performance and we will know if they are true title contenders after this match. The Raiders have the best attack in the competition whilst the Sharks are ranked second. However, there is a clear difference in the defence as the Sharks are far more superior.
The Sharks winning streak came to an end on Monday night but they still haven’t lost a match in 16 games as they played out a draw with the Gold Coast Titans. This weekend they will have the advantage of playing on home soil and it has proved to be a big one this season as the Sharks are undefeated in 10 matches at home. It will be a close contest but with the Raiders having the most deadly attack in the competition and the side full of confidence we will be backing them at the line.
TIP: Raiders +6.5 @ $1.90 with Ladbrokes
Melbourne Storm vs South Sydney Rabbitohs (Saturday 7.30pm AEST)
The Bunnies hit rock bottom on the weekend as they were completely embarrassed at home by the Raiders. It has been a massive fall for the club that was sitting on the top of the competition after the opening rounds and it doesn’t look as if things are going to get much better over the final few games of the 2016 season. Greg Inglis returns from suspension in a boost for the team but they have lost Luke Keary to a hamstring injury, which will most likely result in Inglis playing in the halves against his former club.
The Storm are sitting just one competition point behind the Sharks on the ladder and they could find themselves playing for top spot in this match. They picked up a well deserved victory against the Cowboys on the weekend and became the first side to beat the defending premiers in Townsville in 2016, however the Cowboys were without Johnathan Thurston.
The Storm has stuck to their style that has made them one of the most successful clubs and we expect them to stick to that again this weekend despite playing a struggling club. The line is quite large for this match and whilst we think it will be a big win for the Storm at home, it is best to avoid this match.
TIP: No bet
Gold Coast Titans vs New Zealand Warriors (Sunday 2pm AEST)
This is a massive match for both sides, as a win for either club will boost their chances of playing in the finals. There is just one competition point separating the two teams as the Titans were able to pull off a draw against the Sharks on Monday night. It will be a battle between the seventh placed Titans and eighth placed Warriors.
The Titans will have the home field advantage, which they proved on Monday night does mean a lot as they challenged and should have won against the competition leaders. They could be without Tyrone Roberts who suffered a knee injury towards the end of the match but they have played with Cameron Cullen this year who has been a solid replacement.
These two sides met a little over a month ago and it was individual brilliance from Shaun Johnson that was the decider. That match was of course in New Zealand and the Warriors have a poor record on the road with just 3 wins in 10 matches this year. The Warriors have been involved in golden point in four of their last five matches and we are expecting another close contest but this time they will be able to get the job done in regular time.
Update: The Titans have pulled off a tremendous signing by bringing Jarryd Hayne back to the NRL! The two-time Dally M medalist is available for selection and Neil Henry will almost certainly include him in the side somewhere. It is a massive boost for the side both on and off the field as Hayne will bring a lot of experience to the team and has the ability to win matches on his own. Due to this, we will be changing out tip and backing the home team to come out on top with a victory.
TIP: Titans 1-12 @ $3.20 with Sportsbet
Wests Tigers vs North Queensland Cowboys (Sunday 4pm AEST)
This could be one of the more interesting encounters of the weekend, as the Cowboys will be tested on the road without their star halfback Johnathan Thurston. They were able to put together a solid performance against the Storm on Saturday night but they couldn’t get the job done as their attack was clearly lacking. They are up against a side with a worse defence but this time away from home where they were previously undefeated.
The Tigers won’t enter the match at full strength themselves as Luke Brooks went down with a knee injury early in the match against the Eels and will miss the next 3-5 weeks. This opens the door for Robbie Farah to return but reports have suggested he will be overlooked for Jack Littlejohn who filled in for Brooks in round 1 of this season and the side was able to earn a comfortable win against the Warriors. Mitchell Moses has put together the best performances of his career over the last few weeks but he will have a lot of pressure on his shoulders this week and he could struggle against a strong defensive side.
The Cowboys will be better this weekend after their experience of playing without Thurston on the weekend. They are the defending champions and will lift for this match to avoid a second straight loss and find themselves in a tough spot on the ladder.
TIP: Cowboys 1-12 @ $3.00 with William Hill
Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters (Monday 7pm AEST)
The Roosters are coming off their most impressive performance of the season and they will be a well rested team when they take the field on Monday night. Blake Fergurson had a starring role at fullback whilst Dale Copley stole the show in the centres as he showed his former team what they are missing out on after they dumped him at the end of last year.
Meanwhile the Panthers were able to push the Warriors into extra time but they weren’t able to come away with the important away victory. The loss saw them drop out of the top eight which makes this match against the second last placed Roosters a must win. Te Marie Martin could return to first grade this weekend, which would make for a young halves pairing between him and Nathan Cleary. It would move Bryce Cartwright into the backrow. It would make for a more exciting side and give them more in attack but it could place a lot of pressure on the shoulders of two young and inexperienced players.
The Panthers will be more desperate for victory in this contest as a loss would see them fall away from finals contention and put them in a bad position over the remaining three games. As the Panthers have been in a lot of close contests this season we are predicting them to win by a narrow margin.
TIP: Panthers 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!
