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Preview of NRL round 21 matches (all times AEST):
THURSDAY, July 28
Sydney Roosters v Brisbane at Allianz Stadium 7.50pm
Head to Head: Roosters 16 Broncos 25
Last clash: Preliminary Final 2015 – Broncos 31 bt Roosters 12 at Suncorp Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Roosters $2.05 Broncos $1.80
FootyTAB: Roosters +1.5
Matt Gillett (shoulder), Sam Thaiday and Josh McGuire (both suspension) are all missing for the Broncos providing the Roosters with a real chance here. The Tricolours have matched Cronulla and Melbourne in recent weeks, only to fall short. They are missing Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. Dale Copley returns to the Roosters’ 17 and Mitch Aubusson moves to the pack. Jaydn Su’A is in for the Broncos for Gillett who was to have replaced Thaiday. Herman Ese’ese comes in for McGuire. Brisbane have lost six of eight and desperately need a win to keep their top-four hopes alive. The Roosters have lost five straight.
Key: Mitchell Pearce. If he can spark the Roosters’ attack, they might finally spring the upset they have been threatening.
Tip: Broncos
FRIDAY, July 29
Canterbury v St George-Illawarra at ANZ Stadium 7.50pm
Head to Head: Bulldogs 20 Dragons 11
Last clash: Round 14 2016 – Bulldogs 34 bt Dragons 16 at ANZ Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Canterbury $1.12 Dragons $6.50
FootyTAB: Dragons +16.5
The Dragons probably have the worst current form of any team and could take a pasting here from the Dogs who would have had a long week at training under coach Des Hasler after their 36-0 loss to North Queensland. The Dragons’ attack has been poor for much of the season but might have a bit more zip with Benji Marshall playing his second game back from a hamstring injury. Leeson Ah Mau is missing for them due to suspension, with Jacob Host and Will Matthews coming onto an extended bench.
Key: Embarrassment, hurt, a slap in the face, the Bulldogs’ heavy loss to the Cowboys is as likely to have a bearing on this game as anything.
Tip: Canterbury
SATURDAY, July 30
Warriors v Penrith at Mt Smart Stadium 3.00pm
Head to Head: Warriors 15 Panthers 20 drawn 1
Last clash: Round 10 2016 – Panthers 30 bt Warriors 18 at AMI Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Warriors $1.75 Panthers $2.12
FootyTAB: Panthers +2.0
The eighth-placed Panthers meet the ninth-placed Warriors in a crucial match-up that has huge ramifications for both teams’ chances of a finals spot. With a points differential almost identical, the home side have a real opportunity of usurping the Panthers’ position in the top eight and begin a march into September. Coach Andrew McFadden has kept the same 17 who were edged in golden point last week, but has finally caved in to calls for livewire Tuimoala Lolohea to start at fullback, with Blake Ayshford dropped to the bench.
Key: Can the Warriors get over their golden-point yips against a Penrith side renowned for taking games to the wire this year?
Tip: Warriors
Parramatta v Wests Tigers at ANZ Stadium 5.30pm
Head to Head: Eels 18 Tigers 13 drawn 1
Last clash: Round 4 2016 – Eels 8 bt Tigers 0 at ANZ Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Eels $3.05 Tigers $1.40
FootyTAB: Eels +8.5
Two teams making plenty of headlines this NRL season, except it’s all happening off the field. But while the Eels’ 2016 campaign is already dead in the water, the 10th-placed Tigers still have an outside chance of cracking the top eight. They’ll again have to do it without out-of-favour veteran Robbie Farah, who will trot out in reserve grade for a second week. Anything less than a win against an Eels team missing eight first-grade regulars would be unforgivable.
Key: Can Tigers pivot Mitchell Moses continue his emergence as the team’s go-to man and lead his side to an expected victory?
Tip: Tigers
North Queensland v Melbourne at 1300SMILES Stadium 7.30pm
Head to Head: Cowboys 10 Storm 21
Last clash: Round 10 2016 – Storm 15 bt Cowboys 14 at Suncorp Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Cowboys $2.15 Storm $1.73
FootyTAB: Cowboys +2.5
Will he or won’t he? The jury is out on whether Johnathan Thurston will run out against Melbourne in their top-three clash despite not being named after suffering a hamstring complaint last round. Cowboys coach Paul Green is adamant North Queensland have already proven they are no longer a one-man team by claiming last year’s premiership. Storm coach Craig Bellamy is not so sure. The third-placed Cowboys will go a long way to finally convincing the remaining doubters if, without their playmaker, they put a dent in the second-placed Storm’s minor-premiership claims and end Melbourne’s four-game winning run.
Key: Can Ray Thompson step up in the supposed absence of Thurston for North Queensland?
Tip: Storm
SUNDAY, July 31
South Sydney v Canberra at ANZ Stadium 2.00pm
Head to Head: Souths 21 Raiders 29
Last clash: Round 8 2015 – Raiders 30 bt Souths 22 at Barlow Park
Tab Sportsbet: Souths $3.25 Raiders $1.36
FootyTAB: Souths +6.5
Canberra have the chance to consolidate their place inside the top four with a win over South Sydney, whose last-start loss to Manly ended any hope of playing finals footy. The Raiders have named an unchanged side to the one who beat the Warriors in golden point last Saturday, while the Rabbitohs will be without forward Tom Burgess (suspension) and winger Joe Burgess who was dumped after his butter-fingered effort against the Sea Eagles.
Key: Will the pain of last week’s controversial no-try ruling spur Souths to save some grace and snap their seven-game losing streak?
Tip: Raiders
Manly v Newcastle at Brookvale Oval 4.00pm
Head to Head: Sea Eagles 29 Knights 17
Last clash: Round 8 2016 – Sea Eagles 26 bt Knights 10 at Hunter Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Sea Eagles $1.10 Knights $7.50
FootyTAB: Knights +18.5
Manly are on a three-game winning streak and sit just four points outside the top eight, but a loss could effectively end their season. They have named the same team, who beat the Rabbitohs on Monday, for their first game at Brookvale in almost a month. The Knights will be looking to avoid a 13th straight defeat and have Jake Mamo and Daniel Saifiti back from suspension to help them. A hamstring injury has ruled out playmaker Jarrod Mullen, though, with Jack Cogger to replace him at five-eighth.
Key: Returning to his preferred centre position for the first time since March, what impact can Dane Gagai have in his 100th NRL game?
Tip: Sea Eagles
MONDAY, Aug 1
Gold Coast v Cronulla at Cbus Super Stadium 7.00pm
Head to Head: Titans 6 Sharks 8
Last clash: Round 6 2016 – Sharks 25 bt Titans 20 at Southern Cross Group Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Titans $3.00 Sharks $1.40
FootyTAB: Titans +6.5
The way Gold Coast coach Neil Henry sees it, the more Cronulla win, the closer they are to a loss. According to that logic, the Sharks are due against the Titans. Cronulla are sitting pretty on top of the ladder on a 15-game winning streak. And they don’t look like losing any time soon after being inspired to finally end their premiership drought by veteran hooker Mick Ennis’ surprise midweek call that he will retire at season’s end. Then again, the Titans have made a habit of proving the critics wrong. Written off as early-season wooden-spoon contenders, Gold Coast are on track to end a six-year finals drought by cruising into seventh with a nice run home.
Key: Can the return of former NSW forward Greg Bird from suspension give Gold Coast the edge and help end an inspired Sharks’ remarkable run?
Tip: Sharks
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