The Roar's NRL expert tips and predictions: Round 16

Welcome to the official bizarro round of season 2015.

The North Queensland Cowboys are on rampaging WCW Bill Goldberg-style winning streak and have decided they don’t even need one Mr. Johnathan Thurston anymore. The legendary future Immortal gets to put his feet up against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

Wests Tigers and the Penrith Panthers will rage in the ‘Battle of the West’, if the west of Sydney was still mapped circa 1920.

Canterbury-Bankstown is back at Belmore on Monday night and faces a Melbourne outfit missing plenty of the usual suspects. There could be a cricket score for the returning Bulldogs and plenty of steeden missiles shot at passing Sydney trains. But then again, the trains will probably be late.

Ryan O’Connell
Tips: Rabbitohs, Broncos (Powerplay), Warriors, Cowboys, Dragons, Roosters, Tigers, Bulldogs.

“A great round of football this weekend with plenty of eagerly-anticipated games to watch.

“I’ll start with the Bunnies and Broncos belting the Sea Eagles and Knights respectively on Friday night. Then on Saturday, I think the Warriors, Cowboys and Roosters should all win comfortably, while the Dragons get the ‘bye’ – or the Eels, as their more commonly known – to help boost their confidence, can’t split the Tigers and Panthers, so a coin toss has given me Wests.

“On Monday, I really need the Bulldogs to win. Because I go for them. And they’ve got some momentum behind them. Go Doggies.”

Dane Eldridge
Tips: Rabbitohs, Broncos (Powerplay), Warriors, Cowboys, Dragons, Roosters, Tigers, Bulldogs.

“They keep playing with matches, yet I am still left waiting for the Cowboys to burn themselves. Will they cop a scorch from the lukewarm Sharks this weekend? I am genuinely scratching my noggin’. There’s whispers about Johnathan Thurston being given a spell too, and I would like to thank the whisperers for continuing to make tipping fun. I’ll keep it line and length and take the Cowboys at home. Based on recent behaviours and extrapolation, they’ll win by a quarter of a point sometime around 11pm.

“Friday night will be one to forget as two Nelson Muntzes are set upon a couple of league Millhouses. Brisbane and Souths by a combined margin of infinity, making the start to your weekend a non-alcohol related coma. Viva fixed scheduling!

“Then the rest: the Warriors and Dragons to pick up much-needed points on Saturday, the Roosters and Tigers on Sunday and the Dogs to thrill the faithful against the Storm on Monday night at the arena of a thousand pigeon-pooed chairs.”

Mary Konstantopoulos
Tips: Rabbitohs, Broncos (Powerplay), Warriors, Cowboys, Eels, Roosters, Tigers, Bulldogs.

“The Rabbits should bounce back after the bye and beat the Sea Eagles team which is still lacking forward power. The Broncos will be way too good against the Knights who are looking down the barrel of a big defeat.

“The Warriors versus the Raiders should be a high scoring affair and with Shaun Johnson back in form the Warriors should come away with the win. The Cowboys will miss JT but should still prove too classy for the Sharks. The Eels hopefully can overcome their off the field woes and upset the Dragons.

“Sydney will run a cricket score passed the Titans on Sunday and I am tipping the Tigers to beat an injury ravaged Panthers outfit. The Bulldogs play the Storm in the final game of the round and I am tipping the Bulldogs to beat the Storm who are missing a considerable part of their spine.”

Tim Gore
Tips: Rabbitohs, Broncos (Powerplay), Warriors, Sharks, Dragons, Roosters, Tigers, Bulldogs.

“Souths I reckon might just have enough to beat the Sea Eagles while the Broncos will pulverise the Knights.

“On Saturday, Warriors will pip the Raiders by a little, Sharks to beat a Thurston-less Cowboys and the Dragons to beat hapless eels.

“Roosters too good for Titans while the poor old Panthers are too injured to beat the Tigers and then on Monday, Dogs to beat the Storm.”

Curtis Woodward
Tips: Eagles, Broncos (Powerplay), Warriors, Sharks, Dragons, Roosters, Tigers, Bulldogs.

“South Sydney are the defending premiers and deserve our respect but they haven’t really impressed me thus far and I think the Sea Eagles have plenty left in the tank in they can finally concentrate on playing footy.

“Canberra is a dark horse over in Auckland but I’ll take the Warriors with caution.

“The big upset of the round might just come in Townsville with Johnathan Thurston getting a well-earned spell. Cronulla are playing some great rugby league and it should be a high scoring one.

“Wests aren’t the sure thing everyone keeps going on about but in the clutch at Leichhardt should sneak passed Penrith.”