The Roar's NRL expert tips and predictions: Round 3

It’s fair to say there were plenty of surprises in the NRL last weekend, with teams who impressed in Round 1 slumping to heavy defeats. It’s made predicting the way games will fall a bit of a nightmare, but The Roar‘s NRL expert tipping has the lowdown for Round 3.

Last week was a tough week for everyone, with Mary and Greg tying on five, the crowd picking up four, and the less said about the performance from Tim and myself, the better.

The Roosters started the week with an expected win over the Bulldogs before Melbourne beat the Warriors in atrocious conditions at Mount Smart Stadium.

The Queensland derby served up another cracker with the Cowboys taking the chocolates before the Knights got their first win in 336 days against the Titans. The Rabbitohs then turned around their horror start to the season with a win over Manly at Lottoland before the Sharks thumped the Raiders in the nation’s capital

The Panthers then thumped the Tigers in a game that could have gone either way before the Dragons we all expected came to the party, being soundly beaten by the Eels in Wollongong.

Round 3 promises a fresh set of horrors for our tipsters. Billy Slater makes his return for the Storm against the Broncos, before the Bulldogs ‘host’ the Warriors in Dunedin. The Titans take on the Eels without Jarryd Hayne and then it’s on for the Knights to play the Rabbitohs in a game that could go either way.

The Panthers then host the Roosters in what could be the match of the round. The Cowboys will be favourites in Townsville against the Sea Eagles before the Sunday games see Canberra play the Tigers and the Sharks host the Dragons.

Don’t forget that on the form below, you can put your own tips in on behalf of The Crowd. We will have the results at 5pm (AEDT), so be sure to have them in before then. Who knows, The Crowd might prove themselves to be better than the experts.

Anyway, let’s try and do the impossible and tip a perfect round. Greg to lead us off this week after tying with Mary last week at the top.

Greg Prichard

Tips:Storm, Bulldogs, Eels, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Cowboys, Raiders, Sharks

Melbourne Storm vs Brisbane Broncos
Storm. It has been common in recent years for the away team to win these clashes and that is a bit unnerving when you’re tipping the home side, but a successful return for Billy Slater should make the Storm irresistible on the night.

Canterbury Bulldogs vs New Zealand Warriors
Bulldogs. Canterbury have looked a chance in each of their first two games, but weren’t consistent enough over the 80 minutes. Still, that might be enough against the Warriors, who keep you in the game by drifting in and out of it themselves.

Gold Coast Titans vs Parramatta Eels
Eels. A test for the Eels without their go-to man in attack, Corey Norman, but I’m still going with them on the road. Their commitment and discipline should still be too much for a Titans outfit that is also missing a key man in Jarryd Hayne.

Newcastle Knights vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Rabbitohs. I don’t see the Rabbitohs going on to do anything this season, but their draw has at least given them the chance of sticking their heads up early. The Knights are giving it their all and deserved their win over the Titans, but they’ve still got a lot to learn.

Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters
Roosters. Tough one to pick between two teams that will both be there when the whips are cracking at the end of the season, but I’m going with the Roosters because their best football so far has been better then that of Penrith.

North Queensland Cowboys vs Manly Sea Eagles
Cowboys. The easiest tip of the round. The Sea Eagles are an ordinary side and if they happened to win this game on the road it would rank as a massive shock. The Cowboys just have to have their heads screwed on to win.

Canberra Raiders vs Wests Tigers
Raiders. They were great in losing narrowly to the Cowboys in round one, then awful against the Sharks last week. I’ll stick with them. Captain Jarrod Croker’s return will be a big boost and I’m convinced they will quickly get back into gear.

Cronulla Sharks vs St George Illawarra Dragons
Sharks. That was much more like the Dragons we know in round two, struggling to make way against a disciplined and determined opponent in the Eels. Meanwhile, the Sharks were very impressive in demolishing the Raiders. It’s impossible not to tip them.

Mary Konstantopoulos

Tips: Storm, Bulldogs, Eels, Knights, Panthers, Cowboys, Raiders, Sharks

Melbourne Storm vs Brisbane Broncos
Storm. It’s a shame that the Broncos have had such a tough start to the season. The Storm were disciplined and mechanical against the Warriors and they should put on a show for their home fans.

Canterbury Bulldogs vs New Zealand Warriors
Bulldogs. The Bulldogs didn’t receive enough credit for their performance last weekend and I think they are due a win. An important two points for the Bulldogs this.

Gold Coast Titans vs Parramatta Eels
Eels. Tough one. The Titans without Jarryd Hayne should look better and I imagine the Eels without Corey Norman will look worse. Tipping with my heart though – go Parra.

Newcastle Knights vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Knights. I’m not sure whether this counts as tipping an upset, but the Rabbitohs essentially ran over a team last week that had no forward pack. The Knights showed tremendous commitment against the Titans and I’m predicting that they go two in a row.

Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters
Panthers. Match of the round right here. The Roosters have been impressive, but the Panthers looked much better last weekend against the Tigers. This is a test for the Panthers and I’m expecting them to aim up.

North Queensland Cowboys vs Manly Sea Eagles
Cowboys. The real question in this game is by how many points will the Cowboys win? Manly have some real issues, particularly with available troops and I think the Cowboys will steam roll them.

Canberra Raiders vs Wests Tigers
Raiders. Last week the Raiders lacked energy. I’m expecting the return of Jarrod Croker to make a massive impact. I’m also predicting that the Raiders won’t want to be embarrassed in front of their home crowd 2 weeks in a row.

Cronulla Sharks vs St George Illawarra Dragons
Sharks. If the Dragons team that turned up to play the Eels turns up, it will be a shellacking. What I’m hoping for is that the Dragons team from round 1 fronts up to the Shire and that we are treated to an exciting game of football.

Tim Gore

Tips: Storm, Warriors, Eels, Knights, Roosters, Cowboys, Raiders, Sharks

Melbourne Storm vs Brisbane Broncos
Storm. Melbourne should win at home, but it’s a tough game to tip. The big question is whether Billy Slater’s shoulder hold’s up – if it doesn’t, Brisbane will win and his career will be over.

Canterbury Bulldogs vs New Zealand Warriors
Warriors. The Bulldogs have a couple of big outs with no Will Hopoate or Kerrod Holland. No fullback and no goalkicker essentially. Their halves look as if they don’t know each other and Michael Lichaa isn’t exactly improving the situation. There is no way the Warriors can be worse than they were last week either.

Gold Coast Titans vs Parramatta Eels
Eels. The Titans have too many players out and the Eels are playing with a stack of confidence at the moment. Hard to see them losing.

Newcastle Knights vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Knights. don’t know why, but the damn wall has been broken and they will make it two in a row against a Souths side who beat a hapless Manly last week.

Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters
Roosters. They are yet to hit top form and been strong so far. Penrith were better last week against the Tigers, but they won’t be beating the Roosters.

North Queensland Cowboys vs Manly Sea Eagles
Cowboys. They have a lot of players out, but Manly are terrible at the moment and at the Cowboys being at home should win. Absolutely no faith in this tip.

Canberra Raiders vs Wests Tigers
Raiders. The Tigers will be desperate to win after having 112 points stacked against them by the Raiders last year, but if Canberra don’t win Ricky Stuart is not going to be a happy man. Players will be dropped. It’ll be a lot closer than people think though.

Cronulla Sharks vs St George Illawarra Dragons
Sharks. I’ve got no confidence in this tip and fully expect dragons to make a fool of it. They came out of the gates in the first round beating Penrith, but the Sharks form was outstanding against Canberra last week and will win at home.

Scott Pryde

Tips: Storm, Warriors, Eels, Rabbitohs, Panthers, Cowboys, Raiders, Sharks

Melbourne Storm vs Brisbane Broncos
Storm. Billy Slater is back, so who knows what effect that’s going to have on the Storm. Despite those reservations, the Broncos aren’t winning against one of the best defence’s in the competition away from home.

Canterbury Bulldogs vs New Zealand Warriors
Warriors. I’ve changed my tip for this one at least five times, which really is never a good sign. The Warriors are inconsistent, but the Bulldogs are without some backline stars and are playing at ‘home’ in Dunedin.

Gold Coast Titans vs Parramatta Eels
Eels. In dominant form to start the season and will continue that on the road against a Titans side who I think will actually put in an improved performance without Jarryd Hayne – not good enough to win mind you.

Newcastle Knights vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Rabbitohs. I said I wouldn’t tip Newcastle until they won a match, but I’m still not going to. They were playing a bruised and battered Titans side last week and the Rabbitohs showed us a thing or two in their demolition of Manly who granted, didn’t really have a forward pack. But they will get it done.

Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters
Panthers. The men from the foot of the mountains were somewhere near their best against the Tigers last week and they should only keep improving to hand the in-form Roosters their first loss of the season. Could be the match of the round this.

North Queensland Cowboys vs Manly Sea Eagles
Cowboys. Manly have looked shocking and while the Cowboys will be without Matt Scott among a few others, they should pick up the win pretty easily at home.

Canberra Raiders vs Wests Tigers
Raiders. Surely they won’t lose for a second week in a row at home? Canberra were destroyed by Cronulla last week and should be up and about for this game after a wake-up call.

Cronulla Sharks vs St George Illawarra Dragons
Sharks. Is the part where I rant about a local derby being played at 6:30 on a Sunday night? No? Oh, ok.

So much for that tipping with the heart rather than the head thing eh? Maybe I’ll take the Sharks in the secret hope my tipping is so bad the Dragons turn it around and pick up another win. Who knows.

Now it’s your turn to try and beat the experts. Using the form below, select your tips for the weekend ahead and we will have the results at 4pm (AEDT) this afternoon.