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NRL Round 7 preview panel

James Maloney. (AAP Image/Michael Chambers)
18th April, 2018
1

Preview of Round 7 NRL matches.

Canterbury v Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium, 7:50pm

Head to Head: Bulldogs 80, Roosters 87, Draws 5

Last clash: Round 2, 2018 – Roosters 30 bt Bulldogs 12 at ANZ Stadium

Tab Sportsbet: Bulldogs $2.80 Roosters $1.46

FootyTAB: Bulldogs +6.5

The teams only met five weeks ago, but expect Canterbury to deliver a far-more competitive performance this time. The Bulldogs are coming off a confidence-boosting win in Townsville against the Cowboys, while the Roosters’ inconsistent season continued when they lost to South Sydney. Dean Pay’s men will be fired up in Bulldogs veteran Josh Morris’ 250th game. Morris needs only one more try to join legends Hazem El Masri and Terry Lamb as players to score 100 tries for the club.

Key: Captains and star forwards Boyd Cordner and Josh Jackson will relish the heavyweight battle and will be desperate to get one over each other.

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Tip: Roosters

FRIDAY April 20:

Warriors v St George Illawarra at Mt Smart Stadium, 6:00pm

Head to Head: Warriors 5 Dragons 21

Last clash: Round 11 2017 – Dragons 30 bt Warriors 14 at FMG Stadium Waikato

Tab Sportsbet: Warriors $2.05 Dragons $1.80

FootyTAB: Warriors +1.5

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It’s a top-of-the-ladder showdown in Auckland with both teams enjoying their greatest starts to a NRL season. The Warriors have a diabolical record against the Dragons with 13 defeats from their past 14 games, but won the last clash in 2016 at Mt Smart Stadium. There was a hint of complacency about the Warriors as they went down to Brisbane last week in their first loss of the season. Paul McGregor’s team are unchanged, as halves Gareth Widdop and Ben Hunt continue to take the competition by storm.

Key: The Warriors need to jump out early to get the home crowd behind them and bury the demons that have haunted them previously against the Dragons.

Tip: Dragons

Brisbane v Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium, 7:55pm

Head to Head: Broncos 13 Storm 29, Draws 1

Last clash: Preliminary final, 2017 – Storm 30 bt Broncos 0 at AAMI Park

Tab Sportsbet: Broncos $2.35 Storm $1.62

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FootyTAB: Broncos +3.5

At their best, both teams are very hard to beat but the question is, who will be at their best? After some patchy performances to open the season, the scene is set for an epic match. The Broncos knocked off the previously unbeaten Warriors last round on their home turf, while the defending champions smashed the Knights. Expect wingers from both sides to feature again heavily. History is in the Storm’s favour – they have won 13 of their past 15 clashes with the Broncos and haven’t lost since 2009 at Suncorp Stadium.

Key: Ryley Jacks looked at home in his first start in the Storm’s No.7 jersey but can he back it up under pressure from the Broncos’ big men?

Tip: Storm

SATURDAY, April 21:

South Sydney v Canberra at Central Coast Stadium, 3:00pm

Head to Head: Rabbitohs 21 Raiders 31

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Last clash: Round 21 2017 – Raiders 32 bt Rabbitohs 18 at ANZ Stadium

Tab Sportsbet: Rabbitohs $1.60 Raiders $2.40

FootyTAB: Raiders +4.5

South Sydney welcome back star Sam Burgess in a boost for the Rabbitohs already buoyed by smashing their arch-rivals last week. They jumped into the top eight with their victory over the Roosters and looked every bit finals contenders, even without Burgess. They will face another team in hot form, with Canberra hitting their straps by winning two-straight games. There has been speculation around forward Junior Paulo’s future at the club, but the Raiders’ defence is finally clicking and they go into the match unchanged.

Key: Greg Inglis and Joseph Leilua going head-to-head will be a battle for the ages.

Tip: Raiders

Wests Tigers v Newcastle at Scully Park, Tamworth, 5:30pm

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Head to Head: Wests Tigers 12 Knights 12

Last clash: Round 17, 2017 – Wests Tigers 33 bt Knights at 12 McDonald Jones Stadium

Tab Sportsbet: Tigers $1.60 Knights $2.40

FootyTAB: Knights +4.5

There are no questions about the Tigers’ potential after finding their attacking prowess in Sunday’s rout of Manly at Brookvale. The only downside was star recruit Josh Reynolds being injured again and expected to miss four weeks. Benji Marshall’s combination with Luke Brooks is working to perfection. The Knights have to pick themselves up from a thrashing in Melbourne to the Storm. Mitch Barnett will bolster their forwards on return from suspension.

Key: The halfback battle between Brooks and Mitchell Pearce will be fascinating.

Tip: Tigers

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North Queensland v Gold Coast at 1300SMILES Stadium, 7:35pm

Head to Head: Cowboys 11 Titans 8

Last clash: Round 13 2017 – Cowboys 20 bt Titans 8 at 1300Smiles Stadium

Tab Sportsbet: Cowboys $1.55 Titans $2.50

FootyTAB: Titans +4.5

After knocking off the Broncos in round four, the Titans will fancy their chances of getting the better of the other Queensland side, who have been in shocking form, losing their past five. Whatever is going on in Townsville, it’s hard to see a team of such immense talent continuing such a streak. While the Titans are 3-3, they are also coming off a loss, so expect the pressure on big names Johnathan Thurston, Michael Morgan and Jason Taumalolo to finally engineer a breakthrough win.

Key: Will Titans star Ash Taylor add more weight to the argument that Johnathan Thurston has stretched his golden career a season too far?

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Tip: Cowboys

Parramatta v Manly at ANZ Stadium, 2:00pm

Head to Head: Eels 51; Sea Eagles 83, Draws 4

Last clash: Round 1, 2017 – Eels 20 bt Sea Eagles 12 at Lottoland

Tab Sportsbet: Eels $2.40 Sea Eagles $1.60

FootyTAB: Eels +4.5

With last-placed Eels hosting a team who were booed off by their own fans last round, this has the potential to be a shocker. Manly cleared some air around some ongoing conflict between their skipper Daly Cherry-Evans and troubled half Jackson Hastings and will focus on rebounding from their awful outing against the Tigers. Still, the Eels are bound to get their first win sooner rather than later and they have won six of their their past seven against the Sea Eagles so they should get up – just.

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Key: Jarryd Hayne – back from a quad injury and named on the wing for the first time in almost a decade. Can Hayne prove he still has what it takes to get back to the top?

Tip: Eels

Cronulla v Penrith at Southern Cross Group Stadium, 4:10pm

Head to Head: Sharks 18, Panthers 13, Drawn 1

Last clash: Round 7, 2017 – Sharks 28 bt Panthers 2 at Panthers Stadium.

Tab Sportsbet: Sharks $2.65 Panthers $1.50

FootyTAB: Sharks +5.5

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Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan admits his team are missing James Maloney ahead of the star playmaker’s first game against his former side, with the contribution for ex-Panther Matt Moylan not helping. The Sharks need five-eighth Moylan and fellow star recruit fullback Josh Dugan to start earning their keep, particularly after losing skipper Paul Gallen to injury. Hard to believe but the Panthers have lost six of their past seven meetings with Cronulla and haven’t won since 2012 at the old Shark Park. That hoodoo looks like it’s about to end.

Key: Cronulla playmaker Matt Moylan is back in the No.6 jersey and needs to play like he has a point to prove against his old side for the Sharks to get up.

Tip: Panthers

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