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We are just three weeks to the finals and there are some crucial games ahead in Round 23. The Roar‘s NRL expert tipping panel are here to tell you who is going to win them and why.
Given we have had top of the table games over the last fortnight and there are already seven teams out of contention, we obviously don’t have eight crucial games.
What we do have though is the battle for eighth spot heating up again across a few games and some teams in the eight trying to get their form back on track before we hit the biggest games of the season.
While the Dragons continue to flop on the field at the back-end of the season, it was a reasonably tough week for everyone on the tipping front.
AJ, Tim and myself all had four out of eight by the time Sunday night rolled around, with The Crowd grabbing three and Tom two. It means AJ pushed back into the equal lead on 99 alongisde The Crowd, while Tim stays just a single tip behind on 98.
I’ve also managed to close the gap to Tom, sitting equal, but a distant 11 tips behind the leaders.
On the surface at least, Round 23 seems a little on the easier side to pick.
The Rabbitohs will first up travel to Brisbane and overcome their backline injury problems, before the Sea Eagles host the Titans and the Storm face the Eels in a David vs Goliath type battle.
Penrith will be out to play for 80 minutes consistently when they host the Knights on Saturday, before the Dragons try to turn their stuttering form line around against the desperate Tigers. Following that, the Sharks and Cowboys face off in the Shire.
Sunday brings with it two more games, the first allowing the Warriors to have everything on the line as they host the Bulldogs, while the second has the Roosters traveling to the nation’s capital for a match with the Raiders.
Don’t forget to submit your tips on the form below by 5pm (AEST) to be part of The Crowd as you take on the experts.
Tips: Broncos, Sea Eagles, Storm, Panthers, Tigers, Sharks, Warriors, Roosters
Josh McGuire is back for the Broncs and they need to win to stop the rot. With Inglis and Johnston out, and at home, they might just do that.
The Sea Eagles are in turmoil but they usually react well to that and at home I’m backing them to get over the top of the Titans who have little to play for.
I just can not see the Eels doing to the Storm what they did to the Dragons. Nor can I see the Storm losing two in a row. I don’t predict a blow out though.
I reckon the knights could spring an upset here but the Panthers have been so good at dealing with big injury outs. Tyrone May for Maloney is actually ok. So I’m going Panthers because their pack is better.
I reckon the Dragons are in big trouble and the Wests Tigers bus is back in gear. However, who the hell knows? On paper the Dragons are a much better side. It’s the vibe of the Wests Tigers but…
Sharks at home are no certainties and the Cows are trying to end JTs career with a bang. But no Taumalolo means they’ll lose at shark park.
I have no faith that the Warriors will win this but on paper they are a better side with something to play for. However, that’s been the case many times before and it has meant nothing. And the dogs are showing some form.
Playing second rowers in the Centre’s against the Roosters is a huge red flag. I love my green machine but their depth is being sorely tested.
Tips:Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles, Storm, Knights, Dragons, Sharks, Warriors, Roosters
Round 23 kicks off with a match featuring more coaching sub-plots than Paul Crawley’s Twitter feed. Will Bennett be at Brisbane next year? Will Anthony Seibold leave South Sydney and take his place? Will Seibold secretly sign with the Broncos during half time? If a tree fell in the woods, and no one was around, and it fell on Phil Rothfield, would anyone care?
All mouth-watering questions, but don’t forget that’s still a game of footy to be played. And in that game, I simply can’t see the Broncos beating the Bunnies. Brisbane lack the polish that only a quality set of halves can provide. I am predicting South Sydney to win by double digits on the back of a dominant performance through the middle.
The utter turmoil over in Brookvale would see most clubs fall to pieces, but I’ve always believed that the Sea Eagles are at their best when everyone else expects the worst. Manly to make it three straight. While down in Melbourne, the Storm will have far too much strike power for the resurgent Eels.
I’m backing the Dragons to breathe some much needed life into their season with a tight win over the Tigers, a Valentine Holmes double to deliver the Sharks the win over the Cowboys, the Warriors to continue their build-up to September with an easy win over Canterbury, and the Chooks to rub salt into Ricky Stuart’s many wounds.
And in Tom’s ‘Rock Solid’ tip of the week, I’m banking on the bottom finally falling out of the Panthers. They have been streakier than a Central Station toilet bowl over the last few weeks, and with the loss of Maloney, I can see them crashing out to lowly Newcastle. Put your house on it.
Tips: Broncos, Sea Eagles, Storm, Panthers, Tigers, Sharks, Bulldogs, Roosters
Big week ahead for the top eight and the tipping leaderboard. Do your worst! This one sentence thing has got me back to the front, so no reason to stop now.
Brisbane will pip the Bunnies just cos it’s up in the north.
Manly will get the Titans but it will be a very tightly run thing.
Cronulla and Melbourne will handle the cowboys and the Eels reasonably comfortably. Sharks are finally starting to get it together at the right time.
Penrith should get the Knights, but the Knights don’t give up without a battle in 2018.
Wests can get the Dragons, but are the Dragons stirred by some heavy scrutiny or do they wither?
I like the Bulldogs and I think they can juuuust edge the Warriors. This tip might come back to haunt…
Finally, Canberra will throw what they have at the Roosters, who will laugh and carry on their merry way.
Tips: Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles, Storm, Panthers, Tigers, Sharks, Bulldogs, Roosters
Well, I know what you’re all thinking at this point. “Tigers is a typo.”
Rest assured, it’s not. Allow me to explain. The Dragons were absolutely insipid against the Eels last week, with the scoreline of 40-4 telling the story for you.
There are times when the scoreboard doesn’t reflect the game played, but this was not one of them. The Dragons look broken, beaten and absolutely gassed. I’d be stunned if they won again this season, let alone against a desperate team like the Tigers who are showing some decent form as they try to sneak into the eight.
Back to the rest of the games though. The Rabbitohs have a mounting injury toll, but should still be able to get the job done against the battling Broncos, while the Sea Eagles should realistically account for the Titans at Lottoland.
Turmoil around coaches is often a catalyst for success, so it’s hard to tip against Trent Barrett’s men.
The Storm will make light work of the Eels in the other game on Friday. Parramatta were up last week, but the Strom were also down and it looks a perfect recipe for a big win.
Saturday should see the Panthers smack the Knights around, while the third game is hard to not see the Sharks getting up at home over the Cowboys, who, like the Sea Eagles were right up last week.
On Sunday, we get to see how the Warriors travel again. If they can come away with the win, it’ll be all crucial for their top eight aspirations and anything less isn’t good enough, but there is just something about Lachlan Lewis.
Something that says, on the back of some solid forwards, he can dominate and serverly frustrate the visitors. At risk of ending up with egg on the face, Bulldogs to win.
The final game has the Raiders, who will probably squander a lead with 20 minutes to go again against the Roosters who need to keep winning anyway.
| Round 23 | Tim | Tom | AJ | Scott | The Crowd |
| BRO v RAB | BRO | RAB | BRO | RAB | RAB |
| SEA v TIT | SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA |
| STO v EEL | STO | STO | STO | STO | STO |
| PAN v KNI | PAN | KNI | PAN | PAN | PAN |
| TIG v DRA | TIG | DRA | TIG | TIG | TIG |
| SHA v COW | SHA | SHA | SHA | SHA | SHA |
| BUL v WAR | WAR | WAR | BUL | BUL | WAR |
| RAI v ROO | ROO | ROO | ROO | ROO | ROO |
| Last week | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Total | 98 | 88 | 99 | 88 | 99 |
Crowd tipping will close at 5pm (AEST) on Thursday evening. Be sure to submit your tips on the form below before then to make your opinion count as part of The Crowd.