An injury crisis gripping the NRL, as well as a couple of surprising form lines should make for some intriguing contests in Round 9. The Roar’s NRL expert tipping panel are back to tell you who wins and why.

Those injuries mean there are no certainties right at the moment, but the way things are going, there is a top five which is well established ahead of the rest of the pack. From what we’ve seen, this gap it is showing no signs of narrowing.

That is a lesson I learnt the hard way last week with three predicted upsets not coming off. It left me with just three out of eight, and falling down the table to sit only ahead of AJ at the bottom now.

Mary, David, The Barry, as well as The Crowd all tipped six though, meaning The Barry holds his lead on 47, one ahead of The Crowd, three ahead of David and four ahead of Mary.

Round 9 gets underway with the Rabbitohs hosting the Storm at Homebush without Adam Reynolds, before the Panthers take on the Sharks in what could be a smash up, and the Eels look to prove how serious they are when they play an injury-ravaged Roosters.

The Raiders head to Wagga on Saturday afternoon to play Newcastle, before the Tigers, fresh off an unconvincing victory, take on the Titans, also rather unconvincing in recent times. The Queensland derby between the Cowboys and Broncos in Townsville is another which could go either way.

Sunday brings us the Sea Eagles without their front row against the Warriors, and the Dragons desperately looking to bounce back against the hapless Bulldogs.

Remember to get your tips into the form below by 6pm (AEDT) on Thursday to join The Roar’s NRL tipping competition for 2021 and be featured as part of The Crowd’s tips for Round 9.

We will kick off with the clubhouse leader this week.

The Barry

Tips: Storm, Panthers, Eels, Raiders, Titans, Cowboys, Sea Eagles, Dragons

With the top five virtually unbeatable this season, Round 9 offers a rare window of unpredictability with the Rabbitohs, Storm, Roosters and Eels all tangling with one another.

Souths have been brutalised by injury over the past couple of weeks and are fielding a virtually all-new backline. Their recent propensity for giving away a big lead and their diminished firepower in pegging it back could bring them undone against the Storm.

Unfortunately for the Sharks, the Panthers are one club pretty much at full strength and they’ll win comfortably.

The Roosters welcome back James Tedesco but farewell Lindsay Collins and Brett Morris for the season to join Luke Keary, Jake Friend, Boyd Cordner, Sam Verrills, Billy Smith, Lachlan Lam and Freddy Lussick on the injured list. As good as they are, that’s surely too much to overcome against an in-form Eels.

The Raiders and Knights find themselves in similar situations. Three wins from eight and sitting at 9th and 11th respectively, the only thing stopping this from being must win city is the stunning mediocrity of the teams around them. Raiders on the proviso that Ricky Stuart lets Mrs Tapine run the interchange.

The key to beating the Gold Coast is stopping David Fifita. Keppie and Harper for Manly and TPJ for the Broncos have managed to limit the Titanic backrowers impact. Do the Tigers have someone who can fill that role? I’m not so sure.

The Queensland derby presents another tough game to pick. A four-point win to the Broncos will see the two on equal points and differential. While the serendipity appeals, I’m tipping the Cowboys.

Two of the most exciting things this season have been the return of Tommy Turbo and the emergence of Josh Schuster. Interesting to see what Des Hasler does with his lineup with some of his regulars returning. Another close game but I’m sticking with the Eagles.

Damn the Dragons and their woeful performance against the Tigers! Head and heart are genuinely confused. While I think the Dogs can win if they reproduce their form against the Sharks, I’m tipping the Dragons.

David Holden

Tips: Storm, Panthers, Eels, Raiders, Titans, Cowboys, Sea Eagles, Broncos

NRL tipping is a waiting game. Sure, there are temptations to pick upsets but the odds, literally, are stacked against you. You just need to bide your time and wait for the 50/50s because they will come. This round is moving round at the Masters, we’ve got some 50/50s which will separate the pack.

First up, we’ve got the two teams that played first up this season, and I’m thinking we will get the same result. At full strength, I’d give the Rabbits a big chance at home but they are nowhere near full strength. Storm will do enough to win.

In a round of 50/50s, the Panthers and Sharks are a clear exception to the rule. As a disillusioned Sharks supporter, I’m pretending that this game doesn’t exist. Penrith by plenty.

For the main game on Friday night, we get a top four clash. The Roosters have done well to overcome a fair bit of adversity so far this season but it just continues to build. The Eels will miss Nathan Brown but they should beat an injury hit Roosters outfit.

The regional magical mystery tour continues on Saturday afternoon, when the caravan pulls up at Wagga Wagga. There are rumblings of unrest coming out of Canberra but it’s fair to say that they are not setting the world on fire in Newcastle either. Both teams will be hungry but I think the Raiders will jag this one.

The Tigers got an important win last weekend but, let’s face it Tigers fans, with the missed tackle count from the Dragons, you should have won by more. Of late, the Titans have scored lots of points but have conceded plenty more. Justin Holbrook will give his team a rocket this week, David Fifita is due and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui returns. Titans to win.

We find out on Saturday night whether the Broncos win last week was just an obstacle on their road to disaster, or whether they are indeed improving. The trouble for them is that the Cowboys have definitely improved. I think the Broncos winning streak will end at one.

Four weeks ago, I would have picked the Warriors in Sunday’s clash at Lottoland, but I can’t anymore. Tom Trbojevic is living proof that missing one key player can make a bucketload of difference. Manly will win this.

And finally, the Dragons and Bulldogs. This is not clear cut either, as the Dragons were undeniably rubbish last weekend. Assuming they return to anything like their best, they should win. I will pick them, just.

Mary Konstantopoulos

Tips: Storm, Panthers, Eels, Raiders, Titans, Broncos, Sea Eagles, Dragons

What a game to start the round with. The Rabbitohs and Storm are two of the competition heavyweights and should both go deep into the finals.

I’m tipping the Storm because the Bunnies have a couple of big outs including Adam Reynolds, Cameron Murray and Campbell Graham. Add this to the Bunnies injury list including the likes of Latrell Mitchell and they are severely understrength. Despite those injuries though, I expect Souths to be competitive in this game but with not enough points in them.

The big question is, who is going to be the team to beat the Panthers? It isn’t going to be the Cronulla Sharks who have struggled since the departure of John Morris. The two teams are mismatched in the talent department and after a tight one against the Sea Eagles last week, the Panthers will want to reassert themselves as favourites for the premiership.

The Roosters just can’t take a trick. While they welcome back James Tedesco, they will be without Sam Verrills, Brett Morris, Lindsay Collins and Sitili Tupouniua which compound an already large injury list. The Eels should win this game, but as a fan, I’m not confident. Even despite their injury woes, the Roosters are still in the top four. They won’t be a pushover and Parramatta can’t afford a similar lapse like they did against the Bulldogs last week.

Both Canberra and Newcastle have exciting rosters that can’t seem to get it together this year. I’m tipping the Raiders because of their ‘home’ advantage. The team will also be buoyed by the return of Josh Papalii.

We know the Titans have a lot of points in them, their problem seems to be defence. I’m tipping them because they are stronger in the forwards and I’m not sure which Tigers team will turn up.

I’m also curious in the battle of the halfbacks. Neither Ash Taylor or Luke Brooks have been able to step up when it matters. Perhaps this game could be their opportunity.

The Broncos will beat the Cowboys and this will go a long way to reinstating them as the best Queensland team. Despite results, I don’t think the Broncos are too far off being a competitive team. They lack players in a couple of key positions, but have improved significantly over recent weeks. The Cowboys have improved and it seems Todd Payten and the team are beginning to see eye to eye.

The Sea Eagles will beat the Warriors and continue their push towards the top eight after challenging Penrith last week, and the Dragons should beat the Bulldogs on Sunday. If not, what a fall from grace for a team that was looking like a top-eight contender after four weeks.

AJ Mithen

Tips: Storm, Panthers, Roosters, Raiders, Tigers, Broncos, Sea Eagles, Bulldogs

Another week, another point back on Pryde. Soon I will be second last and on the charge!

Storm over Bunnies because the Rabbitohs got too bashed up in Canberra. Wayne won’t worry too much about the result here, he’s thinking longer term.

Panthers by 56 over the Sharks. Genuinely.

Roosters over Eels. People really are sleeping on the Chooks in 2021. They’re a massive chance to win it all over again.

Your premiership favourites, the beautiful Canberra Raiders, to completely obliterate the hapless, rudderless, careless Knights, a genuine rabble, by at least 56.

Tigers over the once more untippable Titans, who proved once more they have no heart.

Broncos over the Cowboys and this game will be a scorcher!

The Manly Trbojevic over the Warriors, who are still putting up decent fights. Salute to the playing squad for keeping focus.

Finally, the Dogs will beat the Dragons because Zac Lomax is out. He’s a great player and the fulcrum of their team.

Scott Pryde

Tips: Storm, Panthers, Eels, Knights, Titans, Cowboys, Warriors, Dragons

Apparently, I haven’t learnt my lesson from last week’s debacle, because I’m taking another pair of upsets.

Let’s deal with them and the reasons why first.

The Knights are a team who are fairly inconsistent, but have a match-winner by the name of Kalyn Ponga running around. While they lack in the halves, their forwards are up to par. The Raiders are due to turn things around, but I’m not sure playing in Wagga Wagga is going to give them the answer they are looking for.

I’ll take a Ponga double to get the Knights over the line, exposing the deficiencies in the Raiders’ outside edge defence and distractions off-field.

The other one is the Warriors. The Sea Eagles lose Martin Taupau and Josh Aloiai this week, two of their big guns up front. While the influence of Tom Trbojevic on their performances week in and week out has been enormous, the amount of metres those two make won’t be replaceable.

The Warriors might be inconsistent, but there have been enough promising signs to suggest they will well and truly bring Manly back down to earth.

The rest looks to be all pretty straight forward. Home advantage or not, the Rabbitohs aren’t beating the Storm without Adam Reynolds, and the Sharks aren’t beating the Panthers no matter who they have.

If Parramatta are going to be doing anything serious in 2021, they will beat a badly undermanned Roosters, while the Tigers might have won last week, but were pretty awful in doing so. It’ll be the Titans in that one.

The Queensland derby is in Townsville, and based on that alone I’ll take the Cowboys with the Broncos improving, but not enough yet.

Finally, I have zero faith in the Dragons. At all. Not after the last fortnight. But seriously, there will be a riot at Kogarah if they can’t beat Canterbury.

Remember to get your tips in on the form below by 6pm tonight to be counted as part of The Crowd for this weekend.