The Roar’s NRL expert tips and predictions: Round 1

It’s here! It’s finally here!

The NRL season kicks off tonight and Round 1 is going to be a cracker.

The Roar’s NRL expert tipping panel return for another year, with two past legends and three new faces trying to take out the title. AJ Mithen and Mary Konstantopoulos are back, and are joined this season by Mike Meehall Wood, Paul Suttor, and yours truly. 

Ok, let’s have a look at the games for this round.

Defending premiers the Penrith Panthers minus Nathan Cleary will kick off proceedings tonight in the first match of the round, hosting the Manly Sea Eagles at 8:05pm AEDT. 

In tomorrow night’s clashes, the Canberra Raiders take on the Cronulla Sharks in the nation’s capital at 6pm, then the Brisbane Broncos face the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium. What a shame Adam Reynold’s isn’t playing in that one.

Super Saturday will see a strong Sydney Roosters up against an already injury affected Newcastle Knights at 3pm at the SCG. At 5.30pm the Warriors will play the St George Illawarra Dragons at Sunshine Coast Stadium. Both teams will be hoping for a good start to the season after a poor 2021. The last game sees the Wests Tigers facing the Melbourne Storm and Commbank Stadium. 

The prime time 4pm Sunday match has the Parramatta Eels hosting the Gold Coast Titans, followed by The North Queensland Cowboys at home to the Canterbury Bulldogs at 6.15pm.  

As with every season, Round 1 is always a bit tricky. You don’t know how much to take out of the trials, and everyone is always a bit rusty. 

If you would like to have a go this year, just remember to get your tips in below by 5pm tonight to be counted in The Crowd’s tips.

Paul Suttor

Penrith, Cronulla, South Sydney, Roosters, Warriors, Melbourne, Parramatta, North Queensland     

Without Nathan Cleary, Penrith won’t be as potent but Manly for some reason have a terrible record in Round 1 matches. ‘

Cronulla will be big improvers in 2022 and play well in Canberra while the Raiders have had to make late adjustments in the pre-season with halfback Jamal Fogarty going down with a knee injury.

I have plenty of faith in Lachlan Ilias to slot in well at halfback for Souths and they should have way too much class for Brisbane.

The Roosters are helluva lot stronger than last year when they displayed a helluva lot of courage to make the finals, while Newcastle lack attacking punch.

The Warriors with Shaun Johnson back calling the shots should have a slight edge over the Dragons but neither team is trustworthy.

Melbourne don’t lose matches at the start of the season despite being depleted by suspensions and injuries, the Wests Tigers might not win many matches all season.

Parramatta are settled and the Titans don’t travel well so the Eels should win by a decent margin.

North Queensland will be better than some expect in 2022, Canterbury has to settle in a lot of new pieces to their jigsaw before they will hit their stride. 

Mary Konstantopoulos

Sea Eagles, Sharks, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Dragons, Storm, Eels, Cowboys

In what might be a controversial tip, I’m tipping the Sea Eagles to beat the reigning premiers. With the news that Nathan Cleary is out for the first three weeks of the competition, my view is that Penrith will struggle. Tom Trbojevic will be the first try scorer of the new season.

This should be a cracker of a game and I’m tipping the Sharks. Both these teams are set for huge improvement this year, but I’m looking forward to the Nicho Hynes/Matt Moylan combination come to life. Both these teams have big changes for this year so it may take a couple of weeks for it all to come together.

The Rabbitohs will beat the Broncos. What I find particularly concerning for the Broncos is their halves combination. Without Adam Reynolds, I see the Broncos really struggling and challenged to score points. 

Even without a ball kicked, I think the Roosters will be in the Grand Final this year. This team will start its year off with a big win over the Knights who have unfortunately suffered some key injuries leading into the season. My key question about the Knights is their hooker – the loss of Jayden Brailey was a big one. 

The Dragons will beat the Warriors and will be another team that significantly improves this year.

The Storm haven’t lost a round one under Craig Bellamy and that won’t change this year, despite some key players missing for the Storm.

The Eels will beat the Titans and will hopefully make it a historic day at CommBank Stadium with the men and the women both winning against the Titans.

Finally, I have both the Cowboys and the Dogs in my bottom four. I have concerns about both teams but think the Cowboys will do enough to win

(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

AJ Mithen

Manly, Canberra, South Sydney, Roosters, St George-Illawarra, Melbourne, Parramatta, Canterbury

We’re back! Finally, some real games for the men’s comp. I cannot WAIT to dominate yet another cohort of Roar tippers after seeing off the previous bunch of impostors. It’s round 1 and keep in mind some teams take round 1 far more seriously than others – here’s what’s coming this week.

Manly will knock over a sleepy Penrith, who are without Cleary but are also in long-term thinking mode. The Panthers will also give away 24 penalties in this new improved exciting world of V’landysball. 

The mighty Canberra Raiders will open 2022 by spiflicating that abject bunch of wanderers known as the Cronulla Sharks. The people’s team will drop at least 56 and set their course for a fantastic season.  

Souths will beat Brisbane, but first round attitudes will make this one closer than first imagined. 

Roosters to beat the Knights – see Souths v Brisbane. 

I’ve got the Dragons doing over the Warriors in a battle of the mediocre. Still waiting to see how the NRL rewards the New Zealanders for uprooting their lives for 2.5 years to see the show going…

Storm over Tigers and they’ll barely stretch their legs. 

Eels over Titans but that will be close too, and I’ve got the Bulldogs over the Cowboys because it’s round one and anything goes!

Mike Meehall Wood

Penrith, Canberra, Souths, Roosters, Warriors, Storm, Eels, Cowboys

With no form, you have to go straight down the line: Penrith without Cleary is a miss but in front of a packed house on homecoming I can’t pick against them. Manly didn’t beat anyone above them last year either.

The Roosters, Souths, Eels and Storm are too good, the Cowboys have looked sharp in trials and I’m backing the Raiders on home advantage alone.

As for the Warriors…well, I never learn. Never tip the Warriors – except when you’re playing the reverse psychology card. 

(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Danielle Smith 

Sea Eagles, Sharks, Rabbitohs, Knights, Warriors, Storm, Eels, Cowboys

I’m going the Sea Eagles over the Panthers tonight. Not just because of Cleary’s absence (although that does play a part), but I think the Sea Eagles will come out firing.

Like many, I have big expectations for the Sharks this season. Looking forward to seeing what new coach Craig Fitzgibbon has done with the side, and I don’t think his absence from the game due to COVID will cause too much disruption to the game plan. The Raiders haven’t had the best lead up to this game with injuries, so I’m tipping the Sharks in this one. 

Despite Adam Reynolds not playing for either team in this game, the Broncos will be at loss without their marquee signing. It’s the Bunnies for me. 

This was a tough one. I’ve gone the Warriors but I’m not confident. The return of Shaun Johnson is a huge plus for the Warriors, and I think that his leadership on the field will be enough to get the two points. 

The Storm will continue their dominance of Round 1 matches and prove too strong for the Tigers.

The Eels will win in a close one against the Titans.

I’m going the Cowboys over the Bulldogs at home – I think it will take a while for all the new recruits for the Doggies to click.

Oh, and my beloved Knights. The reason I never win a tipping competition. Yes, I know the Roosters will be close to unstoppable this season. But I can’t tip against my boys.

Multi tip from Tony Caine of PlayUp: First leg I’ve gone with the full strength Sharks over Canberra missing their new halfback signing Jamal Fogarty at $1.85. Next is the Dragons after solid trial form at $1.85 against the Warriors and then the Eels at $1.48 to beat the Titans. As always if you’re going to have a punt gamble responsibly.

Get your own tips in below to see if you can beat our experts.

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