Guess who’s back, back again? Tippings back, tell a friend!

For the first time in 2023 – Hello Roarers!

The Roar’s NRL expert tipping panel return for another year with Stuart Thomas joining the ranks ready to take on the 2022 champion, AJ Mithen, runner-up Paul Suttor, along with Mary Konstantopoulos, Mike Meehall Wood, and of course yours truly. 

And we all remember how good at this tipping game I am!

Ok, let’s dive straight in. 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. 

Our first match of the season sees the Eels hosting the Storm Thursday night. The 2022 runners-up will be looking to get the season off to a good start against an injury-ravaged Melbourne. But when your halves are Cam Munster and Jahrome Hughes, are you really ever out of the contest?

Friday night footy kicks off in Wellington with the Warriors taking on the Knights. Both of these struggling teams will be desperate to start the year off on the right foot and come away with the two points.

Then we make our way over to Penrith to see the Premiers face off with the Broncos. Will it be business as usual for the Panthers, or can Adam Reynolds and his men cause an upset?

Super Saturday begins on the Northern Beaches when the Sea Eagles take on the Bulldogs. Tommy T is back in the house, ready to take on the new and improved Doggies.

The second match sees the Cowboys host the Raiders in Townsville. North Queensland will be ready to show last season’s success wasn’t a fluke while Canberra will be hoping to get the job done in the Townsville heat.

Then the Rabbitohs head to the Shire to take on the Sharks. It’s always a great clash when these two face off, but let’s see how the home side does without the Dally M player of the Year.

On Sunday we get our first real look at the Dolphins when they host the Roosters. Could this be the upset of the century?

Then we have the Tigers and Titans finish off the round. Ok Api, the floor is all yours.

Breathe easy Dragons, you get the week off. Try and stay out of trouble ok?

If you would like to have a go this year, just remember to get your tips in below by 5:00pm tonight to be counted in The Crowd’s tips.

Happy tipping everyone!

Mike Meehall Wood

Eels, Warriors, Panthers, Sea Eagles, Cowboys, Bunnies, Roosters, Tigers

Hard to back the Storm with so many injuries, so with no confidence, it’s Parra.

The golden rule of tipping is never tip the Warriors…but the Knights are just as inconsistent and this one is in New Zealand, so let’s gone.

Penrith at home, gimme.

These two could be anything, but hope springs eternal for my Beaches boys. Sea Eagles by 50.

North Queensland at home on a hot Townsville evening. They can’t lose (they lost to the rubbish Bulldogs in similar conditions in Round 1 2022 but still).

This is the hardest to pick of them all…but I reckon the Bunnies will win the whole shebang, so let’s start here.

Thanks for playing Redcliffe, but you’re nowhere near the Roosters level yet. Chooks win easy.

Round 1 spoonbowl…I suppose you can’t back against the Tigers at Leichhardt, right?

Stuart Thomas

Storm, Warriors, Panthers, Bulldogs, Cowboys, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Titans

Traditionally, the opening round of the NRL competition is one of the easiest to navigate in terms of tipping. New signings and departures present a very clear picture of who looks likely to contend, the bookies are always on the money and trial form never lies! Thus, here are a set of Round 1 selections that could earn you a motza!

The perennially deficient Eels open the season at home against the team everyone appears to believe will sink in 2023. Far too much logic in that and a well-deserved two points on the road for the Storm.

Even in Round 1, the Warriors and Knights look like a clash between two bottom-eight teams. The dramatic changes in the Newcastle spine could well see the Kiwis win this one at home, with the Knights looking better mid-season.

The Broncos do loom as potential improvers in 2023 and frankly, should have finished better last season. Many will cite a Panther premiership headache and a potentially slow start to the season, yet it won’t be happening here as the mountain men towel up the northerners with ease.

The Sea Eagles and Bulldogs are widely tipped to finish mid-table this season and both need a quick start to the year to do any better. Will the Dogs be something different after an appalling recent history? For at least a week they will be. A great start to the Ciraldo era.

I truly believe that the Cowboys will parlay last season into the current one and start with a bang at home against the Raiders in Round 1. They are well-coached and certain top-eight contenders.

The Sharks versus Rabbitohs looks a likely rumble, and the Bunnies do appear to be better prepared for the clash than the somewhat distracted Sharks, after what has been a stressful period.

The smart money will be on the Roosters to nail the Dolphins in Queensland in their debut NRL match. But what of the margin? 24+? 30+? The Roosters that Gorden Tallis cannot comprehend in an absolute canter.

The round ends with the Tigers and Titans whacking each other with wet lettuce leaves. Or are they? Have the Tigers’ signings made a serious difference that could lift them back near ninth in the competition? Will the Titans be back in contention after so much promise preceded the disappointment of 2022? We shall see, yet it will be a fairy tale crushed for the Tigers at Leichhardt in the opening round.

Paul Suttor

Storm, Warriors, Panthers, Sea Eagles, Cowboys, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Tigers

Melbourne haven’t lost in Round 1 since John Howard was Prime Minister. They’ve got an armada of stars out but the Eels aren’t looking too crash-hot either due to injuries and Ryan Matterson’s ban. Storm by 8.

The Friday night match in Wellington could have a large bearing on who gets the wooden spoon. Too soon? The Warriors are a hodge-podge and the Knights are not much better. Warriors by 2.

Penrith got the pre-season wake-up call delivered by St Helens in the World Club Challenge. Brisbane are still a sleeping giant, probably for another season. Panthers by 14.

Manly have a decent team but very skinny depth, the Bulldogs are still trying to mesh in way too many new parts. Sea Eagles by 4.

The Cowboys love the tropical climates of early March, the Raiders do not even though Canberra can get pretty warm in summer. Cowboys by 18.

No go for Nicho is a problem for Cronulla but Braydon Trindall would have to be one of the best, if not the best, back-up half in the NRL. Souths by 2.

The Dolphins will have a dig on debut but the Roosters’ all-round class will shine through at Suncorp. Roosters by 10.

The Tigers won’t be 50 shades of terrible this season and the Titans shouldn’t be either. If ever a game in Round 1 is likely to have both teams scoring 30 it’s this one. Tigers by 6.

Mary Konstantopoulos

Eels, Warriors, Panthers, Bulldogs, Cowboys, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Tigers.

At least one record will fall in the first game of the season.  Parramatta have not fallen out of the eight for a stupidly long time and the Melbourne Storm have never lost Round 1 under the coaching of Craig Bellamy.  Both teams are missing key players (Papenhuyzen for the Storm and Lane for the Eels), but I have to tip with my heart for this one and back the mighty blue and gold.

New Zealand return home and will repay their faithful fans with a win over the Newcastle Knights.

I expect the Brisbane Broncos to make the eight this year but they have a tough assignment against Penrith in week one. After being utterly humiliated by St Helens in the World Club Challenge, the Panthers will make a statement against the Broncos in round one.

The Bulldogs will also improve significantly this year. Whilst it may take some time for the new team to gel, the same could be said of Manly who have a new coach this season. I’m tipping the Bulldogs in this one with Josh Addo-Carr to score a double.

The Cowboys will beat the Raiders in Townsville and the conditions will absolutely play into the hands of the Cowboys (it certainly doesn’t get that hot and humid in Canberra).

The Rabbitohs will beat the Sharks, but this should be one of the games of the round with both these teams featuring in my top eight for the year. 

There will be plenty of fanfare around the Dolphins for their first game, it’s just unfortunate that they have to come up against a Roosters team that has only gotten stronger from last year. Unfortunately, the Roosters have too much class in too many key positions and I am expecting them to put a score on the Dolphins. 

The Tigers will also beat the Titans on Sunday afternoon and I can’t wait to see some of the Tigers new recruits in action.

AJ Mithen

Eels, Warriors, Panthers, Bulldogs, Raiders, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Tigers

Your beloved champion returns! After yet another convincing NRL tipping victory in 2022, I had big plans to retire from this weekly fun and it was a near-run thing, but Danielle and my agent were able to work out a sufficient compensation package so I’m here to mop the lobby with all of you once more, crowd and expert alike. Wanna win your local NRL tipping comp? Copy these…

Eels over Storm cos the Storm are busted and might battle against the better sides until they get right.

Warriors are in Sky Stadium with a big crowd and the hapless Knights to feast on.

Penrith will start their threepeat tilt with a hard-fought win over the Broncos, who I expect will show plenty.

The new and improved Bulldogs will squeak one over the Sea Eagles, as two new coaches try to employ their new tactics.

Your presumptive champions, the people’s team, the Canberra Raiders will head to stinking hot, stinking humid Townsville and lay a casual 56 on the Cowboys, who will be more focused on timing their season to peak at the end.

The Rabbitohs over the Sharks for no real reason, these two teams will be battling for similar ladder position this year.
Roosters over The Dolphins, even though Wayne will have them ensconced in ’nobody rates us, we don’t care’ mode.

Finally, I’ve got the Tigers taking their game over the Gold Coast to set their fans into a tizzy for weeks. The Tigers can go 3-0 if they’re serious early on! 

Danielle Smith

Eels, Knights, Panthers, Sea Eagles, Cowboys, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Tigers

Never have I ever tipped against the Storm in Round 1. But here we are. Watch them put 1000 on the Eels just to show me, but I just can’t risk it.

I’m expecting a solid season from the Broncos, and not as much overpowering dominance from the premiers as we have grown accustomed to, but the scoreboard at the end of this game should be business as usual, with the Panthers on top.

Turbo is back! The world just seems right again. And as excited as I am to see the new era of the Doggies finally take shape, I think the Sea Eagles at home will get the job done.

The Cowboys will get the job done against the Raiders, with the third most underrated player in the game according to the recent NRL club chief executives and chairmen survey, and the guy you know as my mate Reece Robson, to have a blinder.

Always a great game when these teo meet. Nicho Hynes is a huge out for the Sharks, so I’m going with the Bunnies.

I really wish the Dolphins could start their season off with a win, but I can’t see it happening. Roosters comfortably.

Are you ready Tigers fans? I’m expecting big things from your lot this year! Starting with a win over the Titans.

And here we are. Have you missed my inevitable and predictable tip that is one of the main reasons why I will never win one of these comps? Toilet cubicle scandals, Ponga injured again, Young going to the Roosters, losing both trial matches, and a coach with a noose around his neck……………………but as always, I’m tipping my Knights.

Round 1	AJ	Danielle	Mary	Mike	Paul	Stuart	Crowd
PAR V MEL	PAR	PAR	PAR	PAR	MEL	MEL	PAR
NZL V NEW	NZL	NEW	NZL	NZL	NZL	NZL	NZL
PEN V BRI	PEN	PEN	PEN	PEN	PEN	PEN	PEN
MAN V CBY	CBY	MAN	CBY	MAN	MAN	CBY	MAN
NQL V CAN	CAN	NQL	NQL	NQL	NQL	NQL	NQL
CRO V SOU	SOU	SOU	SOU	SOU	SOU	SOU	SOU
DOL V SYD	SYD	SYD	SYD	SYD	SYD	SYD	SYD
WST V GLD	WST	WST	WST	WST	WST	GLD	WST