There isn’t long until the playoffs and the top eight is starting to take shape. NRL 2020 Round 16 – Betting tips & Predictions 30 Aug 20 08:30 event ended Punters get some great games to bet on this week, and we look at the form of every NRL team in Round 18. Get the latest NRL 2020 season match tips and round by round predictions from our expert tipsters We look at the form of every NRL team in Round 16 and find the best value bets. Despite christening a new stadium, the men from Townsville endured another disappointing season on the field, finishing in the bottom four for the third consecutive season and winning only two matches after Round 10. NRL Round 20: Bulldogs vs Panthers – Tips, Odds & Predictions. From Round 16 onwards the Eels almost exclusively come up against teams certain to make the top eight. Nathan Cleary (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images). I swore I was going to tip with my head from the start but that’s enough for me to get on the Bulldogs. Otherwise Dragons fans are in for a long season ahead. Roosters versus Sea Eagles Knights versus Bulldogs Read more about Round one selections; 10 comments; Add new comment; ... 16 from 24: steel eel: 12 from 16: Lyn Grundy: 12 from 16: Doormatt: 12 from 16: Spamdog: 11 from 16: kent21: ... NRL tipping is easier if you follow the NRL news. They fell asleep and gave a struggling side a chance to right their wrongs. Good as in bad, that is. The Knights will be without Kalyn Ponga so the Bulldogs have timed this nicely. Another game that is an absolute coin flip. The Raiders find themselves two Coreys short thanks to a tandem drink driving escapade. Deposit money and place your first bet (any amount from $1 right up to $501 qualifies for a … Can Kevvy Walters work miracles in Brisbane? As for the Dragons, I hope they show more in their opening game than they did in the trials. We have expert betting tips for all NRL Round 18 games this week, which kicks off with the Tigers vs. Rabbitohs on Thursday night. My beautiful, premiership-bound Canberra Raiders will rack up a cricket score as they pulverise Wests by a minimum of 56. They will win at home but I think the Cowboys will be big improvers this year. With the representative round now in the rear-view mirror, attention returns to the Telstra Premiership. Anyone can contribute to The Roar and have their work Here is NRL.com expert Brett Kimmorley's preview of each match and the tips from 16 NRL experts:. They had finished third at the end of the season, but losses to the Storm in Brisbane and then to the Rabbitohs at home saw their title drought extended to 34 years. We want to see it! Four-and-a-half months after the Melbourne Storm won arguably their toughest premiership yet, fifteen other teams will this weekend begin their mission to stop them from repeating as champions again in season 2021. Rather than taking bets on the outcome of the Dragons vs Sharks game, the bookies should frame a market on who’ll last longer, Jack Bird or Matt Moylan. Become a member to join in Australia's biggest sporting debate, submit articles, receive updates straight to your inbox and keep up with your favourite teams and authors. After the Storm played their first two matches on the road last year, the club were able to play two matches on home turf last year, against the Raiders and Rabbitohs, but social distancing measures meant that those two matches were to be played behind closed doors. The Eels will still be dirty after going out in straight sets last season and they will get the win. Todd Payten will face a tough initiation as Cowboys coach when the northerners travel to the foot of the mountains to face last year’s beaten grand finalists, the Penrith Panthers, in the evening match. A whole new era will begin for the Brisbane Broncos when they host last year’s semi-finalists, the Parramatta Eels, at Suncorp Stadium in the second Friday night match. NRL Predictions & Tips: Brisbane Broncos v Parramatta Eels (Friday 09:05 GMT) Brisbane Broncos finished bottom of the NRL ladder last season with three wins from 20 matches, and for any other team they would just look to slightly improve on that record. Open a new betting account at Sportsbet.com.au on your computer, mobile or tablet device. The second match on Saturday sees the Sydney Roosters, who will be without captain Boyd Cordner for an indefinite period due to concussion issues, face the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at the SCG. I’m leaning towards the Storm given home ground advantage and a good record against South Sydney. Or will it? Both teams’ trial form has been top notch, so nothing to provide a hint there. What a tragedy to see Bulldog Matt Burton named at 19 for the Panthers. This has unsurprisingly led to the bookies forecasting another long season ahead for the Dragons, with some even going as far as placing them as the wooden spoon favourites, which would be a first for the club in 83 years. I’m tipping the Eels for this one. The first match of the season promises to be an emotional one for both the Melbourne Storm and its fans, as the club will get the chance to play in front of members and fans for the first time since September 2019. Or has it? Don’t worry, our panel of Fox League experts reveal who they expect to win in Round 12 to give you a hand. Saturday night finishes at Panthers Stadium. Well, you can lock in at least four of the above teams to lose. Last year’s runner-up’s don’t exactly look like they are going to get any worse, and they take a lot of beating in Sydney. AJ Mithen is back to defend his crown, while Mary Konstantopoulos, David Holden and The Barry are all back for another go. I think Brisbane are red hot for the Round 1 upset of the Eels. Sharks to win. Then came the dramatic escalation of coronavirus cases in Victoria, which forced the Storm, and all of the state’s professional sporting clubs to evacuate the state, with Craig Bellamy’s side setting up camp on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. The other was significant in the manner that not only did it prevent the Rabbitohs from finishing in the top four, it also saw them move off the bottom of the ladder in the battle for the wooden spoon with the Brisbane Broncos. The twilight match on Friday sees the Newcastle Knights, fresh off their first finals appearance since 2013, take on a new-look Bulldogs side which will be coached by Trent Barrett for the first time. It’s going to be a long season as a Dragons supporter. I think the Broncos v Eels game will be a lot closer than the bookies do, with the Eels installed as $1.30 favourites. Team like Parra have designs on top four spots and have little interest in early rounds. Raiders vs. Roosters and Rabbitohs vs. Storm […] We have expert tips for NRL Round 21 which kicks off on August 8 with the Cowboys vs. Broncos. Join the club. Head to NRL Pick'Em and get pickin’ to win a share of $100,000 cash every week! On the other hand, the Sea Eagles may have lost enforcer Addin Fonua-Blake, who has defected to the Warriors, but gained one of their old favourites with Kieran Foran returning to the club after stints at the Warriors, Eels and the Bulldogs, where he played his 200th NRL game last year. You must provide an email address to create a Roar account, When using Facebook to create or log in to an account, you need to grant The Roar permission to see your email address, By joining The Roar you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. Not sure what to make of the Tigers this year, but they aren’t a top-tier team. Can't work out who to choose for your NRL selections this week? Under rookie coach Adam O’Brien, who brought to the club a hard brand of football, the Knights finished seventh on the ladder on the back of some impressive performances, however, inconsistency continued to be an issue with the club often dropping games it should’ve won. First, try and stay with AJ early and, two, Scott will always pick the Dragons, no matter what (Scott here: Or will he?). This is exactly what drives Ricky Stuart. Their mission to go one better will begin with a trip to Brisbane, and while the Broncos may be coming off a season from hell I think they can usher in the Kevin Walters era with an upset win. Who cares? Corso or the Bathroom, it doesn’t really matter. What didn’t help their cause was the fact that Jake Friend suffered a concussion injury in the 60-8 humiliation they copped at the hands of the Rabbitohs on the eve of the finals, which later had a psychological effect on the team as they failed to reach the preliminary final for the first time since 2016. After last year’s season was significantly disrupted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which included the season being suspended for two months and the Storm being forced to evacuate their state mid-season, we are close to back to normal for season 2021. Knights versus Bulldogs? Brisbane Broncos vs Parramatta Eels: NRL live scores, Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs: NRL live scores, Kevin Walters says happiness is the key to unlocking Anthony Milford's best, Wayne Bennett demands better from Rabbitohs, Broncos sweating on injuries after two players taken to hospital, Kevin Walters' rollercoaster of a first half as NRL coach, Commentators amazed as players continue perfect run of Captain's Challenges, Knights hit by injury curse in round one win over Bulldogs, Bulldogs winger nearly takes out photographers after wild rain hits Newcastle. Two Raiders players stood down for being stupid. NRL Round 20: Broncos vs Cowboys – Tips, Odds & Predictions. Another team that is destined to improve in 2021 are the Gold Coast Titans, which won their final five games of last season to just fall short of a miracle finals berth, finishing in ninth place. They had won 17 consecutive matches going into the decider, doubling their previous-best winning streak of eight set in 2003, but couldn’t make it count when it mattered, suffering just their second defeat all year (and second by just six points after losing to the Eels in Round 5). Can Brad Arthur’s Eels win the premiership? Two teams with nothing to offer and little to care about? Saturday afternoon sees everyone’s second favourite the Gosford Warriors host everyone’s smokey the Titans. Thursday night will be the opening night of the 2021 NRL season. But with big names such as David Fifita and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui having joined the club during the off-season, the potential is there for them to continue to climb up the ladder and hopefully kick-start an improved season for the three Queensland clubs. Not even an overhaul in the off-season, which saw the club appoint Anthony Griffin as their new coach and lure Andrew McCullough from the Broncos as a replacement for injured captain Cameron McInnes, could prevent a poor pre-season for the men in the Red V. After McInnes suffered a season-ending knee injury in his last year at Kogarah before he shifts to Cronulla, the Saints suffered a horrific 48-16 loss to the Rabbitohs in the annual Charity Shield match in Mudgee. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images). Read Steve Turner's previews and see what the rest of the NRL.com experts have to say. 2021 NRL season: Round 1 preview. After four years without finals football, the Bulldogs have refreshed in their bid to return to the upper echelon of the ladder, landing ex-Roosters halfback Kyle Flanagan as well as coach Barrett, himself a former NSW Origin representative. Punters get two incredible Sunday games, which includes all top-four teams. McInnes’ injury came on top of losing their best player, Tyson Frizell, to the Newcastle Knights at the end of last season, which ended for them with a win over the eventual premiers, the Melbourne Storm (though they were missing their captain Cameron Smith on that occasion), at home. I wonder what impact the off-season has had on his relationship with his teammates? The Storm have had plenty of change this year; no Cameron Smith and Harry Grant injured for the first few rounds, but I have no doubt that Craig Bellamy will still find a way for this team to win. Another veteran, Alex Glenn, has been given the captain’s armband for another season as he and the Broncos look to put last year’s hellish season behind them, once and for all. Surprise, surprise, Friday’s prime time match features the Broncos. Canberra to get the win. Harry Grant gets injured and he brings in the Kiwi 9. Round 1 launches in Victoria – a place which hosted very little rugby league last year thanks to COVID – as the Storm host the Rabbitohs in the first post-Cameron Smith era game. With new coach Nathan Brown in tow, and with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck captaining the side for the final time before he switches to rugby union in 2022, all eyes will be on the Warriors as they look to not just remain competitive, but also play to their potential. NRL Round 16 expert tips and best bets - 2017 sportsbet.com.au provide the latest NRL odds for bet-au.com 1. As your resident ‘expert’ ‘champion’, I look forward to good-naturedly crushing you all yet again! Knights. It doesn’t seem that long ago we were still working our way through the State of Origin series and, suddenly, it’s all about to begin again. But unlike last season, when the players spent time in Australia not knowing when or whether they’d be allowed to return home, they’ll have the support of their friends and families by their sides as they get set to spend at least the first three months on this side of the Tasman. A draw? Whilst I kind of liked the rookie tag, there’s a few lessons I learnt from my first season. Curtis Woodward Roar Guru . There’s nothing like an easy tipping match to start the season but, unfortunately, we don’t get one here. We’ll know more after their performance in round one against the Eels. Roosters will get the chocolates. Can Brad Arthur’s Eels win the premiership? Despite the circumstances that the club faced, they managed to remain focused on the task at hand and managed to claim its fourth premiership, defeating the Penrith Panthers 26-20 in the grand final. Broncos fans only need to look on the lighter side; as the team that is first alphabetically both by region (Brisbane) and mascot (Broncos), they’ll always start the season on top of the ladder. The first of two Sunday matches sees the Wests Tigers make the tough road trip to the nation’s capital to face the Canberra Raiders at GIO Stadium. NRL tipping leaderboard (Nine) Brad Fittler It will be interesting to see how these five clubs fare, while it will be just as interesting to see how the Storm go in what is expected to be the first match of the post-Cameron Smith era. Scott has penned over 3000 articles and is one of. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images). Will Penrith avenge their grand final loss? The final remaining survivor from the club’s 2006 premiership side – Darius Boyd – has retired, while veteran hooker Andrew McCullough has moved south to the Dragons after having initially returned to Red Hill following a short stint at the Newcastle Knights. There is only two weeks left in the NRL regular season and the top eight is already decided. The panel for 2021 is exactly the same as the one who appeared on these pages every Thursday last season. Warriors versus Titans might be interesting. Here’s what The Courier-Mail’s experts are saying about a tough seven-match round 16. They’ll be well organised and there’s talent there, but who knows where they’ll end up. You must provide an email address to create a Roar account, When using Facebook to create or log in to an account, you need to grant The Roar permission to see your email address, By joining The Roar you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. However, the top eight positioning can change with every game, so it’s all on the line this week. There are some games this week hair has been pulled in agony and coins are going to be flipped. In the end I’ve gone with Melbourne because to tip against them at home is risky. It's round one of the 2021 NRL season. That settles that. Oops! The South Sydney Rabbitohs were the last team to face the Storm in an NRL match in Melbourne and again it’s Wayne Bennett’s side who will make the trip south as they attempt to smash a major hoodoo, having never won in the Victorian capital. Sharks to win the local derby.