2026 NRL Round 24 Predictions

The minor premiership could be decided in this 1 v 2 showdown at CommBank Stadium.  

FORM: The Panthers have now lost four of their last seven, following up a big win over Canberra with a convincing 28-12 defeat to the Warriors.  

The Roosters have won eight straight, coming from 10 points down to see off the Bulldogs 20-18 last Friday.  

INS AND OUTS: Lindsay Smith moves to lock, and Liam Henry comes in at prop with Isaah Yeo sidelined for Penrith. Jack Cogger lines up at five-eighth after being a late scratching last week, while Dylan Edwards has been named in the reserves. James Tedesco returns for the Roosters.  

KEY MATCH-UP: It’s an Origin rematch as Nathan Cleary squares off against Sam Walker.  

HISTORY: The Panthers have won 12 of their last 13 against the Roosters, including a 40-4 rout in Round 3 this season.  

KEY STAT: The Panthers have scored 30-plus points in eight of their last 11 games against the Roosters.  

VERDICT: The favourites to meet in the grand final in seven weeks’ time, there’s plenty at stake with the winner likely to take out the minor premiership and the loser potentially facing a qualifying final trip to Auckland.  

The Panthers have had a rough run and will be smarting from getting ambushed by the Warriors, but there’s arguably more pressure on the Roosters to buck the trend of horrendous results against the era’s preeminent team.  

The Roosters remain unproven in heavyweight duels – though last week was a step in the right direction – and the Panthers look good value as a very narrow favourite.  

Prediction: Back the Panthers to Win @ $1.77 

SGM: PANTHERS BY 1-12 / UNDER 42.5 TOTAL POINTS / TOM JENKINS ANYTIME TRYSCORER / ROBERT TOIA ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $31.56 

The Sea Eagles are spiralling ahead of this must-win home assignment against the fifth-placed Dolphins.   

FORM: Manly has lost five straight, conceding 128 points in their last three games against the Titans, Sharks and Storm.  

The Dolphins have won three in a row, albeit somewhat patchily in the past fortnight against the Dragons (28-22) and Broncos (40-32) – trailing 24-0 in the latter.  

INS AND OUTS: Clayton Faulalo returns at fullback for Manly with Lehi Hopoate shifting to the wing and Blake Wilson dropping out. Taniela Paseka (knee) is out, so Nathan Brown starts at prop.  

The Dolphins have lost Kurt Donoghoe to a thumb injury, but Ray Stone and Jake Averillo are back on the bench.  

KEY MATCH-UP: Blues teammates Jack Bostock and Tolu Koula are set for an absorbing centre duel.  

HISTORY: The Dolphins are 1-3 against the Sea Eagles and will have terrifying memories of their most recent meeting, when Manly powered to a 52-18 win in Redcliffe in Kieran Foran’s first match as interim coach.  

KEY STAT: These clubs’ four encounters all produced at least 54 points, with three of them seeing 70-plus points scored.  

VERDICT: Manly’s finals bid has completely unravelled under a heavy injury toll as interim-turned-fulltime coach Kieran Foran searches for answers. Their drop-off in defensive resolve has been the most alarming feature of their losing streak.   

The Dolphins have all but sealed their maiden finals appearance, but they’ll be looking for a complete performance after struggling to put away a couple of also-rans in the past two weeks. Near enough to full-strength, however, the visitors’ firepower should have a tackle-shy Sea Eagles outfit very nervous. 

Manly has a strong record at 4 Pines Park, but a heavy loss to Cronulla last time out has dented its fortress reputation. 

Prediction: Back the Dolphins to Cover the Line (-10.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: DOLPHINS WIN / OVER 50.5 TOTAL POINTS / HAMISO TABUAI-FIDOW ANYTIME TRYSCORER / JACK BOSTOCK ANYTIME TRYSCORER / HAUMOLE OLAKAU’ATU ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $15.78

The ninth-placed Bulldogs and seventh-placed Rabbitohs are fighting for their finals’ lives.  

FORM: The Bulldogs have won six of their last eight but let a crucial win slip against the Roosters, losing 20-18 from 10 points up in the second half.  

The Rabbitohs have been stuck in a win-loss pattern for seven weeks, outlasting the Eels 28-24 in unconvincing style last week.  

INS AND OUTS: The Bulldogs’ only change sees Alekolasimi Jones come onto the bench for Sitili Tupouniua, who has succumbed to another hamstring injury.  

Jayden Sullivan replaces injured Souths halfback Ashton Ward, while Campbell Graham returns on the wing, so Jye Gray goes to the interchange.  

KEY MATCH-UP: The front-row battle between Canterbury duo Max King and Leo Thompson and Souths pair Tevita Tatola and Keaon Koloamatagi will set the tone.   

HISTORY: The archrivals have split their last six encounters. The Bulldogs won both clashes in 2025, but the Rabbitohs bounced back 32-24 on Good Friday this year.  

KEY STAT: Alex Johnston has scored 13 tries in his last 11 games against the Bulldogs.  

VERDICT: Though ruing the result, last week’s narrow loss was another step forward in the Bulldogs’ late-season resurgence and there’s no question they are far better form than the Rabbitohs.  

Though some of the cavalry has returned, the ongoing absence of Latrell Mitchell and now another enforced change in the halves makes it hard to get behind Souths in this one. Expect finals-like intensity from the Bulldogs – a level the Rabbitohs have rarely reached this season.   

Prediction: Back the Bulldogs the Cover the Line (-3.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: BULLDOGS WIN / RABBITOHS UNDER 19.5 TOTAL POINTS / ALEX JOHNSTON ANYTIME TRYSCORER / MATT BURTON ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $12.14  

The Sharks are looking to regroup from a shock loss at the expense of a crestfallen Raiders outfit.   

FORM: Cronulla was on a 9-1 run before going down 24-16 to last-placed St George Illawarra last Sunday.  

After winning four in a row, the Raiders’ finals hopes have gone up in smoke with consecutive losses to the Panthers (42-18) and Knights (30-24).  

INS AND OUTS: Cronulla will be without suspended prop Addin Fonua-Blake, so Oregon Kaufusi gets a start. KL Iro returns in time to replaced injured Jesse Ramien. Siosifa is back from injury on the bench.  

Canberra will rest Simi Sasagi, with Savelio Tamale coming in at centre. Ata Mariota moves to prop with Corey Horsburgh dropped. Matty Nicholson comes into the second-row.  

KEY MATCH-UP: Livewire hookers Blayke Brailey and Owen Pattie will have a big bearing on their teams’ performances.  

HISTORY: The Sharks have won five of their last six against the Raiders, including a 34-22 victory in Canberra in Round 4 this year.  

KEY STAT: The Sharks have scored 20-plus points in seven straight games against the Raiders, who have been held to 12 or less three times during that run.  

VERDICT: Cronulla undid a fair bit of good work via last week’s baffling derby defeat, but they can immediately get back on track at home against a wounded opponent. With a Top 4 berth far from sealed, expect a switched-on Sharks showing at home.  

Canberra, hit by injuries, suffered an emotion-charged loss that ended their Top 8 dreams – and it will be hard for them to pick themselves up off the canvas. The Raiders have won only three of their last 10 away from Canberra.  

Prediction: Back the Raiders to Score Under 21.5 Total Points @ $1.94 

SGM: SHARKS WIN / UNDER 52.5 TOTAL POINTS / KL IRO ANYTIME TRYSCORER / XAVIER SAVAGE ANYTIME TRYSCORER / NICHO HYNES ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $53.44 

The struggling Eels provide another crucial opportunity for the Cowboys to consolidate their tenuous spot in the Top 8.  

FORM: The 7-13 Eels following up a scrappy win over the Tigers with a 28-24 loss to the Rabbitohs in Round 23.   

The Cowboys recovered from their 82-12 humiliation at the hands of the Roosters with a 30-8 victory over the Titans.  

INS AND OUTS: Dylan Walker returns on the bench for Parramatta, Tallyn Da Silva comes in at hooker and Apa Twidle will line up at fullback following Isaiah Iongi’s season-ending injury.  

Reed Mahoney returns at hooker for the Cowboys, pushing Soni Luke to the bench.  

KEY MATCH-UP: It’s a huge opportunity for Twidle to show what he can do, while Scott Drinkwater continues to carry a hefty proportion of the Cowboys’ fortunes.  

HISTORY: The Eels have won seven of their last nine against the Cowboys, getting up 33-30 in a dramatic golden point clash in Townsville in Round 10.  

KEY STAT: The Cowboys are 0-4 against the Eels at CommBank Stadium.   

VERDICT: There are elements of the Eels’ late-2025 revival about the backbone they’ve occasionally shown of late, but the lack of wins is starting to wear pretty thin. Another injury to Iongi is ill-timed.   

No team has a wider gap between their best and worst than the Cowboys and they deserve some credit from immediately bouncing back from a record-shattering loss. They won’t make much of an impact in the finals if they make it, but they generally take care of the teams they should.  

Prediction: Back the Cowboys to Cover the Line (-5.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: COWBOYS WIN / BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE 20+ POINTS / JAXON PURDUE ANYTIME TRYSCORER / JAKE CLIFFORD ANYTIME TRYSCORER / JOSH ADDO-CARR ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $29.74 

The Broncos will be eager to avoid becoming a mere speedbump in the path of the rampaging Warriors.   

FORM: The Broncos have lost 11 of their last 12, blowing a 24-point lead in a 40-32 loss to the Dolphins last week.   

The third-placed Warriors have won four of their last five, backing up a 42-6 rout of the Titans with a 28-12 statement win over the Panthers.  

INS AND OUTS: The Broncos’ starting line-up is unchanged with Adam Reynolds still sidelined. Aublix Tawha comes onto the bench.  

The Warriors’ starting side is also unchanged, but Demitric Vaimauga returns on the interchange for Morgan Gannon.  

KEY MATCH-UP: Leka Halasima has been a revelation at centre, setting up a mouth-watering clash against Kotoni Staggs.  

HISTORY: The Warriors have won three of their last four against the Broncos, including a 42-12 thrashing in Magic Round in May.  

KEY STAT: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has scored in seven straight games against the Broncos, including doubles in three of his last four. Alofiana Khan-Pereira has scored seven tries in six career appearances against the Broncos.  

VERDICT: The Broncos’ early surge against the Dolphins showed what they are capable of, but the subsequent capitulation says a lot more about the defending premiers’ current plight.  

The Warriors have turned a corner after a patchy few weeks, the injection of Halasima and Metcalf has provided them with extra impetus, and they relish getting in front of a big, Kiwi-heavy Suncorp Stadium crowd. They are 9-4 away from Auckland with eight wins by 18-plus margins.  

Prediction: Back the Warriors to Cover the Line (-7.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: WARRIORS BY 13+ / OVER 46.5 TOTAL POINTS / LEKA HALASIMA ANYTIME TRYSCORER / KOTONI STAGGS ANYTIME TRYSCORER / ALOFIANA KHAN-PEREIRA AND DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK TO HAVE 3+ COMBINED @ $35.23 

The Knights can all but confirm their place in the playoffs with a win over a Titans side that has gone off the boil.  

FORM: The sixth-placed Knights have won their last two games against the Broncos (30-6) and Raiders (30-24) on the road.   

The Titans form surge has come to a grinding halt, crashing 42-6 to the Warriors and 30-8 to the Cowboys at home in the past fortnight.  

INS AND OUTS: The Knights get Bradman Best and Phoenix Crossland back. Lachlan Ilias has been named at halfback and AJ Brimson at centre for the Titans.  

KEY MATCH-UP: The incumbent Kiwis fullback, Keano Kini, will have a point to prove opposite the player likely to usurp him for the World Cup, Kalyn Ponga.  

HISTORY: The Knights have won four of their last six against the Titans, responding to twin losses – that played a big role in consigning them to the 2025 wooden spoon – with a 36-12 cruise at Magic Round this season.   

KEY STAT: Six of the last eight Knights-Titans encounters produced totals of 48-plus.  

VERDICT: After navigating some big injury setbacks, the Knights showed plenty of character on the road over the past fortnight to say in the Top 4 mix. Returning to Newcastle – where they boast five wins and a one-point loss to the Roosters from their past six – is a huge advantage.  

The Titans have barely fired a shot in the past two rounds after a very encouraging period. They’ve had their moments interstate this year, but the Zane Harrison injury really seems to knocked the wind out of their sails.  

Prediction: Back the Knights to Score Over 32.5 Total Points @ $1.95 

SGM: KNIGHTS WIN BY 21-30 / OVER 50.5 TOTAL POINTS / FRANCIS MANULELUUA ANYTIME TRYSCORER / KALYN PONGA ANYTIME TRYSCORER / PHILLIP SAMI ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $69.44 

The clash of the battling joint ventures sees the opponents travelling in opposite directions form-wise.   

FORM: The Tigers have lost seven straight, going into the Round 23 bye off a 16-13 defeat to Parramatta.   

After a string of plucky performances, the Dragons notched their third win of the season courtesy of a stunning 24-16 result against Cronulla last Sunday.  

INS AND OUTS: Wests Tigers have called up debutant centre Solomone Saukuru at the expense of Heamasi Makasini. Toby Couchman returns from concussion for the Dragons.   

KEY MATCH-UP: It hasn’t been the happiest season for Tigers fullback Jahream Bula. He needs to take on the game with the dogged Clint Gutherson sure to do just that for the Dragons.   

HISTORY: The Dragons have won six of their last eight against the Tigers, including a 24-10 victory in Round 18 at Kogarah.  

KEY STAT: The Tigers have scored more than 18 points just twice in their last eight meetings with the Dragons.  

VERDICT: The only match without a bearing on the finals is quite an unappetising one all round, though the Dragons’ recent upswing has been heartening to see and their players are having a genuine dig…which you would be hard-pressed to say about the bunch they’re facing this week.   

The Saints are the clear choice in a pick ’em, but the under looks the most reliable option with the Dragons managing more than 24 points just once this season and the Tigers being held to 13 or less in their last six games.  

Prediction: Back Under 47.5 Total Points @ $1.98 

SGM: DRAGONS WIN / HAMISH STEWART ANYTIME TRYSCORER / SETU TU ANYTIME TRYSCORER / SUNIA TURUVA ANYTIME TRYSCORER ADAM DOUEIHI ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $67.83