The second threadbare round of NRL matches unfolds this weekend ahead of the second State of Origin match, but all five fixtures have plenty riding on them.  

Thursday delivers a local Sydney derby, the focus will be on a deposed Origin captain on the Gold Coast on Friday, the Knights host the Roosters ahead of an all-Queensland clash on Saturday, and Souths and Canterbury square off in a fascinating Sunday duel.  

One of the NRL’s most ferocious derbies takes on an extra edge as Cronulla and St George Illawarra strive to bounce back from embarrassingly heavy defeats.  

The form the fifth-placed Sharks showed on a 5-1 run – culminating in impressive wins over Manly and Melbourne – has fallen apart via heavy-losses to an Origin-raving Roosters (42-16) in Gosford and at home to the Warriors (40-10) last Saturday.  

The Sharks trailed the Warriors just 12-10 at halftime but were completely overrun in the second stanza.  

Similarly, the 5-7 Dragons’ promising surge that encompassed strong wins over Brisbane and Newcastle has been completely negated by a humiliating 56-6 loss to the Dolphins in Round 14. 

KL Iro’s pec injury has been tempered by Ronaldo Mulitalo’s return from suspension, with Mawene Hiroti moving from wing to centre for the Sharks. 

Corey Allan comes in for the Dragons’ Queensland centre Valentine Holmes, while Tyrell Sloan is back on the wing after Christian Tuipolotu succumbed to injury again. Emre Guler and Hame Sele also come into the 17. 

The Sharks have dominated the rivalry in recent years, winning their last nine matches against the Saints – including a 20-10 result at home in Round 9 and a 38-10 drubbing in Wollongong last year.  

But with teams beaten by 40-plus points going 5-4 straight up since the start of 2025, the Dragons are compelling double-digit outsiders with both teams coming off a low base.  

Tip: Back the Dragons to Cover the Line (+10.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: SHARKS WIN / UNDER 46.5 TOTAL POINTS / TYRELL SLOAN ANYTIME TRYSCORER / WILLIAM KENNEDY ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $21.50 

Struggling Gold Coast hosts a Manly side led by Daly Cherry-Evans, who will have a point to prove to the Queensland Origin hierarchy.   

The rudderless, toothless Titans’ season already appears to be a write-off, losing eight of their last nine to sink to last place. They have the worst defence in the competition, conceding 36-plus in five of those losses – including last week’s 44-14 derby defeat to the Broncos.  

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Moeaki Fotuaika are in the Queensland side, but Beau Fermor was dropped by the Maroons and will line up against Manly. Klese Haas starts at lock and Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui comes onto the bench, along with debutant Josh Patston and Tuki Simpkins. 

Manly has been stuck in a win-loss pattern since Round 7 and have fallen out of the Top 8. After a comprehensive 34-6 victory over Brisbane in Round 13, the Sea Eagles were run down in golden point by struggling Newcastle after leading 16-0 at halftime.  

Tom Trbojevic and Jason Saab return for the Sea Eagles, softening the blow of Lehi Hopoate’s concussion. Siosiua Taukeiaho is also back, at the expense of Toafofoa Sipley.  

The clubs have split their last four meetings, but Manly came out on top in both 2024 encounters – 34-30 at Cbus Super Stadium and 38-8 at 4 Pines Park.  

The bonus presence of deposed Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans – who has been excellent at club level all year – is a huge factor here, while the likes of Haumole Olakau’atu and Tolu Koula will be licking their lips at the prospect of running at the NRL’s leakiest defence.  

Tip: Back the Sea Eagles to Win by 13+ @ $2.05 

SGM: SEA EAGLES WIN / OVER 51.5 TOTAL POINTS / TOMMY TALAU TO SCORE 2 OR MORE TRIES / ALOFIANA KHAN-PEREIRA TO SCORE 2 OR MORE TRIES @ $36.93 

Newcastle is vying to parlay a stunning comeback victory last weekend into a more permanent form turnaround when it welcomes an Origin-depleted Sydney Roosters side to McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.  

The Knights’ horrendous run – having lost eight of their previous 10 – looked set to continue last Thursday when they produced yet another scoreless first half against Manly.  

But some brilliance from Fletcher Sharpe and Fletcher Hunt saw Adam O’Brien’s battlers reel in a 16-point deficit, before Kalyn Ponga scored his first try of the season to seal a 26-22 victory in golden point. 

The 5-7 Roosters are 10th on the ladder but in good form, winning three of their last five – including a 42-16 thrashing of Cronulla without their Origin stars in between super-tight losses to the NRL’s top two teams, Canterbury (24-20) and Canberra (26-24). They are coming off the bye this week.  

Sharpe reverts to fullback with Ponga on Origin duty, while Jackson Hastings comes in at five-eighth for his first NRL appearance of the year. Tyson Frizell (concussion) is a big out, with Mat Croker to start at prop and Matt Arthur joining the interchange.  

Sam Walker is a huge inclusion for the Roosters after returning via NSW Cup last week. Hugo Savala goes to five-eighth and Sandon Smith drops to the bench.  

Origin quintet Angus Crichton, Connor Watson, Lindsay Collins and Spencer Leniua are unavailable. Dom Young and Zach Dockar-Clay are among the players to come in, along with Nat Butcher and Naufahu Whyte, who are both back from injury.  

The Roosters have won 13 of their last 15 against the Knights, though the sole clashes in 2023 and ’24 – both at Newcastle – were decided by two points.  

Rested from the bye, the Roosters’ previous showing without their rep contingent – along with the presence of Tedesco, Radley and the returning Walker – should be enough to get over the top of a Knights side that has been routinely awful for at least half a game throughout 2025.  

Tip: Back the Roosters to Win by 1-12 Points @ $2.90 

SGM: ROOSTERS WIN / OVER 43.5 TOTAL POINTS / MARK NAWQANITAWASE ANYTIME TRYSCORER / JAMES TEDESCO ANYTIME TRYSCORER / GREG MARZHEW ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $15.40 

The Dolphins have thrown down the gauntlet to the rest of the competition in recent weeks – and they can make further headway against an Origin-hit North Queensland side that has struggled to chalk up wins of late.  

The Cowboys have won just one of their last five, following up a nervy finish in a 32-28 victory over Wests Tigers (after leading 32-4) with a 38-14 loss in Melbourne last Friday.  

The Dolphins, meanwhile, bookended their Round 13 bye with a 44-8 demolition of depleted ladder leaders Canterbury and a 56-6 destruction of St George Illawarra to emerge as a genuine dark horse team.  

Isaiya Katoa is developing into one of the NRL’s most well-rounded halfbacks, while their speedy backline contingent is running riot.  

The Cowboys lose Tom Dearden, Reuben Cotter, Jeremiah Nanai and Reece Robson to Origin, while John Bateman and Viliami Vailea have copped suspensions.  

Murray Taulagi, Kai O’Donnell and Jason Taumalolo return from injury and Braidon Burns, halfback Jake Clifford, Thomas Mikaele and debutant Kaiden Lahrs also come in. 

Jake Averillo again goes to fullback for the Dolphins’ Queensland star Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Max Feagai slots in at centre. Ray Stone returns from injury in time to replace Max Plath (knee).  

The young rivalry is split two wins apiece, with the away team getting up on all four occasions. The Dolphins won in 32-22 in Townsville in 2023 and 28-26 last season; the Cowboys won the teams’ Suncorp Stadium clashes by 24-plus margins.  

Dearden’s absence, in particular, and the sizzling form of Dolphins linchpin Katoa shapes as one of several decisive factors in the visitors’ factor. Expect the away team trend to continue.  

Tip: Back the Dolphins to Cover the Line (-5.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: DOLPHINS WIN / OVER 49.5 TOTAL POINTS / HERBIE FARNWORTH ANYTIME TRYSCORER / KODI NIKORIMA ANYTIME TRYSCORER / SCOTT DRINKWATER ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $23.68 

The truncated round concludes on Sunday with a key clash between 12th-placed South Sydney and competition leader Canterbury.  

The 6-7 Rabbitohs have been travelling better than two losses in their past eight games would suggest. They rallied impressively with Latrell Mitchell on fire in a 36-30 loss to the Warriors, before surrendering a 12-0 lead in a 36-12 blowout at the hands of Canberra last Sunday.  

Jye Gray comes in at fullback for NSW gun Latrell Mitchell, while Jayden Sullivan and Jamie Humphreys team up in the halves with Cody Walker out. Davvy Moale comes onto the bench and Campbell Graham is in the reserves following a late withdrawal from the Canberra game.  

The Bulldogs improved to 10-2 on Monday, navigating the Lachlan Galvin club debut circus to surge late in a 30-12 victory over a plucky Parramatta outfit – scoring three tries in the last 20 minutes.  

Galvin will start at five-eighth with Matt Burton named 18th man for NSW. Jacob Kiraz moves to centre for Blues star Stephen Crichton and Blake Wilson comes in on the wing. Jacob Preston returns from suspension. Jake Turpin and Kurt Morrin join the bench with Max King and Kurt Mann on Origin duty. 

Souths have won six of their last eight against Canterbury, but the Bulldogs powered to a 32-0 statement win on Good Friday – with King picking up six Dally M Medal votes.  

The Bulldogs’ dreadful 44-8 loss to the Dolphins prior to the Origin series opener will be fresh in the mind, but there are a few more blue-and-white hands on deck this time around.  

In-form Keaon Koloamatangi and co. will aim to take advantage of a King-less Bulldogs pack, while the Galvin-Sexton versus Sullivan-Humphreys battle will be crucial. The Rabbitohs are 7.5-point outsiders but this should go down the wire.  

Tip: Back Either Team to Win by Less Than 10.5 Points @ $2.05 

SGM: RABBITOHS +7.5 / UNDER 46.5 TOTAL POINTS / BLAKE WILSON ANYTIME TRYSCORER / JYE GRAY @ $24.96  

2024

It’s a full deck of eight matches in NRL Round 15 with the Bulldogs the only team on the bye. 

The four Queensland teams all face key trips south of the border after last-start losses, while the Warriors are out to snap the competition’s longest-running hoodoo when they host the Storm in a Saturday night blockbuster. 

It’s a top-four showdown to kick off the round, but it doesn’t quite have that feel given Cronulla’s and the Dolphins’ recent stumbles. 

The Sharks bounced back from horrible back-to-back losses to Penrith and Parramatta with a gutsy 22-12 comeback upset of Brisbane last Saturday, despite the absence of NSW No.7 Nicho Hynes. 

Hynes returns this week, with Braydon Trindall retained in the halves over Daniel Atkinson. It’s a huge game for Hynes – under pressure to retain his Blues spot – while Jesse Ramien is auditioning for an Origin debut. 

The Dolphins went into the Round 14 bye on the back of two straight losses, a 24-20 defeat to severely depleted Warriors side and a 26-25 golden point loss to the Raiders at home. 

The Dolphins’ changes from Round 13 see Origin pair Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Felise Kaufusi return, along with injured Kodi Nikorima at the expense of Anthony Milford. 

The Sharks will have harsh memory pangs from their only meeting with the Dolphins to date, a 36-16 Magic Round thrashing at the hands of a team inspired by debuting centre Valynce Te Whare. 

This is only the Dolphins’ third interstate trip of 2024, coming away with a big win over the Eels in Darwin before their unsuccessful Auckland venture. The Sharks will be eager to atone for their 42-0 defeat to the Panthers in their last home outing after starting the year 4-0 in the Shire. 

The Sharks’ best should be too good for the visitors, but this shapes as being closer than the line suggests with the Dolphins only losing by more than four points once since Round 1. Nikorima is a big in, taking a big chunk of playmaking pressure off young gun Isaiya Katoa. 

Tip: Back the Dolphins to Cover the Line (+9.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: SHARKS BY 1-12 POINTS / UNDER 47.5 TOTAL POINTS / HAMISO TABUAI-FIDOW ANYTIME TRYSCORER / BRITON NIKORA ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $52.16 

Canberra is a narrow home favourite against a North Queensland side smarting from a 30-point loss in its own backyard. 

The fifth-placed Raiders have won three of their last four, responding to a heavy loss to the Roosters with a nerve-shredding golden point win in Redcliffe where Jordan Rapana stepped up to win the match with his boot. 

NSW Origin back-rower Hudson Young returns with Simi Sasagi dropping out of the side. 

The 12th-placed Cowboys produced a gallant 18-16 away win over the Roosters without their rep stars in Round 13. But they returned to their tackle-shy ways in an insipid 42-12 home loss to the Warriors last Saturday. 

Murray Taulagi and Reece Robson are back after sitting out last week’s beatdown with Origin injuries; Braidon Burns and Harrison Edwards are out of the 17. Jordan McLean also returns, while Jeremiah Nanai and Jason Taumalolo are named to start. 

The Cowboys are on a four-match winning streak against the Raiders, including a 19-18 eclipse in Round 1 in Townsville in their only meeting last yar. Five of the teams’ last six encounters were decided by six points or less and only one of those produced a total in excess of 38 points. 

The Raiders have conceded 84 points in losing their last two games at GIO Stadium, but expect a well-rested side to make a statement against the third-worst defensive outfit in the NRL. 

Tip: Back the Raiders to Cover the Line (-2.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: RAIDERS BY 11-20 POINTS / OVER 49.5 TOTAL POINTS / HUDSON YOUNG ANYTIME TRYSCORER / SCOTT DRINKWATER ANYTIME TRYSCORER / MATTHEW TIMOKO ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $85.58 

Somewhat counterintuitively, the heavyweight Brisbane Broncos come into this Friday night showdown under more pressure than the second-last South Sydney Rabbitohs. 

The Rabbitohs have finally gained some traction, recovering from a six-match losing streak and the sacking of their coach with back-to-back wins for the first time in more than a year either side of their Round 13 bye. 

After breaking the drought with a 42-26 win over the Eels, they were dominant in a 46-12 win on the Gold Coast. Controversial star Latrell Mitchell was hugely influential in both matches, as was Cody Walker with marquee buy alongside him in the halves. 

There’s more good news for Souths with Cameron Murray back from a six-week layoff; Siliva Havili is the player to make way. 

The Broncos, meanwhile, are coming off consecutive defeats straddling the Round 13 bye. They gave up leads at Suncorp Stadium in losses to both the Titans (36-34) and the Sharks (22-12), with a concussed Reece Walsh missing the latter clash and the Broncos missing impetus from their spine. 

The 2023 grand finalists have slipped to seventh with a 7-6 record and have some tough fixtures coming up through the Origin period – it’s a crucial two points up for grabs this week. 

Walsh remains sidelined with the Broncos’ only change seeing Xavier Willison coming in for Fletcher Baker on the bench. 

The Broncos have won four of their last five against Souths, including a 28-18 result at Suncorp Stadium in Round 2. Only one of the rivals’ last eight clashes have been decided by less than 10 points. 

Ignore their ladder positions and Souths’ overall 2024 struggles; the hosts are the value underdog of the round with Mitchell nearing his best again and chasing a NSW jersey, and the Broncos lamenting the absence of their No.1 spearhead. 

Tip: Back the Rabbitohs to Cover the Line (+4.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: RABBITOHS WIN / OVER 49.5 TOTAL POINTS / ALEX JOHNSTON ANYTIME TRYSCORER / SELWYN COBBO ANYTIME TRYSCORER / LATRELL MITCHELL/TAANE MILNE TO HAVE 1+ TRIES COMBINED @ $21.61 

An encounter far more likely to have a bearing on the wooden spoon battle than the Top 8 race, Wests Tigers and Gold Coast are both desperate for a win at Leichhardt Oval this Saturday. 

After early-season signs of improvement and at least showing heart when the wins dried up, the Tigers have rocketed into favouritism to finish last for the third year in a row with nine straight losses. They have conceded 98 points in their past two games. 

The Tigers scored two early tries against the Dragons last Friday but let in eight during a diabolical second-half display to lose 56-14. All-too-familiar stories of discontent are seeping out of Concord. 

An injury crisis in the halves has seen Api Koroisau named at halfback with Tallyn Da Silva getting a start at hooker, though Adam Doueihi has made his way onto the reserves list. Brent Naden comes into the starting backline for Solomon Alaimalo (head knock). 

The Titans’ graft back to credibility – including wins over the Warriors, Cowboys and Broncos in a five-game stretch – hit a big snag at home in Round 14 via a 46-12 defeat to the Rabbitohs. 

Phil Sami is back from injury, with Beau Fermor reverting from centre to back-row. Jacob Alick drops out. 

The Titans are on a five-match winning streak against the Tigers, including a 22-10 win at Leicchardt and a 28-12 victory on the Gold Coast in 2023. 

While both teams were awful last week, the Titans at least have some decent form on the board over the past couple of months. The Tigers will look to the Leichhardt factor to inspire a turnaround, but the reality is they are a modest 5-9 at their spiritual home since 2019. 

Tip: Back Titans/Titans Half-Time/Full-Time Double @ $2.00 

SGM: TITANS WIN / TIGERS UNDER 22.5 TOTAL POINTS / DAVID FIFITA TO SCORE 2 OR MORE TRIES / BRIAN KELLY ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $54.92 

The resurgent Warriors won’t get many better opportunities to end their nine-year hoodoo against Melbourne Storm, who are battling a slew of backline injuries. 

The Warriors’ 15-match losing streak against the Storm – the longest between any two teams in the past 50 years – is well-documented. They fell agonisingly short at AAMI Park in Round 2, conceding two tries in the last three minutes of a 30-26 loss after fighting back from 18-6 down. 

Five matches of the current streak were played at Mt Smart, most recently a 24-12 result in late-2022. 

The Warriors followed up their remarkable backs-to-the-wall wins over the Panthers and Dolphins with a 42-12 drubbing of the Cowboys in Townsville, welcoming back six first-choice stars. 

Te Maire Martin again starred in his role as No.7 fill-in, while Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Rocco Berry picked up doubles in their return, and an engine-room spearheaded by Fonua-Blake, Barnett, Niukore and new prop Ford completely dominated their Cowboys counterparts. 

Shaun Johnson’s return is the only change to the starting line-up, while Chanel Harris-Tavita takes up the bench utility spot and Freddy Lussick drops out. 

The Storm sit atop the NRL ladder despite being yet to really hit their straps in 2024. They came off a loss to Manly and a Round 13 bye to hold off Newcastle 36-28 at home last Sunday, with Nick Meaney and stand-in five-eighth Tyran Wishart scoring two tries apiece. 

Dean Ieremia replaces Reimis Smith (head knock) in the centres, while Ryan Papenhuyzen, Will Warbrick and Cameron Munster remain sidelined. 

The Warriors haven’t been overly impressive at Mt Smart this year in crafting a 2-1-2 record, though the shorthanded comeback win over the Dolphins in their last home game represented a significant form reversal as hosts. The Storm are 3-2 on the road (including a Magic Round over the Eels) in 2024. 

There’s plenty of conjecture around how Shaun Johnson will slot back into a revitalised Warriors line-up. But the return of the only survivor from their last win over the Storm can only help in this bogey-busting mission. They should do it in style if their pack replicates last week’s performance. 

Tip: Back the Warriors to Win @ $1.90 

SGM: WARRIORS BY 1-12 POINTS / UNDER 45.5 TOTAL POINTS / MARCELO MONTOYA ANYTIME TRYSCORER / ELIESA KATOA ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $57.55 

Parramatta’s hopes of continuing a post-Moses-return revival hit a disappointing roadblock in Round 14 and now host a Sydney Roosters outfit striving to keep pace with the top four. 

The Eels carved out a 34-22 win over the Sharks in Moses’ (and Clint Gutherson’s) first game back after losing their previous five. They still looked muchbetter with their linchpin on deck against the Bulldogs, but failing to put their injury-stricken opponents away from 18-10 up was bitterly disappointing. 

They let in two tries in the last 13 minutes to lose 22-18, leaving the Eels in 14th with a 4-9 record. 

Late Round 14 withdrawal Maika Sivo is back on deck, but Queensland debutant J’maine Hopgood is in doubt despite being named in the No.13. Daejarn Asi goes back to the bench and Wiremu Greig drops out. 

The sixth-placed Roosters have lost two of their last three, blowing a 16-4 second-half lead at home to a second-string Cowboys line-up in Round 13 before regrouping on the bye. 

In the premiership race up to their eyeballs, the Roosters are still searching for consistency – and these are the sorts of games they have to start banking routinely. 

Junior Pauga remains in the backline for the suspended Joseph Sua’ali’i, but the rest of the Roosters’ Origin contingent are back. Sitili Tupouniua, Blake Steep and Siua Wong drop out, while Connor Watson (throat) is back for the sanctioned Brandon Smith. 

The Roosters have won 15 of their last 20 against the Eels, including four of the last five. Last season the Tricolours saluted 28-20 at Allianz and 34-12 at CommBank. 

The Eels have won 11 of their last 15 at CommBank and are 4-2 in 2024. Moses’ NSW Origin bid adds another fascinating element to this showdown. The $1.48 Roosters have too many attacking weapons to be denied, however, with James Tedesco and Angus Crichton especially big ins. 

Tip: Back the Roosters to Win by 1-12 Points @ $3.00 

SGM: ROOSTERS WIN / UNDER 51.5 TOTAL POINTS / CLINT GUTHERSON ANYTIME TRYSCORER / FETALAIGA PAUGA ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $32.76 

A huge opportunity to stake a Top 8 claim at 4 Pines Park as the 11th-placed Manly Sea Eagles look to leapfrog the in-form, ninth-placed St George Illawarra Dragons. 

Champion Maroons Daly Cherry-Evans and Ben Hunt go head to head in the No.7 jumpers, while Anthony Seibold and his 2023 assistant Shane Flanagan are in opposing boxes. 

Manly has lost four of its last five, following up a high-quality 26-20 win over Melbourne at home and the bye with a 32-22 loss at Penrith last Sunday. Winger Tommy Talau scored four tries in a losing effort. 

Nathan Brown will start at prop for the suspended Josh Aloiai, with Ethan Bullemor joining the Sea Eagles’ bench. 

The Dragons have won three of their last four, with only a horrific second-half capitulation to the Bulldogs against their name. Since then, they’ve run down the Panthers 22-10 on the road with Origin players out and demolished the Tigers 56-14 after another slow start. 

Zac Lomax piled on 32 points just two days after his Origin debut. The Saints go in unchanged this week. 

The Dragons are searching for a repeat of their 20-10 upset at Wollongong in Round 4, their eighth win from their last 11 against the Sea Eagles. This is the joint venture’s first visit to Brookvale since 2019, having lost five of their last six there. 

The Saints’ win at Penrith was a reversal of some generally underwhelming away form in 2024 and they’re an enticing $2.60 underdog here, despite the Sea Eagles’ 4-1 home record this season. 

Tip: Back the Dragons to Cover the Line (+5.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: DRAGONS WIN / UNDER 51.5 TOTAL POINTS / ZAC LOMAX ANYTIME TRYSCORER / TOLUTAU KOULA ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $26.36 

Newcastle is endeavouring to stay in touch with the Top 8 after back-to-back losses, but a visit from the premiers has them installed as $3.90 home underdogs. 

The Knights won four straight before the Round 12 bye but hit the skids with a dreadful 32-2 defeat to the Bulldogs at home. There was some improvement last Sunday in a 36-28 loss in Melbourne, but conceding three tries in 12 minutes midway through the second half put paid to their upset bid. 

Bradman Best returns from injury in time to audition for Origin II, while Fletcher Sharpe keeps the fullback spot ahead of David Armstrong. Daniel Saifiti is again named on the bench after pulling out last week. 

Forging on with Nathan Cleary in the casualty ward, the Panthers bounced back from an Origin-depleted 22-10 loss to the Dragons with a solid 32-22 victory against Manly. Brian To’o bagged a first-half hat-trick before the Panthers dominated the majority of the second stanza. 

Dylan Edwards is set to return from the quad injury that nixed his Origin debut. Liam Martin is in the reserves and could come back into the side in a late change. 

The Knights have won just one of their last 14 against the Panthers, though the premiers needed some Nathan Cleary heroics to get home in Newcastle 16-15 in Round 7 last year while the Round 17 clash at Penrith was a hard-fought 20-12 result. 

Jarome Luai and Edwards are looking to lock down Blues jerseys and will lead the way against a Knights side lacking a bit of direction and authority in key positions after an initial post-Ponga-injury spike. 

Tip: Back the Panthers to Cover the Line (-10.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: PANTHERS BY 11-20 POINTS / OVER 45.5 TOTAL POINTS / DYLAN EDWARDS ANYTIME TRYSCORER / GREG MARZHEW ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $24.26 

2023

NRL Round 15 features a full deck of eight matches – including three clashes where teams have an opportunity to leapfrog their opponents on a congested ladder. 

Huge Origin auditions and 300-game celebrations add an extra edge to the weekend’s schedule of hard-to-gauge encounters. 

Thursday’s Round 15 opener has a do-or-die feel about it for both teams. 

The 5-7 Gold Coast Titans are on a three-match losing streak, with their alarming second-half drop-offs coming home to roost.

Before their Round 13 bye, they blew a 14-point lead against Canterbury, then conceded the first five tries after halftime in a 46-28 loss to South Sydney last Saturday. 

The Titans have comfortably the worst defence in the NRL, leaking almost 28 points per game. 

The 3-9 Wests Tigers were edged 20-19 by Canberra courtesy of a late penalty goal, after staging an incredible comeback from 18-0 down with 12 minutes remaining. 

Though a disappointing follow-up to their 66-18 annihilation of the Cowboys, it was another example of the Tigers’ grit – conceding just 16.4 points per game in their last five outings. 

The Titans are without David Fifita (head knock) and Chris Randall (suspension), but AJ Brimson and Brian Kelly return to bolster the backline. Sam Verrills moves into the starting line-up with Kruise Leeming joining the bench along with Jaimin Jolliffe. 

The Titans are on a four-match winning streak against the Tigers, including a Round 1 upset at Leichhardt Oval, getting up 22-10. The Tigers have a 5-6 record against the Titans at Cbus Super Stadium 

Gold Coast is only a narrow home favourite, losing its last two at Cbus Super Stadium by 17-plus points after starting the year 2-0 at their Robina headquarters.

The resolve, cohesion and individual improvement the Tigers have found in recent weeks should be enough for them to take the two points. 

Tip: Back Wests Tigers to Win @ $2.00 

SGM: UNDER 46.5 TOTAL POINTS / JUNIOR TUPOU ANYTIME TRYSCORER / BRIAN KELLY ANYTIME TRYSCORER / STARFORD TO’A ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $51.74 

This vital clash between sixth-placed Canberra and the seventh-placed Warriors will be played against the backdrop of Jarrod Croker’s 300th NRL game – though the club legend’s milestone has inadvertently been affected by some negative publicity. 

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart’s contentious decision to rest Croker last week in order to play his 300th at home put pressure on his side, who blew an 18-0 lead with 12 minutes left against Wests Tigers before escaping with a 20-19 win thanks to a fortuitous late penalty goal. 

It was the Green Machine’s seventh win from eight games – with all seven coming by eight points or less. Jamal Fogarty was the star against the Tigers, his boot producing all three Raiders tries, two of which he scored himself. 

Croker’s return sees Albert Hopoate move back to the wing and Nick Cotric go to the bench, while Elliott Whitehead (suspension) and fullback Seb Kris (head knock) are back.

Corey Horsburgh, who is chasing a Queensland Origin debut, reverts to lock. 

After muddling their way through the first 50 minutes last week against a weakened Dolphins side, the Warriors romped to their biggest win of 2023 after Shaun Johnson’s second dazzling solo try opened the floodgates for just their second victory in six games. 

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Addin Fonua-Blake, Wayde Egan and the returning Mitch Barnett were also outstanding, but the Warriors need to ice their early opportunities. 

With centre Rocco Berry out due to concussion, coach Andrew Webster has thrown a debut to 20-year-old Ali Leiataua – who is likely to line up against Canberra powerhouse Matt Timoko. 

The teams’ last 10 clashes have been split five apiece.

Last season Johnson kicked a golden point field goal in a 21-20 result in Round 8 in Redcliffe after a controversial late penalty foiled the Raiders, who prevailed 26-14 in Canberra in Round 19. 

The Warriors have won three of their last four at GIO Stadium. They are also 9-4 against the line in 2023. The Raiders are 3-2 at home this season and 6-7 against the line overall. 

Canberra’s inability to put an 80-minute performance together opens the door for an upset for the more composed, defensively disciplined Warriors, who have found a knack of piling on quick points of late.

Five of their last 10 clashes were decided by four or less and this has the makings of a cliff-hanger. 

Tip: Back the Warriors to Cover the Line (+5.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: EITHER TEAM BY LESS THAN 6.5 POINTS / OVER 43.5 POINTS / DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK ANYTIME TRYSCORER / JORDAN RAPANA ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $20.05 

A pivotal match in both teams’ seasons, with 10th-placed, 5-1-6 Manly Sea Eagles sitting just one point behind the eighth-placed, 7-6 Dolphins on the NRL ladder. 

Manly is coming off the bye, having won only one of their last five matches.

The Sea Eagles thrashed Canberra 42-14 on the road in round 12 before a side missing Daly Cherry-Evans, and Tom and Jake Trbojevic went down 28-18 in Newcastle. 

Origin stars DCE and ‘Turbo’ are back on deck, but Jake is sidelined by injury.

In a further backline reshuffle, Reuben Garrick takes Brad Parker’s place at centre and Christian Tuipulotu comes onto the wing. Josh Aloiai also returns from injury on the bench. 

The depleted Dolphins’ 30-8 loss to the Warriors last Saturday – after trailing by just two 50 minutes in – kept alive their run of failing to win back-to-back games since their 3-0 start.

They are looking to avoid consecutive games for the first time since Round 5. 

The return of Origin hero Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow at fullback allows Kodi Nikorima to go back to five-eighth for the suspended Anthony Milford and late Round 14 withdrawal Jeremy Marshall-King boosts their bid to do that. 

Jarrod Wallace’s suspension further erodes their forward depth with Tom Gilbert devastatingly ruled out for the year. Poasa Faamausili and Kurt Donoghoe come into the side this week. 

The Sea Eagles have lost their last two at 4 Pines Park and are difficult to get on board with as an 8.5-point favourite.

Meanwhile, four of the five matches at the Brookvale venue have produced 37 points or less. 

The hyphenated additions to the Dolphins’ line-up – combined with the form of the likes of Jamayne Isaako, who has five tries in his last three games – should ensure the visitors go very close to a head-to-head upset in this one. 

Tip: Back Under 45.5 Total Points @ $1.90 

SGM: DOLPHINS +8.5 / DOLPHINS OVER 17.5 TOTAL POINTS / JAMAYNE ISAAKO ANYTIME TRYSCORER / HAUMOLE OLAKAU’ATU ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $12.76 

South Sydney get a key opportunity to start putting another winning streak together against last-placed St George Illawarra, but the Rabbitohs will again be without Latrell Mitchell, on top of injured forwards Cameron Murray and Jai Arrow. 

Souths halted a two-game slide with a 46-28 win on the Gold Coast, surging with five unanswered second-half tries.

Alex Johnston bagged a hat-trick, while NSW contender Campbell Graham returned with a try. Another Blues hopeful, Cody Walker, was also in great touch. 

Jed Cartwright and Siliva Havili have been added to the bench for Murray and Arrow. 

The Dragons have lost eight of their last nine but improved markedly on their flat 26-12 loss to the Dolphins in Round 13 with a tight 26-18 defeat to Penrith last Sunday.

It again emphasised Origin star Ben Hunt’s importance to the club – the Red V are a different team with him calling the shots. 

Jack de Belin (head knock) is out this week, replaced at lock by Ben Murdoch-Masila with Zane Musgrove coming onto the bench, while Jack Bird and Blake Lawrie have been named in the reserves. 

The Saints snapped an eight-match losing run against Souths with a stunning 32-12 win in Wollongong in Round 15 last year, with Jason Demetriou infamously hooking halfback Lachlan Ilias as the Dragons raced to a six-try (including a Mikaele Ravalawa double), 32-0 halftime lead. 

It’s a banana-skin game again for the depleted Rabbitohs, while the Dragons have a 2-1 record at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in 2023.

The over may be the best play here, though with all three fixtures at the ground producing 46-plus points and Souths’ last three games all offering up 50 or more. 

Tip: Back Over 45.5 Total Points @ $1.90 

SGM: RABBITOHS BY 1-12 / CODY WALKER ANYTIME TRYSCORER / TYRELL SLOAN ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $15.77 

Brisbane is navigating the Origin period superbly so far, despite their five-player contribution to the series opener and the fact they are yet to enjoy a bye this season. 

The Broncos carved out a brave, Adam Reynolds-inspired 26-22 win over the Warriors in New Zealand minus their rep contingent, while four Origin players backed up – with Payne Haas, Patrick Carrigan and Reece Walsh outstanding – for a highly impressive 20-12 away upset of Cronulla. 

Kotoni Staggs also produced a barnstorming display as the Broncos’ ability to go the length of the field came to the fore, but it was a gallant defensive effort that underpinned their first win over a fellow top-six team since Round 1. 

Unfancied Newcastle is hovering just a point outside the Top 8, bookending a 26-6 loss to the Sharks at Coffs Harbour with home wins over the Titans (46-26) and Sea Eagles (28-18) before taking a bye last weekend. 

The Knights made tough work of it against Origin- and injury-depleted Manly, but the positive takeaway was the performance of hat-trick hero Greg Marzhew and fellow dynamic outside backs Bradman Best and Dom Young.

Kalyn Ponga’s return to fullback has improved the balance of the side. 

Maroons winger Selwyn Cobbo returns after being rested by the Broncos last week, with Jesse Arthars left out.

The Knights’ sole Origin rep, Tyson Frizell, is back on deck, while Kurt Mann takes Lachie Miller’s bench spot. 

The Broncos boast 13 wins and a draw from their last 19 against the Knights, winning the last three in a row.

Last season they cruised to wins away (36-12) and at home (28-10) with Selwyn Cobbo scoring five tries across the two games. 

The Knights haven’t won away from Newcastle since a Round 2 eclipse of the Tigers at Leichhardt.

The Broncos have lost three of their last four at Suncorp Stadium, but they have arguably reclaimed the mantle as the NRL’s form team in the past fortnight and are unsurprisingly the shortest favourites of Round 15. 

Tip: Back the Broncos to Win by 13+ @ $1.90 

SGM: BRONCOS BY 11-20 / OVER 43.5 POINTS / GREG MARZHEW ANYTIME TRYSCORER / KOTONI STAGGS ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $27.93 

Sydney Roosters were trounced 48-4 at Penrith just four weeks ago, but the overriding storyline of the Allianz Stadium return clash is Nathan Cleary’s hamstring injury. 

The Roosters subsequently went down in the last minute to lowly St George Illawarra, but they came out of the bye with a desperately needed 25-24 eclipse of Canterbury last Sunday. 

James Tedesco and Luke Keary were outstanding in both cliff-hangers, the skipper making a mockery of post-Origin criticism with his best game of the year in Round 14 and Keary slotting his second match-winning field goal of the season. 

The Panthers have worked their way to the top run of the NRL ladder with four straight wins, but with Cleary exiting early and a host of other stars backing up from Origin they only closed out a 26-18 win over the last-placed Dragons in the dying minutes. 

It was only the second time this season the dual premiers have conceded more than 17 points. 

Jack Cogger, who came off the bench against the Saints, is set to get a six-week opportunity in the No.7 jersey.

Jaeman Salmon returns to the interchange this week, but the Panthers will look to Jarome Luai, Isaah Yeo and Dylan Edwards to lead them through this Cleary-less stretch. 

The Roosters have lost Joseph Suaalii to suspension but Daniel Tupou is back from injury, with Corey Allan shifting from wing to centre. 

Their Round 11 encounter was the Roosters’ seventh straight loss to the Panthers – though Cleary was on deck for six of those. 

The Roosters are getting a tempting 5.5 points at the line but have covered in just one of their last eight.

Penrith managed to win eight of their 10 games without Cleary last season and still have to be favoured to get the result here without their linchpin. 

Tip: Back the Panthers to Win by 1-12 @ $2.75 

SGM: EITHER TEAM BY LESS THAN 10.5 POINTS / UNDER 39.5 POINTS / BRIAN TO’O ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $7.85 

A fifth-hosting-fourth blockbuster sees Melbourne and Cronulla both coming off jarring Round 14 losses. 

After winning five of their previous six, the Sharks were outmuscled and exposed on the edges in a 20-12 defeat to a Brisbane side shouldering a heavy Origin load.

Several chances fell by the wayside in the second half and they only found their second try of the match in the dying minutes. 

The Storm produced clinical 24-16 wins over the Broncos and Dolphins prior to the Round 13 bye, so their 45-20 loss to the struggling Cowboys in Townsville came out of nowhere, as the Storm conceded their most points in a game since 2003. 

The Storm will be without a concussed Justin Olam, which sees Grant Anderson come in to mark Jesse Ramien, while Tariq Sims joins the bench.

Cronulla gets Cameron McInnes back on the bench at Thomas Hazelton’s expense in their only change. 

Nicho Hynes’ pursuit of a starting halves spot for NSW adds another layer of intrigue to this clash – particularly with Queensland talisman Cameron Munster, who stood Hynes up to lay on the go-ahead try in the series opener, in the Storm side. 

The Sharks snapped a five-match losing streak against the Storm with a 28-6 result at home in Round 17 last year, with Origin players out for the Storm and Hynes missing for the hosts. 

Cronulla has a 2-11 record at AAMI Park, last winning there in 2018. But a lack of consistency have been an unfamiliar hallmark of Melbourne’s season and the Sharks are an enticing underdog with a 4.5-point start. 

But the under – with 12 of the last 16 games between these sides producing 38 points or less – looks one of the sharpest options on offer in this blockbuster. 

Tip: Back Under 44.5 Total Points @ $1.90 

SGM: SHARKS +4.5 / STORM UNDER 23.5 TOTAL POINTS / JAHROME HUGHES ANYTIME TRYSCORER / SIONE KATOA ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $20.48 

A Monday holiday showdown at Accor Stadium to close out the round, with both sides striving to stay in touch with the Top 8.

The 12th-placed, 6-7 Eels could finish the weekend in the Top 8 if other results fall their way, while the Bulldogs may be as many as three wins adrift with a loss. 

Canterbury has won only two of its last eight, but there have been positive signs in the last couple of outings.

After hauling in a 14-point deficit to pip Gold Coast in Round 12, the Bulldogs were run down late in a 25-24 defeat to Sydney Roosters last Sunday. 

Josh Addo-Carr (two tries, one try assist) and Tevita Pangai Jr (191 metres) shone backing up from Origin, while Matt Burton’s class ensures the Bulldogs are a chance any time they take the field. 

Patchy Parramatta went into the bye on the back of a stunning 36-16 turning-point win over streaking Souths and a 24-16 defat of an Origin-depleted North Queensland side. 

The off-field charges laid against in-form Dylan Brown shapes as a disruption for the Eels, but Reagan Campbell-Gillard is a huge in this week and Andrew Davey also bolsters a pack still missing Ryan Matterson, and now Wiremu Greig and Joe Ofahengaue. 

The Bulldogs have applied for an exemption for Reed Mahoney (head knock) to play, while Jacob Kiraz returns on the wing for Blake Wilson. 

Parramatta has won 12 of its last 15 against Canterbury, including a 30-4 drubbing in Round 7 – the fifth straight match between the clubs (the Eels winning four of those) decided by 22-plus points. 

Closing out games hasn’t been the Bulldogs’ forte, but they have been largely competitive and shape as a solid option with a sizeable start. 

Tip: Back the Bulldogs to Cover the Line (+9.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: PARRAMATTA BY 1-10 / OVER 43.5 POINTS / CLINT GUTHERSON ANYTIME TRYSCORER / JAKE AVERILLO ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $27.77 

2022

A top-four blockbuster between Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos (albeit with an injury caveat) headlines the NRL Round 15 action.

Elsewhere, the rejuvenated Canterbury Bulldogs will look to land another blow in the wooden spoon battle when they face Wests Tigers, while Parramatta Eels will be desperate to bounce back from their Monday shocker as they take on Sydney Roosters.

With State of Origin Game 2 on the horizon, players will be keen to push their cases this weekend so read on for our full NRL Round 15 Preview and best bets.

On the surface, St George Illawarra’s 6-7 record and 10th-place standing doesn’t look all that bad, after all, they’re only a win outside the eight and theoretically very much in NRL finals contention.

But a gutsy Anzac Day victory over the Roosters aside, the Saints have unmistakably made their bones by picking off low-hanging fruit.

After unimpressive wins over the Warriors and Bulldogs, the Dragons were trounced 31-12 by an Origin-weary Cowboys side last Friday.

Their 24 points per game conceded is woeful given the relatively soft nature of their draw.

South Sydney improved to 7-6 and seventh on the ladder with just their second back-to-back wins of 2022 last weekend, but like the Dragons, the Rabbitohs’ only win over a Top 8 team was against the Roosters early on.

Souths were too strong for the Tigers (44-18) and Titans (30-16) either side of the bye with Alex Johnston bagging a hat-trick in both.

The Rabbitohs’ 24-12 win in Round 5 – with – was their eighth straight against the Dragons in a match that saw Latrell Mitchell succumb to a costly injury, however Damien Cook and Keaon Kolomatangi played starring roles.

Mikaele Ravalawa and Mat Feagai return on the wings for St George Illawarra, while NSW forward Tariq Sims returns with Josh McGuire out injured.

Souths’ only change sees Blake Taafe come onto the bench for Peter Mamouzelos.

The Rabbitohs haven’t been overly impressive but there were some disturbing signs for the Saints last week.

Souths rank fifth in the NRL for run metres whereas the Dragons are 13th; that likely platform should be enough for the visitors to get up comfortably.

Tip: Back the Rabbitohs to Cover the Line (-6.5 Points) @ $2.00

SGM: RABBITOHS WIN / OVER 44.5 POINTS / ALEX JOHNSTON FIRST, SECOND OR THIRD TRY SCORER @ $7.33

The 7-7 Manly Sea Eagles are ninth and keeping their heads above water by winning the games they should – but Des Hasler’s side have done little to shed the ‘flat-track bully’ tag they were branded with in 2021.

The Sea Eagles’ emphatic wins over the Warriors (44-12) and Tigers (30-4) in the past fortnight – both without Daly Cherry-Evans – were impressive, but they are yet to beat a Top 8 team this season.

Just one of their losses has come by less than 12 points, illustrating how far behind the finals-contending pace they truly are.

Third-placed North Queensland Cowboys, meanwhile, continue to prove they are the real deal in 2022. Despite a host of Origin absentees they pounded the Titans (32-6) and Dragons (31-12) in their last two games.

Taking out the Round 12 loss at Penrith, the Cowboys’ last seven wins have come by a combined 236 points to 56.

Heilum Luki’s season-ending injury is a bitter blow and Tom Gilbert is also out this week, but Origin forwards Reuben Cotter and Jeremiah Nanai return for the Cowboys, but Luciano Leilua is not available until next week.

Daly Cherry-Evans comes back for Manly, which sends Josh Schuster to the bench.

Manly has won its last four against North Queensland, including a pair of landslide results in 2021 – 50-16 at Brookvale in Round 14 and 46-18 in Townsville in the final round, but this Cowboys incarnation is an entirely different prospect.

It’s an ideal barometer for the Sea Eagles, who can take some confidence from a 4-0 record at 4 Pines Park this year (albeit against the Bulldogs, Titans, Tigers and Warriors). But the Cowboys – 11-3 against the start this season – are very tough to back against.

Tip: Back the Cowboys to Cover the Line (-4 Points) @ $2.00

SGM: COWBOYS/COWBOYS HALF-TIME/FULL-TIME / OVER 42.5 POINTS / JEREMIAH NANAI ANYTIME TRY SCORER / MORGAN HARPER ANYTIME TRY SCORER @ $35.45

Short-handed Melbourne grafted out a 26-18 win over Sydney Roosters at the SCG last Saturday to improve to 11-3, with backline fill-ins Grant Anderson and Marion Seve both bagging doubles.

With Xavier Coates and Reimis Smith out for the medium-term, the pair retain their places this week – though Ryan Papenhuyzen’s inclusion in the reserves could see Nick Meaney revert to the wing in a late change, however at the time of writing the Storm’s named an unchanged 17.

Brisbane made another statement to extend its winning streak to seven matches, outlasting in-form Canberra 24-18 despite a host of injury problems and Origin absentees, but they will have to deal with the absences of Adam Reynolds, Herbie Farnworth and Cory Paix.

Origin guns Selwyn Cobbo, Kurt Capewell and Kotoni Staggs return, while Payne Haas has been cleared to play, journeyman Tyrone Roberts fills the No.7 hotseat in the halves alongside outstanding rookie Ezra Mam.

The Storm have won 27 of their last 31 against the Broncos. Somewhat encouragingly for the Broncos, their last three wins in the rivalry came at AAMI Park.

But they have conceded 40-plus points in their last four against the Storm, losing by margins of 28 or more.

Reynolds’ rib injury is a real shame for the Broncos, who are as well-placed as any stage of recent years to break their Storm bogey.

They are also chasing eight straight wins for the first time since 2015, nevertheless, an 18-point line is a bit of an insult to Kevvie Walters’ charges during a section of the season where the Storm can be vulnerable.

Tip: Back the Broncos to Cover the Line (+18 Points) @ $2.00

SGM: 41-50 POINTS / SELWYN COBBO ANYTIME TRY SCORER / JAHROME HUGHES ANYTIME TRY SCORER @ $30.13

Cronulla is yet to prove it can match it with the NRL’s top and second-tier contenders, having been stuck in a win-loss pattern since Round 5, while their only win over a team currently in the Top 8 was against the Eels in Round 2.

Last week’s 38-16 win over the embattled Warriors – fighting back from an early 12-point deficit – saw Sione Katoa and Ronaldo Mulitalo combine for five tries but told us little about the Sharks’ credentials.

However, they are adept at beating up on low-quality opposition…and the last-placed Gold Coast Titans fit very much into that category.

The 3-11 Titans have slipped to last on the NRL ladder after their ninth loss in 10 games, a 30-16 home defeat to the Rabbitohs. Justin Holbrook’s confidence-stricken side has the 14th-ranked defence and 13th-ranked attack.

AJ Brimson returns at fullback for Gold Coast after a week in COVID protocols, while Dale Finucane is in Cronulla’s extended reserves and could push into an unchanged 17.

Cronulla extended its winning streak against Gold Coast to seven matches with a 25-18 victory in Round 11. Expect the result to be considerably more convincing this time around in the Sharks’ backyard.

Tip: Back the Sharks to win by 13+ @ $1.90

SGM: SHARKS BY 21-30 / OVER 44 POINTS / JESSE RAMIEN ANYTIME TRY SCORER @ $15.04

The immediate signs of improvement following Nathan Brown’s exit were minor at best, with the Warriors racing to a 12-0 lead over Cronulla before crumbling in trademark fashion to lose 38-16.

Untimely errors and shabby edge defence were the familiar catalysts for the Warriors’ eighth loss in nine games.

But Stacey Jones has rung the changes this week, handing hyped half Ronald Volkman a debut and relegating Chanel Harris-Tavita a bench utility role.

Meanwhile, Jesse Arthars mercifully returns at centre for the struggling Rocco Berry and Addin Fonua-Blake looks likely to come back after being named in the reserves.

The bad news is the Warriors are hosting a Penrith side on an absolute rampage. Chastened from a tough night out in the Origin series opener, Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai toyed with Newcastle in a 42-6 drubbing on Sunday.

The Panthers are an eye-watering 13-1 with all but one of their wins coming by 12-plus margins and Isaah Yeo is back after being rested from the Knights clash.

The Panthers have won their last four against the Warriors, but the last two clashes witnessed arguably the Warriors’ gutsiest performances of the previous two seasons.

They held the runaway premiers to 18-12 in 2020 and got off to a flyer in Round 18 last year and lost only 30-16 despite a raft of injuries.

Some are clambering to predict a record-breaking scoreline on Saturday night – and the Warriors’ NRL-worst defensive record (28 points per game conceding) makes for horrific reading.

The Panthers’ outside backs will be licking their lips at the prospect of steaming through the custom-made gaps on the Warriors’ fringes.

The Panthers haven’t posted more than 42 points this season, but it will take a significant lift from the Warriors to merely cover one of the biggest lines of the 2022 campaign.

Tip: Back the Panthers to Score Over 33.5 Points @ $1.78

SGM: PANTHERS -25.5 / OVER 44.5 POINTS / STEPHEN CRICHTON TO SCORE 2 OR MORE TRIES @ $10.59

Few teams are under the microscope in Round 15 quite like Parramatta. The Eels inexplicably crashed to a 34-4 loss to the lowly Bulldogs as 18.5-point favourites, outgunned in almost every facet of the game.

The blue-and-golds are infuriatingly enigmatic – capable of beating Melbourne and Penrith, but flaking out against wooden spoon contenders.

However, they are yet to lose back-to-back in 2022 and Brad Arthur’s unchanged line-up will be clinging to that fact this week.

The 7-7 Sydney Roosters aren’t exactly flying, either having won only one of their last four and went down at home to a depleted Storm 26-18 last Saturday. Sam Verrills returns at hooker, while Luke Keary has been named despite concussion concerns.

The Roosters’ 31-24 victory in Magic Round was their sixth from their last seven clashes with the Eels.

Mitchell Moses’ solo brilliance shone in a beaten side, while Sam Walker and James Tedesco did enough to get the Roosters over the line as underdogs.

The Eels start as favourites again this week, which is not a good spot for them. They are just 5-6 overall as favourites in 2022 – and only 3-8 against the line. The Roosters’ form this season has largely swung on the Walker-Keary combination’s cohesion, which has been less than reliable.

It’s very difficult to get a good read on this one, other than to say it’s likely to down to wire.

Tip: Back Either Team to Win by Less Than 6.5 Points @ $2.60

SGM: ROOSTERS +7.5 / OVER 42.5 POINTS / JAMES TEDESCO ANYTIME TRY SCORER / CLINT GUTHERSON ANYTIME TRY SCORER @ $16.55

Canberra is a better team than its 6-8 record and 11th-place standing suggest, but after outlasting the Roosters 22-16 in Round 13, the Raiders 24-18 defeat to an injury-ravaged Broncos last week was unmistakably a lost opportunity.

The Raiders failed to score a point in the second half, while bright talent Xavier Savage’s erratic tendencies at fullback were a prominent feature of the loss, Jordan Rapana returns from suspension in an otherwise unchanged side.

The 4-9 Newcastle Knights have struggled to get within 20 points of any team of moderate quality and raised the white flag in a 42-6 loss at home to Penrith last Sunday.

Kalyn Ponga’s early exit didn’t help, but the Knights’ atrocious defensive resolve was again put under a harsh spotlight.

Newcastle is on a three-match winning run against Canberra, winning 24-16 in Newcastle and 34-24 at Suncorp Stadium last year.

The Raiders have won four of the last five encounters at GIO Stadium, with four of those five matches producing 54-plus points.

The Knights can already forget about finals footy in 2022, but the Raiders will view this as an absolute must-win as they strive to stay in Top 8 contention.

The Green Machine boast ample strike, an in-form pack with plenty of variety about it and look sharper for Jamal Fogarty’s injection at halfback.

Tip: Back the Raiders to Cover the Line (-10.5 Points) @ $1.90

SGM: RAIDERS 13+ / RAIDERS OVER 24.5 POINTS / JACK WIGHTON ANYTIME TRY SCORER / SEBASTIAN KRIS ANYTIME TRY SCORER @ $12.83

Canterbury is fizzing after an incredible 34-4 destruction of Parramatta on Monday, Josh Addo-Carr (three tries) and Matt Burton (three try-assists) were typically sensational and the likes of Jacob Kiraz and Jake Averillo followed the lead of the Bulldogs’ marquee men.

The Bulldogs’ attack has flourished under Mick Potter, registering their four highest scores of the season (at an average of 24.5 per game) in his four matches in charge.

Debutant Kurtis Morrin comes onto the bench for Chris Patolo (head knock) in their only change.

Fellow wooden spoon contenders Wests Tigers responded encouragingly initially under caretaker coach Brett Kimmorley last Saturday, trailing Manly by just two early in the second half… before crumbling to a 30-4 loss.

It was the fifth time this season the Tigers have been held to one try or less.

The good news this week is Adam Doueihi makes his first appearance of 2022 from the bench, while Asu Kepoa replaced suspended centre Brent Naden.

Lucianio Leilua’s shock release this week doesn’t help their cause, though and Fa’amanu Brown comes onto the Tigers’ bench for Jock Madden.

The struggling, coach-axing teams meet for the second time in five weeks, the Tigers prevailed 36-22 at Leicchardt Oval in Potter’s first match in charge of the Bulldogs, who fought back admirably from an 18-0 halftime scoreline.

Jackson Hastings pulled the strings for the Tigers, while Ken Maumalo and Brown grabbed doubles.

It would be imprudent to get carried away with the Bulldogs’ blistering high point last week.

But in Burton and Addo-Carr, they boast one of the NRL’s most potent attacking duos and they certainly look decent value as only narrow favourites to go back-to-back.

Tip: Back the Bulldogs to Win @ $1.73

SGM: BULLDOGS 1-12 / OVER 39.5 POINTS / JOSH ADDO-CARR ANYTIME TRY SCORER @ $9.21

2021

The fate of several NRL clubs could be decided this week with just over two months remaining before the NRL Finals series.

Things get off to a fast start on Friday with a top-eight blockbuster between the Panthers and Roosters scheduled from Penrith, followed by a must-win game for both the Knights and the Warriors on Saturday.

The Dragons and the Raiders could also do with a win when they meet in Wollongong, followed by a very important game for the luckless Titans on Sunday afternoon against Manly.

This shapes as a crucial round with every team on the bye next week, so be sure to find out who we’re backing in our 2021 NRL Round 15 Preview here!

The Broncos left Canberra empty-handed last week and they aren’t about to find Thursday’s game against the red-hot Bunnies any easier.

Brisbane came up 29 points short against Wayne Bennett’s star-studded squad back in April and the Broncos’ recent slew of injuries makes this a tough rematch.

Souths, meanwhile, have coasted to back-to-back double-digit wins over the Eels and Knights with the squad just about back to full strength.

The Bunnies had no trouble scoring last week against Newcastle, a worrying sign for Brisbane with Dane Gagai, Damien Cook and Jai Arrow set to return to the side following last week’s Origin.

Xavier Coates could potentially return for the Broncos this week, but they’d probably like to have Katoni Staggs, Brodie Croft, and Anthony Milford on the field.

Overall, the Broncos are averaging 31 points to opponents this year, which spells big trouble against a Rabbitohs side that has crept into the top five in points scored.

With an impressive 10-2 record as the away favourite over the last 12 months, the Bunnies should be winning this comfortably.

Tip: Back the Rabbitohs to Cover the Line (-16.5 Points) @ $2.00

The Sharks have hit a bit of a purple patch as they look to extend their winning streak to four on Friday against the Cowboys.

It wasn’t pretty, but Cronulla managed to squeak out a last-second win over the half-strength Panthers last week to slide up to ninth, while the Cowboys are simply looking to forget all about their disheartening 50-18 loss to Manly at Pines Park.

Home field advantage largely explains why the Cowboys are favourites in betting, but the Sharks should feel pretty confident knowing they won 48-10 when these two sides met back in April.

Better yet, Cronulla has won six straight over North Queensland dating back to 2018, two of which have come away from home.

That said, trusting either side is incredibly difficult for punters on the back of two questionable defensive performances last week.

It’s hard to feel confident, but with the Cowboys sporting a 5-2 record at home this year and Kyle Feldt returning to the side, North Queensland are worthy of a mulligan.

Tip: Back the Cowboys to Win @ $1.70

The stage is set for a Friday night blockbuster between two genuine premiership contenders.

After suffering back-to-back losses, the Panthers will be hungry to get back to business with their stars returning from a rest, while the Roosters will be equally as eager to push for a top four spot after pulling off a miracle last Saturday against the Titans.

The fact only one point separated these two sides when they met in the Qualifying Final last year adds further spice, although that hasn’t stopped the bookies from installing Penrith as double-digit favourites at the line.

The inclusion of Nathan Cleary Isaah Yeo is enough to make this a matchup nightmare for Trent Robinson, especially with a long list of troops still absent on the sideline.

While no one is reading anything into a pair of losses to the Tigers and Sharks, it’s also safe to say the Panthers should be playing with a chip on their shoulder as they look to reclaim the top spot on the ladder from the Storm.

If you throw in Penrith’s outstanding 14-0 record as the home favourite over the last 12 months, this really shapes as a tough night for the Roosters with the Panthers’ electrifying playmakers returning.

Tip: Back the Panthers to Cover the Line (-10.5 Points) @ $2.00

There’s definitely a ‘line in the sand’ type feel to Saturday’s game in Newcastle.

The 11^th placed Warriors and the 14^th placed Knights are quickly running out of time to qualify for the finals, and the fact both sides are looking to erase back-to-back losses only adds further intrigue.

Newcastle put up an early fight last week against the Bunnies but ultimately lacked the firepower to fend off Souths potent attack.

Fortunately, there could be good news on the horizon with both Kalyn Ponga and Mitchell Peace a chance at playing this week.

On the flip side, the Warriors received another harsh blow on the injury front with Chanel Harris-Tavita suffering a pectoral injury in the blowout loss to the Storm last week.

New Zealand is already missing David Fusitu’a and Peta Hiku, leaving head coach Nathan Brown well short on playmakers heading into a tough road assignment.

The Knights have played to a strong 4-2 record head-to-head and a 3-0 record at the line as the home favourite against the Warriors, and they should be winning this game providing Ponga and Pearce suit up.

Currently averaging 16 points a game, the Knights desperately need to find a spark on attack, and this does look the perfect game for them in front of their home fans.

Tip: Back the Knights to Cover the Line (-2.5 Points) @ $1.90

We’ve got even money on offer between the Dragons and Raiders on Saturday night in a game both sides desperately need to have.

After a bit of a purple patch through March and April, the Dragons have cooled off significantly in recent weeks with only one win from their last five games.

Last week’s 28-6 loss to the Bulldogs was the lowlight of the season for head coach Anthony Griffin, and it’s fair to say the Red V won’t hold particularly fond memories of the Raiders with three straight losses dating back to 2019.

To make matters worse, the Green Machine is also coming off a much-needed win over the Broncos last week.

It’s hard to read too much into a blowout win over the reigning wooden spooners, but it was encouraging to watch the Raiders string together two consistent halves for the first time in a while.

The Dragons also have some injury concerns that could make this a tough ask with Zac Lomax questionable to play with a thumb injury.

Neither of these two sides have been particularly exciting to watch but considering the Raiders have been a better team on the road than they have been at home this year, the edge has to go to the rejuvenated Raiders.

Tip: Back the Raiders to Win @ $1.90

The Storm moved into the top spot on the ladder last week with a blowout win over the Warriors, and they look very likely to remain there with another favourable game against the Tigers on Saturday.

Melbourne’s attack has been lethal during their 11-game winning streak, which does spell potential disaster for a Tigers team that just gave up 40 points to the Eels last Sunday.

Michael Maguire’s men were on the receiving end of a 50-22 blowout when these two sides met last September, and it wouldn’t be surprising if we see a similar margin unfold now that Adam Doueihi is set to miss a week following a head knock.

As for the Storm, things are only looking up with reinforcements like Kenny Bromwich and Nelson Asofa-Solomona returning to the side.

The Tigers haven’t been awful defensively this year, but the fact the Storm have put up 40 points or more in three of their last five games makes them impossible to back against.

With an equally impressive 7-0 record on the Sunshine Coast to their name, the Storm at the line seems a safe play.

Tip: Back the Storm to Cover the Line (-22.5 Points) @ $1.90

The Dogs proved to everyone last week that they won’t go down without a fight in a memorable 28-6 win over the Dragons.

Trent Barrett’s side was impressive from start to finish thanks to some superb finishing from Jake Averillo, but this is obviously a much tougher task against an Eels side that is hoping to record back-to-back rivalry wins.

Parramatta stomped all over the Tigers last week in a 40-12 bloodbath at Bankwest, and although the Dogs might put up an early fight, it’s hard to ignore the fact the Eels won by 22 when these two sides met last month.

The Eels might have to go about their business this week without Maika Sivo due to suspension, but even so, there’s enough talent on Brad Arthur’s healthy roster to cope.

Parra has won three straight over the Dogs dating back to the start of last year, while it’s also worth noting the Eels rank third in points scored so far.

Combine that with an outstanding 11-3 record at the line – the second-best in the league – and the Eels look a sensible bet to keep rolling.

Tip: Back the Eels to Cover the Line (-21.5 Points) @ $1.90

A game against the red-hot Sea Eagles couldn’t have come at a worse time for Titans head coach Justin Holbrook.

Left with a sour taste in their mouth following a last-second loss to the Roosters last week, the Titans know this is a must-win game if they hold any hope of digging themselves out of the 12^th spot on the ladder.

The fact Manly piled on 50 points against the Cowboys last week without Tom Trbojevic is an alarming side for every club, but even more so for a Titans outfit that has allowed the third-most points in the league.

Turbo is set to make his return to the club post-Origin on Sunday, and as the market suggests, his inclusion alone has been enough to push the line well in favour of Manly.

The Titans can rest a little easier knowing David Fifita and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui are set to play after passing their HIA’s, while there’s also a good chance Anthony Don returns from a hip injury.

Still, the Sea Eagles punished the Titans 36-0 when these two sides met back in April and it’s almost impossible to ignore how awful this team has been defensively this year.

There’s a good chance we see some points with a few star players returning, but it’s tough to fade Manly on the back of last week’s performance.

Tip: Back Manly to Win & Over 51.5 Total Points @ $2.70

2020

Round 15 is headlined by a couple of top eight blockbusters as we begin to cast our eye towards the finals!

The Eels and the Storm kick things off in another Thursday night belter, followed by a potential finals preview between first and seventh as the Panthers battle the Sharks on Friday.

The Roosters have a huge opportunity to bounce back from last week’s loss to the Storm when they face the Tigers on Saturday afternoon, followed by another crucial game for the Rabbitohs against a down and out Manly side.

This shapes up as one of the toughest rounds to pick, but with favourites coming through more often than not, we’re confident we’ve found a few winners in our 2020 NRL Round 15 Preview below.

The Storm have edged their way into favouritism in the NRL Premiership market following last week’s enormous win over the Roosters.

Parramatta, meanwhile, are simply looking to bounce-back after having their unbeaten run at Bankwest snapped by the Dragons last week.

Once again, the Eels failed to play a full 80 minutes against St George, a trait that is sure to cost them against a red-hot Storm side shooting for nine wins in a row.

Cameron Smith and Cameron Munster are both a chance to return this week for Melbourne, but the Storm do look a little thin out wide with Suliasi Vunivalu nursing a broken jaw.

The Eels came away from their clash with the Dragons unscathed and they will need every bit of help they can get if they are to shake the purple monkey off their back.

Melbourne has won each of its last four games over the Eels dating back to 2017 with two of those wins coming by 30+ points.

The Storm also holds the best record in the league when it comes to covering the line at 10-4, so with a few familiar faces returning, you have to fancy Melbourne to cover this slim line.

Tip: Back the Storm to Cover the Line (+6.5 Points) @ $2.00

Every win is crucial for these two sides with a handful of teams waiting in the wings to take their spot.

Penrith sits a point clear of the Storm atop the table after holding on for a win over the Warriors last week, while the Sharks find themselves seventh after dismantling the Titans at Jubilee.

These two sides have met once already this year in what was a rather forgettable game.

The Panthers hammered Cronulla 56-24 thanks to four tries from Charlie Staines on debut, but fortunately for Sharks fans, the youngster is set to miss this clash as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

On the plus side for Penrith, Brian To’o is a chance at returning, while the Sharks are playing wait and see with Shaun Johnson, Josh Dugan and Andrew Fifita.

The Panthers can make it 10 wins in a row on Friday and it’s difficult to see the Sharks bringing that streak to an end if the aforementioned names don’t suit up.

Tip: Back the Panthers to Cover the Line (-8.5 Points) @ $2.00

It’s a fairly simple course of action for the Dragons from here on out.

Paul McGregor’s former side remains in control of its own destiny after claiming a season-defining win over the Eels last week.

St George faces a favourable run over the next three weeks with games against all three Queensland teams, the first of which kicks off on Friday against a Broncos side reeling on and off the field.

To their credit, Brisbane did put up a fight in the first half last week in Canberra before things went downhill very quickly in the second half.

St George has won three straight over Brisbane dating back to 2018, two of which have come by 13 points or more.

Despite what their record suggests, it’s easy to forget that the Dragons took the Sharks, Bunnies and Roosters to the sword prior to last week’s win over the Eels.

Things are starting to trend slightly upward for the Saints, so don’t be surprised if they record a statement victory on Friday night.

Tip: Back the Dragons 13+ @ $2.40

The Raiders will be hoping to pick up where they left off last week in their second-half demolition of the Broncos.

After trailing 8-6 at the break, Canberra piled on five unanswered tries in their 36-8 victory, a result that leaves them firmly in the hunt for a spot back inside the top four if things go their way.

Despite Kevin Proctor’s biting charge, the Titans also enjoyed a respectable second half in their loss to the Sharks.

Returning home to CBUS is a big plus for the Titans, although they won’t hold particularly fond memories of the Raiders after losing 24-6 to the Green Machine in Canberra back in Round 1.

Blowout results have become all too common when these two sides get together.

Canberra has won each of its last three games over the Titans by 13 points or more and its difficult to see this one going any other way with the Gold Coast nursing a few injuries.

Jai Arrow suffered a shoulder injury last week, while Dale Copley’s season is over after suffering a pec tear.

With plenty at stake, back the Raiders to win big.

Tip: Back the Raiders to Cover the Line (-10 Points) @ $2.00

The Roosters will be hoping that some added reinforcements can help them forget all about last week’s no-show against the Storm.

Brett Morris, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Angus Crichton and Daniel Tupou are all a chance to lace the boots against the Tigers in a game that holds plenty of finals implications.

A win for the Roosters is crucial with the fifth-place Raiders breathing down their neck, while the Tigers simply need to win out if they wish to earn a spot back in the eight.

Wests got the job done last Sunday against the Bulldogs, but it was hardly convincing.

The Tigers fought their way back from the death to win on a late field goal from Luke Brooks, and although the two points are all that matters, it’s difficult to feel confident in Wests moving forward.

Sydney has covered in five of their last six away games against the Tigers and they look very difficult to fault with their supporting cast returning to the fold.

The Chooks are also 4-1 following a previous loss, so it’s worth backing them to cover a fairly generous line.

Tip: Back the Roosters to Cover the Line (-8 Points) @ $2.00

There’s still plenty of footy left to play, but this really does feel like a game that could decide the top eight for good.

Manly’s season is basically over after losing a heartbreaker to the Knights last week, while the Rabbitohs were on the opposite end in a one-point thriller over the Cowboys.

The Sea Eagles’ season took another direct blow last week as Brendan Elliot suffered what is feared to be an ACL injury. Joel Thompson is also out indefinitely with a split tongue.

These two sides met twice last year with Souths emerging victorious on both occasions.

The Bunnies don’t look anything special, but their perfect 6-0 record as the home favourite over the last 12 months has to be respected.

Daly Cherry-Evans inspired Manly on multiple occasions last week, but the Sea Eagles looked fairly defeated after the loss to the Knights.

The Rabbitohs have to win this game if they wish to keep up with the Sharks and with a healthy lineup, they should prove too much for Manly in the end.

Tip: Back the Rabbitohs 1-12 @ $2.70

Both the Bulldogs and the Warriors will be hoping to build on their respective performances last week.

New Zealand took the Panthers right down to the wire in their six-point loss, but this does shape up as a ‘now or never’ type game as they currently find themselves six points off the eight.

The Bulldogs can also hold their heads high after putting a real scare into the Tigers last Sunday.

Canterbury was unlucky to lose on a last-second Luke Brooks field goal, but there was plenty to like about the way the Dogs fought up until the final siren.

Will Hopoate could potentially return this week, while the Warriors carry on with their long list of ailments and outs.

This is by far one of the toughest games to pick of the entire round, but it’s worth giving the Kiwis the benefit of the doubt based on last weeks performance against the ladder leaders.

The Warriors are 6-5 at the line following a previous loss, while it’s worth noting these two sides both rank top five in missed tackles, so don’t be surprised if we get a high-scoring game.

Tip: Back the Warriors to Cover the Line & Over the Points Total

The Knights remain at home for the third week in a row as they look to extend their winning streak to three against the struggling Cowboys.

Newcastle had their hands full last week with the Sea Eagles but ultimately did just enough to squeak out a 26-24 victory thanks to some late brilliance from Enari Tuala and Kalyn Ponga.

Despite what their record suggests, the Cowboys could follow Manly’s lead by giving the Knights more than they bargained for.

North Queensland put in a spirited 80-minute performance last week against South Sydney, one they are sure to build on with a few big names slowly returning from injury.

The Knights, like most clubs, are battered and bruised as they carry on without Bradman Best for the foreseeable future.

North Queensland, meanwhile, looked much steadier last week with Michael Morgan back in the side, although the Cowboys will have to wait at least another week for Valentine Holmes to return.

The Cowboys made short work of the Knights when they met back in Round 7 winning 32-20, and although a lot has changed since then, it wouldn’t be surprising if North Queensland kept this game close.

Don’t forget, Newcastle trailed Manly 12-0 in the first half last week, raising alarm bells against a Cowboys side that put up 30 points in their loss to the Rabbitohs.

Tip: Back the Cowboys to Cover the Line (+8.5 Points) @ $2.00

2019

All eyes might be on next fortnight’s Origin decider, but in the meantime, there’s plenty happening at club level as we try and sort through the contenders and pretenders in the leadup to the finals.

A week off offers several sides the chance to hit the reset button, and in case you weren’t already aware, there are only two points separating eighth from 14th on the ladder.

This week is all about primetime blockbusters, kicking off with the Tigers and Bunnies on Thursday night.

Throw in a NRL Grand Final rematch between the Rosters and the Storm on Friday, and you’re set for a big weekend of footy.

So, if you need tips, be sure to read on below for our complete 2019 NRL Round 15 Preview.

A single point proved the difference between winning and losing for both the Tigers and the Rabbitohs in Round 14.

Wests travelled to North Queensland as the underdogs to face the Cowboys, and after three unanswered tries in the first half, the Tigers eventually walked away with a gutsy 28-27 victory.

The Cowboys made things interesting in the second half scoring a pair of tries in the opening 10-minutes, but the brilliance of Michael Chee-Kam saw Wests over the line as the Tigers second-rower scored the game-winner with seven minutes remaining.

Things were equally close for the Rabbitohs against the Panthers, only Souths were on the wrong side of a fairytale ending.

A slow start to the game certainly played a part in the Bunnies’ fourth loss of the season, but a complete lack of possession eventually paved the way for an agonizing one-point loss.

The week off couldn’t have come at a better time as both sides took some time to regroup. Wests are still a massive chance at playing finals, while the Bunnies are hoping to keep in touch with the ladder leading Storm.

Fresh legs should mean plenty of points, but this is also the perfect revenge game for Dane Gagai following his Origin goose egg on Sunday night. Questions are now being asked of this Rabbitohs outfit and considering their last two meetings against the Tigers have resulted in well over 40 points, it’s worth backing Souths to answer the call.

Tip: Back the Rabbitohs 13+ @ $2.60

Tough to envision either club playing finals, but this is still a key matchup as far as the bottom eight is concerned.

After pounding the Bulldogs into submission three weeks ago, the Dragons backed up with a 20-point loss to Manly at Brookvale ahead of last week’s bye.

The Cowboys also need to make up for lost time, or should we say lost points. North Queensland has now lost two straight games by a combined total of three points, which in turn has lent itself to a slim line ahead of Friday night’s clash.

Since both sides are tied on 12-points each, this game feels like a must-win. St. George has won three of the last five meetings, but the Dragons will need to be at their best if they wish to make up for their 24-12 loss to the Cowboys back in Round 1.

North Queensland are one of the few sides with a better record on the road than at home, and with a 4-1 record as the line underdog against the Dragons, it’s worth backing the Cowboys to at least keep this game close.

To win, the Cowboys need to do what they’ve done all year: keep their hands on the ball. North Queensland leads the league in possession, which spells bad news for a Dragons side that ranks third in ineffective tackles.

Tip: Back the Cowboys to Cover the Line (+4.5 Points) @ $1.90

The Storm put their five-game winning streak on the line as they head south to face the Roosters in Adelaide, a game pitting first and third against each other in a Grand Final rematch.

These two sides got together at Adelaide Oval last year, playing out a low-scoring 9-8 game.

The Storm walked away victors that night, but they’ve since lost two straight to the Roosters, including last year’s Grand Final blowout.

If Round 6 taught us anything, it’s that we should expect plenty of points on Friday night. It was all one-way traffic for the Roosters in the first half, while the Storm came surging back in the second to challenge the reigning premiers.

Neither coach will read too much into their last meeting, but Trent Robinson won’t be blind to the stat sheet. The Storm dominated possession last time out, and they also lead the league in points and tries.

The odds suggest this one is a bit of a coin flip, especially on neutral turf. It’s a big travel week for those players returning from Origin in Perth, but it’s hard not to give the edge to the Storm as the more in-form side.

Back-to-back losses aside to the Roosters aside, Melbourne are 5-1 away from home, and they’ve also managed to hold their last three opponents to under 10-points each.

The odds are dead even, but in case you’re still not convinced, the Storm are also 3-2 as the away favourite against Sydney and perhaps, more importantly, 15-5 over the last calendar year following a win.

Better yet, Melbourne are 4-1 over the last five years following a week off, so expect Craig Bellamy’s side to crack the scoresheet early.

Tip: Back the Storm to Win @ $1.90

The Titans have enjoyed an extra week at home to dwell on their loss to the Warriors back in Round 14.

Gold Coast will be hoping to make something of this game ahead of their scheduled bye next week, but nothing is a given against the in-form Manly Sea Eagles.

Des Hasler’s side could potentially push for a spot inside the top four this week if they can successfully string together their third win on the trot.

Manly head to Queensland following a 20-point win over the Dragons at home a fortnight ago, while they’ll also be hoping for both Tom and Jake Trbojevic to back up their outstanding Origin performance at club level.

There was something special about Manly’s win over the Dragons. The Sea Eagles had some real zip about them, and they should play with revenge on their mind this week considering the Titans have won three straight games against them.

These two sides met only a month ago at Brookvale, a game the Titans won by 18-points.

Just like last time, the result wasn’t enough to persuade the bookies. Manly are 4-2 as the away favourite against Gold Coast, while the Titans are 5-11 on the back of a loss over the last 12 months.

Tip: Back Manly 1-12 @ $3.20

It’s far from panic stations just yet, but things are starting to look a little desperate in Brisbane.

The Broncos return to the field following last fortnight’s disheartening 38-10 loss to the Eels in Sydney. Brisbane now finds themselves on the outside looking in, and with four other sides tied on 12-points, this game could mean the difference between an early holiday or an extended finals campaign.

The Knights are safe inside the eight for now, but Newcastle will be desperate to prove their blowout loss to Melbourne was nothing more than a bump along the way.

Newcastle fell by 30-points to this year’s premiership favourites, largely due to their porous defence that missed 48 total tackles.

The Knights head home to Newcastle this week, but it’s not like McDonald Jones Stadium has been a fortress. The Knights are 3-3 at home, while the Broncos have won two of their last three trips to Newcastle.

On the flip side, Brisbane are 1-5 on the back of a loss this year, and as has been the case all season, another slow start could cost the Broncos early.

With all that in mind, the safest play this week is the Total. Four of the last five meetings between the Broncos and Knights have seen 50-points or more, so back the Overs with confidence.

Tip: Over 41.5 Total Match Points

The market says it all really – this top eight battle is almost too close to call.

Parramatta got their season back on track with a big win over the Broncos at home last fortnight, but there are plenty of reasons to feel confident in the Raiders, and it all starts with their three-game winning streak.

Canberra finds themselves as the favourites this week in Darwin, and although TIO Stadium could be called neutral ground, the Green Machine should be well supported up north.

Form-wise, it goes without saying the Raiders are the more consistent side. Canberra has won four of its six games away from home this year, compared to the Eels, who haven’t strung together back-to-back wins since Rounds 1 and 2.

Things only get worse for the Eels this weekend when you consider Canberra has won five straight games over Parramatta dating back to 2016. Throw in their Round 5 shutout loss to the Raiders earlier this year, and it’s tough to fade Canberra on their hunt for a spot inside the top three.

In case you need further convincing though, the Raiders are also 4-2 as the line favourite in all games against the Eels.

For some added value, Parramatta’s last three games have also gone Over the Total.

Tip: Back the Raiders to Cover the Line (-2.5 Points) and Over 39.5 Total Match Points @ $3.32

On paper, this might seem like a bit of a non-event, but a win for either side could vault them one step closer to a spot inside the eight.

Penrith’s awful start to the season has quickly turned into something promising with four straight wins on the trot. The extra week off couldn’t have come at a better time, and if the Panthers do manage to pull off a victory this week in Auckland, they’ll head into their scheduled bye week as one of the most dangerous sides in the competition.

The Warriors sit 10^th on the ladder with everything to play for, but it’s tough to trust the Kiwis at home.

Like in years past, the Warriors are 3-4 in front of their home fans, but they do have the added bonus of having beaten the Panthers once already this year.

You only need to rewind back to Round 10 to find the last meeting between these two sides. The Warriors won 30-10, and if they can catch the Panthers off guard by breaking tackles and controlling the line breaks again, they’ll win this one easily.

The Panthers haven’t won in New Zealand since 2017, and with a 3-6 record as the away underdog over the last calendar year, it’s tough to build a case for Penrith.

In their eight losses this season, both sides have lost by an average margin of 15-points.

The Panthers also lead the league in missed tackles, errors and penalties conceded. So, with all that in mind, back the Warriors by plenty.

Tip: Back the Warriors 13+ @ $3.30

There’s plenty on the line this week for the Sharks as they hope to create a cushion between themselves and the logjam of teams vying for a spot inside the eight.

Cronulla fought gallantly a fortnight ago in Canberra only to come up short in a narrow 22-20 loss. Fortunately for punters, the Sharks are 3-1 on the back of a defeat, which puts Cronulla in play to rebound against the wooden spoon favourites.

The Dogs still occupy the bottom spot, but you can bet Canterbury will come out with a chip on their shoulder after back-to-back blowout losses to the Dragons and Roosters.

Unfortunately for the Dogs, Dean Pay’s side hasn’t beaten Cronulla since 2014. The Sharks are a perfect 4-0 as the away favourites over the last 12 months, and perhaps most importantly, 8-1-4 as the line favourite during the same time span.

Cronulla mightn’t be a top-four side this season, but they continue to do the little things right.

Knuckling down on silly errors should see them over the line this week.

Tip: Back the Sharks to Cover the Line (-8.5 Points) @ $1.90

2018

Things return to normal this week post State of Origin.

Round 14 came and went as predicted, but the Dragons find themselves back on top of the ladder following Monday’s close win over the Bulldogs. Further down, the Broncos find themselves still in the eight despite their second-half blowout against the Storm, while Melbourne finds themselves back up to fifth on top of the Roosters.

We’re heading towards the nitty-gritty part of the season now, and this weekend’s eight game slate holds plenty of ladder implications.

Below are all of our 2018 NRL Round 15 tips.

Erasing a five-game losing streak against a miserable North Queensland side was nice, but Parramatta are in for a big reality check on Thursday night against Souths.

The Rabbitohs, fresh from a controversial two-point win over the Titans last week, are rolling right now, compiling six straight wins on the trot.

Funnily enough, South Sydney have won just two of the last five encounters against the Eels, but rest assured this Bunnies outfit has a lot more spring in their step than in years past. Last weekend’s fast start saw the Rabbitohs score two tries within the opening 20 minutes, while also dominating defensively in the tackles count.

The Eels notched their third win of the season last weekend, but that’s all you can say for a team that nearly let it slip by allowing two tries in the final 10 minutes.

Head to head, you can’t split these two – the Eels are 4-1 as the home underdogs, while the Rabbits are 4-1 as the away favourites.

Given their recent form, it’s hard to go against Souths right now, but Parramatta’s 4-1 record in Thursday night games over the last two years says this could be very close.

Back South Sydney Rabbitohs 1-12 @ $2.75

David Fusitu’a anyone?

The league’s leading try-scorer outscored Manly all by himself last weekend, landing three tries in the Warriors 34-14 romping.

New Zealand must be licking their lips with the lowly Cowboys up next, but the trip to North Queensland hasn’t exactly been kind to the Kiwis. The Warriors have lost their last two visits to 1300SMILES Stadium, but their 5-1 record away from home this season almost certainly cancels that out.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, the Cowboys have been pretty ordinary on home soil, winning just two of their seven games.

North Queensland have a poor record at home as the head-to-head underdog, and it’s becoming tough to find any value in a team fresh from a loss to the wooden spoon favourites.

Sitting fourth on the ladder, a win on Friday night could place the Warriors in third if the Rabbitohs were to lose this weekend.

The Warriors haven’t strung together back-to-back wins since their 5-0 start to the season ended abruptly in Round 6, and with the Sharks, Panthers and Broncos ahead in the coming weeks, New Zealand will understand just how important this must-win game is.

Back New Zealand Warriors To Win @ $1.80

Second plays sixth in what is easily the game of the round on Friday night.

Penrith escaped by the skin of their teeth against the Raiders last week, while the Roosters were too good for the Knights.

The Panthers came out firing in Canberra with a Tyrone Peachey try in the third minute, but things looked a little flat for the premiership favourites from then on.

Sydney also opened the scoring in the third minute thanks to Luke Keary, but the Roosters went on to manhandle the Knights for the next half hour, walking away 18-16 victors.

The market is razor tight, but the Roosters might hold one slight advantage – Sydney are 2-0 over the last 12 months as the home underdog, while the Panthers are 3-4 as the away favourites.

These two haven’t met since March 2017, a game the Roosters won 14-12. Both sides have played out close battles recently, but it’s still a tough one to call, the Roosters have been great at home (5-2) while the Panthers have been equally impressive on the road (4-2).

Throw a dart or flip a coin if you’re really game, but this might be a market you’re best off staying away from.

No Bet

The cellar dwellers meet up on Saturday afternoon in Sydney. Both sides roll in on the back of two straight losses, with the Bulldogs and the Titans both going down 16-18 respectively in Round 14.

It’s been a tough run for Canterbury, but they showed some fight against the Dragons on Monday, limiting the ladder leaders to just two penalty conversions in the second half. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, the damage was done in the first half though, conceding two tries in the opening 10 minutes.

Gold Coast probably feels a little hard done by following a controversial loss to the Rabbitohs at home, but there was plenty of positives to take away after Ryan James scored twice.

So what do we make of these two entering Round 15?

The Dogs have had the Titans’ number recently, winning three of the past five encounters. Canterbury are also 4-2 against the Titans as the home favourite in head-to-head markets, while Gold Coast’s shocking 1-6 record on the road makes them a tough back this weekend.

The Bulldogs are currently tied for second in the league in set completion percentage, which doesn’t bode well for a Gold Coast side low on confidence defensively. Don’t expect anything crazy, but this could be a tidy win for the Dogs.

Back Canterbury Bulldogs To Win 1-12 @ $2.90

Enter two teams at complete opposite ends of the spectrum.

The Dragons reclaimed top spot on the ladder with a tightly fought win over the Bulldogs on Monday, while Manly looked completely cooked from the get-go against the Warriors in New Zealand.

Having won just two of their last five clashes with St. George, Saturday night shapes up to be a potential bloodbath for the Sea Eagles. Manly enter as heavy outsiders at $3.50, and their 0-6 record against the Dragons as head-to-head underdogs spells disaster.

St. George have shown few signs of weakness this season, despite their rather unconvincing display against Penrith two weeks ago. They would’ve liked better second half production against the Bulldogs on Monday, but defensively the Dragons were able to keep their foot on Canterbury’s throat after allowing a try to open the second half.

Manly has looked second-rate against the Dragons recently, being outscored 87-32 across their two encounters last year. This one shapes up to be much the same, adding further salt in Manly’s already open wound.

Back St. George 13+ @ $2.20

The Broncos had their chance to snatch points away from Melbourne at AAMI Park last week. Errors and ill-discipline ultimately cost Brisbane in the end, not to mention Suliasi Vunivalu’s freakish AFL mark turned try in the 69th minute to seal it for the Storm.

Fortunately, the Broncos still find themselves in the eight, but it doesn’t get any easier with a trip to face the Sharks this week.

Cronulla got back in the winners’ circle with a gutsy win over the Tigers last week. Paul Gallen’s try in the 48th minute sparked a flame for the Sharks after being shut out in the first half, going on to win the game 24-16.

History says Brisbane holds the upper hand ahead of this one, even if the market doesn’t agree. The Broncos have won three of the last four against Cronulla, but their 3-4 record as the away underdog in the last year probably doesn’t fill punters with much confidence.

The Sharks come in as heavy favourites, but there’s a bit more than just bragging rights on the line here. A Cronulla loss could see them slip down to eighth on the ladder, while a Broncos win could see Brisbane leapfrog the Sharks.

There’s every reason this one turns out to be game of the round.

Neither side has been all that convincing this year, but Brisbane’s 3-4 record on the road makes it hard to go against the home favourites.

Back Cronulla Sharks To Beat The Line (-4.5 Points)

It seems just when we start to doubt the Storm, they prove us all wrong.

Melbourne’s usual speed and agility was on display again last week against Brisbane, as Josh Addo-Carr, Suliasi Vunivalu and Cameron Smith put on a show. That win marked two straight for the Storm, propping them back into fifth on the ladder.

The Knights are probably a welcome sight for the Storm this week. Newcastle held tough against the Roosters at home, but Kalyn Ponga’s second half try in the 75th minute was too little too late.

It’s been three straight years of dominance for the Storm in this fixture. The Knights haven’t beaten Melbourne since 2015, but Sunday may not be a complete annihilation.

Despite a few wayward weeks, the Storm rank Top 5 in the competition in points, tries and goals. Newcastle, meanwhile, rank first in set completion and third in tackles, so this could turn out to be close.

Back Melbourne Storm To Win 1-12 @ $2.90

Just what has happened to this Tigers team? On the heels of a tough eight poss loss against the Sharks, all of a sudden Wests are 2-5 on the road this season.

A trip back to Campbelltown Stadium couldn’t have come at a better time for the Tigers, but the 10th place Raiders are certainly no cakewalk.

Canberra exceeded expectations against the Panthers last week, taking the premiership favourites to the sword. They eventually fell by just one-point at home, but there was plenty to take away from the performance.

Both of these teams are fighting hard for a place in the eight, but recent history shows this could go either way. Canberra have won four of the past five encounters between these two, but the Tigers are 4-2 in home games when they enter as the head-to-head favourite vs. the Raiders.

For the Tigers to win, they need to hit the scoreboard hard and early while also focusing on those missed tackles.

Wests have scored 20-points or more only three times this season, and another low scoring effort won’t cut it against a Canberra side that has lost four games by three-points or less.

For Canberra to win, they need to knuckle down defensively. The Tigers are great at gaining cheap metres on the run, which can’t happen if the Raiders wish to blow the Tigers out of the water like they have on the last two occasions.

Back Canberra Raiders To Win @ $2.20

2017

This is the second round of the 2017 NRL season that will be disrupted by State Of Origin and there are only four games set to take place this weekend.

The lack of State Of Origin players always make these sort of rounds tough for punters, but those that do the hard work are often rewarded with plenty of value.

We have done that hard work for you and below are our complete 2017 NRL Round 15 tips.

South Sydney do not have any players involved in State Of Origin, while the Gold Coast Titans will be without both Jarrod Wallace and Jarryd Hayne.

It is South Sydney that will start this clash as clear favourites and this is one of the shortest prices that they have started so far this NRL season.

It really is tough to see how the market has South Sydney this short – they have won only one of their past seven games and they have lost their past two games as home favourites.

The Gold Coast Titans could hardly have been more disappointing against the New Zealand Warriors last weekend and it is tough to back the Titans off that performance.

Gold Coast have won only two of their past eight games as away underdogs, but they are 5-3 against the line in this scenario.

There really is not as much between these two teams as the current market suggests and the Titans are a great bet to beat the line with a start of eight points.

Back Gold Coast Titans To Beat The Line (+8 Points)

What should have been a blockbuster becomes something of an afterthought as both these teams are missing a number of players due to State Of Origin.

Melbourne made it three wins on the trot with their victory over the Cronulla Sharks last Thursday night and the most impressive fact was that they did it without Cooper Cronk in the side.

The Storm have won ten of their past 14 games as home favourites for a narrow profit, but they are only 5-9 against the line in this scenario.

The return of Johnathan Thurston buoyed the North Queensland Cowboys to a most impressive win against the Parramatta Eels last weekend, but they will go into this clash without Thurston as well as Gavin Cooper, Michael Morgan and Coen Hess.

Winning without Thurston is always an issue for the Cowboys and that problem becomes even worse without Morgan.

The Cowboys have won two of their past six games as away underdogs and they are 4-2 against the line in this scenario.

While the lack of State Of Origin stars does hurt this game as a spectacle, it does present a quality betting opportunity in the Total Points betting market.

It is easy to see this game turning into something of a slug-fest without the stars in action and the Under really does look like a solid bet.

Back Under 37.5 Points

The Cronulla Sharks will be without five players due to State Of Origin commitments, but they will still go into this clash with the Wests Tigers as clear favourites.

Cronulla went down to the Melbourne Storm last Thursday night, but they obviously face an easier challenge against the Tigers – even if they will be missing James Maloney, Andrew Fifita, Wade Graham, Jack Bird and Valentine Holmes.

The Sharks are yet to turn Southern Cross Group Stadium into a fortress this season and they have won only seven of their past 11 games as home favourites, while they are 3-8 against the line in this scenario.

There will be no James Tedesco or Aaron Woods in action for the Wests Tigers this weekend, but that is a scenario that they need to start getting used to.

The Tigers have lost five games on the trot, but they have still proven to be a profitable betting play as away underdogs over the past 12 months – they have won three of their past ten games as away underdogs and they are 6-1-3 against the line in this scenario.

This will be a massive test of the Sharks’ depth and I believe that the Tigers are more than confident of giving their rivals a scare.

Back Wests Tigers To Beat The Line (+12 Points)

The Parramatta Eels go into this clash without any State Of Origin commitments, while the St George Illawarra Dragons will be without Josh Dugan and Tyson Frizell.

It is Parramatta that will start this clash as somewhat surprising favourites.

The Eels were completely outplayed by the North Queensland Cowboys last weekend and they have really struggled when they have taken on the better sides in the competition so far this season.

In saying that the Eels have performed well as favourites – they have won five of their past seven games and they are 4-1-2 against the line as the punter’s elect.

St George Illawarra could hardly have been more disappointing against the Canterbury Bulldogs on Monday and they have definitely regressed somewhat after their positive start to the year.

The Dragons have won five of their past 16 games as underdogs for a narrow loss, but they are 9-7 against the line in this scenario.

There really is not much between these two sides and I am keen to back the Dragons with the insurance of a 2.5 points start.

Back St George Illawarra To Beat The Line (+2.5 Points)

Round 15

This is the second round of the 2016 NRL season where State Of Origin players will be missing from action.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs would normally start as dominant favourites against the Parramatta Eels, but the Rabbitohs have struggled without their Origin stars in recent seasons.

The loss of Origin players is also set to hurt the Melbourne Storm and the Sydney Roosters, but the Manly Sea Eagles are still set to start as dominant favourites against the Gold Coast Titans.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs have an excellent record against the Parramatta Eels at ANZ Stadium and they have won the past seven games played between the two sides at the venue.

South Sydney suffered their second straight disappointing loss to the Wests Tigers last weekend and they will go into this game without halfback Adam Reynolds due to State Of Origin.

The Rabbitohs will go into this game as underdogs – despite their stellar record against Parramatta – and they lost their past two games as home underdogs, while they are a shocking 2-6 against the line when being given a start.

Parramatta showed plenty of toughness to beat the Gold Coast Titans last weekend and they look to have found some of the form that they showed before the salary cap scandal blew up their season.

The Eels have won their past four games as away favourites and their record against the line in this scenario is a profitable 3-1.

Parramatta don’t any names missing due to State Of Origin and they should be able to tough out their third victory on the trot against a South Sydney side that appears to have lost all motivation this season.

Recommended Bet: Parramatta Eels To Win @ $1.75

The St George Illawarra Dragons have been one of the biggest winners from the 2016 NRL draw and they will face a Melbourne Storm side without their State Of Origin stars after already beaten a Johnathan Thurston-less North Queensland Cowboys three weeks ago.

Josh Dugan is the only big name missing for the Dragons and they go into this game with the same squad that lost to the Bulldogs last weekend, but they could lose Tyson Frizell to State Of Origin duty if Wade Graham is suspended for his high shot on Thurston.

The Dragons don’t start many games as favourites, but when they do they generally get the job done – especially in front of their home fans – and they have won four of their past five games as home favourites.

This is a very tough test for the Melbourne Storm as the loss of both Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk has forced a reshuffle – with Kenny Bromwich set to play out of position at hooker.

The Storm have won seven games in a row and they were at their brutal best against the Sydney Roosters last weekend, but whether they can keep that winning streak alive without Smith and Cronk is a big question.

Melbourne have actually been a profitable betting side as away underdogs – having won three of their past six games in that scenario – but their record without their State Of Origin stars is only fair.

The market seems to have got this game just about right, but there is definitely value in the Over/ Unders Points betting market.

The Dragons are notoriously an unders team – the under has saluted in 20 of their past 26 teams – and it is tough to see the Storm scoring more than 20 points without their chief playmakers.

Even with Cronk and Smith in the side, the under has saluted in 16 of the past 26 games played by the Storm and under 36.5 points looks like a great bet.

Recommended Bet: Back Under 36.5 Points

The New Zealand Warriors go into this clash on the back of two dominant wins over the Brisbane Broncos and Newcastle Knights and may never have a better chance to record three wins on the trot this season.

There has been plenty to like about the way that the Warriors have played in the past fortnight and they will go into game as a clear favourite, but they are still tough to trust in this situation.

They have won just three of their past seven games as home favourites for a clear loss and they have been a losing betting proposition in just about every metric.

The Sydney Roosters’ season went from bad to worse when they suffered a 46 point drubbing at the hands of the Melbourne Storm last weekend and it is tough to know what to make of this side going forward.

The Roosters have been a profitable betting side as away underdogs in the past 12 months, but this is a side that is clearly lacking in confidence and it is impossible to have any faith in them whatsoever.

I don’t like either the New Zealand Warriors or Sydney Roosters as betting teams and I am more than happy to stay out of this fixture from a betting perspective.

Recommended Bet: No Bet

The Gold Coast Titans have struggled against the Manly Sea Eagles in recent years and they have lost the past three games played between the two sides, but they face a side in turmoil this weekend.

The Titans had their winning run ended by the Parramatta Eels last weekend, but they will still go into this clash at Cbus Super Stadium as clear favourites.

Gold Coast generally saved their best football for their home fans and they have an excellent record at home in both head-to-head and line betting markets – winning six of their past ten games at home for a sizeable profit.

Manly have now lost five games in a row and they delivered a truly pitiful second half performance to throw away victory against the Penrith Panthers last weekend.

They will be buoyed by the return of Jamie Lyon and Martin Taupau, but they will still go into this clash missing a host of regular first-graders.

The Sea Eagles have a surprisingly strong record as away underdogs and they have beaten the line in four of their past six games in this scenario, while they actually went on to win three of these fixtures.

This game could end up being closer than the betting suggests and Manly with a start of 6.5 points is a positive betting play.

Recommended Bet: Back Manly Sea Eagles To Beat The Line (+6.5 Points)