A bumper NRL Round 8 schedule gets underway with the under-pressure Brisbane Broncos hosting the unbeaten Canterbury Bulldogs, before Sydney Roosters and St George Illawarra Dragons face off in the traditional Anzac Day clash.  

Elsewhere, Souths confront a Melbourne hoodoo, there’s a Queensland derby, the in-form Dolphins head to the capital, and embattled Wests Tigers look to get back on track against Cronulla.  

Highly-rated contender Brisbane has endured a tough fortnight – and it doesn’t get any easier with runaway NRL leader Canterbury coming to town on Thursday.  

After being rolled by Sydney Roosters at home, the Broncos were upset 20-18 by the Warriors in a scrappy golden point thriller in Auckland. The Broncos produced a late rally to force extra-time but were largely awful. Ben Hunt had a shocker and they struggled to get on top of a depleted pack.  

Out-of-sorts Reece Walsh is now sidelined with a knee injury, with Selwyn Cobbo moving to fullback and Deine Mariner recalled on the wing. Brendan Piakura returns from suspension on the bench.  

The 6-0 Bulldogs have conceded just one try in their last three games and are coming off a 32-0 rout of Souths on Good Friday. Max King and Jacob Preston continue to press their Origin claims, while Viliame Kikau and Matt Burton returned from injury in style.  

In Canterbury’s only change, Harry Hayes replaces rookie Jack Todd (broken arm) on the bench. 

The Bulldogs snapped a five-match losing streak against the Broncos in Round 21 at Suncorp Stadium last year, a stunning 41-16 demolition with Connor Tracey scoring a hat-trick from fullback. It was their first win over the Broncos in Brisbane in nine years.  

While the Broncos have moved on from the horrors of 2024 under Michael Maguire, they’re in a sizeable rut at present and the ruthless Bulldogs – back at full strength and averaging less than 10 points conceded per game – should be too good again.  

Tip: Back the Bulldogs to Cover the Line (-4.5) @ $1.90 

SGM: BULLDOGS BY 11-20 / UNDER 42.5 TOTAL POINTS / BRONSON XERRI ANYTIME TRYSCORER / JACOB KIRAZ ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $40.11 

This Anzac Day clash is always a showpiece regardless of the teams’ respective formlines, but it comes at a crucial juncture for both teams in 2025.  

Sydney Roosters are languishing near the foot of the ladder with a 2-5 record. After a gutsy road win over the Broncos in Round 6, they were overrun in the second half by struggling premiers Penrith in a 40-12 loss last Saturday.  

St George Illawarra, meanwhile, have apparently recovered from a slow start, improving to 3-3 with a 38-16 thrashing of Gold Coast at home and a tense 20-18 victory over Manly at 4 Pines Park in the past fortnight.  

Clint Gutherson again led the way for the Dragons against Manly and is among the Dally M front-runners, while Tyrell Sloan is revelling in his new spot on the wing with six tries.  

Billy Smith returns from suspension for the Roosters, with Mark Nawaqanitawase moving to the wing and Dom Young belatedly getting the axe. Nat Butcher is out, which sees Spencer Leniu start at prop. Angus Crichton is back while Egan Butcher comes onto the bench. 

A serious leg injury to Mat Feagai sees Sione Finau come onto the Dragons’ flank. Emre Guler is back from suspension to replace Hamish Stewart (concussion). 

The Roosters have won 11 of their last 13 against the Dragons, including four of the last five on Anzac Day. Last year the Tricolours romped home 60-18 on Anzac Day and 42-12 in Round 18, again at Allianz Stadium. 

The battle between James Tedesco and Gutherson shapes as a beauty, while the Roosters’ forwards need to assert their dominance if they are to salute as $1.73 favourites. Form suggests the Dragons are excellent value as outsiders.  

Tip: Back the Dragons to Win @ $2.10 

SGM: EITHER TEAM BY UNDER 10.5 POINTS / OVER 45.5 TOTAL POINTS / ANGUS CRICHTON ANYTIME TRYSCORER / TYRELL SLOAN ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $16.13 

The Warriors find themselves clear in the top four ahead of a Christchurch-hosted Anzac Day encounter with a floundering Newcastle Knights outfit.  

Bouncing back from a tough afternoon in Melbourne, the Warriors recorded their fourth win in five games in chaotic, clunky but gutsy fashion.  

With three first-choice starters added to the casualty ward, they matched the Broncos’ blue-chip pack and took their chances in the wet before Luke Metcalf buried a 50-metre penalty in golden point.  

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Rocco Berry return for the Warriors, pushing Taine Tuaupiki back to the wing, Kurt Capewell to the second-row, rookie sensation Leka Halasima to the bench, and Ed Kosi and Te Maire Martin out of the 17.  

The Knights are in all sorts, losing their last four games. They have scored just five tries in that run – four of them coming inside the last 10 minutes when they were already down by 20-plus points. Last Sunday’s 34-14 home loss to Cronulla was another shambles.  

Second-rower Dylan Lucas is a big in for the Knights this week, pushing Thomas Cant to the interchange and Jermaine McEwen out of the side.  

Honours were shared last season, with the Warriors grafting out a 20-12 win in Round 4 and the Knights prevailing 14-8 in the Newcastle wet just five weeks later. But the Knights have won only one of their last 10 and two of their last 17 in New Zealand.  

A team with the firepower of Kalyn Ponga, Bradman Best, Grey Marzhew, Fletcher Sharpe and Lucas can’t be disregarded, but the Knights just haven’t been able to get it together.  

A sold-out Christchurch trip is a tough place to turn things around and the Warriors have been outstanding in defence on home soil in 2025, leaking only 40 points in three games.  

Tip: Back the Warriors to Cover the Line (-8.5) @ $1.85 

SGM: WARRIORS WIN / UNDER 44.5 TOTAL POINTS / GREG MARZHEW ANYTIME TRYSCORER / LUKE METCALF ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $23.75 

Bristling from a rare collapse in Round 7, Melbourne Storm are looking to atone when they host a reshuffled South Sydney Rabbitohs side.  

The premiership favourites were humbled 42-22 by the Dolphins after leading 16-2. In their last 81 games when leading by 14 or more, they had only been run down on one other occasion. One of the Storm’s worst defensive showings in recent memory left them with a 4-2 record.  

Nick Meaney returns in time to replace Jack Howarth (shoulder) in the centres, while Lazarus Vaalepu comes in for Tui Kamikamica (ankle).  

The Rabbitohs are 4-3 after losing their last two to Cronulla (24-16) and Canterbury (32-0).  

Wayne Bennett has made a big call, moving Latrell Mitchell to fullback and dropping Jye Gray to the bench and Lewis Dodd making way. Jayden Sullivan returns at halfback, while Bayleigh Bentley-Hope is back on the wing allowing Campbell Graham to revert to centre and Euan Aitken to the back-row.  

The Storm have won 10 of their last 12 against the Rabbitohs, including wins by 54-20 at home and 28-16 in Sydney last season. Meanwhile, Souths are 0-19 against the Storm in Melbourne.  

The spine shake-up should add some attacking thrust for Souths, harsh as it is on Gray, but Melbourne’s ugly loss last week was the worst thing that could have happened for the visitors. More AAMI Park pain awaits.  

Tip: Back the Storm to Win by 13+ @ $1.75 

SGM: STORM BY 21-30 POINTS / OVER 48.5 TOTAL POINTS / JAHROME HUGHES ANYTIME TRYSCORER / RYAN PAPENHUYZEN ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $21.37 

North Queensland comes off the bye hunting a fourth straight victory against a Gold Coast side that has hit the skids.  

The Cowboys recovered from an 0-3 start to carve out gritty wins over Canberra in Townsville, Penrith in Sydney and Souths in Perth.  

The inscrutable Titans have followed up sensational wins over the Knights and Roosters with three straight defeats to the Dolphins, Dragons and Raiders – conceding 104 points in the process.  

The 30-20 defeat to Canberra at home at least harboured some improvement but question marks remain over the make-up of the Titans’ spine, with Jayden Campbell, Kieran Foran and Keano Kini currently unavailable.  

The Cowboys get John Bateman back, while Jeremiah Nanai is back in the starting line-up. Harrison Edwards is the player to drop out.  

Prolific tryscorer Alofiana Khan-Pereira returns in a huge boost for the Titans and David Fifita has been named, while Brock Gray is back from suspension on the bench. Allan Fitzgibbon, Klese Haas and Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui drop out.  

The teams’ two clashes in each of the 2023 and ’24 seasons both went the way of the home sides. Last season the Cowboys prevailed 35-22 in Townsville, while the Titans grabbed a 20-18 victory on the Gold Coast five weeks later.  

With the Titans sinking back into their bad old ways defensively and the side lacking impetus in the playmaking positions, the Cowboys should have little trouble keeping the roll going at home.  

Tip: Back Cowboys to Win / Over 49.5 Total Points Double @ $2.50 

SGM: COWBOYS -8.5 / TITANS UNDER 19.5 TOTAL POINTS / JAXON PURDUE ANYTIME TRYSCORER / ALOFIANA KHAN-PEREIRA ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $14.13 

After arresting their slide last week, Penrith Panthers will look to continue their climb back towards more familiar NRL ladder territory when they host the stumbling Manly Sea Eagles at CommBank Stadium.  

The Panthers’ shocking five-match losing streak culminated in a 30-12 loss to the Dolphins, but they found their mojo again with a 40-12 victory – just their second of 2025 – over the Roosters last Saturday.  

The old firm of Dylan Edwards, Isaah Yeo and Nathan Cleary led the way for the four-time premiers, while Lindsay Smith put up big numbers in the front-row.  

Luke Sommerton comes back in for suspended hooker Mitch Kenny, while Izack Tago returns in the centres for Luke Garner (concussion). Mavrik Geyer is set to play his first NRL game of 2025 from the bench.  

Touted as a title dark horse amid a 3-1 start, the Sea Eagles have crashed to three straight losses – bookending a defeat in Perth to the Sharks with home losses to the Storm and Dragons. Fill-in fullback Lehi Hopoate was superb against the  

‘Turbo’s’ return sees Hopoate revert to the wing with Tommy Talau taking up a bench role. Jake Trbojevic (concussion) is out, so Jazz Tevaga moves to lock and Jake Simpkin starts at hooker. Josh Aloai and Corey Waddell return to offset Toafofoa Sipley’s suspension. 

The Panthers have won nine of their last 10 against the Sea Eagles. Manly grabbed a drought-breaking 32-18 home win against a Cleary-less outfit last season, but Penrith turned the tables 32-22 mid-season.  

Penrith is 0-2 at its adopted CommBank home, but last week’s signs indicated the champs aren’t far off finding their best again – spelling bad news for Manly. 

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

SGM: PANTHERS WIN / OVER 46.5 TOTAL POINTS / JASON SAAB ANYTIME TRYSCORER / BLAIZE TALAGI ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $12.43 

Two of the NRL’s in-form teams square off at GIO Stadium on Sunday, with Canberra Raiders and the Dolphins both chasing a fourth consecutive win.  

The Raiders pipped the Sharks at the post in Round 5, before thrashing the Eels in Darwin and overcoming an early deficit to put away the Titans 30-20 last Sunday. Hudson Young has scored three straight doubles, while Tom Starling and Jamal Fogarty were excellent on the Gold Coast.  

The Dolphins’ turnaround from an abysmal 0-4 start has been remarkable. They have put 108 points on the Titans, Panthers and Storm, scoring seven unanswered tries after trailing Melbourne 16-2 with Isaiya Katoa, Kodi Nikorima, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Herbie Farnworth in electric form.  

The Raiders are unchanged, while prop recruit Francis Molo will debut for the Dolphins with Mark Nicholls moving to lock for the injured Felise Kaufusi.  

The Raiders have won two of their three encounters with the Dolphins, including a 26-25 win in golden point in Redcliffe in their sole 2024 clash.  

Canberra is a cautious $1.60 favourite in this one – the Green Machine is always hard to back against at home. But the Dolphins are coming off resounding wins over the four-time defending champs and the premiership favourites. Strap in for another cliff-hanger.  

Tip: Back the Dolphins to Cover the Line (+4.5) @ $1.87 

SGM: EITHER TEAM BY UNDER 6.5 POINTS / HERBIE FARNWORTH ANYTIME TRYSCORER / KAEO WEEKES ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $30.11  

Wests Tigers are mired in crisis yet again, which threatens to derail a promising campaign. A clash with Cronulla at Leichhardt Oval provides a litmus test of the team’s character.  

Amid the Lachlan Galvin furore, the Tigers were overrun 38-22 by a Mitch Moses-inspired Parramatta side on Easter Monday – their third loss in four games.  

Galvin has been recalled at five-eighth with Adam Doueihi returning to the centres, Brent Naden going to the wing and Luke Laulilii dropping out. Royce Hunt is back to bolster the bench.  

The 4-3 Sharks are cruising under the radar, following up back-to-back losses to the Bulldogs and Raiders with consecutive wins over the Rabbitohs (24-18) and Knights (34-14). Will Kennedy is the new shock Dally M leader, taking some pressure off halves Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall. 

Toby Rudolf (ankle) is out for the Sharks, with Tukupa-Ke Hau Tapuha coming into an otherwise unchanged 17. 

The Sharks have won 11 of their last 13 against the Tigers. Last season the Tigers powered to a shock 32-6 win at Leichhardt in Round 3, but the Sharks atoned 58-6 at home in Round 19.  

Playing at Leichhardt for the first time this season may spark the Tigers – if they can regroup together alongside Galvin, who unquestionably adds plenty to the team. The Sharks have only occasionally been convincing in 2025 and they could be walking into another ambush.  

Tip: Back the Tigers to Cover the Line (+6.5) @ $1.98 

SGM: TIGERS WIN / UNDER 46.5 TOTAL POINTS / WILL KENNEDY ANYTIME TRYSCORER / STARFORD TO’A ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $62.41 

2024

NRL Round 8 gets underway on Thursday with a historic Anzac Day triple-header – and there’s plenty at stake in all three games.

Elsewhere, Brisbane and Penrith have some blue-chip ins for interstate road trips, while Newcastle and Canberra confront the first assignments of three-month stretches without their most important players.

Gold Coast head to Auckland for the Anzac Day opener winless, but it’s the Warriors under pressure in the wake of a heavy defeat in Round 7.

After a fast start in Wollongong, the highly-rated Warriors were steamrolled in a 30-12 loss to St George Illawarra aided by their own ill-discipline and lack of goal-line resolve – arguably their worst performance under Andrew Webster, whose bench selections came under scrutiny.

The 0-6 Titans have improved significantly in the past two weeks despite a slew of injury setbacks, miraculously forcing Canberra into golden point in a 21-20 loss and going down to Manly 34-30 in a match that saw the lead change hands seven times.

There’s just one change to the Warriors’ starting side with rookie Jacob Laban replacing injured second-rower Kurt Capewell. But Dylan Walker is a huge in on the bench, while prop Zyon Maiu’u will debut with Adam Pompey dropping out.

The Titans are unchanged, with AJ Brimson again starting at fullback and Tanah Boyd at halfback.

The Warriors snapped a three-match losing streak against the Titans with a Johnson-inspired 28-18 win over a 12-man opponent on the Gold Coast in Round 23 last year. The Titans are 4-9 at Mt Smart but won their in the final round of 2022 – and on Anzac Day in 2015.

An injury cloud hanging over Shaun Johnson will make Warriors fans nervous. But they have a 9-1-3 record at Mt Smart since the start of 2023, Walker is a huge inclusion and the hosts should be able to maintain dominance in the territory battle with far more adequate middle-forward cover this week.

The line gives no credit to the Titans’ recent performances, however, and this shapes as a close contest on a big occasion with the Warriors looking more than a little shaky in their last couple of outings.

Tip: Back the Titans to Cover the Line (+12.5) @ $1.87

SGM: WARRIORS BY 1-12 POINTS / UNDER 45.5 TOTAL POINTS / ALOFIANA KHAN-PEREIRA ANYTIME TRYSCORER / CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $35.31

The clash most synonymous with Anzac Day rugby league, St George Illawarra’s 2024 revival sets the stage for a massive showdown with the heavyweight Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium.

The 4-3 Dragons are still searching for consistency – it was only three weeks ago that they were beaten 30-10 in the wet at Newcastle – but wins over Manly (20-12) and especially last week’s shellacking of the Warriors (30-12) at home suggest the turnaround with Shane Flanagan at the helm is real.

The Saints’ goal-line resolve was a major feature of a win over the Warriors that was headlined by brilliant performances from Ben Hunt and Zac Lomax, and an impressive ability to ice their attacking opportunities.

The Roosters, meanwhile, have lost three of their last four, following up a 22-20 win in Newcastle with several big names sidelined with an 18-12 loss in heavyweight duel at home to Melbourne.

On the fourth line of premiership better, the Tricolours have shown glimpses of top-tier class but they are yet to show true premiership credentials on a frequent basis.

The Roosters get Dom Young and Sam Walker back this week, with Michael Jennings dropping out of the side and Connor Watson to move back to the bench.

The Roosters have won 17 of the clubs’ last 22 encounters, but honours were shared in 2023: the Roosters prevailed in a 27-26 Anzac Day thriller, while the Dragons got up 24-22 at Kogarah just four weeks later.

The last 12 Anzac Day games have been split six apiece, with the Dragons leading the count 11-9 since the fixture was first played in 2002. The Roosters are looking to build on a strong 8-4 record at Allianz since its reopening in late-2022.

This fixture habitually brings the best out in the Saints and they head to Sydney with a head of steam. The $2.50 underdogs are a real chance of rolling the Roosters in a clash that seems destined to go down to the wire.

Tip: Back the Dragons to Cover the Line (+6.5) @ $1.90

SGM: EITHER TEAM BY UNDER 4.5 POINTS / UNDER 43.5 TOTAL POINTS / TYRELL SLOAN ANYTIME TRYSCORER / JOSEPH MANU @ $48.03

The Anzac Day triumvirate concludes at AAMI Park with high-flying Melbourne hosting embattled South Sydney.

The Rabbitohs – and under-fire coach Jason Demetriou – enjoyed their bye weekend out of the fierce media spotlight they have been under. But the reality remains they are 1-5 and second-last on the ladder with Latrell Mitchell out suspended and a hefty injury list.

Souths showed moderate improvement in a 34-22 loss to Cronulla in Round 6, their 14th in 19 games and the 14th time during that period they have conceded 28-plus points.

Damien Cook has been recalled at hooker, with Peter Mamouzelos moving to the bench. Jai Arrow returns from injury and Cameron Murray has been cleared of concussion. Tevita Tatola and Tyrone Munro are out injured, which sees Shaq Mitchell and Jacob Gagai come into the starting side.

The 5-1 Storm hold a share of the competition lead, continually getting the job done in nail-biters. Since a grinding 8-0 win over Penrith in Round 1, all of their matches have been decided by a converted try or less.

Late tries to Shawn Blore and Xavier Coates, respectively, secured gripping wins over Canterbury (16-14) and the Roosters (18-12) in the past fortnight. Jahrome Hughes and Eli Katoa were the standouts last Thursday night at Allianz Stadium.

The Storm boast a dominant 32-7 all-time record against the Rabbitohs, but the season series were split in 2022 and ’23 after Melbourne had won the previous seven encounters. Last year the Storm grafted out an 18-10 away win in Round 5, before the Bunnies turned the tables 28-12 in Magic Round.

Another game where the line looks a bit big at 13.5 points, but Souths are in all sorts and should provide the Storm with an opportunity to chalk up their most comfortable win of the season so far.

Tip: Back the Storm to Score Over 27.5 Total Points @ $1.78

SGM: STORM BY 11-20 POINTS / OVER 43.5 TOTAL POINTS / WILL WARBRICK ANYTIME TRYSCORER / HARRY GRANT ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $29.28

It’s the first double-up clash of 2024 as Manly look to avenge a 28-24 loss at CommBank Stadium in Round 3 when they welcome Parramatta to Brookvale on Friday night.

The Sea Eagles lost to the Dragons a week after that defeat but have since restored their real-deal image, beating Penrith (32-18) and Gold Coast (34-30) either side of an excellent display in a 22-all draw with the Warriors in Auckland.

Tom Trbojevic, Daly Cherry-Evans and Haumole Olakau’atu are firing on a consistent basis, while an underrated pack and three-quarter line are punching above their weight.

Josh Aloiai comes back from suspension, so Matt Lodge goes back to the bench and Aaron Woods drops out. Nathan Brown returns at the expense of Dean Matterson.

The 3-4 Eels, in contrast, are on the ropes after losing three of their last four – including heavy defeats to the Raiders in Canberra (41-8) and the Dolphins in Darwin (44-16), the latter after leading 10-0.

Their effort – or lack thereof – in conceding eight second-half tries in 25 minutes against the Dolphins was wooden-spooner material and prompted an almighty bake from coach Brad Arthur. They are lost without Mitch Moses, but his absence doesn’t explain the Eels’ poor attitude to defence.

Ethan Sanders will debut at five-eighth for Daejarn Asi and Maika Sivo gets a recall on the wing for Sean Russell. Kelma Tuilagi, Brendan Hands and Makahesi Makatoa join the bench with Blaize Talagi and Luca Moretti dropping out.

The Eels have won four of their last five against the Sea Eagles, though they went down 34-30 at 4 Pines Park early last season and have won just one of their last five at the venue.

Manly will be eyeing off a statement win after letting in too many points on the Gold Coast. Parramatta, $3.50 outsiders, surely can’t be as bad as last week – but it’s hard to see where enough improvement comes from to pull off an upset on the road, having lost six of their last seven away.

The Sea Eagles are 8-4 at home since the start of 2023 with five wins by 10-plus.

Tip: Back the Sea Eagles to Cover the Line (-9.5) @ $1.85

SGM: SEA EAGLES BY 11-20 POINTS / OVER 44.5 TOTAL POINTS / DALY CHERRY-EVANS ANYTIME TRYSCORER / TOLUTAU KOULA ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $38.53

Wests Tigers’ improvement isn’t translating to regular wins just yet – and they confront their second heavyweight assignment in succession in the form of the visiting Brisbane Broncos.

Benji Marshall’s 2-4 charges are on a three-match slide, following up a disappointing 24-12 home loss to the Dragons with a spirited 22-6 defeat to the Panthers in Bathurst. The Tigers are a far grittier defensive unit than their dual wooden spoon predecessors but putting on points remains an issue.

The Broncos’ 4-3 start to the year has been characterised by big-name injuries, but over the past month they’ve put the Cowboys (38-12), Dolphins (28-14) and Raiders (34-10) to the sword as well as producing a gallant display in a 34-32 loss in Melbourne.

Reece Walsh was at his electric best against Canberra, while Patrick Carrigan has led a depleted pack superbly.

Junior Tupou’s injury sees rugby union convert Solomon Alaimolo get an NRL debut on the wing for the Tigers, while John Bateman moves to lock with Sam Fainu starting in the second-row and Fonua Pole going to the bench.

It was a bountiful Team List Tuesday for the Broncos with Payne Haas, Adam Reynolds, Deine Mariner Brendan Piakura named to return, though it was tempered by Ezra Mam and Selwyn Cobbo being ruled out. Jock Madden and Corey Oates stay in the side with Jesse Arthars moving to centre.

After winning four straight against the Broncos from 2019-22, the Tigers were hammered 46-12 at Suncorp Stadium in Round 5 last year with Kotoni Staggs and Jordan Riki grabbing doubles.

Meanwhile, the Tigers are aiming to arrest a nine-match losing streak at Campbelltown Stadium, where the Broncos are unbeaten in eight visits against the joint venture since 2000.

None of the Tigers’ matches in 2024 have produced totals of more than 44 points – with four of their last five going 38 points or under – and they should be able to keep this respectable, but ultimately they lack the firepower to go toe-to-toe with the brilliant, bolstered Broncos.

Tip: Back Under 46.5 Total Points @ $1.90

SGM: BRONCOS BY 11-20 POINTS / TIGERS UNDER 15.5 TOTAL POINTS / REECE WALSH ANYTIME TRYSCORER / BRENDAN PIAKURA ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $75.84

North Queensland’s crunch home assignment against Penrith got a whole lot harder courtesy the return of Nathan Cleary and Taylan May.

It’s been a dismal fortnight on the road for the Cowboys, going down 27-20 to struggling Parramatta and capitulating 42-6 against Cronulla.

They went 4-1 amid a soft start to their schedule, but as a 38-12 loss to Broncos and last week’s hammering from the Sharks indicated, Todd Payten’s side is long way off that premiership-contending tier. Only battling Souths are conceding more points per game than the Cowboys.

The Panthers are a satisfactory 4-2, winning two of their three matches with Cleary on the sidelines. After a pre-bye loss at Manly, the three-time champs bounced back via a tough and clinical 22-6 win over the Tigers at Bathurst led by the ever-reliable Dylan Edwards and Isaah Yeo.

Griffin Neame will start for the Cowboys with Jason Taumalolo to come off the bench, while Thomas Mikaele comes onto the bench as Jack Gosiewski makes way.

The Cowboys’ two wins in their last seven clashes with the Panthers were aided by final-round resting in 2022 and the Origin drain in 2023 – the latter via a memorable Scott Drinkwater try in golden point. The Panthers pumped the Cowboys 44-12 at home in Round 27.

The Cowboys fare much better at home, winning 18 of their last 24 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. But an awful defensive record – conceding at least 18 points in every match this season – does not bode well ahead of a visit from the ruthless Panthers.

Tip: Back the Panthers to Cover the Line (-9.5) @ $1.90

SGM: PANTHERS/PANTHERS HALFTIME/FULLTIME / IZACK TAGO ANYTIME TRYSCORER / SUNIA TURUVA FIRST TRYSCORER @ $38.81

The Dolphins have emerged as a finals dark horse after winning four of their last five matches, while Newcastle is reeling from an injury blow to Kalyn Ponga that has seen its Top 8 hopes spiral.

After accounting for mid- to lower-level opposition the Dragons, Titans and Tigers in convincing style, the injury-hit Dolphins went down 28-14 to the Broncos after competing well until halftime.

But a patched-up side produced one of the best performance in the club’s short history to smash the Eels 44-16 in Dolphin, with the likes of Jeremy Marshall-King, boom half Isaiya Katoa, rookie winger Jack Bostock and utility Max Plath leading a second-half onslaught.

The 2-5 Knights’ patchy start went completely off the rails in Round 7 courtesy of a 36-12 demolition at the hands of the Bulldogs, compounded by a three-month layoff for marquee man Ponga.

The Dolphins’ only change sees Kurt Donoghoe replace Sean O’Sullivan on the bench. Ponga is replaced at fullback by debutant David Armstrong, while the backline is boosted by Dane Gagai’s return. Jed Cartwright comes onto the bench for the suspended Jack Hetherington.

A Tesi Niu hat-trick and a double from Jamayne Isaako spearheaded a 36-20 win in Newcastle against a Ponga-less Knights in Round 3 last year, while Isaako’s hat-trick wasn’t enough as the surging Knights won a 30-28 thriller in Round 23.

The Dolphins are a modest 5-6 at Suncorp Stadium, but their losses at the venue have predominantly been against big guns like the Broncos and Storm.

The Knights are a shadow of the juggernaut that steamed into the playoffs in 2023 – especially with Ponga – and will do well not to get totally overrun on Sunday.

Tip: Back the Dolphins to Cover the Line (-7.5) @ $1.90

SGM: DOLPHIN BY 13+ POINTS / OVER 45.5 TOTAL POINTS / JACK BOSTOCK TO SCORE 2 OR MORE TRIES / KODI NIKORIMA ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $33.98

The weekend wraps up with another showdown between a team scrambling after the loss of a linchpin and a club on a hot streak. It’s also the second 2024 double-up clash of Round 8.

Canberra has been overwhelmingly impressive in its 4-3 start to the season when many tipped the Raiders as spoon specials. They fought hard in a 34-10 loss to the Broncos after trailing 28-0 at halftime as they struggled to handle the wet conditions.

But Jamal Fogarty three-month injury diagnosis has thrown a massive spanner into the Green Machine’s campaign. Ex-Manly recruit Kaeo Weekes gets an opportunity in the No.7 – but Fogarty’s boots are big ones to fill with just one halves start in the NRL to his credit.

Cronulla is cruising atop the NRL ladder with a 5-1 record, with a three-match winning streak kicking off via a 36-22 home win over Canberra after trailing 18-0. Since then the Sharks have put away the Rabbitohs 34-22 and trounced the Cowboys 42-6 – their most devastating performance since 2022.

Will Kennedy was magnificent in an ultra-potent Sharks backline last Sunday, while their pack destroyed the Cowboys through the middle.

In-form five-eighth Braydon Trindall has been stood down, which brings Daniel Atkinson in to partner Nicho Hynes. Sione Katoa is back from suspension with tryscoring debutant Sam Stonestreet dropping out.

The Round 4 result was the Sharks’ second straight win against the Raiders, after losing the teams’ previous nine encounters in a row. They are hunting their first victory in the capital since 2018.

Count on Ricky Stuart to galvanise his team in the short-term after the Fogarty setback – they’re far from a one-man team and they will stand up in front of their home fans.

But with novices in the No.7, No.6 and No.1 jerseys, the Raiders are set to lack the polish and poise required to knock over the competition front-runners.

Tip: Back the Sharks to Win by 1-12 Points @ $2.85

SGM: SHARKS -7.5 / OVER 43.5 TOTAL POINTS / RONALDO MULITALO TO SCORE 2 OR MORE TRIES / MATTHEW TIMOKO ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $27.22

2022

Penrith and Melbourne hit the road in Round 8 for imminent bloodbaths against struggling opposition, while Cronulla and Sydney Roosters are also eyeing off handsome away wins this weekend.

But there’s no shortage of competitive encounters on the NRL docket.

Souths and Manly are both striving to stay in touch with the top-four pace-setters, the Warriors and Canberra clash in Redcliffe with both sides desperate for a turnaround, in-form rivals Parramatta and North Queensland square off in a Saturday night barnburner, and resurgent outfits St George Illawarra and Wests Tigers tie off a fascinating round.

The 34-14 final scoreline looked good for Brisbane, but catastrophe loomed last Friday when the scoreboard read 14-6 in Canterbury’s favour with 25 minutes to go.

The obvious positive was the Adam Reynolds-inspired five-try flurry to set up a comfortable win, while Selwyn Cobbo had a breakout game, Te Maire Martin and Cory Paix were classy additions in the spine and Payne Haas led the pack in typical fashion.

But that was against the last-placed Bulldogs. Cronulla is the hottest team in the NRL not named Penrith or Melbourne, snug in the top four after Siosifa Talakai’s first-half demolition job on Manly last Thursday.

The Sharks led 32-0 at halftime before taking their foot off the gas to win 34-22.

The speed in which the Sharks have gelled is little short of remarkable. Nicho Hynes was again superb against Manly, while captain Dale Finucane returns from a week off for this road trip and the Broncos have named an unchanged 17.

The Broncos have won seven of their last nine against the Sharks, but honours were shared last season. Haas starred in the Broncos’ 26-18 victory in Round 16 and was man-of-the-match in a beaten side in Round 24, with the Sharks taking out an end-to-end thriller 24-16. Both games were at Suncorp.

Both teams have improved markedly since 2021 – but the Sharks have progressed much further and are tearing teams apart out wide. The Broncos have leaked plenty of points against teams with substantial backline firepower, which the visitors boast in spades.

The Broncos need more than a points victory in the hyped Staggs v Talakai battle to get anywhere near an upset here.

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

SGM: SHARKS 13+ / SIOSIFA TALAKAI ANYTIME TRY SCORER / TEIG WILTON ANYTIME TRY SCORER / SELWYN COBBO ANYTIME TRY SCORER @ $30.52

Gold Coast is at a difficult crossroads, winning just two games – against Warriors and Tigers sides who were missing their chief playmakers – and are coming off a season-worst 30-4 loss to North Queensland. It was the fifth time this season the Titans have conceded 24-plus points.

Coach Justin Holbrook has reshuffled his backline again. David Fifita’s centre experiment lasted just a week with Phillip Sami returning on the wing.

AJ Brimson takes over from the demoted Jamayne Isaako at fullback, with Will Smith to start at five-eighth – though don’t count out Jayden Campbell as a late inclusion.

An assignment against Penrith couldn’t come at a worse time. The Panthers’ hunger and ruthlessness is incredible, going 7-0 with six wins by 14-plus points.

The Raiders put up a fight last Sunday but the Panthers ran away with it 36-6, with Nathan Cleary brilliant and Stephen Crichton grabbing three tries. Ivan Cleary has named the same 17 this week.

Penrith has won seven of its last eight against Gold Coast, including a 48-12 Magic Round drubbing in the teams’ sole 2021 clash, Cleary scored a hat-trick in a 28-point haul, while Charlie Staines notched a double.

Expect an improved Titans effort after a dismal outing in Round 7, but even their best doesn’t guarantee they avoid a heavy loss. A fourth straight Panthers win by 20 points or more shapes as solid value.

Tip: Back the Panthers to Cover the Line (-20 Points) @ $2.00

SGM: PANTHERS OVER 30.5 POINTS / TAYLAN MAY TO SCORE 2 OR MORE TRIES / CHARLIE STAINES TO SCORE 2 OR MORE TRIES @ $11.99

South Sydney was dealt a tough draw to start the season but started to get into a groove with comfortable wins over lesser lights St George Illawarra and Canterbury.

Then the 3-4 Rabbitohs became the second-high profile team in six days to have their pants pulled down in the dying seconds by the Tigers.

It was a clunky performance overall from Souths in a 23-22 loss, with Cody Walker needing to take responsibility for the team’s direction alongside a young halfback and fullback.

Keaon Koloamatangi has been outstanding but the Bunnies’ middle forwards were outpointed last week.

A second-half rally saved Manly from a massive psychological blow at Cronulla last Thursday, but there will still be scars from the first-half massacre in a 34-22 defeat that ended a handy four-match winning streak.

Souths have lost Taane Milne to suspension, with rookie Isaiah Tass coming in at centre. Siliva Havili joins the bench for the injured Jacob Host.

Tolutau Koula replaces Talakai Express victim Morgan Harper in the centres.

Haumole Olakau’atu (suspension) and Taniela Paseka (injury) are big outs for Manly but the pack is bolstered by Martin Taupau and Sean Keppie.

Souths are on a five-match winning streak against Manly, averaging 34.6 points in the process.

The Rabbitohs prevailed 26-12 at Brookvale in Round 2 last year and swamped the Sea Eagles 36-16 in the prelim final.

Both sides a down a notch or two on the top-four highs of 2021, Souths might start as early favourites but the leadership and poise of Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran is set to prove the difference in this one.

Tip: Back Manly to Win @ $2.25

SGM: MANLY +3.5 / OVER 38.5 POINTS / ALEX JOHNSTON ANYTIME TRY SCORER / JASON SAAB ANYTIME TRY SCORER @ $10.00

A pair of teams in a similar plight after heavy Round 7 losses.

The 3-4 Warriors have been the more impressive of the two overall in 2022, chalking up three straight increasingly encouraging wins before a tough loss to the Roosters.

They were gallant in trailing the Storm just 16-10 at halftime on Anzac Day despite gifting the heavyweights three tries.

But Nathan Brown’s charge thrust themselves into a harsh spotlight by conceding a ridiculous 54 points in a 31-minute period after the break, sinking to a pathetic club-record 70-10 loss that also cost them Josh Curran and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak due to injury and Aaron Pene via suspension.

In the only non-enforced change, hapless winger Ed Kosi has been dropped to the reserves. Round 1 centres Rocco Berry and Viliami Vailea have been named on the flanks, while Eliesa Katoa and Jack Murchie join the bench.

Canberra is on a four-match slide, culminating in a 36-6 loss at Penrith in which the Raiders competed for 55 minutes.

The Raiders are among the weaker attacking sides this season and are averaging just 13.4 points. Elliott Whitehead is a key inclusion this week.

The Raiders have won five of their last six against the Warriors away from Canberra. Last season the Warriors overturned a 21-point deficit to edge the empty-bench Raiders 34-31 at GIO Stadium but the Green Machine returned the favour in Mackay, winning 28-16 with two tries in the last two minutes.

Both sides were murdered in the running metres department in Round 7, failing to break the 800-metre mark as a team and being outrun to the tune of 1,000-plus metres by their rampaging opponents.

The Warriors’ pack has been superior to the Raiders’ so far this season, though Curran is a big loss and there’s little in it on paper.

Without a doubt the key for the surrogate hosts is Shaun Johnson, who was clearly playing injured on Monday.

The Warriors are 3-0 at their Redcliffe base and should bounce back harder after being (deservedly) pilloried this week and playing some half-decent footy over the past month outside of one diabolical half-hour period at AAMI Park.

Tip: Back the Warriors to Win @ $2.00

SGM: EITHER TEAM BY LESS THAN 10.5 POINTS / XAVIER SAVAGE ANYTIME TRY SCORER / REECE WALSH ANYTIME TRY SCORER @ $9.50

There were arguably more positives than negatives for Canterbury last week given the club’s COVID setbacks and injury toll – but putting a favourable spin on a 34-14 loss to a team on a four-match losing streak highlights the last-placed Bulldogs’ plight.

Debutant Jacob Kiraz and the recalled Aaron Schoupp were wonderful in the centres and Josh Addo-Carr bagged a double. But they leaked five tries in the last 25 minutes when an upset was in the offing.

Brent Naden and Jake Averillo return from COVID exile for Jayden Okunbor and Kiraz.

Sydney Roosters have barely made it out of second gear this season and a patchy three-match winning streak was halted by a 14-12 Anzac Day loss to the Dragons.

The sheer effort and class of Joey Manu and James Tedesco kept the Tricolours in it but attacking rhythm is severely lacking.

Kevin Naiqama replaces the suspended Daniel Tupou this week.

The Roosters are on an eight-match winning streak against the Bulldogs, though five of those were decided by eight points or less.

Last season’s sole encounter saw the Roosters graft out a 22-16 win after the Bulldogs had lost to Manly by 66 points a week earlier.

Though well short of their best overall, the Roosters’ defence remains among the NRL’s best.

The Bulldogs are averaging a measly 10 points per game and haven’t scored more than 16 in 2022 – they look well under the odds even as a $5 outsider.

This looms as an ideal game for the Roosters – in particular out-of-sorts No.7 Luke Keary – to click.

Tip: Back the Rooster to Cover the Line (-13.5 Points) and Over 38.5 Points @ $3.00

SGM: ROOSTERS BY 21-30 / BULLDOGS UNDER 11.5 POINTS / JOSEPH MANU ANYTIME TRY SCORER @ $20.30

A match-of-the-round contender with third-placed Parramatta and fifth-placed North Queensland both coming off resounding wins.

The Eels responded to their shock Easter Monday loss to the Tigers by routing the Knights 39-2 in Newcastle.

Their pack was dominant and a makeshift three-quarter line impressed, while Mitch Moses and Reed Mahoney provided the game-breaking polish.

The Cowboys put away the Titans 30-4 for a 4-3 record. Fill-in fullback Scott Drinkwater is now borderline undroppable, Tom Dearden continues to shine and the Cowboys’ batch of talented, aggressive young back-rowers are complementing the resurgent likes of Jason Taumalolo.

Todd Payten’s side has conceded the second-least points in the NRL – but it’s worth noting the softness of their draw, playing just one other current Top 8 team so far (a 28-4 loss to the Roosters).

Parramatta beat North Queensland 32-16 in the teams’ only 2021 clash, on the Gold Coast in Round 23. But the Cowboys have won four of their last seven against the Eels in Sydney.

Both teams are unchanged – including Brad Arthur’s unnecessary selection of son Jakob and pushing Dylan Brown to centre.

The Eels are capable of blowing most teams off the park, but the Cowboys are playing with confidence and cohesion on both sides of the ball and getting a tantalising start here.

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

SGM: EITHER TEAM BY LESS THAN 10.5 POINTS / UNDER 40.5 POINTS / SHAUN LANE ANYTIME TRY SCORER / JEREMIAH NANAI ANYTIME TRY SCORER @ $50.09

Melbourne won by 60 points last week and Newcastle lost by 37 – the scoreline on Sunday afternoon could be anything.

The Storm were arguably fortunate to be in front at halftime against the Warriors, before piling on 10 tries in the second stanza.

Xavier Coates finished with four, while Dally M Medal leader Ryan Papenhuyzen was scintillating with two tries and three try assists.

The wheels have fallen off at Newcastle, demolished 39-2 at home by Parramatta last Sunday with some of the weakest goal-line defence you’ll ever see one of the hallmarks.

None of the 2-5 Knights’ forwards ran for 90 metres and they have now scored just 24 points in their past four matches.

Compounding matters for the embattled Knights, Dane Gagai is out and will be replaced by novice Simi Sasagi in the centres with Sauaso Sue joining the bench. The Storm are unchanged.

The Storm are on a 10-match winning streak against the Knights and the smallest winning margin in the teams’ last eight encounters was 10 points, while the Storm obliterated the Knights 48-4 at Robina last season – a record in the club’s rivalry for highest score and biggest margin.

Both marks could be threatened this weekend.

Tip: Back the Knights to Score Less Than 10.5 Points @ $1.77

SGM: STORM -21.5 / RYAN PAPENHUYZEN ANYTIME TRY SCORER / JUSTIN OLAM ANYTIME TRY SCORER / JAHROME HUGHES ANYTIME TRY SCORER @ $13.37

Round 8 concludes with an intriguing duel after St George Illawarra Dragons and Wests Tigers breathed life into their flagging 2022 campaigns with back-to-back wins in the past fortnight.

The Saints ran down the Knights late in Round 6, before pulling off a gutsy 14-12 upset of the Roosters on Anzac Day.

They really had to grind it out but were by far the better team, with Ben Hunt’s sensational form continuing and a widely-criticised pack standing up to the vaunted Roosters.

The Tigers have stolen consecutive wins over the Eels and Rabbitohs with last-minute field goals, Luke Brooks coming up with the winning play in the latter after earlier scoring a crucial runaway try.

Jackson Hastings was again the best afield while David Nofoaluma bagged a second straight double.

Daine Laurie was a key component of both upsets but has been ruled out with injury, pitching Starford To’a into the No.1 hot-seat.

Oliver Gildart returns in the centres and Kelma Tuilagi is back in the second-row after illness kept him out last week.

Jayden Su’A was huge against the Roosters but suffered an ankle injury, while Jack Bird has been named at five-eight despite going off with an arm complaint.

Tyrell Fuimaono is the new face on the bench with Josh McGuire to start.

Wests Tigers have won the last four battles of the joint ventures by an average margin of 15.5 points.

Last season the Tigers prevailed 16-8 in Wollongong and powered to a 34-18 victory at Western Sydney Stadium four weeks later.

The Hunt v Hastings duel shapes as the decisive factor here, the Tigers have played with real attacking enterprise in the past two weeks, creating plenty of changes for their wingers – but the Dragons have tightened up defensively in a big way.

Expect it to go down to the wire. But nine of the Dragons’ last 10 matches at WIN Stadium have produced 37-plus points and we should see a few scored on Sunday night.

Tip: Back Over 38.5 Points @ $1.90

SGM: TIGERS +6.5 / TIGERS OVER 16.5 POINTS / MIKAELE RAVALAWA ANYTIME TRY SCORER / DAVID NOFOALUMA ANYTIME TRY SCORER @ $8.10

2021

The dust is beginning to settle on the 2021 NRL season with two months of footy nearly behind us.

It seems like every week we’re treated to a top-eight blockbuster to kick off proceedings, and that is again the case on Thursday night when the Raiders host the Rabbitohs in a must-win game for the Green Machine.

Saturday sees the Panthers put their undefeated streak on the line in Bathurst against a rejuvenated Manly side that has now rattled off three straight wins, followed by a big game from Newcastle between the Knights and the Roosters.

For analysis on all eight games, read our 2021 NRL Round 8 Preview below!

The Raiders head back home to Canberra on Thursday night looking to snap a three-game losing streak that has left them in danger of slipping out of the eight.

Canberra allowed a 12-point half-time lead to slip through its fingertips last week against the Cowboys in what was another worrying second-half display from Ricky Stuart’s men.

To make matters worse, the Raiders now welcome a Rabbitohs side riding a six-game win streak following last week’s 40-30 win over the Titans.

Souths has held the wood over the Raiders recently winning their last two meetings, while you could hardly call GIO Stadium an advantage for Canberra considering they’ve only won one game at home so far.

The Raiders can, however, rest a little easier knowing they won’t have to face Latrell Mitchell this week.

Canberra might also get some reprieve on the injury front with Bailey Simonsson and Sam Williams both a chance at returning.

Even so, the fact the Raiders haven’t scored in the second half over their last two games is a very concerning sign.

Anything short of a full 80-minute effort against the Bunnies is asking for trouble, especially with Wayne Bennett’s crew looking to prove a point with Mitchell on the sideline.

Tip: Back the Rabbitohs 1-12 @ $2.95

The Storm and the Sharks meet on Friday night at complete opposite ends of the spectrum.

Craig Bellamy’s side has rattled off four wins in a row to move into fourth on the ladder, while the Sharks have dropped three consecutive games following the sacking of John Morris.

Last week’s loss to the Bulldogs was a new low point for Cronulla as they embark on a new chapter under Josh Hannay, but it’s fair to say injuries also played a big part in the six-point loss with Matt Moylan, Royce Hunt, Ronaldo Mulitalo and Sione Katoa all on the sidelines.

Unfortunately, all of that spells bad news for a Sharks team that hasn’t won in Melbourne since 2018.

To be fair, Cronulla typically gives the Storm a fair shake, but a win here looks pretty unlikely against the top scoring team in the league.

Tip: Back the Storm to Cover the Line (-17.5 Points) @ $2.00

The Broncos and the Titans will meet for the second time in just over a month in a game Justin Holbrook’s side really needs to have.

Now riding a two-game losing streak, the Titans are in real danger of not only slipping out of the eight, but also falling well short of the top four expectations many set for them at the start of the year.

Fortunately, a winnable game against the Broncos couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Titans withstood a late comeback from the Broncos to win by 12 when these sides met back in Round 2, although it’s fair to say Holbrook will be asking for a renewed sense of urgency this time around.

If the Titans can start on time though, they should be winning this comfortably.

The Broncos have been dealt another injury blow with captain Alex Glenn ruled out for the next few weeks with a calf injury. The skipper joins Kotoni Staggs and Alex Glenn on the sidelines.

David Fifita also dominated Brisbane last time they met scoring a double on either side of half-time.

The Broncos should appreciate getting back to their home turf, but after struggling big time for possession last week in the blowout loss to the Eels, it’s hard to see Brisbane keeping up with this talented Gold Coast outfit.

Tip: Back the Titans to Cover the Line (-12.5 Points) @ $2.00

Penrith is laying -14.5 on Saturday against Manly, but it’s fair to say this game could turn out to be an absolute thriller.

As expected, the Sea Eagles have taken their rightful place as a contender having now strung together three wins on the trot with Tom Trbojevic back in the fold.

Back to back demolition jobs over the Titans and Tigers has left Manly fans with plenty to celebrate, but of course, this is a serious litmus test going up against the benchmark of the competition.

Still undefeated, the Panthers made it look easy last week in their 24-6 win over the Knights in Penrith, while they also have to feel pretty good about themselves after tearing Manly apart 46-6 just over a month ago.

On the injury front, the Sea Eagles could potentially welcome Moses Suli and Curtis Sironen back into the fold.

Penrith, meanwhile, remains one of the healthiest sides in the competition with Api Koroisau set to return from a wrist injury.

So long as the Panthers take the Sea Eagles seriously, they should be on their way to a perfect 8-0 start.

Manly is definitely a top eight threat with health on their side, but after Viliame Kikau and Brian To’o dominated Des Hasler’s defence at the start of the month for two tries apiece, it’s hard to see the Sea Eagles coming up with an answer in a hurry.

Tip: Back the Panthers to Win & Under 43.5 Total Points @ $2.70

Canterbury finally joined the winner’s list last week with a six-point win over the Sharks, but they’re about to face a much tougher test against an Eels side that has rattled off two double-digit victories.

Like we’ve seen on more than one occasion recently, Parramatta dominated possession last week against Brisbane from the get-go as Maika Sivo scored inside the opening minute on his way to a hat-trick.

Anything close to that kind of form will prove tough to stop for the Dogs, although Trent Barrett’s side should feel confident heading into this one after losing by only two points last time they met.

Before Bulldog fans get too carried away though, there are some injury concerns with Chris Smith and Matt Doorey needing to pass their HIA.

On Parra’s front, the Eels are set to welcome Ryan Matterson back from his own concussion issues.

From a betting perspective, the Dogs have been a decent play as the underdog against the Eels covering in six of their last nine games, which does make the +19.5 spread look a very enticing bet.

Nothing will come easy, but if the Bulldogs can force the Eels into mistakes like they did last week against Cronulla, there’s a good chance they keep the scoreline respectable.

Tip: Back the Bulldogs to Cover the Line (+19.5 Points) @ $1.90

The Knights return home to Newcastle on Saturday night for a crucial game against a Roosters side looking to make a push for the top four.

Now sitting 10th, the Knights find themselves with plenty of work to do on the ladder after suffering a a mighty 24-6 loss at the hands of the Panthers last week.

The Roosters returned to the winner’s circle with a win on ANZAC Day over the Dragons, although this does look to be another tough test with fullback James Tedesco in some doubt after suffering a nasty concussion last week.

Even so, the Roosters hold the wood over the Knights after rattling off back-to-back double-digit victories in their last two meetings.

The tri-colours have scored more than 40 points on both of those occasions, and the scoreboard could be in for another workout with Edrick Lee, Tex Hoy, Hymel Hunt and Mitchell Pearce still on the sidelines for the Knights.

Roosters head coach Trent Robinson will also sense the importance of this game with his side having lost two from three on the road this year.

McDonald Jones Stadium is a tough away trip for even the best sides, but the Roosters still appear a safe enough bet against this wounded Knights squad.

Tip: Back the Roosters to Win & Over 41.5 Total Points @ $2.70

Don’t be surprised if this battle between 9th and 12th turns into the game of the round on Sunday afternoon.

Winners of three straight, the Cowboys will be looking to venture even closer to top eight territory, while the Warriors will be looking to atone for last week’s forgettable performance against the Storm in Melbourne.

The Cowboys have been playing some very inspired football over the last month and there was certainly a lot to like about their defensive display in the second half last week against the Raiders.

It goes without saying though that Todd Payten’s crew will need all of that and more against a rejuvenated Warriors side welcoming back David Fusitu’a and Adam Pompey back into the side.

Like always, the Warriors have been a tough side to trust at times this year, but they have been a pretty consistent team to back on the back of a loss.

New Zealand has played to a 10-4 record at the line over the last 12 months in this situation, while they’ve also held North Queensland’s number in recent years winning three of their last four contests.

North Queensland has been great to watch over the last few weeks, but it is worth remembering two of their three wins have come at home.

With a 1-2 mark on the road this year, the Warriors look a nice bet to bounce back.

Tip: Back the Warriors to Cover the Line (-3.5 Points) @ $1.90

The Dragons have come crashing back to earth with a pair of losses to the Warriors and Roosters in successive weeks, but Anthony Griffin’s side does have a perfect opportunity to get back to business on Sunday with a winnable game against the Tigers.

Wests looked destined for another upset last week over Manly before things went haywire right before half-time in a three-try assault from Daly Cherry-Evans and Martin Taupau.

Now, Michael Maguire is forced to go back to the drawing board as he looks to come up with an answer to St George’s dominant forward line.

Believe it or not, the Tigers have won their last two meetings over St George by double digits, but this is obviously a different Dragons outfit to the one we saw last year.

St George could be helped out on the injury front this week with Ben Hunt a chance to play, while Josh Kerr will take his place in the second row after being scratched on ANZAC Day.

As far as betting goes, this one could turn into a high-scoring affair if the defensive statistics are anything to go by.

The Dragons and Tigers both rank top five in missed tackles this year, while both clubs also allowed more than 30 points last week.

Tip: Back the Dragons to Win & Over 43.5 Total Points @ $2.25

2020

Three top eight blockbusters make up the bulk of Round 8 and we are once again offering $2.00 lines on each and every game!

The Storm and the Roosters is the marquee match on Thursday night, followed by a must-watch game on Friday between the top of the table Eels and a rejuvenated Cowboys outfit.

Ivan Cleary’s Panthers could potentially claim top spot on the ladder with a win over the Tigers on Saturday, while Manly and the Knights are looking to bounce back from a pair of crushing defeats at Brookvale.

Just like we do every week, we’ve previewed all eight games and our complete 2020 NRL Round 8 Preview can be found below.

The Roosters had their hands full last week against the Dragons and they will need to ensure they turn up in the first half this week against the Storm.

Melbourne will be hoping to ride the momentum they gained last week with a huge 50-6 win over the Warriors, although they will play without Cameron Munster, who looks likely to miss at least a few weeks with a knee injury.

The Roosters are also looking a little worse for wear with Victor Radley and Sam Verrills set to miss the season after tearing their ACL’s. Trent Robinson can rest a little easier though knowing James Tedesco is fit to return following a concussion.

These two clubs met three times last year with all three games being decided by eight points or less. The Roosters have won three of the last five meetings, but it is worth noting four of those games have seen less than 30-points.

This contest has a real finals feel to it, so it wouldn’t be surprising if we saw a low-scorer – especially with a few key outs.

Tip: Under 35.5 Total Points @ $1.90

Losers of two straight, the Raiders will be hoping the early season version of the Dragons shows up this week, as oppose to the one that put a scare into the Roosters.

Canberra clawed their way back into the game last week against the Eels, only to lose in extra time on a Clinton Gutherson field goal. How Ricky Stuart’s side responds to such a deflating loss will be on full display on Friday as they now look to remain in the eight.

The Dragons are also looking to bounce-back in the win column, but you could easily call last week’s effort against the Roosters an honourable loss.

There’s no shame in losing to the back-to-back premiers, especially when you head into the sheds with a 10-8 lead.

St George fans can also rest easy knowing their side remains relatively unchanged, yet the same can’t be said for the Raiders, who will go without Corey Horsburgh for the rest of the season.

The Raiders have won two of their last three against St George, but their recent struggles in the first half makes them a risky betting play this week.

The Dragons, meanwhile, have covered in two of their three games as the away underdog against Canberra, so with $2.00 on offer and a +11.5 line as insurance, take the Red V to cover.

Tip: Back the Dragons to Cover the Line (+11.5 Points) @ $2.00

An intriguing game for many, many reasons.

How the Bankwest turf holds up is the biggest question on everyone’s mind, while the potential inclusion of Valentine Holmes makes the market very interesting if you fancy the Cowboys.

The Eels nearly came unstuck last week against the Raiders, but they did manage to squeak out a 25-24 victory in extra-time.

Maika Sivo and Michael Jennings were again the stars of the show, but head coach Brad Arthur will be asking for a more composed effort this week after allowing two unanswered tries in the final five minutes of the game.

Speaking of effort, that’s exactly what Paul Green will be after following North Queensland’s statement win over the Knights.

The Cowboys seemingly have their season back on track, and if they can hammer the Eels with quick plays and a successful aerial attack, there’s nothing stopping them from rejoining the eight.

Also working in North Queensland’s favour is Mitchell Moses’ calf injury. Arthur has several replacement options in line for the Eels halfback, but this is the kind of loss that could cause a few problems on attack.

Last but not least, the trends seem to suggest the Cowboys can at least keep this close.

They’ve covered in three of their last five games following a win, while they’ve also won their last two meetings against the Eels. All in all, a +7.5 line at time of publish is pretty generous.

Tip: Back the Cowboys to Cover the Line (+7.5 Points) @ $2.00

The complexity of the bottom eight changed drastically last week following two blowout victories from the Titans and Sharks.

A win this week for the Gold Coast would move them well clear of the bottom of the ladder, while the Sharks could potentially join the top eight if results go their way.

Both sides remain relatively unchanged at time of publish with only Tyrone Roberts a chance at returning for the Titans.

The Sharks have won three straight over the Gold Coast dating back to 2017, but if the Titans hit the ground running like they did last week against the Broncos, they should be in this.

The Titans hold a 3-1 record as the away underdog against the Sharks, while it’s also worth noting two of the last three games between these sides have been decided by eight points or less.

With these both struggling to string together consistent performances week to week, we could be in for a tight one.

Tip: Back the Titans to Cover the Line (+5.5 Points) @ $2.00

How fitting is this.

After spending months away from home, the Warriors announced earlier in the week that they want out of the competition.

Meanwhile, the end of the season can’t come quick enough for the Broncos following another demoralizing loss last week at the hands of the rival Titans.

This game should also go a long way to determining the wooden spoon race with both the Broncos and the Warriors among the favourites in our ‘Most Losses’ market.

With Roger Tuivasa-Sheck facing the judiciary and Joe Ofahengaue also missing the next two games following a shoulder charge, it’s safe to say points might come at a premium on Saturday.

Again, fittingly, the last three games between these two clubs have all gone Under the Total, so if you really want to have a bet on two cellar-dwellers, at least back it to be low scoring.

Tip: Under 43.5 Total Points @ $1.90

Second and sixth get together on Saturday night with both sides looking to make it three on the trot.

The Tigers were enormous last week in their 34-6 victory over the Bulldogs – a performance Michael Maguire will be hoping to build on as his side faces a much tougher task this week.

Penrith has enjoyed an extra break heading into this game having beaten the Rabbitohs last Thursday night 20-12.

The Panthers also receive an added boost with Josh Mansour likely to return from a knee injury.

The Tigers polished off the Panthers 30-4 in Round 9 last year, so whether that adds a little motivation to Ivan Cleary’s side remains to be seen.

Tip: Back the Panthers to Cover the Line (-5.5 Points) @ $2.00

Respective blowout losses last week has Manly and Newcastle on the hunt for a return to form.

The understrength Sea Eagles were blown apart by the Sharks last Sunday, while the Knights failed to turn up for their clash against the Cowboys in North Queensland.

There is good news on the injury front for both sides with Moses Suli set to return for the Sea Eagles and the one-man wrecking ball Bradman Best returning for the Knights.

As far as trends go though, it is hard to go past Manly as the underdog.

Dating back to the start of last season, the Sea Eagles are 5-2 straight-up following a previous loss, while the Knights have shown a tendency to go on losing streaks in recent years.

If the Knights start out slow like they did last week against the Cowboys, Manly could be in with a chance.

Tip: Back Manly to Cover the Line (+1.5 Points) @ $2.00

The odds paint a pretty bleak picture for the Bulldogs following the injury to Will Hopoate last week.

Canterbury suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Tigers that leaves them sitting dead last, and things aren’t about to get any easier with a hungry Rabbitohs side up next.

Souths failed to fire last week against the Panthers in a rather flat performance from Dane Gagai and Latrell Mitchell.

Fortunately, Wayne Bennett’s side has a chance to not only right their wrongs this week, but also rejoin the top eight if previous results fall their way.

The Bunnies have won two of their last three over Canterbury and are also 5-4 following a previous loss dating back to the start of last season.

In what has been a strange year overall, this might be the safest bet of the round.

Tip: Back the Rabbitohs 13+ @ $2.00

2019

It’s still all square atop the NRL ladder after seven exciting weeks.

The Roosters, Storm and Rabbitohs find themselves tied on points, but with a blockbuster round ahead, things could turn interesting this weekend.

There are three primetime treats to choose from as well as a Sunday afternoon grudge match between the rival Dragons and Eels. As always, we’ve done the dirty work and our complete 2019 NRL Round 8 Preview can be found below.

A magical start in Penrith last week saw the Rabbitohs over the line against the Panthers, and if they can start fast again this week, the Bunnies are every chance to jump on top of the ladder.

South Sydney wasted no time away from home as Kyle Turner crossed the line just two minutes in.  Corey Allan added another 20-minutes later, but although the Rabbitohs walked away with the two points, there’s still plenty South Sydney needs to work on ahead of Thursday night’s game.

The Broncos have plenty to feel positive about following their 29-6 demolition over the Sharks at Suncorp. The Kodi Nikorima bombshell could pose a mid-week distraction, but if Brisbane can hit the front early and rely on the boot of Jamayne Issako again, the upset could be on.

With home-field advantage, the odds are well and truly in South Sydney’s favour, but it’s worth noting the Broncos have won seven straight against the Bunnies dating back to 2015. Last year’s 38-18 victory in Round 23 was hardly close, a game Corey Oates dominated with a hat-trick performance.

Considering their dominance in this fixture, it’s no surprise to learn the Broncos have entered as the away underdog only twice against South Sydney. Brisbane are 1-1 in this scenario, and if they can knuckle down defensively like they did last week and complete close to 80% of their sets again, the Broncos look good money to improve on their strong form against the Rabbits.

Tip: Back the Broncos To Win @ $2.55

Two Queensland sides fresh from disappointing performances meet with a chance to earn their third win of the season.

The Cowboys were torn apart by the Bulldogs last Friday night in a game that can only be described as concerning. Canterbury stretched the Cowboys defence all night long with punishing Jayden Okunbor and Josh Jackson runs, storming home to a convincing 24-12 victory.

Gold Coast also have plenty to be worried about after blowing a 14-point lead to the Tigers on Saturday. Tyrone Peachey and company looked well on their way to a large victory up in Tamworth, but the Tigers quickly made up for their mistakes with some creative passing to stun the Titans with six unanswered tries.

As the odds suggest, even the bookies appear to be having a tough time separating these two cellar dwellers. North Queensland enter as the short-priced favourite with home-field advantage and considering they’ve won seven straight against the Titans, it’s not hard to understand why.

Even so, when the Titans are on, they are more than capable of piling on points. Defensively Gold Coast are a guessing game, but they’ll have far less to worry about this week against an understrength North Queensland outfit.

The bookies obviously expect this one to be close with a short three-point line set. The Titans are 11-9 as the underdog at the line, and although last week ended in heartbreak, back Gold Coast’s forward line to play with a chip on its shoulder and get the job done up north.

Tip: Back the Titans to Cover the Line (+2.5 Points) @ $1.90

This shapes up to be a game neither side really needs right now.

The Sharks, fresh from a 29-6 belting at the hands of the Broncos last week, now face one of the ladder leaders on Friday night in a game that could potentially send them even further outside the eight.

As for the Storm, it’s hard to know what to make of Craig Bellamy’s side. Melbourne barely got the job done against the Warriors on Anzac Day, but with the help of a controversial penalty, the Storm survived 13-12 thanks to a lucky Brodie Croft field goal in the dying stages.

What we’re left with now are two question mark sides that should make punters a little nervous. The Sharks, who are renowned for their stingy defence, are now left wondering after last week’s blowout loss, while the Storm’s prolific attack has looked a little sluggish in recent weeks.

The last time these sides met the Storm walked away 22-6 winners in Week 3 of the Finals. It’s worth keeping in mind Cronulla won 14-4 at home against Melbourne last year, while they also held on for a narrow 17-14 victory at AAMI Park in August.

Cronulla looks a little over the odds at this price considering they are 2-1 as the home underdog against the Storm. Last week’s loss in Brisbane was certainly concerning, but Suncorp has always been a losing ground for John Morris’ side.

Even so, the Sharks look good money this week to hand Melbourne their second loss of the season. The Storm looked flat last week, and against a Cronulla side that has allowed Melbourne to score only 20-points once in their last five meetings, it’ll take more than Cameron Smith and Cameron Munster to bail them out of trouble this time around.

Tip: Back the Sharks to Win @ $2.65

The Canberra Raiders treated their fans to a nice little magic act last week as they made a 12-0 lead disappear.

The Green Machine jumped from the gates early to pile on two unanswered tries in the opening 10-minutes, only for Manly to hit back hard with some clever offloading and kicking to take complete control in the 24-20 victory.

Penrith also had to feel hard done by as they went toe-to-toe with the Rabbitohs at home, only to fall four points short. James Maloney was at his best, but a sloppy (and scoreless) first half cost the Panthers a chance at the win.

These two sides played out a pair of classics last year, both of which were won by the Panthers. Canberra are the home side this week at Wagga Wagga’s McDonalds Park hoping to snap a four-game losing streak to Penrith.

The Raiders enter as the favourite, but to be fair, the Panthers haven’t done a whole lot wrong recently. Unfortunately, their 3-8 record as the underdog over the last 12 months makes them tough to back, especially against a Raiders side with a strong 9-3 record as the favourite during the same time span.

Tip: Back the Raiders 1-12 @ $3.10

These two sides rejoined the winners circle last week with a pair of convincing victories at home.

The Sea Eagles won the battle against the Raiders, but they weren’t without loss as Daly Cherry-Evans looks set to miss an indefinite amount of time with an ankle injury.

Despite remaining the wooden spoon favourites, the Dogs earned their second win of the season last week in a brilliant 24-12 victory over the Cowboys. Canterbury’s young guns shined as Jayden Okunbor and Josh Jackson both crossed the line, but Dean Pay’s side will need to play great this week if they wish to topple Manly’s momentum.

The Sea Eagles have found some real spirit over the last month, and even without Tom Trbojevic and Cherry-Evans, Manly can’t be taken lightly. Des Hasler’s team have lost three of their last five games against the Dogs, but they’ll hold fond memories of last year’s 18-6 victory at Brookvale.

Home-field advantage counts for a lot this week, so it’s no surprise to see Manly as the favourites. The Sea Eagles are 5-7 at home over the last 12 months, but if they can challenge the Dogs’ defence with quick passing and their usual fast play of the ball, the likes of Lachlan Croker and Martin Taupau should prove too tough to stop.

Tip: Back Manly to Cover the Line (-1.5 Points) @ $1.90

It’s a Saturday night showdown this week as the Roosters play host to the Tigers at the SCG.

Sydney polished off the Dragons 20-10 on Anzac Day last Thursday to earn their sixth win of the season, while the Tigers fought back from 14-points down to stun the Titans 30-14 up in Tamworth.

The Roosters sit atop the NRL ladder thanks to points difference. The seventh-place Tigers, meanwhile, hang just inside the eight one spot ahead of the Dragons.

These two sides split their two-game series one win apiece last year, but it’s typically been the Roosters who have held the upper hand. Sydney has won four of the last five meetings between these two and 11 of the last 12.

The Tigers find themselves with a winning record, but their defence remains suspect. Wests allowed two easy tries to the Titans last week, and although Mahe Fonua dragged the Tigers back into it with a hat-trick of tries, things won’t come quite so easy this week against the Roosters.

With their impressive record in mind, the Roosters are a perfect 5-0 as the home favourite against Michael Maguire’s side. Back Sydney to keep that record intact.

Tip: Back the Roosters 13+ @ $1.90

Now at 2-5, the Warriors and the Knights meet on Sunday for a chance to edge closer to a spot inside the eight.

New Zealand have to feel good about their performance last week against the Storm in Melbourne, but an unfortunate penalty and some sloppy defence in the dying stages cost the Warriors their shot at an upset.

The Knights, on the other hand, came through for the few punters that showed faith. Newcastle upset the Eels 28-14 in front of their hometown fans jumping out to an early 20-point lead thanks to a brilliant run from Kalyn Ponga.

Looking ahead, the scoreboard could be in for a bit of a workout this week. Neither New Zealand nor Newcastle are particularly strong defensively, as we found out last year in the Warriors’ 20-4 blowout win.

The Knights haven’t won in New Zealand since 2012, and with a 2-5 record as the away underdog over the last 12 months, you can’t take Newcastle at this price. At the same time, the Warriors are also too short to back, so considering the Total has gone Over 30-points in four of their last five meetings, take the Overs.

Tip: Back Over 39.5 Total Points @ $1.88

A slow start to last week’s game against the Knights cost the Eels a chance at a spot in the Top 4. Parramatta were on the back foot early as Newcastle piled on three unanswered tries, a disappointing performance from Brad Arthur’s side.

The Dragons also started slow on Anzac Day losing 20-10 to the Roosters. It was a big ask for St. George in front of a jam-packed crowd as Latrell Mitchell had it all his own way crossing the line in the 15^th minute.

The Eels got the better of the Dragons in Round 22 last year winning 40-4 at home. Jarryd Hayne and Mitchell Moses haunted St. George for the full 80-minutes, but it’s safe to expect a closer game on Sunday considering the Dragons have been one of the top teams defensively this season.

Despite last week’s shortcomings, the bookies have given the edge to the Eels at home. Parramatta are 3-1 in this scenario against the Dragons, but keep in mind, St. George are 5-4 as the away underdog at the line over the last 12 months.

Tip: Back the Dragons to Cover the Line (+1.5 Points) @ $1.90

2018

Round 7 has only just been completed, but Anzac Day means that we don’t need to wait long for more NRL action.

The traditional Anzac Day games involving the St George Illawarra Dragons, Sydney Roosters, Melbourne Storm and New Zealand Warriors headline another big round and there is plenty of value to be found across all eight matches.

We have analysed every game set to take place this weekend and our complete 2018 NRL Round 8 tips can be found below.

This is set to be one of the anticipated Anzac Day meetings between these two sides in recent memory.

The Dragons may have suffered their first loss of the season when they went down to the Warriors last weekend, but they will still go into this clash as narrow favourites.

WIN Stadium is generally a happy hunting ground for the Dragons and they have won eight of their past 10 games as home favourites, while they are 5-5 against the line in this scenario.

It wasn’t a pretty performance, but the Sydney Roosters were able to return to winning form against the Canterbury Bulldogs last weekend and their defensive toughness had to be admired.

The Roosters have lost their past three games as away underdogs, but they are 2-1 against the line in this scenario and they have won three of their past four games against the Dragons.

There is nothing between these two sides and a repeat of their Golden Point epic from last season could be on the cards, so the Roosters are a great bet with the small start.

Back Roosters To Cover The Line (+1.5 Points)

This is another very interesting clash and we are going to be treated to some outstanding Rugby League on Anzac Day.

The Melbourne Storm have won their past four games against the New Zealand Warriors and they will go into this clash as clear favourites.

Melbourne are always tough to beat in front of their home fans at AAMI Park and they have won 11 of their past 13 games as home favourites, while they were 8-5 against the line in this scenario.

New Zealand bounced back from their first defeat of the season to beat the St George Illawarra Dragons in impressive fashion and there has been plenty to like about the way that they have played this season.

The Warriors have won four of their past 11 games as away underdogs and they are 5-6 against the line in this scenario, but their impressive form can’t be discounted.

This is the biggest test of the season for the Warriors to date and I’m not sure that they are up for it after such a quick back-up.

Back Melbourne To Cover The Line (-4.5 Points)

The South Sydney Rabbitohs have won two games on the trot and they will go into this clash with the Brisbane Broncos as clear favourites.

South Sydney backed up their impressive win over the Sydney Roosters with a dismantling of the Canberra Raiders and there is no doubt that they are a team heading in the right direction.

The Rabbitohs have won five of their past eight games as home favourites and they have covered the line in each of these wins.

Brisbane were not disgraced against the Melbourne Storm last weekend, but their composure let them down at key moments.

They will go into this clash without inspiration hooker Andrew McCullough and the rest of the spine is really going to need to lift if they are any chance of recording an upset win.

Brisbane have won only two of their past seven games as away underdogs for a loss, but they are 4-3 against the line in this situation.

This is a game that the market looks to have just about right and I am happy to stay out from a betting standpoint.

No Bet

The Manly Sea Eagles were disgraceful against the Parramatta Eels last weekend, but they will still start this clash with the Newcastle Knights as favourites.

Off-field dramas dominated the week for the Sea Eagles and that clearly took a toll on their on-field performance – they have now suffered three poor defeats in a row.

Manly have won seven of their past nine games as home favourites and their record against the Knights at Brookvale Oval is excellent, but it is tough to back them on the back of their recent efforts.

The Knights showed plenty of fight to score a late win over the Wests Tigers last weekend, but that victory came at a cost and Mitchell Pearce has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

That is a huge blow for Newcastle and how they respond will be a great test of the character of this side.

They have won only three of their past 13 games as away underdogs and they are 6-7 against the line in this scenario.

The betting play that does appeal in this clash is the Under in Total Points betting markets.

The Under has saluted in five of the past six games played between these two sides and another low-scoring affair does look on the cards on Friday night.

Back Under 38.5 Points

The Canterbury Bulldogs beat the Penrith Panthers earlier this season, but it is the Panthers that will go into this clash as clear favourites.

Penrith suffered a poor loss at the hands of the Cronulla Sharks last weekend, but they have still won nine of their past ten game as home favourites, while they are 8-2 against the line in this scenario.

Canterbury’s attack was extremely poor against the Sydney Roosters last weekend and they have struggled for consistency so far this season.

The Bulldogs have won only three of their past 12 games as away underdogs and their record against the line is not much better.

This is a game that Penrith should be able to win comfortably and they can cover the line of 5.5 points in the process.

Back Penrith To Cover The Line (-5.5 Points)

The Gold Coast Titans have a surprisingly strong record against the Cronulla Sharks in recent seasons, but they will still go into this clash as underdogs.

This is the first proper home game that the Titans have had this season and they desperately need it following a tired performance against the North Queensland Cowboys last weekend.

The Titans have won four of their past six games as home underdogs and their record against the Sharks in this scenario is strong.

Cronulla defied an injury toll to beat the Penrith Panthers last weekend and they played some excellent football in the process.

The Sharks have won five of their past six games away favourites, but they are only a middling 3-3 against the line in this scenario.

This is a game that the market looks to have just about right and I am happy to stay out from a betting perspective

No Bet

The North Queensland Cowboys were finally able to end their losing streak with a win over the Gold Coast Titans last weekend and they will start this clash with the Canberra Raiders as clear favourites.

North Queensland have an excellent record against Canberra – the Raiders haven’t won a game in Townsville since 2006 – and this is the Cowboys chance to score back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

The Cowboys have won four of their past six games as home favourites and they have covered the line in each of these wins.

Canberra had their winning run ended by the South Sydney Rabbitohs and their defensive issues were once again prevalent.

The Raiders have won only two of their past six games as away underdogs and their record against the line is no better.

The Cowboys looked to have turned the corner and they should be able to record another comfortable win.

Back North Queensland To Cover The Line (-7.5 Points)

This is the second meeting between these two sides in less than a month.

The Wests Tigers conceded a late try to go down to the Newcastle Knights last weekend and they will still go into this clash as narrow favourites.

Wests have won two of their past three games as favourites and they have covered the line in each of these wins, while they have won seven of their past eight games against the Parramatta Eels.

Parramatta were finally able to record their first win of the season with a big victory over the Manly Sea Eagles and they are sure to take plenty of confidence from that performance.

The Eels have won only two of their past five games as underdogs and it is unlikely that they will be able to fix all their issues with just one performance.

The Tigers can record their second win over the Eels in a month.

Back Wests Tigers To Cover The Line (-2.5 Points)

2017

We were treated to a number of excellent games in the NRL last weekend and that quality looks set to continue in round eight.

The highlight of the round will be on Tuesday when the Sydney Roosters and St George Illawarra Dragons meet in their traditional Anzac Day clash, but there is NRL betting interest in every single clash.

We have closely analysed every game of the weekend and our NRL Round 8 tips can be found below.

The Canberra Raiders have now won three games on the trot and they will go into this clash with Manly as clear favourites.

Canberra have bounced back from their slow start to the year in impressive fashion and they really should be able to make it four wins on the trot.

The Raiders have won 11 of their past 13 games as home favourites and are 8-5 against the line in this scenario.

Manly went down to the Melbourne Storm last weekend, but they lost no admirers with their performance and had their chances to win in the final minutes.

The Sea Eagles have won only two of their past eight games as away underdogs for a loss, but they are 5-3 against the line in this situation.

This is a marker that looks just about right and I am happy to stay out of this clash from a betting standpoint.

The Brisbane Broncos got out of jail late against the Gold Coast Titans last weekend, but they are still clear favourites to record their third win on the trot.

It is tough to know what to make about the performance of the Broncos last Friday night and they are a team that is still struggling for consistency this season.

Winning away from home has been an issue for Brisbane and they have won only four of their past eight games as away favourites, while they are 3-5 against the line in this scenario.

Souths produced another very flat performance against the Canterbury Bulldogs last weekend and their record at home continues to be appalling.

The Rabbitohs have won only one of their past seven games as home underdogs and their record against the line in this scenario is just as bad.

The real value in this clash is in the Total Points betting market.

South Sydney have conceded over 20 points in all of their games so far this season and the Over has saluted in five of the past seven games played between these two sides.

Back Over 39.5 Points

Both the Parramatta Eels and the Penrith Panthers have been disappointing so far this season, but the Western Sydney Derby is always an entertaining clash.

Penrith produced their worst performance of the season against the Cronulla Sharks last weekend, but they will still go into this clash with the Eels as clear favourites.

Winning away from Pepper Stadium has been something of an issue for Penrith and they have won only three of their past five games as away favourites, but they do have the same record against the line for a profit.

Parramatta rallied late to score a come-from-behind win over the Wests Tigers last Sunday and they are sure to take plenty of confidence from that clash.

The Eels have won only five of their past 15 games as underdogs and they have been a losing play against the line when giving away a start.

The Panthers are becoming a tough team to trust, but they are simply a better side than Parramatta and really should be able to cover the line comfortably.

Back Penrith To Beat The Line (-3.5 Points)

The North Queensland Cowboys will be without Johnathan Thurston once again this weekend, but they will still go into this clash with the Newcastle Knights as clear favourites.

North Queensland were awful in the first half against the St George Illawarra Dragons last weekend, but they were much better in the second half and were almost able to pull-off a remarkable comeback.

The Cowboys have struggled somewhat at 1300Smiles Stadium this season, but they have still won ten of their past 12 games as home favourites.

Newcastle have lost five games on the trot and it is fair to say that their performance against the Sydney Roosters last weekend was fairly uninspiring.

The Knights have not won a game away from home for well over a year and they are 4-6 against the line in this scenario.

North Queensland really should be able to get the job done in this clash, but without Thurston they are a tough team to trust from a betting standpoint and this is another game that I am happy to stay out of.

No Bet

The Cronulla Sharks are showing no signs of a premiership hangover and they go into this clash with the Gold Coast Titans on the back of four wins.

Cronulla produced their best performance of the season to date against the Penrith Panthers and it is no surprise that they will go into this clash as clear favourites.

The Sharks have won seven of their past nine games as home favourites, but they are only 3-6 against the line in this scenario and they have not covered the line in their past four games against the Gold Coast Titans.

The Titans were unfortunate not to come away with the two points from their clash with the Brisbane Broncos, but they should still have taken plenty of confidence from that performance.

They may have only won the one game this season, but they are playing better than that record suggests and they are a much better team with Nathan Peats in the side.

Gold Coast have won only two of their past eight games as away underdogs, but they are a highly profitable 6-2 against the line in this scenario.

The Titans can give Cronulla a scare and they are a great bet to cover the line with a start of 10.5 points.

Back Gold Coast To Beat The Line (+10.5 Points)

The Canterbury Bulldogs have won nine of their past 11 games against the Wests Tigers and they will go into this clash as clear favourites.

Canterbury asserted their authority over South Sydney in the second half Friday and they have now won three games on the trot.

The Bulldogs are a team that generally get the job done as the punter’s elect and they have won five of their past six games as away favourites, while they are 5-1 against the line in this scenario.

Wests proved once again that they are incapable of stringing together positive performances and they threw away victory with a truly awful last 15 minutes against Parramatta.

The Tigers do have a poor record against the Bulldogs and their record at ANZ Stadium is nothing to write home about.

Canterbury continue to be one of the safest betting teams in the NRL and they can cover the line of 4.5 points comfortably.

Back Canterbury To Beat The Line (-4.5 Points)

This is set to be the most interesting Anzac Day clash between the Sydney Roosters and St George Illawarra Dragons in recent memory.

The St George Illawarra Dragons currently sit on top of the NRL Ladder, but it is the Sydney Roosters that will start this clash as clear favourites.

The Roosters ended their losing streak with a professional victory over the Newcastle Knights and they have now won four of their past five games as home favourites, while they are 3-2 against the line in this scenario.

St George Illawarra survived a late comeback from the North Queensland Cowboys to make it five wins in a row last weekend and they are surprise ladder leaders after almost two months of the season.

Despite their recent run, the Dragons have won only two of their past seven games as away underdogs and they are 3-4 against the line in this scenario.

This is the chance for the Sydney Roosters to make a statement and they should be able to do just that on Anzac Day.

Back Sydney To Beat The Line (-3.5 Points)

Melbourne Storm and the New Zealand Warriors meet in their now traditional Anzac Day clash and it is the Storm that will start as clear favourites.

Melbourne got the job done against Manly last weekend, but their second half-performance was poor and Craig Bellamy would expect a more complete effort from his side this weekend.

The Storm have won nine of their past 12 games as home favourites for a clear profit, but they are only 5-7 against the line in this scenario.

New Zealand were fairly poor against the Canberra Raiders last weekend and they really have struggled against the best teams in the NRL this weekend.

The Warriors have won only one of their past seven games as away underdogs and they are 3-4 against the line in this scenario.

In terms of head-to-head betting, the market has got this game just about right and the real value lies in the Total Points betting market.

The Under has saluted in ten of the past 13 home games played by the Melbourne Storm as well as seven of the past ten games played by the New Zealand Warriors in Australia.

New Zealand will struggle to score against the Storm and the Under looks an excellent bet.

Under 38.5 Points

2016

Anzac Day Weekend is now one of the biggest on the NRL calendar and there are a number of key games set to take place this weekend.

The round starts on Friday night when the Brisbane Broncos take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs, but the highlight of the weekend is definitely the triple header on Monday.

The day starts when the Newcastle Knights take on the Manly Sea Eagles before the St George Dragons face the Sydney Roosters and the Melbourne Storm host the New Zealand Warriors in their traditional Anzac Day fixtures.

The Brisbane Broncos have lost their past three meetings with the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium, but they have won four games on the trot this season and they face a South Sydney side that has really struggled in recent weeks.

The Broncos showed that they are capable of putting teams to the sword when they recorded a massive 53-0 victory over the Newcastle Knights this weekend and they may be an even better team than they were 12 months ago.

Adam Reynolds returned for the Rabbitohs last weekend, but it did not do the trick and they were destroyed by a rampant North Queensland Cowboys.

The Broncos will start this game as clear favourites and this has been a position in which they have thrived over the past 12 months – they are 12-3 as home favourites in head to head betting and are 10-5 against the line in this scenario.

In contrast, the South Sydney Rabbitohs have won just one of their past seven games as underdogs and their record against the line when receiving a start is just as poor.

The Broncos are in ruthless form and they should prove far too good for a Rabbitohs side that clearly has some serious issues.

Recommended Bet: Back The Broncos To Beat The Line (-14 Points)

Both the Canterbury Bulldogs and Gold Coast Titans will head into this clash on the back of disappointing losses.

The Bulldogs continue to be hot and cold this season and they really should have been able to get the job done against the New Zealand Warriors, while the Gold Coast Titans have now lost three games in a row following their strong start to the season.

Canterbury will start this game as favourites and they have been far from convincing in this position in the past 12 months.

They have won six of their past 11 games as home favourites for a betting lose and their record against the line in this scenario is a very poor 4-7.

However, the Gold Coast Titans have also been an uninspiring betting side across the same time period and they have won just 3 of their past 12 game as away underdogs and are 5-7 against the line when being given a start at home.

The market seems to have gotten this game just about right and I am happy to stay out from a betting perspective.

Recommended Bet: No Bet

This is a vital game for both sides who have hit a roadblock in recent weeks following their strong start to the season.

The Raiders looked the goods when they beat the Bulldogs three weeks ago, but they have since produced poor performances against both the Parramatta Eels and Cronulla Sharks.

They will still start this game as clear favourites, but they are 5-6 as home favourites in the past 12 months and are 4-7 against the line in the same scenario.

Jason Taylor is staring down the barrel of the sack after the Tigers lost their fifth straight game to the Melbourne Storm and data suggests that will not change this weekend.

The Tigers are 2-7 as away underdogs in the past 12 months and they are 3-6 against the line in this position.

It is clear that neither the Raiders nor the Tigers can be trusted from a betting perspective, but there is a betting play that stands out in this game.

The over has saluted in 13 of the last 23 games played by the Canberra Raiders, while he over is 6-3 in Tigers away games and 14-8 in all their games across the past 12 months.

Recommended Bet: Back The Over (41.5 Points)

The Parramatta Eels recorded an upset win over the North Queensland Cowboys earlier this season, but they face a Cowboys side that has been in ruthless form in recent weeks.

The Cowboys have scored 120 points and conceded just 18 in their past three games at 1300 Smiles Stadium and they will start this game as clear favourites.

North Queensland have won 11 of their past 13 games at 1300 Smiles Stadium for a narrow profit, while they are 7-6 against the line.

The Eels did not play particularly well against the Manly Sea Eagles last weekend, but they were still able to get the job done and will take confidence from the fact that they have beaten the Cowboys already this season.

Parramatta have won three of their past eight games as away underdogs for a sizable profit and they are 5-3 against the line in this scenario, but are only 8-8 as underdogs overall and have failed to fire in their four most recent trips to 1300 Smiles Stadium.

There is reason to be bullish about the chances of both sides this weekend, but the Cowboys look as though they are on another level at the moment and can record another classy win.

Recommended Bet: Back The North Queensland Cowboys To Beat The Line (-8.5 Points)

The Cronulla Sharks have not made headlines this season, but they have now won four games on the trot and have done so in a very professional manner.

The Sharks have shown an ability to rack up big scores, which they have generally lacked in recent seasons and they have been a very relible betting team to date this season.

Cronulla are 6-3 as home favourites in the past 12 months and their record against the line at Shark Park across the same period is 7-4.

The Penrith Panthers returned to winning form with a grinding victory over the Sydney Roosters in Monday Night Football, but their is an alarming statistic that is a big concern heading into this weekend – they have won just one of their past eight games on the back of a win.

Penrith are 3-7 in head to head betting across the past 12 months and they have an identical record against the line.

I expect the Sharks to keep on winning this weekend and I am more than happy to back them to beat the line of four points.

Recommended Bet: Back The Sharks To Beat The Line (-4 Points)

The Newcastle Knights scored a thrilling win over the Manly Sea Eagles in one of the greatest Grand Final’s in history and there is always a bit of tension when these two sides do battle.

Newcastle showed signs of improvement when they narrowly lost to the Melbourne Storm and beat the Wests Tigers, but they were truly horrid against the Brisbane Broncos last weekend and their is still massive problems with their defense.

The Knights will start this game as clear underdogs and they have won just one of their past five games as underdogs and have been an unreliable betting proposition across just about every metric.

Manly were unflattered by the scoreline when they lost to Parramatta and they really haven’t been that bad in recent weeks, but they are clearly missing the organisation the Daly Cherry-Evans brings to the side.

They are a credible 3-1 as away favourites in the past 12 months, but their record against the line as the punter’s elect has been poor.

Both these sides have struggled defensively in 2016 to date and the total points market is where I am keen to play this weekend.

The over has saluted in 14 of the last 22 games played by the Knights, while it is 7-3 in the past ten away games played by Manly.

Recommended Bet: Back The Over (40.5 Points)

The St George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters have played for the Anzac Day Cup since 2002 and this has become a key fixture on the NRL calendar.

Both these teams bring fairly average form into this fixture and it will be the Sydney Roosters that start the game as favourite, despite winning just a single game this season.

The Roosters record as favourites in the past 12 months remains surprisingly strong and they are 5-2 as away favourites over the past 12 months, while they have the same record against the line in that scenario.

The Dragons returned to winning form against the Gold Coast Titans to at least take something out of their tour to Queensland, but they still need not play particularly inspiring rugby league.

They are a very poor 5-10 against the line as underdogs over the past 12 months and they do not have the same upside as a Roosters side that has shown some signs of improvement in recent weeks.

The under in total points market has also been prolific in games involving these two sides – the under has saluted in 18 of the past 24 games played by the Dragons – and I expect the Roosters to win a low-scoring encounter.

Recommended Bets: Back Sydney Roosters To Beat The Line (-2 Points) & Under (378.5 Points)

The lead-up to this game has been dominated by the season-ending ACL injured suffered by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and it could prove the defining moment of the Warriors season.

They could use this opportunity to bind together and get their season back on track, but history suggests that this could cause the Warriors to completely lose their bundle.

The Melbourne Storm will start this game as favourites on the back of their narrow golden point victory over the Wests Tigers and they have won eight of their past ten games as favourites at AAMI Park, while they are a middling 5-5 against the line in this scenario.

New Zealand have won just two of their past 11 games as underdogs and they are a shocking 3-8 against the line when given a start over the past 12 months.

I am always happy to oppose the Warriors and the Storm are a very safe bet to get the win this weekend.

Recommended Bet: Back Melbourne Storm To Win @ $1.65