Both teams’ trial form has been top notch, so nothing to provide a hint there. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images). It's round one of the 2021 NRL season. Storm v Broncos. 2021 NRL Team Previews: Parramatta Eels Scroll below for the full Round 1 tips by Johns, Fittler and all Nine's expert tipsters! Playoff positions are still up for grabs and the top four spots are also there for the taking. Tips: Storm, Bulldogs, Eels, Warriors, Roosters, Panthers, Raiders, Sharks. The Eels will still be dirty after going out in straight sets last season and they will get the win. The Sharks are sitting on approximately one first round victory since, like well, forever. Ok, I know he said he did it in the bathroom but I don’t know of too many young athletes who do that. The Berries have also lost key personnel, not least Aiden Tolman and Kieran Foran who have moved to the Sharks and Sea Eagles respectively, but other than the arrival of Flanagan have also gained Nick Cotric from the Canberra Raiders. The 2021 NRL season is little more than a week away and so it’s time to start talking some serious footy. They had finished third at the end of the season, but losses to the Storm in Brisbane and then to the Rabbitohs at home saw their title drought extended to 34 years. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images). Opinion. Good luck to one and all. The Sunday afternoon game in Canberra should be far too tough of an ask for the Tigers too. But unlike last season, when the players spent time in Australia not knowing when or whether they’d be allowed to return home, they’ll have the support of their friends and families by their sides as they get set to spend at least the first three months on this side of the Tasman. I’m going to be at Gosford races on Saturday so I’m tipping the Warriors. Here’s what our experts are saying about Round 16 with a full round to sort out. In saying that, I hope one of them is the Sharks, and I might as well start there. Despite christening a new stadium, the men from Townsville endured another disappointing season on the field, finishing in the bottom four for the third consecutive season and winning only two matches after Round 10. Knights. Read Steve Turner's previews and see what the rest of the NRL.com experts have to say. Dragons versus Sharks After last year’s season was significantly disrupted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which included the season being suspended for two months and the Storm being forced to evacuate their state mid-season, we are close to back to normal for season 2021. The downpour came right at kick-off and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak had a lucky escape in the opening try. Canberra to get the win. Anyone can contribute to The Roar and have their work Curtis Woodward Roar Guru . HAVING trouble with your NRL tips? Get the latest NRL 2020 season match tips and round by round predictions from our expert tipsters (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images). That meant that they scored the same amount of points as they conceded, marking the first time any side had done that since the Panthers finished 10th with 11 wins from 24 matches in 2005. What a tragedy to see Bulldog Matt Burton named at 19 for the Panthers. The club’s 2020 season can only be described as one of utter embarrassment and humiliation as they won just three games last year – and only one after Round 2 – and copped plenty of big scores against them in the intervention. First up Friday night we see the Knights taking on a newish looking Bulldogs. For the third year in a row, the Bunnies advanced to the penultimate weekend of the season only to fall short in a heartbreaker against the Panthers in the preliminary final, when a win would’ve seen them pitted up against the Storm in the decider. Not even an overhaul in the off-season, which saw the club appoint Anthony Griffin as their new coach and lure Andrew McCullough from the Broncos as a replacement for injured captain Cameron McInnes, could prevent a poor pre-season for the men in the Red V. After McInnes suffered a season-ending knee injury in his last year at Kogarah before he shifts to Cronulla, the Saints suffered a horrific 48-16 loss to the Rabbitohs in the annual Charity Shield match in Mudgee. I expect significant improvement from the Bulldogs this year, but but they won’t have enough star power to beat the Knights. On Tuesday during the Fox League Season Showcase special event, our panel of experts … The Eels are long-time losers of the ARL/NRL era of rugby league. John Morris’ men have managed to retain the majority of their playing list for season 2021, so there will be no excuses for Morris if the Sharks cannot play to their potential and beat the top teams on a regular basis. Brisbane Broncos vs Parramatta Eels: NRL live scores, Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs: NRL live scores, Kevin Walters says happiness is the key to unlocking Anthony Milford's best, Wayne Bennett demands better from Rabbitohs. This is exactly what drives Ricky Stuart. In the end I’ve gone with Melbourne because to tip against them at home is risky. With the representative round now in the rear-view mirror, attention returns to the Telstra Premiership. Punters get two incredible Sunday games, which includes all top-four teams. The Raiders are. Anyone can contribute to The Roar and have their work The Roosters in a canter over the Sea Eagles which means the Roosters are now morals to get rolled. The Knights in Newcastle was one of only three games the Bulldogs won last year. The next two seem like genuine no-brainers, with the Roosters to romp home against the Manly question marks… sorry, Sea Eagles, but my goodness there are a lot of them hanging over Des Hasler’s side in 2021. I’m interested in Sharks versus Dragons. Open a new betting account at Sportsbet.com.au on your computer, mobile or tablet device. Warriors versus Titans might be interesting. We have expert betting tips for all NRL Round 19 games this week, which kicks off with the Rabbitohs vs. Bulldogs on Thursday night. Penrith look to extend their sensational club record winning streak to 11 matches when they face the Tigers, while Melbourne aim for an immediate response to their loss last week against bitter rivals Manly – read on below as we preview every NRL Round 16 match this weekend, along with providing our best bets and tips. I have little faith in Nathan Brown as a coach so it’s impossible for me to pick the Warriors and also, after seeing Manly’s team list and the lack of depth this team has, I simply cannot tip them against the Roosters. The Storm have had plenty of change this year; no Cameron Smith and Harry Grant injured for the first few rounds, but I have no doubt that Craig Bellamy will still find a way for this team to win. The disappointment of falling short for a second straight year will hopefully spur the Green Machine to newer heights in 2021 and a win against perennial non-finalists the Wests Tigers should be the right way to kick things off in the new season. Despite the circumstances that the club faced, they managed to remain focused on the task at hand and managed to claim its fourth premiership, defeating the Penrith Panthers 26-20 in the grand final. The Raiders find themselves two Coreys short thanks to a tandem drink driving escapade. Let’s set the scene here. While they only have to make the trip south to Gosford for this one, I have them taking the points, but not without an almighty challenge from the Warriors. It will be interesting to see how these five clubs fare, while it will be just as interesting to see how the Storm go in what is expected to be the first match of the post-Cameron Smith era. The resurgent Rabbitohs and an Eels side still in the minor premiership race have combined to make for a tough start to Round 16 for tipsters. Ricky Stuart’s side won consecutive sudden death matches to reach the preliminary final for the second consecutive year, only to be outclassed by eventual premiers the Melbourne Storm after being denied the chance to arrive in Brisbane in the early afternoon. NRL Tips – Grand Final Winner: Penrith Panthers @ 5/1 Sky Bet It’s not an exaggeration to say that Penrith Panthers were the best team in the NRL right up until the Grand Final. Round 1 launches in Victoria – a place which hosted very little rugby league last year thanks to COVID – as the Storm host the Rabbitohs in the first post-Cameron Smith era game. Not sure what to make of the Tigers this year, but they aren’t a top-tier team. There is only two weeks left in the NRL regular season and the top eight is already decided. Looking for a bet on the league? Grab all the best NRL Round 16 betting deals including the Eels-Rabbitohs & Storm-Manly blockbusters - check out superb prop betting odds here. The final remaining survivor from the club’s 2006 premiership side – Darius Boyd – has retired, while veteran hooker Andrew McCullough has moved south to the Dragons after having initially returned to Red Hill following a short stint at the Newcastle Knights. Oops! Thursday night will be the opening night of the 2021 NRL season. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images). A draw? We have expert betting tips for NRL Round 1, which starts with the Storm vs. Rabbitohs on Thursday night. That being said, AJ is the defending champion, so he will go first for the new year. Roosters but not by a stack. With the Bunker’s run of form in previous years, it’s good to see the system working. As your resident ‘expert’ ‘champion’, I look forward to good-naturedly crushing you all yet again! Nathan Cleary (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images). Penrith have lost plenty of experience but have kept the core of the young team that went so close in 2020. The first of two Sunday matches sees the Wests Tigers make the tough road trip to the nation’s capital to face the Canberra Raiders at GIO Stadium. But with big names such as David Fifita and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui having joined the club during the off-season, the potential is there for them to continue to climb up the ladder and hopefully kick-start an improved season for the three Queensland clubs. Sharks to win. Well, you can lock in at least four of the above teams to lose. I was really looking forward to this season until I sat down to try and tip these games. Sign up now to get in on the action. They’ll face a Raiders side which will be without two players due to suspension arising from an off-field misdemeanor, but will have last year’s best-and-fairest player, Jack Wighton, on tow as the Green Machine looks to break a 27-year premiership drought dating back to 1994. Last year’s runner-up’s don’t exactly look like they are going to get any worse, and they take a lot of beating in Sydney. The Broncos had a surprise 16-0 lead at the break despite some injury setbacks. sport; NRL; NRL Round 16: Expert tips from The Courier-Mail. However, due to uncertainty over the Australia-New Zealand travel bubble, which remains suspended indefinitely after a new local case was detected in the latter country, the Warriors will base themselves on the Central Coast for at least the first half of the season. Raiders vs. Roosters and Rabbitohs vs. Storm […] Knights versus Bulldogs What didn’t help their cause was the fact that Jake Friend suffered a concussion injury in the 60-8 humiliation they copped at the hands of the Rabbitohs on the eve of the finals, which later had a psychological effect on the team as they failed to reach the preliminary final for the first time since 2016. The only difference is that, this year, the previous week’s winner will lead us off, just to keep things fresh. Panthers versus Cowboys Premature celebration, maybe? AJ Mithen is back to defend his crown, while Mary Konstantopoulos, David Holden and The Barry are all back for another go. NRL tipping leaderboard (Nine) Brad Fittler The Knights and Bulldogs kick things off in the dreaded early Friday spot, and then it’s the Channel Nine Broncos, fresh off a first ever wooden spoon, facing the Eels in prime time. Whilst I kind of liked the rookie tag, there’s a few lessons I learnt from my first season. Become a member to join in Australia's biggest sporting debate, submit articles, receive updates straight to your inbox and keep up with your favourite teams and authors. Our experts check out the teams for NRL round 16 and offer their tips STUCK for who to tip in round 16 of the NRL. Tips: Storm, Knights, Broncos, Titans, Roosters, Panthers, Raiders, Dragons. The other was significant in the manner that not only did it prevent the Rabbitohs from finishing in the top four, it also saw them move off the bottom of the ladder in the battle for the wooden spoon with the Brisbane Broncos. A new era at Canterbury understandably has its passionate fan-base excited at the prospect of future success, but I think they must bide their time with the Knights to start hot favourites on Friday night. NRL Tipping Comp; NRL ... Advertisement. Advertisement. McInnes’ injury came on top of losing their best player, Tyson Frizell, to the Newcastle Knights at the end of last season, which ended for them with a win over the eventual premiers, the Melbourne Storm (though they were missing their captain Cameron Smith on that occasion), at home. We finish the weekend with the local derby at Kogarah. Fingers crossed they surprise me, but Cronulla will start their season with a win. It doesn’t seem that long ago we were still working our way through the State of Origin series and, suddenly, it’s all about to begin again. We’ll know more after their performance in round one against the Eels. At the SCG, the Roosters should be victorious. To finish off the round, I think the Sharks will take the chocolates in the first southern Sydney derby of the season. This is the first year for the Storm without Billy Slater. I expect the Storm and Rabbitohs to be there when the whips are cracking but home ground advantage and Melbourne’s freaky Round 1 record give them the edge. After four years without finals football, the Bulldogs have refreshed in their bid to return to the upper echelon of the ladder, landing ex-Roosters halfback Kyle Flanagan as well as coach Barrett, himself a former NSW Origin representative. Under rookie coach Adam O’Brien, who brought to the club a hard brand of football, the Knights finished seventh on the ladder on the back of some impressive performances, however, inconsistency continued to be an issue with the club often dropping games it should’ve won. Saturday afternoon sees everyone’s second favourite the Gosford Warriors host everyone’s smokey the Titans. As for the Dragons, I hope they show more in their opening game than they did in the trials. Another team that is destined to improve in 2021 are the Gold Coast Titans, which won their final five games of last season to just fall short of a miracle finals berth, finishing in ninth place. Oh, wait. That being said, it’s expected Foran will partner Cherry-Evans in the halves when the Sea Eagles face the Roosters in what is a tough first-up clash for the men from the Northern Beaches. The Corey-less Raiders to be too strong for the new look Tigers. Their first match under Walters will be against the Parramatta Eels, who finished in the top four for the second time in four seasons only to crash out of October in straight sets. Ivan Cleary’s men have also lost captain James Tamou to the Wests Tigers, but have promoted Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo to the co-captaincy with the former just missing out on the Dally M Player of the Year award. The panel for 2021 is exactly the same as the one who appeared on these pages every Thursday last season. Xavier Coates and John Asiata needed further medical treatment after nasty incidents in the 22-16 loss to the Eels. The Rabbits and Storm could easily be playing the grand final in 2021. Deposit money and place your first bet (any amount from $1 right up to $501 qualifies for a … STRUGGLING with your NRL tips? Just on the Eels, if they have any hope of making the eight a good start to the season is crucial. The shortest off-season is over, Cameron Smith has officially retired and the path leading to Round 1 has been walked. Despite that, they managed to put together two competitive performances against the Panthers and Raiders, only for injuries to key players to conspire against them at the wrong time of the season. Tips: Storm, Knights, Eels, Titans, Roosters, Panthers, Raiders, Dragons. Then came the dramatic escalation of coronavirus cases in Victoria, which forced the Storm, and all of the state’s professional sporting clubs to evacuate the state, with Craig Bellamy’s side setting up camp on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Who cares? I will be more than a little agitated with the result but not surprised. NRL Round 20: Broncos vs Cowboys – Tips, Odds & Predictions. Our experts have once again been hard at work to bring you all the tips for round 16 of the NRL. Broncos versus Eels Or has it? Before you enter your tips for Round 16 of the NRL season and the deciding match of the State of Origin series, see who the NRL.com experts are … Good as in bad, that is. NRL Round 16 tips, best bets, predictions and previews. Todd Payten will face a tough initiation as Cowboys coach when the northerners travel to the foot of the mountains to face last year’s beaten grand finalists, the Penrith Panthers, in the evening match. I’m tipping the Eels for this one. Can Brad Arthur’s Eels win the premiership? Look no further than PlayUp, Australia’s best fixed-odds bookmaker with the best customer service. Ever consistent, the Roosters then will look to put Manly to the sword at the SCG, before last year’s runner-up Penrith play the men from Townsville, a Cowboys side in desperate need of a good season. Panthers. Rather than taking bets on the outcome of the Dragons vs Sharks game, the bookies should frame a market on who’ll last longer, Jack Bird or Matt Moylan. On the other hand, the Sea Eagles may have lost enforcer Addin Fonua-Blake, who has defected to the Warriors, but gained one of their old favourites with Kieran Foran returning to the club after stints at the Warriors, Eels and the Bulldogs, where he played his 200th NRL game last year. With new coach Nathan Brown in tow, and with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck captaining the side for the final time before he switches to rugby union in 2022, all eyes will be on the Warriors as they look to not just remain competitive, but also play to their potential. They had won 17 consecutive matches going into the decider, doubling their previous-best winning streak of eight set in 2003, but couldn’t make it count when it mattered, suffering just their second defeat all year (and second by just six points after losing to the Eels in Round 5). Oops! Titans 8 Final Thoughts: The St. George-Illawarra Dragons looked great last week, before they didn’t. Keep an eye on Mitchell Pearce; for the Knights to make the eight his role is crucial. It’s finals or bust this season for the men from the Gold Coast. As an example, in the final round last year, the Knights had the chance to earn a home final only to be thrashed 36-6 by the Titans on the Gold Coast, before bowing out of October with barely a whimper, losing to the Rabbitohs in a knock-out final in Sydney. They will win at home but I think the Cowboys will be big improvers this year. They also lost to the second-last placed Bulldogs in Round 11, eight weeks after nearly coming from behind to beat the eventual grand finalists the Penrith Panthers at Campbelltown Stadium (that match ended in a 14-all draw). featured alongside some of Australia’s most prominent sports journalists. Don’t worry, our panel of Fox League experts reveal who they expect to win in Round 12 to give you a hand. The second match on Saturday sees the Sydney Roosters, who will be without captain Boyd Cordner for an indefinite period due to concussion issues, face the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at the SCG. Here are the NRL.com expert panel's predictions for this round. Read more about Round one selections; 10 comments; Add new comment; ... 16 from 24: steel eel: 12 from 16: Lyn Grundy: 12 from 16: Doormatt: 12 from 16: Spamdog: 11 from 16: kent21: ... NRL tipping is easier if you follow the NRL news. NRL Round 20: Bulldogs vs Panthers – Tips, Odds & Predictions. The Knights will be without Kalyn Ponga so the Bulldogs have timed this nicely. You must provide an email address to create a Roar account, When using Facebook to create or log in to an account, you need to grant The Roar permission to see your email address, By joining The Roar you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. It’s great to be back tipping season 2021. Surprise, surprise, Friday’s prime time match features the Broncos. Nathan Brown is coaching NZ. Another game that is an absolute coin flip. That settles that. Two teams with nothing to offer and little to care about? Brisbane will be barrelling out of the gate and I’m on board. Finally a game I can tip with confidence. Can Kevvy Walters work miracles in Brisbane? Head to NRL Pick'Em and get pickin’ to win a share of $100,000 cash every week! Parramatta should do a number on the Broncos, who are going to be in for another long winter, while the Titans will get the better of the Warriors on the Central Coast. We analyse every game this week and provide our best NRL tips. With all that in mind, here we go. Be sure to get your tips in on the form below by 6pm (AEST) this evening, and we will publish the results of The Crowd’s tips before the first game of the round kicks off. Or will it? Corso or the Bathroom, it doesn’t really matter. Scott has penned over 3000 articles and is one of. It’ll be a tough run home for the blue and gold so really important for them to start the season well. Titans by 40. Tommy Turbo. NRL’s Round 20 sees the Broncos facing off against the Cowboys determined o finish the season with a … Sharks to win the local derby. After flying out to an early lead, the Dragons barely held on to beat the battling Broncos 28-24. A whole new era will begin for the Brisbane Broncos when they host last year’s semi-finalists, the Parramatta Eels, at Suncorp Stadium in the second Friday night match. They fell asleep and gave a struggling side a chance to right their wrongs. That defeat will only spur them on to go one better, especially with this being Wayne Bennett’s final season as coach as well as the looming return of Latrell Mitchell after he missed the latter rounds of the season due to a serious hamstring injury. The Roar’s NRL expert tipping panel are back for another year to debate who is winning what and have a lot of fun along the way. Five-eighth Kurt Mann is suffered a possible MCL injury, while several other backline players picked up niggling injuries. My beautiful, premiership-bound Canberra Raiders will rack up a cricket score as they pulverise Wests by a minimum of 56. Can Brad Arthur’s Eels win the premiership? Come on Cleary, let him go! That said, the Storm should reward their fans with a win at home. While it’s expected that teams playing interstate matches will no longer have to travel on the same day, other teams such as the Eels and Roosters may opt to retain the fly-in, fly-out model which proved successful in such a challenging season last year. Roosters versus Sea Eagles Advertisement. I wonder what impact the off-season has had on his relationship with his teammates? Storm will beat the Bunnies but I wouldn’t put it past Wayne to sneak an early uppercut in. Coming back for my second season of Roar Tipping, I’m no longer a rookie. After being the butt of several jokes last year as they crashed and burned on their way to a maiden wooden spoon, new coach Kevin Walters has his work cut out as he attempts to end a 14-year premiership drought at Red Hill. NRL 2020 Round 16 – Betting tips & Predictions 30 Aug 20 08:30 event ended Round 1 is always tough to pick. They face a Panthers side that finished season 2020 as minor premiers, before inexperience and nerves proved telling as they lost to the Melbourne Storm by 26-20 in the grand final. The ‘Kevolution’ has come for the Broncos. Another disappointing season saw the joint-venture finish 11th last year, marking their ninth straight season without finals football and 18th in 21 years of club history (since the joint-merger came into effect in 2000). There’s nothing like an easy tipping match to start the season but, unfortunately, we don’t get one here. Harry Grant gets injured and he brings in the Kiwi 9. This should be a belter of a season opener. Become a member to join in Australia's biggest sporting debate, submit articles, receive updates straight to your inbox and keep up with your favourite teams and authors. Roosters will get the chocolates. The Bunnies, who have never won in Melbourne, go into the season opener having thumped the Dragons in the Charity Shield match in Mudgee, though facing the Storm, whether it’s away or at home, will be a much tougher proposition. Their ridiculous Round 1 record is just too much to look past, as is South Sydney’s inconsistency last season. Back to the season-opener though, and Melbourne should get the better of South Sydney. Here is NRL.com expert Brett Kimmorley's preview of each match and the tips from 16 NRL experts:. Shaun Johnson has already been scratched. Melbourne Storm are good at footy. I’ve gone Dragons because I think they’ll be better than so many think. Sign up & bet now, and remember to please gamble responsibly. Four-and-a-half months after the Melbourne Storm won arguably their toughest premiership yet, fifteen other teams will this weekend begin their mission to stop them from repeating as champions again in season 2021. I’m leaning towards the Storm given home ground advantage and a good record against South Sydney. Can't work out who to choose for your NRL selections this week? This has unsurprisingly led to the bookies forecasting another long season ahead for the Dragons, with some even going as far as placing them as the wooden spoon favourites, which would be a first for the club in 83 years. The opening match of the season is an absolute cracker and one that I found really hard to tip. The Tigers have lost club veteran Benji Marshall, who has defected to Souths, but have gained ex-Broncos forward Joe Ofahengaue and ex-Panthers captain James Tamou on top of landing the signature of James Roberts last year. The Tigers trial form was so good the crowd gave them a standing ovation at half time. Saturday night finishes at Panthers Stadium. But to say that the club has not failed to live up to expectations since Balmain and the Western Suburbs merged at the end of the 1999 season would be harsh, given the club did win the premiership in its first finals attempt, back in 2005, and also reached a preliminary final in 2010. Remember to get your tips into the form below by 6pm (AEDT) on Sunday to join The Roar’s NRL tipping competition for 2020 and be featured as part of the Crowd’s tips for Round 1. Everyone’s second-favourite team, the New Zealand Warriors, will be back at it again in 2021 when they “host” the Gold Coast Titans on the Central Coast to kick off what is likely to be another season which they will spend the majority of on the road. You’ve still got three halves named in front of him. Team like Parra have designs on top four spots and have little interest in early rounds. Check out who our experts picked before you make up your own mind. Here’s what The Courier-Mail’s experts are saying about a tough seven-match round 16. Will Penrith avenge their grand final loss? I swore I was going to tip with my head from the start but that’s enough for me to get on the Bulldogs. The shortest off-season is over, Cameron Smith has officially retired and the path leading to Round 1 has been walked. Dragons to get a win. NRL; NRL 2015: Expert tips for Round 16. Sunday afternoon in Canberra. The older I get the quicker time seems to go… Except for footy off seasons! Indigenous Round - May 27-30: The NRL will have a national footprint for Indigenous Round (Round 12), featuring matches in Sydney, Townsville, Brisbane, Perth, … Jake Friend (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images). I expect the Bulldogs to be one of the most improved sides this year, but it might take them a while to find their gear as the re-build takes full swing at Belmore. Brisbane Broncos vs Parramatta Eels: NRL live scores, Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs: NRL live scores, Kevin Walters says happiness is the key to unlocking Anthony Milford's best, Wayne Bennett demands better from Rabbitohs, Broncos sweating on injuries after two players taken to hospital, Kevin Walters' rollercoaster of a first half as NRL coach, Commentators amazed as players continue perfect run of Captain's Challenges, Knights hit by injury curse in round one win over Bulldogs, Bulldogs winger nearly takes out photographers after wild rain hits Newcastle.