Cronulla Sharks vs. North Queensland Cowboys
Southern Cross Stadium
Thursday 18 May 7.50pm LOCAL
Two teams desperate for two competition points before the Origin period kick off Round 11 of the Telstra Premiership, with the Cronulla Sharks hosting the North Queensland Cowboys on Thursday night.
The Sharks will be counting their lucky stars after a patchy performance against the Dragons, with a questionable last-gasp try resulting in their 18-14 victory. Despite having the worst completion rate in the competition, their position on the table reflects a strong first half to the year thanks to their committed defensive efforts.
Holmes holds onto the fullback role after an improved performance last week, while James Maloney will be out to improve his form in his last club game for Origin 1. Chris Heighington has been named to replace the suspended Matt Prior, with Jason Bukuya joining the bench.
The Cowboys put in a more clinical display in their 16 point win over the Bulldogs last week, with the inclusions of Lachlan Coote and Jake Granville paying dividends for the 2015 premiers. With a more structured attacking display and more astute kicking game, they were able to run away with a comfortable victory. They will certainly be looking for revenge after a tough preliminary final defeat to the Sharks last year, but will be praying on the fitness of future immortal Jonathan Thurston after he was named on the extended bench. **Thurston and replacement half Ray Thompson are rumoured to be late withdraws paving the way for rookie Kyle Laybutt to make his first grade debut.
The Sharks have won the past two encounters between the two sides, but the Cowboys will take confidence in knowing they hold a 3-1 record away from home in 2017.
Tip: The Sharks have been the best defensive team so far in 2017, but have struggled in-front of their home fans with just one victory this year. It's tough to call with the uncertainty surrounding the inclusion of Thurston, despite this I'll tip the Sharks in a tight one. Sharks by 4.
Best bet: Cowboys handicap +7.5
Odds: Sharks $1.40 Cowboys $3.00
New Zealand Warriors vs. St. George Illawarra Dragons
FMG Stadium Waikato
Friday 19 May 8.00pm LOCAL
If there are two teams in the NRL that need to make a statement to the competition, it's these two outfits kicking off Friday Night Football. The Warriors let a 28-6 halftime lead go down the drain, with the Panthers fighting back with 6 unanswered tries in the second half to claim a remarkable victory. On the other hand, the Dragons have lost three consecutive matches and have dropped to fifth on the ladder after leading the competition after the first 7 rounds.
The Warriors will be looking to redeem themselves following their second-half collapse in front of a home crowd. Their first half against the Panthers holds worrying signs for the Panthers, with their star-studded back line piling on five tries in 40 minutes with just 44% possession.
The injury to Solomona Kata will see Ken Maumalo start on the wing, with Bunty Afoa also returning to the starting line-up.
With three losses in a row, it's fair to say the returns of Gareth Widdop and Josh Dugan couldn't come soon enough for the Red V. Although missing two of their biggest stars last week, the Dragons put in a valiant performance against the reigning premiers with a controversial try at the death costing them two valuable points. Looking towards this weekend, they have enjoyed significant success over the Warriors in recent memory, winning 12 of the past 13 encounters against them.
Paul McGregor has named an unchanged 17 to take on the Warriors, and will be hoping for another dominant performance from his forward pack, with Paul Vaughn and Russell Packer arguably in career-best form.
Tip: History says the Dragons are likely to get the win, but may struggle away from home without two instrumental members of their back-line. The Warriors will relish the home ground advantage, but may be scarred from their second-half last week. I'm tipping the Dragons to end their winless drought with a season-defining victory. Dragons by 2.
Best bet: Dragons 1-12 $3.65
Odds: Warriors $1.48 Dragons $2.65
Brisbane Broncos vs. Wests Tigers
Suncorp Stadium
Friday 19 May 7.50pm LOCAL
The Bronco's will be looking to continue their five game winning streak when they face a struggling Wests Tigers outfit on Friday night.
They overcame a 14-0 deficit against the Eagles last week to score 24 unanswered points in the second-half, with Anthony Milford leading the way with a try and 151 running metres. Remarkably, their three losses this season have been by three points or despite some inconsistency creeping in with their performances. The Broncos will be determined to claim a much-needed two points, considering a host of stars will be absent during the Origin period.
James Roberts is a massive inclusion for the fourth-place Broncos, with his speed and X-factor prowess clearly missing in their attacking raids last weekend. Keep an eye on the team sheet an hour before kick-off, with Ben Hunt named in jersey 18 and is likely to make his long-awaited return
The Tigers were putting in some gutsy performances following the introduction of Ivan Cleary as head coach, but the off-field drama clearly took a toll on them as they put in a dismal performance against an impressive Rabbitohs outfit. Missing a whopping 57 tackles and completing at just 70%, the Tigers will be looking for a more clinical and professional performance against a team who have cemented themselves as a premiership contender.
Maligned five-eight Mitch Moses has finally been granted an immediate transfer to the Parramatta Eels, while halfback Luke Brooks was involved in an alleged incident that has seen him draw more negative attention to a club already dealing with an array of off-field issues. Jack Littlejohn will take Moses spot at five-eight.
Tip: Historically, the Tigers have only won five times from 25 encounters between the two club, and will certainly struggle when they travel to Suncorp against an in-form Broncos outfit. Broncos with a comfortable 24 point victory, or more.
Best bet: Broncos handicap -14.5 $1.90
Odds: Broncos $1.20 Tigers $4.65
Gold Coast Titans vs. Manly Sea Eagles
CBUS Super Stadium
Saturday 5.30pm LOCAL
The Gold Coast Titans will be searching for their fourth straight victory on Saturday nigh when they host a Manly Sea Eagles outfit desperate to stay in the Top Eight.
The Titans have recorded three consecutive victories with famous wins over the Sharks and the Storm classed as some of the best in their history. Their remarkable resilience against the Storm last weekend was a bold statement to the rest of the competition, with classy halves Ashley Taylor and Kane Elgey playing well beyond their years.
They now boast a lethal attacking line-up that has them ranked first in total points this year, and are seriously dangerous close to the opposition try-line, with 27 of their 45 tries coming from within the 20 metre zone.
The Eagles will be kicking their feet after they allowed a 14-0 halftime lead slip their hands and eventually fall to the Brisbane Broncos. To make matters worse for the 2011 premiers, young superstar Tom Trbojevic has been sidelined for 6-8 weeks after he suffered a terrible ankle injury in the second-half of last weeks fixture. His absence has raised many questions as to who will fill the vacant fullback role, with Trent Barrett named Matthew Wright in his place but reports suggesting a late re-shuffle could be on the cards.
They have won five of the past eight encounters against the Titans, including two of the last three games at at CBUS Super Stadium
Tip: Titans continue to surprise fans with their impressive performances, with their defence the only asset questioning their premiership credentials. The loss of Tom Trbojevic will be detrimental to Manly's hopes of claiming an away victory, considering he is their number one attacking weapon. Titans by 12.
Best bet: Titans -3.5 handicap $1.90
Odds: Titans $1.65 Eagles $2.25
Parramatta Eels vs. Canberra Raiders
ANZ Stadium
Saturday 20 May 7.30pm LOCAL
A new-look Parramatta Eels side will look to avenge a big last-start defeat when they lock horns with the struggling Canberra Raiders on Saturday night.
The Eels will welcome ex-Tigers five-eight Mitch Moses into the starting line-up after months of speculation of an immediate release - a timely inclusion considering the ankle injury to Corey Norman which will see him sidelined for 6 weeks.
Brad Arthur has also named live-wire fullback Bevan French to make his highly anticipated return after a month out with injury, and will be expecting a stronger defensive performance from his side following their 48-10 defeat to the Sydney Roosters.
The Raiders were looking to return to their best against the Knights on the weekend, however put in a lacklustre display which saw them go down 34-20 against last year’s wooden spooners.
In a must-win game for the Green Machine, Jarrod Croker will look to lead by his example in his 200th first grade appearance, and the lethal right-side combination of Joey Leilua and Jordan Rapana will look for a return to form after quiet performances in recent weeks.
Josh Papalii has been named to start in the back-row, after being stood down for one week for disciplinary issues.
Tip: History says the Raiders will prove too dominant having won eight of the past ten encounters, but have only won once away from home this year. Expect an improved performance from the Eels, but expect a bigger response from the Raiders after three successive losses. Raiders by 8.
Best bet: Raiders handicap -4.5 $1.90
Odds: Eels $2.35 Raiders $1.60
Newcastle Knights vs. Penrith Panthers
McDonald Jones Stadium
Sunday 21 May 2.00pm LOCAL
The Newcastle Knights will be searching for an unlikely back-to-back victory against the Panthers, who are coming off a fairytale comeback victory against the Warriors.
The Knights ended a seven-game losing streak on Sunday with an upset 34-20 victory over the Raiders, having put in a dynamic attacking display that saw them cross for six-tries. Although lacking experienced strike-power, they managed to expose the Raiders defensive weaknesses and recorded just their second win of the season
Nathan Brown will be looking for a tight defensive display from his men considering they hold the worst defence in the competition, but will be hoping for a much better performance in comparison to their 40-0 loss to the Panthers in Round 4.
Crowd favourite Nathan Ross has been dropped to reserve-grade for this encounter, after publicly expressing his frustration with the club’s refusal to negotiate a new contract.
The Panthers finally ended their five-game losing streak last weekend with a remarkable come-from-behind win against the Warriors. After trailing 28-6 at halftime, the Panthers posted five unanswered tries in the second 40 to run away with a 36-28 victory.
James Fisher-Harris has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, which will see young gun Corey Harawira-Naera return to the starting line-up.
Tip: Both teams will be desperate for a second consecutive victory as they both attempt to move away from the bottom four and last-place respectively. The Knights will once again be valiant in their performance, but can’t ignore the Panthers after their second-half last week. Panthers by 14.
Best bet: Panthers handicap -10.5
Odds: Knights $3.72 Panthers $1.28
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs. Sydney Roosters
ANZ Stadium
Sunday 21 Mary 4.00pm LOCAL
The Bulldogs will be out to re-gain some consistency when they battle a red-hot Roosters outfit for the second time this season on Sunday afternoon.
Their Round 2 match-up was a high-scoring affair with the Roosters recording a gutsy 28-24 victory. The Bulldogs have since battled their way through the season with five wins and three losses, but will be looking for a much improved performance after losing 30-14 to the North Queensland Cowboys.
Heavily scrutinised for their lacklustre attacking structures and sitting last in the competition for points scored, last weeks performance held worrying signs for the Bulldogs as they again crossed for just three tries and rarely threatened the Cowboys defensive line.
NSW Residents Captain Grant Garvey has been named on the bench for the Bulldogs, with Marcelo Montoya named on the extended bench in the only changes from last weeks squad.
The Roosters are certainly flying high and are coming off their best performance of the season with a 48-10 victory over the Parramatta Eels. Hitting their straps perfectly just before the Origin period, they will be desperate to grab another two points before a host of their stars depart for Origin duties.
Recording the second-best defensive record in the competition and having conceded just seven tries in their last four games, their most impressive performances have arguably come from their middle men, with the likes of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Sio Sia Taukeiaho dominating opposition forward packs.
Trent Robinson has named an unchanged 17 to take on the Bulldogs, and will be banking on another strong performance from Latrell Mitchell in his second game back from a stint in reserve-grade.
Tip: It’s hard to tip the Bulldogs considering their inconsistency throughout the 2017 season, and i’m expecting another dominant performance from the Roosters who are just hitting their straps. Roosters by 12.
Best bet: Roosters handicap -6.5 $1.90
Odds: Bulldogs $2.75 Roosters $1.45
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs. Melbourne Storm
NIB Stadium
Sunday 21 May 4.30pm LOCAL
Round 11 will conclude in Perth with the South Sydney Rabbitohs hosting the Melbourne Storm who are coming off their second loss of the season to the Gold Coast Titans.
The Rabbitohs were able to end their three game losing streak with a comfortable 28-6 victory over the Wests Tigers, and will be searching for back-to-back victories for just the second time this season.
Sam Burgess is coming off his best individual performance of the season, recording 226 running metres, 35 tackles and crossing for two tries.
The Melbourne Storm are coming off a tough 36-28 loss to the Gold Coast Titans, and will be out to avenge their defeat with a strong performance against an improved Rabbitohs outfit. Regarded as one of the best defensive teams in the competition, there are worrying signs for Craig Bellamy’s men having conceded 90 points in their past four fixtures (159 in total).
Rookie Joe Stimson has been named to start for the first time this season, with Elise Kaufusi dropping to the bench in the Storm’s only two changes this week.
Tip: History says the Storm will claim the two points having recorded wins in the past three encounters, and will be looking to put in a big display following their tough loss last week. Storm by 10.
Best bet: Storm handicap -8 $1.90
Odds: Rabbitohs $3.60 Storm $1.38
