NRL Tipping Round 17: The Roar's expert tips and predictions - Origin fatigue a factor as stars try to back up for club duty
The week after an Origin game is usually one of the hardest NRL rounds to pick and this week’s schedule tosses up a few conundrums.
Game one on Friday night is not tainted too much with only Canterbury captain Stephen Crichton under Origin fatigue after Sharks duo Nicho Hynes and Cameron McInnes were dropped by the Blues.
But Origin will be a factor when the Broncos travel to Auckland to face the slumping Warriors, can Mitchell Moses duplicate his NSW feats for Parramatta in Newcastle and will the Storm conquer Canberra at AAMI Park in the third match on Saturday?
The Dragons host the Dolphins on Sunday with the visitors likely to be without Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow due to the shoulder damage he copped on Wednesday night, Penrith and the Cowboys each have a bunch of players backing up while the Roosters are disadvantaged by Origin heading into their home game against Wests.
Canterbury Bulldogs v Cronulla Sharks
2.45
1.55
NRL : Head To Head Fri, 28 Jun 2024, 20:00 New Zealand Warriors v Brisbane Broncos
1.77
2.05
NRL : Head To Head Sat, 29 Jun 2024, 15:00 Newcastle Knights v Parramatta Eels
1.81
2.00
NRL : Head To Head Sat, 29 Jun 2024, 17:30 Melbourne Storm v Canberra Raiders
1.23
4.20
NRL : Head To Head Sat, 29 Jun 2024, 19:35 St. George Illawarra Dragons v Dolphins
1.81
2.00
NRL : Head To Head Sun, 30 Jun 2024, 14:00 Penrith Panthers v North Queensland Cowboys
1.31
3.50
NRL : Head To Head Sun, 30 Jun 2024, 16:05 Sydney Roosters v Wests Tigers
1.22
4.30
NRL : Head To Head Sun, 30 Jun 2024, 18:15 * Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check PlayUp Website For Latest Odds Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
The Roar’s expert panel bounced back with a decent result mostly in last week’s round of only five matches but they still don’t have the full support of the board and there could be a post-season review in the pipeline.
Here’s how the experts see Round 17 unfolding.
Stuart Thomas
Sharks, Broncos, Knights, Storm, Dolphins, Panthers, Roosters
The Bulldogs produced little against the Chooks last week and Cronulla will enter as firm favourites against them on Friday night. It could be a closer match than some think. The Warriors cannot beat the Broncos without Shaun Johnson.
The Knights at home against a slightly less awful Parramatta? Yeesh, who knows? I’ll go the home team with no confidence whatsoever. I believe far more in the Storm who look to be building their season nicely, again. The Raiders to suffer another embarrassing loss.
I’m not sure exactly how the Dragons are ninth, but hey, they are and good luck to them. Can they beat the Dolphins? I’d guess no and Penrith will simply outclass the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon. Soon after, it will be Roosters hammering the improving Tigers in a convincing win that keeps the Tricolours in fourth spot.
Tyran Wishart muscles up in defence. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Nick Wasiliev
Sharks, Broncos, Knights, Storm, Dragons, Panthers, Roosters
Honest to god, tipping feels like a minefield right now. The Sharks should be good enough to beat the Bulldogs this week – whether it be due to exhaustion or complacency against the Dolphins, they likely had one eye on the bye and took their foot off the throat. Add to that, the Doggies have been hit and miss the last two matches.
Really, Warriors? REALLY?! Got no words for what happened on the Gold Coast last week. Come on Broncos, give them a flogging!
Despite going down in Round 15 to the Panthers, the Knights looked a lot better than in previous weeks, a more positive performance. Given that and the team situation, turn up like that again and they should have enough to beat the Eels in the Steel City.
Storm, pretty good, especially at home. Raiders, hot and cold, and bitterly cold on the road. Melbourne should get the job done.
Honestly, this might be the closest match of the weekend, both sides have looked good in parts this season and pulled off crucial wins. In this instance, home-field advantage should play into it and the Dragons will get home in a thriller.
Panthers back at home, and facing an inconsistent side in North Queensland. Should be pretty cut and dry. Ditto the Roosters, although it’s been very nice to see the Tigers give me something to smile about. SFS is probably a bridge too far, but they can’t take back these last two weeks and seeing Campbelltown go nuts!
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Mary Konstantopoulos
Sharks, Broncos, Eels, Storm, Dolphins, Panthers, Roosters
The Bulldogs had a test last week against the Roosters and struggled to meet their intensity. Even with their stars back this week, I think the Sharks may be too difficult a test. I’m very curious to see how Nicho Hynes performs, especially after being dropped from the Origin team; whether this impacts his confidence will go a long way to determining how the Sharks will play for the rest of the year.
I’m expecting a bounceback this weekend, but after what I saw from the Warriors last week I cannot tip them in good conscience. What was most concerning was the form of some of their senior players. Both these teams will be desperate for a win, I’m backing the Broncos.
The Knights and the Eels have both had poor seasons in 2024, but the Eels now sit bottom of the latter thanks to wins from the Tigers and Titans last weekend. Both teams have made changes, so my heart has led me to tip the Eels and hope that Matt Arthur has a cracking debut.
The Storm will beat the Raiders and after a couple of weeks where they have been close, but just not good enough the Phins will beat the Dragons.
The Panthers will beat the Cowboys and the Roosters will beat the Wests Tigers (although I think it will be closer than what people think).
Paul Suttor
Sharks, Broncos, Eels, Storm, Dragons, Panthers, Roosters
Cronulla and Canterbury should be the match o’ ye rounde. Evenly matched, nothing too fancy, the match will be in the balance until the dying stages but Nicho Hynes will get the Sharks home.
Brisbane are the second biggest underachievers in the past month. They play the biggest in the Warriors. Broncos by a couple.
How Mitchell Moses got his groove back on Wednesday night – that will be enough to get the Eels off the bottom of the ladder in Newcastle.
Melbourne are a better team than Canberra even if Harry Grant can’t back up from Origin.
The Dragons have everything in their favour to upset the Dolphins – with no conviction, they are the least surest thing of the week.
Penrith willl pants the Cowboys and the Roosters should do likewise to Wests.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
AJ Mithen
Cronulla, New Zealand, Parramatta, Canberra, Dolphins, Penrith, Roosters
This weekend could literally be anything depending on who’s playing and who’s not. So let’s rip through this fast.
Sharks over Dogs because Origin. New Zealand over Broncos because Origin. Parramatta over Newcastle because Origin.
The people’s team, your presumptive champions the Canberra Raiders will rise above their horrible, unjust treatment by the referees and the NRL by laying a casual 56 on the hapless Storm.
We finish with the Dolphins beating St George Illawarra because Origin, and Penrith belting North Queensland because Origin. Roosters to rumble over the Tigers because of reasons stated above.
Hope we get our regular season back soon.
Mike Meehall Wood
Sharks, Warriors, Knights, Storm, Dolphins, Panthers, Roosters
The Sharks have had a long time off to decide if they’re good at football again. My suspicion is that they are, and with no Origin involvements, will make it count against Canterbury.
The Wahs are back in untippable territory, but the Bronx are closing in on it too…Brisbane have named everyone to back up, but I’ll assume a fair few of them might not play, so I’ll take the Warriors with no confidence and the caveat that, if Walsh/Carrigan/Haas etc turn out, I knew it all along.
Newcastle have picked one more Pommy player than usual in Will Pryce and therefore will win.
Funny as it would be for the Raiders to keep up their Melbourne hoodoo, the truth is that they’re playing like busteds and the Storm aren’t. This could be a cricket score.
The Phins are in good form and have few outs, so I’ll back them to beat at Dragons side that inspire very little confidence.
The Panthers will win by a thousand. The Roosters will win by even more than that.