The Roar’s NRL expert tips and predictions: Round 22


Hey Roarers!

Well. That sure was something.

How about we leave the Dr Harry’s Animal Practice talk to the side and focus just on the footy?

Let’s recap what happened ON THE FIELD in Round 21 –

The Roosters were far too strong for the Broncos on Thursday night, with a solid 34-16 win at the SCG. The tricolours hold onto dear life to their eighth spot, while Brisbane continues to slide down the ladder, now sitting in seventh. And how gross was the head gash on Victor the Inflictor?!

Melbourne went back-to-back for the right reasons this time, with a 32-14 win against the Titans on Friday night at AAMI Park. The Storm jumped back into the top four while the horror season continues for the Titans with the loss keeping them dead last.

The Eels turned it on for the second Friday night game, with a brilliant 36-20 victory against Manly at 4 Pines Park. Dylan Brown had one of his best games of the year, and young Jake Arthur silenced many of his critics filling in for the injured Mitch Moses. Parramatta has slithered up to fifth while the Sea Eagles have swooped down to tenth.

The Bunnies blew the Warriors off the park in the first match of Super Saturday, with a 48-10 thumping on the Sunshine Coast. Latrell Mitchell can’t seem to put a foot wrong, and Souths look like a completely different side with him on the field. They are back up to sixth spot, while the Warriors are in 14th and counting down the weeks until Mad Monday.

We then headed down to the nation’s capital, where the alleged ambush did not live up to expectations. The Panthers were just too good, beating the Raiders 26-6 despite missing three of their biggest names. They are loving life at the top of the food chain, while Canberra will be kicking themselves they missed out on getting back into the top eight. I’m sure EVERYONE involved in the Green Machine is wishing they could have a do-over.

The Sharks broke the hearts of Dragons fans in the final game of Super Saturday, with a 24-18 win at Shark Park. The loss now sees the Red V praying for a mathematical miracle to make the finals, slipping down to eleventh. Cronulla is sitting nicely in third position and proving to be real contenders under Craig Fitzgibbon.

The Cowboys continue the surge to the finals, with a 28-14 win against the Bulldogs on Sunday. Canterbury has turned the season around and almost made it three wins in a row but couldn’t handle the Bundaberg heat as well as their opponents. North Queensland are now outright second while the Dogs remain in 12th.

#SorryNotSorry to all the punters who went into this last game between the Tigers and the Knights thinking they were sitting on a perfect round. It was a boring and frustrating 80 minutes, but my boys somehow managed not to stuff it up with a 14-10 win. We jumped up to 13th (woohoo!) while the Tigers remain in 15th.

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Mary and Paul fall into my half-apology category, tipping 7/8. AJ and you legends in the Crowd tipped 6/8 while Mike and I both tipped 5/8.

THE LEAD IS NOW TIED! AJ has to share the podium with Paul this week, both sitting on 117. Mary and The Crowd are tied for second with 112. Mike cracked three digits and is now on 103, while I’m still dead last on 95 but smiling about a Newcastle win.

Ok, onto Round 22 – four more to go!

(Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

The Panthers host the Storm tonight at 7.50pm at Bluebet Stadium. The premiers will be missing another big name, with James Fisher-Harris in the naughty corner. The Storm are back in the top four and will not want to slip down again. They welcome back Nick Meany and Justin Olam, while Copper Johns will partner Cam Munster in halves in the absence of Jahrome Hughes.

In the first Friday night game, the Bulldogs head over to New Zealand to face the Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium at 6pm. Both teams are playing for pride and the Warriors will be wanting to give their home fans something to smile about.

We travel back to CommBank Stadium to see the Eels and the Bunnies face off at 7.55pm. This one will be a beauty, with both teams coming off wins and setting their sights on the top four. The battle between fullbacks Clint Gutherson and Latrell Mitchell should be very entertaining.

In the first match of Super Saturday, the Roosters and the Cowboys do battle at the SCG at 3pm. North Queensland continue to cruise while the tricolours are picking up traction – this could be a close one.

The Tigers and the Sharks make their way up to Tamworth for the 5.30pm match. Cronulla will be looking to hold onto their top four spot while the Tigers want to avoid the wooden spoon at all costs. Can they do it without Jackson Hastings?

The Broncos host the Knights at Suncorp Stadium at 7.30pm for the last game of the day. Brisbane were flying but have hit a few roadblocks – will they bounce back or will my boys make it two wins in a row? (Hey, you must always have hope.)

The Dragons head down to Canberra to face the Raiders on Sunday at 2pm, in what should be a great game with both teams desperate for the win to keep their final hopes alive. A tonne of pressure is on the Green Machine, not only missing their coach but a few big names. Tariq Sims is out and may have played his last game for the Red V, copping a four-week suspension for a high shot last week against the Shark’s Connor Tracey.

We finish off the round up on the Gold Coast, with the Titans and the Sea Eagles at 4pm. Manly want to shake off their tough past few weeks while the Titans will do anything to get off the bottom of the ladder.

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If you would like to see how you go up against the Experts this round, just remember to get your tips in below by 5pm tonight to be counted in The Crowd’s tips.

I’m going to let the new shared leader Paul lead us off this week.

Good luck with your tipping everyone!

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 30: Jason Saab of the Sea Eagles celebrates scoring a try during the round 16 NRL match between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Melbourne Storm at 4 Pines Park, on June 30, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Paul Suttor

Panthers, Bulldogs, Eels, Cowboys, Sharks, Broncos, Raiders, Titans

Penrith are a machine, and they will be too strong for Melbourne in a nail-biter.

The Warriors are back in Auckland, which will give them a boost, but the Dogs are playing much better lately and should win by 10.

Parramatta will need to improve to beat Souths, but the home-ground factor will get them the win, just.

The Cowboys are still not back to their mid-season form and the Roosters have strung a few good performances together, but the visitors should come away from the SCG with two competition points.

Cronulla to beat the Tigers in a close one for about 50-60 minutes.

Broncos should thump the Knights but watch out for David Klemmer.

Canberra and the Dragons could both lose this one from any point in the match so the Raiders to win in a high-scoring clash.

Gold Coast to beat Manly in the boilover of the round – the Titans are desperate to get off the bottom of the ladder and the Sea Eagles are in a slump, it’s like some of their players have no pride in their jersey.

Mary Konstantopoulos

Storm, Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Sharks, Broncos, Raiders, Sea Eagles

Is it fair to call the Storm beating the Panthers an upset?  This was a tough tip, and I am completely aware that the Storm have not been playing well.  But the Panthers do remain without several key players including Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai. With James Fisher-Harris also being out this week, I think the Penrith pack may struggle, so am tipping the Storm for the win.

The Warriors do play better at home, but I do not think they have enough points in them to beat a much-improved Bulldogs team.

As a traumatised Eels fan, I have to tip the Bunnies who seem to have the wood over the blue and gold.  It’s no secret that the Eels edge defence does struggle at times and the Rabbitohs are very good at exposing this.  I just hope this result doesn’t end in a thrashing.

The Cowboys have had a couple of close calls in recent weeks and despite them sitting in second place, I think they can be beaten.  The Roosters seem to have found form at the perfect point in the season – it makes me wonder what might have been had they shifted Luke Keary and Sam Walker earlier in the season.

The Sharks will beat the Tigers, as long as they show up with their game faces and the Broncos must beat the Knights if they are serious about finishing in the top six.

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The Raiders season is on life support, and I expect that energy to propel them to a win over the Dragons who I think are really struggling without Cody Ramsey and Moses Suli.

Finally, the Sea Eagles will beat the Titans and in fact, I would be very surprised if the Titans win another game this season.

AJ Mithen

Panthers, Bulldogs, Eels, Roosters, Sharks, Broncos, Raiders, Sea Eagles

As usual, ’The Crowd’ falls flat on their faces in pursuit of tipping greatness. Time is running out for you all to overtake me!

Panthers over Storm by enough cos Storm are all over the joint.

Bulldogs over Warriors but this could be a belter.

Eels over Bunnies purely on defensive capabilities cos they’re well matched in attack.

Roosters in a critical one over the Cowboys, who are well and truly top four ensconced.

Sharks over Tigers in a bludger, Broncos over Knights in a bludger although Newcastle might make a game of it for a while.

After yet another week being targeted by NRL Head Office your presumptive champions, the people’s team, the Canberra Raiders will put it all behind them and lay a casual 56 on the hapless, geriatric Dragons to kill their season stone dead.

Manly over Titans but it’ll be tight.

Mike Meehall Wood

Panthers, Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Sharks, Broncos, Raiders, Sea Eagles

The Panthers might be down a few, but I’ll be tipping them from now until forever.

The Warriors are a different beast at home, but they were so poor last week and looked as if they’d chucked it. Bulldogs for me.

I’ll be taking the Bunnies over Parra, though this is right down the line. 

The Roosters have been coming onto a game of late and they need the win more than NQ, so Chooks to take it.

Tigers are rubbish, Sharks aren’t, so easy to tip Cronulla.

At home the Broncos are usually good and Newcastle, despite their win, don’t have anything to play for me. Easy Brisbane win.

The Raiders are coachless but the Dragons are useless.

Manly over the Titans in a very forgettable encounter.

NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 08: David Klemmer of the Knights is tackled during the round 17 NRL match between the Newcastle Knights and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at McDonald Jones Stadium, on July 08, 2022, in Newcastle, Australia. (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)

(Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)

Danielle Smith

Storm, Bulldogs, Eels, Cowboys, Sharks, Knights, Raiders, Sea Eagles

I’m going the Storm. Don’t ask me why. There is no logic.

The Bulldogs should run rampant against a Warriors side just winding down the season.

Ohhh, my back and forth. Hmmmmm……….Eels.

I’m still on the Cowboys train. My mate Reece Robson and the boys will get the job done in a close one.

Sharks are coming home with a wet sail and will be too strong for the Tigers.

I think this will be a real scrappy game with both teams clinging on for dear life. Raiders to shake off a disastrous week for the win.

I have heard many say this could be the upset of the round, but I can’t in good conscious tip the Titans. I’m going Manly.

One in a row! One in a row! As always, I’m tipping my Knights.

Round 22 AJ Danielle Mary Mike Paul Crowd
PEN V MEL PEN MEL MEL PEN PEN PEN
NZL V CBY CBY CBY CBY CBY CBY CBY
PAR V SOU PAR PAR SOU SOU PAR SOU
SYD V NQL SYD NQL NQL SYD NQL SYD
WST V CRO CRO CRO CRO CRO CRO CRO
BRI V NEW BRI NEW BRI BRI BRI BRI
CAN V STI CAN CAN CAN CAN CAN CAN
GLD V MAN MAN MAN MAN MAN GLD MAN
Last Round 6 5 7 5 7 6
Total 117 95 112 103 117 112

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