PREVIEW OF NRL ROUND-EIGHT MATCHES (all times AEST):
WEDNESDAY April 25
St George Illawarra v Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium, 4:10pm
Head to head: Dragons 19 Roosters 17 Drawn 1
Lash clash: Round 8, 2017 – Roosters 13 bt Dragons 12 at Allianz Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Dragons $1.80 Roosters $2.05
FootyTAB: Roosters +1.5
It’s set to be one of the best Anzac Day clashes yet, with the Dragons and Roosters both genuine premiership contenders. Their winning streak was stopped at six by the Warriors last Friday but St George have had the edge here since 2002. The Chooks stonewalled Canterbury last week but holding off halves Gareth Widdop and Ben Hunt will be a mammoth task.
Key: James Tedesco has the firmest hold on the No.1 jersey for NSW but young Dragons fullback Matt Dufty will be desperate to test himself against one of the best.
Tip: Dragons
Melbourne v Warriors at AAMI Park, 7:00pm
Head to head: Storm 22 Warriors 16 Drawn 2
Lash clash: Round 8, 2017 – Storm 20 bt Warriors 14 at AAMI Park
Tab Sportsbet: Storm $1.50 Warriors $2.65
FootyTAB: Warriors +6.5
The Warriors showed their slip-up to Brisbane was just a poor game and not the start of a slide with a sensational defeat of the Dragons last Friday. Stephen Kearney’s team is showing they’re the real deal and playing the Storm in Melbourne will be another great indication of how far they can go. The Warriors will be without star Shaun Johnson again but it’s not been catastrophic for them like previous years. Craig Bellamy’s side are starting to click after an uncharacteristically slow start to the season.
Key: The Storm’s attack is firing with 74 points in their past two games after initially struggling post-Cooper Cronk.
Tip: Storm
THURSDAY April 26
South Sydney v Brisbane at ANZ Stadium, 7:50pm
Head to head: Rabbitohs 11, Broncos 27, Drawn 3
Last clash: Round 14, 2017 – Broncos 24 bt Rabbitohs 18 at Suncorp Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Rabbitohs $1.58 Broncos $2.45
FootyTAB: Broncos +4.5
Both sides are without key players. The Rabbitohs will miss inspirational big man Sam Burgess, sidelined over a high shot just a week after returning from an elbowing suspension. The Rabbitohs notched two wins in his absence and brothers Tom and George will need to step into the breach once again. The Broncos are without hooker Andrew McCullough (elbow). It’s a big test of their depth with Wayne Bennett opting left-field for Josh McGuire as dummy-half and Kodi Nikorima also expected to spend time there.
Key: The Rabbitohs make more metres than any side and their big men will decide this contest.
Tip: Rabbitohs
FRIDAY April 27
Manly v Newcastle at Lottoland, 6pm
Head to head: Sea Eagles 31, Knights 20, Drawn 1
Last clash: Round 1, 2018 – Knights 19 bt Sea Eagles 18 at McDonald Jones Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Sea Eagles $1.55 Knights $2.50
FootyTAB: Knights +4.5
We’re about to find out how deep Manly’s scars run. The Jackson Hastings saga no doubt exacted a toll, as evidenced by last week’s thumping by previously winless Parramatta. Their ability to bounce back will say plenty about Trent Barrett’s troops. The Knights will have to reinvent themselves with Mitchell Pearce out for several months. Connor Watson returns and they’ll look to him to run the show.
Key: Daly Cherry-Evans. His name has been absent from the Origin debate lately and he’ll want to change that.
Tip: Sea Eagles
Penrith v Canterbury at Panthers Stadium, 7.55pm
Head to head: Panthers 41, Bulldogs 58, Drawn 4
Lash clash: Round 3, 2018 – Canterbury 20 bt Panthers 18 at ANZ Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Panthers $1.50 Bulldogs $2.65
FootyTAB: Bulldogs +5.5
Can the Bulldogs fire a shot? Last week they had 52 tackles inside the Roosters’ 20 but couldn’t score a point. They have the second worst for record in the competition – 14.7 point per game – only behind Parramatta. If they don’t turn things around, questions will be asked of Dean Pay. The Panthers are still down on troops but gave a good account in last week’s loss to an inspired Cronulla.
Key: Kieran Foran – the Dogs need more from him at a time when it looks like his body isn’t holding up.
Tip: Panthers
SATURDAY
North Queensland v Canberra at 1300SMILES Stadium, 7:35pm
Head to head: Cowboys 18, Raiders 21, Drawn 2
Lash clash: Round 17, 2017 – Cowboys 31 bt Raiders 18 at GIO Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Cowboys $1.40 Raiders $3.00
FootyTAB: Raiders +7.5
The Cowboys snapped a deeply concerning five-game losing streak against a hapless Titans last week but can reclaim their status as a premiership heavyweight by backing it up against Canberra. And while they will be without their subtle variations of PJ Asiata (pectoral, season), they’ll be against a Raiders outfit that looked finally to be figuring it out before crashing heavily to South Sydney last week.
Key: The Cowboys haven’t exactly been all smiles at home but the Raiders haven’t left Townsville with a grin in their past nine visits.
Tip: Cowboys
SUNDAY
Parramatta v Wests Tigers at ANZ Stadium, 4:10pm
Head to head: Eels 20, Wests Tigers 15, Drawn 2
Lash clash: Round 4, 2018 – Wests Tigers 30 bt Eels 20 at ANZ Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Eels $2.05 Wests Tigers $1.80
FootyTAB: Eels +1.5
Some have declared the lowly Eels back after shooting down the wingless Sea Eagles. But with or without Jarryd Hayne (hip), slaying the reborn Tigers would be confirmation of the sleeping giant waking. Getting some reinforcements in Bevan French will help against a Tigers side that get co-captain Chris Lawrence (hamstring) back too.
Key: Mitchell Moses and the Eels like it fast, while Benji Marshall and the Tigers like it slow. The battle for tempo will be intriguing.
Tip: Tigers
