NRL Round 23 Preview

By Stephen Gallagher

THURSDAY: • North Queensland Cowboys V South Sydney Rabbitohs – 1300SMILES Stadium 21.45NZT
Thursday Night football is BACK!  Back with a bang too, this game is going to be awesome.  Cowboys and Rabbitohs going hard at each other.  There’s plenty to be offered on this NRL platter.  The Cowboys and Rabbitohs boasting some awesome forward packs.  It is going to be a thriller, with not many points to separate the two.

Cowboys 1-12

FRIDAY: • Brisbane Broncos v Saint George Illawarra Dragons – Suncorp Stadium 21.45NZT
The Broncos and Dragons love to play each other.   Always plenty of good matches over the history of these two teams.  Brisbane have been the front runners for the majority of the season, and the Dragons are getting back in to form with some solid wins.  So you know both sides are going to be up for the challenge. The Broncos at home will be tough to beat.
Broncos 1-12

SATURDAY: • Wests Tigers V Newcastle Knights – Campbelltown Sports Stadium 17.00NZT
The Tigers are putting on a sort of late surge to make their season finish off on some sort of high after what has been another disastrous season.  Newcastle are the whipping boys of the season.  They’re an old roster with rusty players in need of a major overhaul.  So there should be plenty of points in this one, with defence just being a word, not an action.
Tigers 13+

• Penrith Panthers V New Zealand Warriors – Pepper Stadium 19.30NZT
Penrith and New Zealand have plenty in common right now.  Being rubbish is one of them.  So it’s a bit of a battle where there is some hope of finals glory, but it is very small.  Penrith at home and with Cleary as coach generally get over the Warriors, but with some players back from injury for the Auckland-based club, it might be some luck.
Panthers 1-12

• Sydney Roosters V Parramatta Eels – Allianz Stadium 21.30NZT
The Roosters the last few weeks have let some sides back in to the match.   The Eels are pretty good at scoring points when the game is over too.  If the Roosters want to lock in a solid run to the finals, they will need to keep out the Parramatta side fully, not letting them get a roll on.  The Roosters should put plenty of points on them.
Roosters 13+

SUNDAY: • Canberra Raiders V Manly Warringah Sea Eagles – GIO Stadium 16.00NZT
The Raiders have been rather poor over the last four weeks, whereas Manly have been absolutely killing it, and that is SCARY! They are making a major run to the finals; if they make it they might be hard to beat! They need to overcome Canberra this weekend, but the Raiders need to overcome Manly first.  If either side wants to make the eight, a win here goes far. So… Who will win?

Raiders 1-12

• Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs V Gold Coast Titans – Central Coast Stadium 18.00NZT
A match on the Central Coast is generally few and far between, but this one should be worth a watch.   The Bulldogs looking to build for the finals.   The Titans will want to ruin that.  Canterbury are a good side who need to string some wins together now, much like they did last season.  The Titans season is over, so they should lay it all on the line.
Bulldogs 1-12

MONDAY: • Cronulla Sharks V Melbourne Storm – Remondis Stadium 21.00NZT
I feel a gutsy win on the cards.  The Sharks are really looking the goods, and the Storm are similar too. So this Monday night thriller should be a goodie!   Cronulla are going to stick it to the Storm.  Melbourne won’t take it lying down either. If the Sharks win this, they might even see themselves as top four finishes.

Sharks 1-12

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