<p>The NRL Pre-season Challenge is back for its second week. We got our first look at footy in 2025 last week thanks to the Sharks, Warriors, Panthers and Raiders and now we’ll get to catch a glimpse of the rest of the competition.</p> <p>There’s plenty of intriguing pre-season clashes on the cards this week including a couple of Queensland derbies.</p> <p>Week 2 of the NRL’s Pre-season Challenge will also be the maiden outing for a number of head coaches at their new clubs.</p> <p>The likes of Michael Maguire, Kristian Woolf and Jason Ryles will take charge for their first ever games in charge of the Broncos, Dolphins and Eels respectively.</p> <p>For Woolf and Ryles it will mark their first time taking charge of an NRL side as they begin their journeys as first grade coaches.</p> <p>How will they fare? Let’s find out! For the latest news, odds and analysis for all the games this week, check out our NRL Pre-season Challenge Week 2 tips and predictions below.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>NRL Pre-season Challenge Tips and Predictions – Week 2</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Last week was just the appetiser with only two games on offer to get the tastebuds of footy fans tingling.</p> <p>It’s time for the main course, with week two of the NRL’s Pre-season Challenge set to serve up eight games. Let’s tuck in, shall we?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Thursday, February 13, 7:50pm AEDT – GIO Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Two of last week’s participants kick-off the second week of the NRL’s Pre-season Challenge.</p> <p>The Sharkies were involved in a thrilling 12-12 draw with the Warriors, while the Raiders go the best of Penrith 22-16.</p> <p>Obviously, being the first game of pre-season, both sides wheeled out nearly unrecognisable teams, although this proved to be a valuable glimpse into the future of NRL stardom.</p> <p>Names like Billy Burns, Niwahi Purur and Daniel Atkinson got the chance to impress for the Sharks, while Chevy Stewart, Ethan Sanders and Simi Sasagi all pressed their case for more minutes in 2025.</p> <p>Some of the plays the young Raiders combined for, particularly through the middle of the ruck, caught our eye and as a result we’ll be backing them to pick up another pre-season win here.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction</strong>: Canberra Raiders.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Chevy Stewart anytime try scorer.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Newcastle Knights vs Parramatta Eels Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Friday, February 14, 6:00pm AEDT – McDonald Jones Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Jason Ryles will make his bow as an NRL coach when his Parramatta Eels side take on the Newcastle Knights on Friday night.</p> <p>Life after Gutho starts here for the Eels and we’ll likely get the first look at the man who is set to inherit their former skipper’s fullback jersey.</p> <p>It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish and for Ryles that’s a good thing because we are tipping his first-grade coaching career to get off to a rocky start, as he trials different spine combinations against the much more settled Knights.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong>Newcastle Knights.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Parramatta to score 12 points or less.</p>

<h2>North Queensland Cowboys vs The Dolphins Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Friday, February 14, 8:00pm AEDT – Barlow Park</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Week two sees the NRL Pre-season Challenge head north for an all-Queensland affair between the Dolphins and North Queensland Cowboys.</p> <p>Like Ryles hours earlier, Dolphins’ mentor Kristian Woolf will be taking charge of his first game in the big time.</p> <p>With Wayne Bennett heading south to the Bunnies, his former assistant Woolf is now the man in charge. With one of the thinner squads in the NRL, unfortunately for Kristian and his side, they’ve been tipped to struggle this season.</p> <p>We reckon those struggles will start right here, when they come up against the Cowboys at Cairns’ Barlow Park.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong>North Queensland Cowboys.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Cowboys 13+</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>New Zealand Warriors vs Melbourne Storm Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Saturday, February 15, 1:30pm AEDT – Go Media Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Coming off the back of an entertaining 12-12 draw with the Sharks last week, the Warriors get to head home to New Zealand, with the Melbourne Storm in tow.</p> <p>We got our first look at James Fisher-Harris in Warriors colours last week, as well as being treated to impressive performances by fullbacks Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Taine Tuaupiki.</p> <p>It’s always risky business tipping against the Storm, but if there was ever a time to do it, it’s now.</p> <p>They’re likely to be a little rusty compared to the Warriors, who cleaned the cobwebs out last week, and home ground advantage is a completely different beast when it comes to New Zealand.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong>New Zealand Warriors.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad first try scorer.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Manly Sea Eagles Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Saturday, February 15, 3:30pm AEDT – Industree Group Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Welcome back Uncle Wayne. That’s right, super coach Wayne Bennett has returned to the South Sydney Rabbitohs in a welcome boost for the Cardinal and Myrtle. After a disappointing season which resulted in the dismissal of Jason Demetriou.</p> <p>The master coach will be tasked with turning their fortunes around, but the Bunnies have problem areas everywhere at the moment.</p> <p>In need of a new half and hooker after the departures of both Damien Cook and Lachlan Illas to the Dragons.</p> <p>The spine experimentation will start here, and it may take some time to get just right, so we’re siding with the Sea Eagles here.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong>Manly Sea Eagles.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Sea Eagles 1-12.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Brisbane Broncos vs Gold Coast Titans Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Sunday, February 16, 3:30pm AEDT – Clive Berghofer Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>We’ll get the first look at Michael Maguire’s Brisbane Broncos side when they take on the Titans in Toowoomba on Sunday arvo.</p> <p>By all accounts he’s put his chargers through their paces and then some in the off-season, will we see that pay dividends immediately?</p> <p>We think so, particularly if this is also the first time we see Ben Hunt back in a Broncos jersey since 2017.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction:</strong> Brisbane Broncos.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Blake Mozer anytime try scorer.</p>

<h2>Canterbury Bulldogs vs Wests Tigers Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Sunday, February 16, 5:30pm AEDT – Jubilee Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>After three consecutive wooden spoons as well as the longest finals drought in the NRL, the Wests Tigers have hit the shops in an attempt to turn their fortunes around.</p> <p>They’ve bought in Jarome Luai, Sunia Turuva, Royce Hunt, Jack Bird, Terrell May and Jeral Skelton in the highest profile recruitment drive in the NRL.</p> <p>While we are unlikely to see all of these guys play against the Bulldogs, we should see one or two new faces at Jubilee Stadium on Sunday.</p> <p>We try not to tip the Tigers whenever possible and all the new recruits in the world won’t change that until we see some consistent results from Benji’s boys.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong>Canterbury Bulldogs.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Bulldogs 13+</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>St George Illawarra Dragons vs Sydney Roosters Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Sunday, February 16, 7:30pm AEDT – Jubilee Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The final match of NRL Pre-season Challenge Week 2 is a sneak preview of this year’s Anzac Day clash.</p> <p>The Dragons and the Roosters are set to tangle at Jubilee Stadium in what should be an interesting hit out for both sides.</p> <p>The Dragons have recruited well in the off-season bring in experienced former rep players Clint Gutherson and Damien Cook to fill key gaps in their spine. Will we get our first look at the pair in red and white here? Perhaps.</p> <p>The opposite has been true for the Roosters on the recruitment front. They have lost club legend Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, strike centres Joseph Manu and Joseph Suaalii, halfback Luke Keary and barnstorming forward Terrell May to name a few.</p> <p>Tipped to uncharacteristically struggle this year as they rebuild, 2025 could be a long year for the Tri-colours, starting on Sunday.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong>St George Illawarra Dragons.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Clint Gutherson anytime try scorer.</p>