NRL Round 17 Tips & Predictions

<p>As both NSW and QLD gear up for Game 2 of their annual interstate showdown, there’s still plenty of regular season action to be played after the fact.</p> <p>As always with games after State of Origin, the conversation will be around who will and won’t back up from the notoriously bruising encounter.&nbsp;</p> <p>With many top teams facing crunch fixtures in the race for the eight, they’ll be hoping their star men make it through Origin unscathed.&nbsp;</p> <p>Who will continue to pick up points during this tricky period? And who will fail to adapt to this mid-season minefield?&nbsp;</p> <p>Check out our expert NRL round 17 tips &amp; predictions below.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>St George Illawarra Dragons v New Zealand Warriors Prediction&nbsp;</h2> <p><strong>Friday, June 23, 8:00 pm AEST - WIN Stadium&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>St George will be looking to put a chaotic week behind them when they host the Warriors to kick start round 17.</p> <p>The announcement of Shane Flannagan as their new head coach was overshadowed by star half and Origin representative Ben Hunt claiming he wants out of his contract next season.&nbsp;</p> <p>Despite any ill feeling, the 15th-placed Dragons will be hoping he’s ready and able to suit up after Origin II, although with the game being in Brisbane, it seems unlikely.</p> <p>Against a Warriors team who gate-crashed Jarrod Crokers' 300th away from home and then had a week off, we are tipping things to get worse and worse for the Illawarra boys, regardless if Hunt makes his flight to Sydney.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>Sugars Final Thoughts&nbsp;</strong></h3> <p>The Dragons statistically have the worst left-side defence in the NRL. In the last three weeks, many tries were scored down that side, including five to the right-wingers; Isaako got two, a pair also for Too and Kennar grabbed a four-pointer himself in their last game against the Dragons.</p> <p><strong>Sugars Tip: Dallin Watene-Zalezniak Anytime Tryscorer</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>The Dolphins v Parramatta Eels Prediction&nbsp;</h2> <p><strong>Saturday, June 24, 3:00 pm AEST - Sunshine Coast Stadium&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Just like that, the Parramatta Eels have slithered into the top eight. The Blue and Golds put on a running goods seminar last week against Manly despite being without their two starting halves.&nbsp;</p> <p>They’ll be hoping to have Mitchell Moses back on deck, providing he makes it through State of Origin, and they’ll need him if they are to take down the Dolphins in the Sunshine State.</p> <p>The Dolphins had a badly needed week off last round as their injury toll continues to spiral out of control.&nbsp;</p> <p>This fixture may have come a week or two early for the depleted Dolphins, and with Parra hitting top form at the right time of the season, the Sydneysiders will be the happier of the two sides coming full-time in this one.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>Sugars Final Thoughts&nbsp;</strong></h3> <p>In the last couple of years, he has found injury, but it appears CommBank Stadium's favourite son is back to his brilliant best. Since this round last year, Sivo has scored 28 Tries including nine times getting two or more. While he may have missed out last week, he has not missed scoring two weeks in a row so far this year.</p> <p><strong>Sugars Tip: Maika Sivo 1st, 2nd or 3rd Try</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Penrith Panthers v Newcastle Knights Prediction&nbsp;</h2> <p><strong>Saturday, June 24, 5:30 pm AEST - Penrith Stadium&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Both the Panthers and the Knights will be looking to bounce back from narrow defeats last week.&nbsp;</p> <p>Despite being at home and scoring some dazzling tries, Newcastle went down to the Roosters by two points.&nbsp;</p> <p>On the other hand, the Panthers dug deep to force golden point on the road against the Cowboys, with effectively a second-string side, such is their Origin representation.&nbsp;</p> <p>Unfortunately for Penrith, Cowboys’ fullback Scott Drinkwater had his dancing shoes on and scored a scintillating solo try to sink them.&nbsp;</p> <p>Injury permitting, the Panthers should have all of their Origin stars back on deck, and that should be more than enough to return to the winners' circle as they look to stay in touching distance of the minor premiership.</p>

<h2>Melbourne Storm v Manly Sea Eagles Prediction</h2> <p><strong>Saturday, June 24, 7:35 pm AEST - AAMI Park</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>A modern-day rivalry revives when the Storm and the Sea Eagles clash on Saturday night.&nbsp;</p> <p>There always seem to be fireworks when these two meet, regardless of who’s wearing their jerseys.&nbsp;</p> <p>The Sea Eagles will desperately hope Daly Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic make it through Origin unscathed, as their absence was obvious last week when Parra pumped them.</p> <p>For the Storm, it doesn’t seem to matter who runs out for them, they keep grinding out results, and regardless of whether their Origin stars do back up, we’re backing them to get one over their bitter rivals and cement their place in the top four.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>Sugars Final Thoughts</strong></h3> <p>As per above, Manly has the second-worst left-side defence in the competition and backing the right winger against them has been a very profitable exercise. To make matters worse for the Sea Eagles, Will Warbrick, the Storm winger, scored four tries last week, so he is high on confidence.</p> <p><strong>Sugars Tip: Will Warbrick 1st, 2nd or 3rd Try. </strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Brisbane Broncos v Gold Coast Titans Prediction&nbsp;</h2> <p><strong>Sunday, June 25, 2:00 pm AEST - Suncorp Stadium&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Sunday’s action kicks off with a Queensland derby at Suncorp Stadium.&nbsp;</p> <p>Both the Broncos and the Titans were treated to a bye last week and will be well-rested heading into this one.&nbsp;</p> <p>The Broncos currently stand alone at the competition’s summit, but the Titans can certainly trouble them with their adlib brand of footy as long as they can put together a full 80 minutes.</p> <p>Like most games this round, the outcome of this one will largely be dependent on who makes it out of Origin alive, but as things stand, the Broncos are the safe bet to take home the chocolates in this one.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>South Sydney Rabbitohs v North Queensland Cowboys Prediction</h2> <p><strong>Sunday, June 25, 4:05 pm AEST - Stadium Australia&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Is it wabbit season? Potentially. After looking borderline unstoppable a month ago, the Red and Green cracks have started to show.</p> <p>Injuries have decimated the core of their side, and if Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell are out for this one as predicted, another unplanned loss could be on the cards for the Bunnies.</p> <p>The Cowboys will be full of confidence after their epic golden point win against Penrith. If they can carry that momentum with them down to Sydney, they are more than capable of pulling off an upset against a Rabbitohs side down on troops and down on confidence.</p>

<h2>Sydney Roosters v Canberra Raiders Prediction&nbsp;</h2> <p><strong>Sunday, June 25, 6:15 pm AEST - Allianz Stadium&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Rounding out round 17 is this clash between the Roosters and the Raiders at Allianz Stadium.&nbsp;</p> <p>Roosters fans will almost be hoping James Tedesco is rested after Origin, such was the magnitude of Joey Manu’s performance at fullback in his skipper’s absence.&nbsp;</p> <p>The Kiwi international ran the show for the Tri-colours as they defeated Newcastle last week to pick up a much-needed win to keep their fading finals hopes alive.&nbsp;</p> <p>As for the Raiders, it’s hard to get a read on them in 2023. One week they look unstoppable; the next, they are choking in the milestone match of one of their biggest legends.&nbsp;</p> <p>If the real Raiders show up for this one, they are more than capable of winning, but if they don’t, another Joey Manu clinic could be on the cards.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>Sugars Final Thoughts&nbsp;</strong></h3> <p>Both teams are desperate here, which normally points to tidy defence. Marry that up with the fact both teams are struggling to score tries (Roosters last in the NRL for tries scored, Raiders 14th), and it screams a low-scoring gritty affair. The Raiders have scored just five tries in the last two matches (against the Tigers &amp; Warriors), and four of them required a fair bit of luck and were off kicks.</p> <p><strong>Sugars Tip: Total Match Points Unders</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Canterbury Bulldogs, Cronulla Sharks, Wests Tigers - BYE.</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Three teams need a week off for three different reasons. The Doggies need to lick their wounds, the Sharks need to put their feet up after a big win, and the Tigers need time to celebrate Alex Twal’s first try in the NRL.</p>