<p>Queensland has secured the Origin shield after a bloodbath in Brisbane, and the player/coach merry-go-round is in full swing. </p>
<p>With all the Origin stars back on deck this week and a full schedule of games on the cards, a perceived sense of normality has descended on the NRL. </p>
<p>But in this crazy, crazy season, what even is normal anymore? There’s sure to be plenty of drama both on and off the field in round 18. </p>
<p>So, make sure to check out our expert NRL round 18 tips and predictions below. </p>
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<h2>Cronulla Sharks v St George Illawarra Dragons Prediction </h2>
<p><strong>Thursday, June 29, 7:50 pm AEST - Shark Park </strong></p>
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<p>Unfortunately for Dragons’ fans, all the talk surrounding their club is about what’s happening off the field, not on it. </p>
<p>Starman Ben Hunt continues to be linked with a mid-season move back to Brisbane after officially requesting a release from his contract. </p>
<p>Regardless of the outcome, it needs to be resolved quickly so both parties can move on as the Dragons’ situation on the field worsens. </p>
<p>They were comprehensively slain by the Warriors last week, and facing a fully rested Cronulla outfit this week, more misery appears to be on the cards for St George regardless of whether or not Hunt is wearing their jersey come Thursday night. </p>
<p> </p>
<h3><strong>Sugars Final Thought</strong></h3>
<p>The Dragons statistically have the worst left-side defence in the NRL. In the last four weeks, many tries were scored down that side, including nine to the right-wingers; Isaako got two, A pair also for Too and Kennar got one for Souths, and Watene-Zalezniak got a four-try haul last week.</p>
<p><strong>Sugars Tip: Sione Katoa Exactly 2 Tries $4.50</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<h2>New Zealand Warriors v South Sydney Rabbitohs Prediction</h2>
<p><strong>Friday, June 30, 6:00 pm AEST - Mt Smart Stadium </strong></p>
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<p>The Warriors are on fire and have steamrolled their way to fifth on the ladder. Last week they recorded a 48-18 win over the hapless Dragons on the road, and this week they return to New Zealand with a rapidly unraveling Rabbitohs side in tow. </p>
<p>An uncharacteristically error-riddled display saw the Bunnies get bounced by North Queensland on their own patch, and they’ll no doubt be counting down the days until star fullback Latrell Mitchell is back on deck. </p>
<p>Their attack is a shadow of what it was when Mitchell was pulling the strings, and we don’t see them getting past the Warriors across the ditch, which will put the Rabbits’ place in the eight in serious jeopardy. </p>
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<h3><strong>Sugars Final Thought</strong></h3>
<p>The Rabbitohs have conceded 27 tries in just the last five games. For context, Penrith has conceded just 34 all year. The Defensive wheels have well and truly fallen off, and many were coming through the middle with hard-running forwards and clever dummy halves. Wayde Egan loves to test the line when near it, and Addin Fonua-Blake is benefiting big time from Coach Webster's plan; he’s enjoying a career-best year for tries, with five already this year.</p>
<p><strong>Sugars Tip: Anytime Tryscorer Wayde Egan ($4.80) or Addin-Fonua Blake ($5.80)</strong></p>
<h2>Melbourne Storm v Penrith Panthers Prediction </h2>
<p><strong>Friday, June 30, 8:00 pm AEST - Marvel Stadium </strong></p>
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<p>Friday night’s action is headlined by two teams tied at the top of the table. Both the Panthers and the Storm sit at the summit with the Broncos on 24 competition points, but one will pull clear after the dust settles on this one.</p>
<p>Both of these sides recorded gusty wins last time out, with Melbourne beating Manly, while Penrith, minus all of their Origin stars, snuck past the Knights. </p>
<p>Everything was just Peachey for Penrith, with make-shift centre Tyrone Peachey grabbing a match-winning double in Stephen Crichton’s absence. </p>
<p>The Storm presents an entirely different challenge; however, with still no Nathan Cleary in sight and away from home, we’re picking those wearing purple to win this one. </p>
<h2>Canberra Raiders v Gold Coast Titans Prediction </h2>
<p><strong>Saturday, July 1, 3:00 pm AEST - GIO Stadium </strong></p>
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<p>Coaches? Who needs them? Clearly not the Titans who knocked off the table-topping Broncos mere days after showing Justin Holbrook the door. </p>
<p>Their win over M1 rivals Brisbane was nearly as shocking as the sacking of Holbrook, which came out of the blue and after a win, no less. </p>
<p>This week they travel to the nation’s capital to take on the Raiders, who hung on to defeat the Roosters by just two points last week. </p>
<p>This one could go either way. There is a weird, reckless, unpredictable energy to the Titans and their current play. </p>
<p>You get the feeling from them that they can beat and lose to anyone in the competition on their day. </p>
<p>The resilience they showed against the Broncos to down all the distractions surrounding them leads us to believe they are about to make a serious assault on the eight, starting with an upset on the road against the Raiders. </p>
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<h3><strong>Sugars Final Thought</strong></h3>
<p>Canberra is a difficult trip in the middle of winter, but if you have to go there, it’s the 3 pm Saturday shift that you want, and that’s what the men from the Gold Coast get. The Raiders were held tryless in the 2nd half when they fell over the line to the battling Roosters. To my eye, they still have major troubles in attack. In their last three games (Tigers, Warriors & Roosters), they scored just eight tries. Exploring further, Papalii scored a garbage time crash over try against the Warriors when the game was gone, Hopoate's try last round was off a forward pass, and the other six were all off kicks and relying on more than a fair share of luck. At the price, the Titans are a great proposition.</p>
<p><strong>Sugars Tip: Titans H2H $2.22</strong></p>
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<h2>North Queensland Cowboys v Wests Tigers Prediction </h2>
<p><strong>Saturday, July 1, 5:30 pm AEST - Queensland Country Bank Stadium</strong> </p>
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<p>Something has clicked for the Cowboys, and this week they get to face everyone’s favourite opponent - the Wests Tigers.</p>
<p>From genuine spoon contenders to right back in the conversation for a finals berth, North Queensland has completely turned its season around. </p>
<p>Scott Drinkwater is hitting Origin-worthy form at the back and has completely reinvented his side’s attack.</p>
<p>A win over South Sydney in Sydney is huge for the Cowboys, who traditionally don’t travel well. </p>
<p>Back home this week, they’ll be looking to get revenge on the side that beat them 66-18 earlier this season. </p>
<p>Valentine Holmes might still be checking under his bed every night for Starford To’a who terrorized him on that occasion, but this presents the perfect opportunity to exercise any demons and get one over To’a and his Tigers. </p>
<h2>Brisbane Broncos v The Dolphins Prediction </h2>
<p><strong>Saturday, July 1, 7:35 pm AEST - The Gabba </strong></p>
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<p>It’s back-to-back Queensland derbies for the Broncos, who will be looking to bounce back from their shock defeat to the Titans when they take on the Dolphins this week.</p>
<p>It was spray city at Suncorp last week, with Reece Walsh spraying the ref and Kevin Walters spraying his side. </p>
<p>But in all seriousness, Walsh’s tirade could see him suspended for this clash which would be a disaster for his team’s attacking exploits.</p>
<p>Even if Walsh doesn’t feature at the Gabba, the Broncos should still have too much quality for a Dolphins’ side that shipped 42 points in the first half alone to Parra last week. </p>
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<h2>Canterbury Bulldogs v Newcastle Knights Prediction </h2>
<p><strong>Sunday, July 2, 2:00 pm AEST - Stadium Australia </strong></p>
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<p>The unbackable Bulldogs are back in action this week after their bye, and yes, we will not be backing them to get up in this one. </p>
<p>The Knights are no world beaters themselves, but we’ve seen enough out of Kalyn Ponga and Jackson Hastings in recent weeks to suggest they can overcome a Doggie's side, which is indistinguishable from a basket case at this point. </p>
<p>Languishing at 15th on the ladder, their season is all but over, and we need help to see where they will find the motivation to get up for this one. </p>
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<h3><strong>Sugars Final Thought</strong></h3>
<p>Kalyn looks to be back to his sparkling best. Recently, the Bulldogs are allowing for many line breaks, which is tailor-made for the good supporting fullbacks. Dom Young is on a tear leading the competition for tries scored with 16 (Equal with Maika Sivo). It's hard not to see both amongst the scorers here.</p>
<p><strong>Sugars Tip: Kalyn Ponga & Dom Young to combine for 3+ Tries at $5.50</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<h2>Manly Sea Eagles v Sydney Roosters Prediction </h2>
<p><strong>Sunday, July 2, 4:05 pm AEST - Brookvale Oval </strong></p>
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<p>Wrapping up round 18 are two serial underperformers with many problems at the back. </p>
<p>For Manly, the season-ending injury to talisman Tom Trbojevic is a real spanner in the works. </p>
<p>The luckless fullback sustained a torn pec in Game 2 of State of Origin and will have to spend the rest of the year on the sidelines recovering.</p>
<p>For the Roosters, it’s not injury but form that is the problem. Their fullback James Tedesco is a shell of his former self at the moment, and they are arguably a better side with Joseph Manu in the number-one jersey. </p>
<p>Both sides came up short last week and will be desperate to bounce back, but back at Brookie, we’re backing Manly to be the ones to get the two points in this one. </p>
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<h2>Parramatta Eels - BYE </h2>
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<p>The Eels have rallied to 7th on the ladder after winning their last five games on the trot and will add another two points to their tally this week, thanks to the bye.</p>
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