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NRL Round 21 Tips & Predictions

20/07/2023|Joel Caine|NRL Expert Predictions & Tips

It’s getting mighty tight at the top as the Brisbane Broncos and Penrith Panthers continue to push each other all the way in the race for the minor premiership. Elsewhere the revivals of superstars Kalyn Ponga and Shaun Johnson continue, while Parramatta pulled off the NRL’s latest great escape. Round 21 has plenty to live up to after last week, but has the footy ever failed to deliver? There’s sure to be plenty more action this week, as we enter the business end of the season. Luckily our expert NRL round 21 tips & predictions are here to help you navigate all the drama that is set to unfold.   <h2>St George Illawarra Dragons v Wests Tigers Tips</h2> Thursday, July 20, 7:50pm AEST – Win Stadium   A bottom of the barrel battle royal begins round 21, when cellar dwellers St George and the Wests Tigers meet at Win Stadium on Thursday night. The Dragons picked up some rare points last week thanks to victory over the bye, while the Tigers suffered an all-too-common defeat. The Tigers were torched by the Knights, with young fullback Jahream Bula the only one who offered any resistance. With the turmoil surrounding both sides, this is a tough one to tip. Teams coming off the bye have traditionally fared well this season and at home against a Tigers team who flatlined long ago, we’re backing the Dragons to move one step further away from the dreaded wooden spoon. Sugar's final thoughts: In their last four matches, the opposition right winger has scored against the Wests Tigers for a total of 11 tries scored in four games. Each one has been either the first, second or third try scorer. While in each of the last five Dragons games, the total match points has been exceeded.  Sugar’s Tip: Mikaele Ravalawa, First, Second Or Third Try Scorer and Over Total Match Points.   <h2>New Zealand Warriors v Canberra Raiders Tips</h2> Friday, July 21, 6:00pm AEST – Mt Smart Stadium   After ruining Jarrod Croker’s 300th game earlier this season, the Warriors will be hoping to inflict more misery on fellow top four hopefuls Canberra this week. New Zealand’s halfback Shaun Johnson seems to have found a time machine and transformed from wily veteran back into the side-stepping sensation of yesteryear. His renaissance under rookie coach Andrew Webster has been a sight to behold and currently has the Warriors sitting pretty in fifth. The Raiders aren’t doing too badly themselves and thanks to the bye last week find themselves inside the top four. Side by side on the ladder, this could potentially be the match of the round. After being smashed in their captain’s milestone match at home last time they played the Warriors, we struggle to see Canberra winning this one across the ditch. Sugar's final thoughts: Warriors’ winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is on a hot streak and has scored in seven of his last eight games.  His side are also in the mix to have the second best points differential (Panthers are clear leaders) in the competition. This will matter come top four positions at the end of the season, so they’ll want a big win to maintain their differential Sugar’s Tip: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to Score 2 Or More Tries, Warriors 13+, Big Win Little Win.

<h2>South Sydney Rabbitohs v Brisbane Broncos Tips</h2> Friday, July 21, 8:00pm AEST – Sunshine Coast Stadium   Souths are off to the Sunny Coast this week and the Broncos are coming with them. The Rabbits will also be hoping Latrell Mitchell comes along too, with the superstar fullback rumored to be nearing a return. They’ll need all hands-on deck if they are to upset the high-flying Broncos who barely broke a sweat last week as they easily accounted for the Bulldogs. The Bunnies have a stellar record on the Sunny Coast and if Latrell is declared fit, they have every chance of continuing that record. If he isn’t, however, we’re backing the Broncs to continue their assault on the minor premiership. Sugar's final thoughts: The giant killing Rabbitohs have three top four scalps this season (the Panthers, Broncos and Storm). By comparison, the Broncos only have one.  Expect the Rabbitohs to be up for it and get a narrow victory Sugar’s Tip: Rabbitohs 1-12, Big Win Little Win.    <h2>Gold Coast Titans v Sydney Roosters Tips</h2> Saturday, July 22, 3:00pm AEST – Robina Stadium   Name a more iconic duo than the Titans blowing a lead and losing a thriller, we’ll wait. The Fold Coast were at it again, throwing away a win against Parramatta, going down 25-24 in a heartstopper. Elsewhere, the Roosters’ season was all but ended by the Melbourne Storm, with winger Xavier Coates doing most of the damage with a hattrick. Surely this is the week the Titans make it stick? Even back at home and with their top eight dreams hanging by a thread, we’re backing them to choke against a desperate Chooks side. Sugar's final thoughts: This is a straightforward one - the Roosters have won their last five games against the Titans.  Sugar’s Tip: Roosters 1-12, Big Win Little Win

<h2>Newcastle Knights v Melbourne Storm Tips</h2> Saturday, July 22, 5:30pm AEST – McDonald Jones Stadium   Speaking of the Storm, they travel to the Hunter Valley to take on the reborn Newcastle Knights. Kalyn Ponga has single handedly reversed the Novocastrian’s fortunes over the past month, playing some of the best footy of his career. He was on hand last week to torch the Tigers and move his side a step closer to an unlikely finals berth. He’ll have to go to another level if his team are to take down the Storm, who moved within one win of the top of the table after downing the Chooks last week. Had this game been scheduled six weeks ago, we would have tipped a Melbourne whitewash without hesitation, now, we’re not as confident. The Storm should win, but we’re backing the Knights to make them really work for it. Sugar’s Tip: Storm 1-12   <h2>North Queensland Cowboys v Parramatta Eels Tips</h2> Saturday, July 22, 7:35pm AEST – Queensland Country Bank Stadium   Arguably the two form teams of the competition go head-to-head in a sizzling Saturday night showdown at Queensland Country Bank Stadium this week. Both the Eels and the Cowboys have rallied from the depths of the ladder to be well in the top eight conversation. Both picked up narrow wins last week against the Titans and Sea Eagles respectively and this game could be another close encounter. The Eels have won 6 of their last seven, while the Cowboys have won their last five in a row. Todd Payten’s men have been extra feral at home in that run, taking down both the Storm and the Panthers, as well as putting 74 unanswered points on the hapless Tigers. We think they’ll add an Eels shaped scalp to their collection and extract a measure of revenge for last season’s controversial preliminary finals loss inflicted on them by Parramatta. Sugar's final thoughts: Bailey Simonsson has scored in six of his last eight matches for a total of 8 tries. The Cowboys have won their last six matches in Queensland. While the Eels, with Mitchell Moses playing, haven’t lost 13+ since the 2022 Grand Final.  Expect this match to be a close one Sugar’s Tip: Cowboys 1-12, Big Win Little Win & Bailey Simonsson, Anytime Tryscorer

<h2>Penrith Panthers v Canterbury Bulldogs Tips</h2> Sunday, July 23, 2:00pm AEST – Penrith Stadium   The dog days are far from over for Canterbury as they lurch from one loss to another in 2023. They went down to second placed Brisbane last week and it only gets worse, with the table topping Panthers up next. Now post-Origin and with Nathan Cleary’s return on the horizon, the Penrith juggernaut is picking up steam as they gun for a third consecutive premiership. Last week they overcame a spirited Dolphins side in a close contest but we doubt they’ll have to work nearly as hard to beat the Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon. Sugar's final thoughts: When at home the Panthers have only conceded four first-half tries in six matches this season. With their attacking record this season, the Bulldogs will be lucky to score in the first half Sugar’s Tip: Penrith to score the first three tries - “Tryfecta”   <h2>Cronulla Sharks v Manly Sea Eagles Tips</h2> Sunday, July 23, 4:05pm AEST – Shark Park   Round 21’s action concludes with two teams out to bounce back after losses last week. The Sea Eagles became the Cowboys fifth consecutive scalp, while the Sharks were surprisingly disappointing as they were walloped by the Warriors across the ditch.   An injury to gun backrower Teig Wilton didn’t help things for Cronulla, and back home at Shark Park, we like them to regroup and get the best of the wildly inconsistent Sea Eagles side Sugar's final thoughts:  The three Sunday matches at Sharks Park this year have averaged 62.6 points - expect a high scoring affair. Sugar’s Tip: Over the Total Match Points.   <h2>The Dolphins – BYE</h2>   After a brave showing against the reigning premiers, the new kids on the block get a much-needed week off to reset.

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