<p>It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish as they say, and that sentiment certainly rings true as we head into NRL round 22.</p> <p>A number of teams have timed their runs to perfection, with the Bulldogs, Cowboys and the Panthers all hitting top form at the right time.</p> <p>With only six weeks of regular season action left before finals footy, it’s officially make or break time for a number of clubs.</p> <p>So, who will end up with a date with the eight and who will be left wondering what could have been?</p> <p>Round 22 should bring the premiership picture into clearer focus with a number of must-win matches set to be played out this week.</p> <p>NRL Round 22 also marks the conclusion of this year's edition of <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nrl/news/try-july-2024">Try July </a>with Sportsbet raising 400k for former <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nrl/predictions/nrlw-2024-season-preview">NRLW</a>&nbsp;player Toni Hunt and the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation.</p> <p>For the latest news, analysis, odds and more, check out our NRL round 22 tips and predictions below.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Wests Tigers v North Queensland Cowboys Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Thursday, August 1, 7:50pm AEST – Leichhardt Oval</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Kicking things off in NRL round 22 are the Wests Tigers and the North Queensland Cowboys.</p> <p>The Cowboys are one of the aforementioned teams who have timed their run to perfection and now find themselves sitting sixth in the standings post-Origin.</p> <p>As for their opponents, different week, same old Tigers. They went down to the wounded Warriors last start and are surely destined to do the same here against the red-hot Cowboys.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/wests-tigers-v-nth-queensland-cowboys-8424501">North Queensland Cowboys.</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>SGM – Over total match points and Valentine Holmes to score 12+ points.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>New Zealand Warriors vs Parramatta Eels Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Friday, August 2, 6:00pm AEST – Go Media Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Where there’s life, there’s hope and that’s what the Warriors will cling to for the rest of the season.</p> <p>If they want to play finals in 2024, they can’t afford to drop a game from here on out. Luckily they get to face the Eels this week, in New Zealand no less, so that faint hope of finals footy should remain.</p> <p>The Eels were no match for table toppers the Storm last week and without star man Mitch Moses are unlikely to win again between now and season’s end.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/new-zealand-warriors-v-parramatta-eels-8424505">New Zealand Warriors.</a></p> <p><strong>Sugar says:&nbsp;</strong>The last eight&nbsp;teams on the road and&nbsp;out of contention that have played&nbsp;against a team still in the mix have all been beaten. Beaten well too, by an average margin of 23 points.</p> <p><strong>Sugar's tip: </strong>New Zealand Warriors Line.</p>

<h2>The Dolphins vs Sydney Roosters Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Friday, August 2, 8:00pm AEST – HBF Park</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Rugby League heads west in NRL round 22 as the Dolphins and the Roosters take the greatest game of all to Perth on Friday night.</p> <p>Both of these sides were involved in topsy-turvy clashes last week, indicating there could be plenty of points here.</p> <p>After a bright first half of the season, the Phins are fading and now only remain in the top eight on points difference alone.</p> <p>They certainly have the attacking weapons to upset the Chooks on neutral territory, but defensively may struggle against the likes of Tedesco, Walker and Young who all flexed their attacking muscle last week against Manly.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/dolphins-v-sydney-roosters-8424526">Sydney Roosters.</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>SGM - Over total match points &amp; Dom Young to score two or more tries.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Gold Coast Titans vs Brisbane Broncos Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Saturday, August 3, 3:00pm AEST – Robina Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Broncos head down the M1 this week with their season all but over after last week’s home loss to the Bulldogs.</p> <p>The nearly full-strength Broncs were blown off their own patch to the tune of 23 points and now find themselves four points outside of the eight with six games to play.</p> <p>They can’t afford to lose any more games from here on out, so we expect them to turn up to Robina Stadium ready to give their all.</p> <p>The question is, will their all be enough against a fast-improving Titans team? The GC boys pulled off an impressive comeback last week against fellow Queenslanders the Phins, to haul them level on points with the backpedaling Broncos.</p> <p>This local derby could go either way based on current form, but it’s Brisbane who will feel they have a bigger point to prove and on paper simply have more quality across the field.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/gold-coast-titans-v-brisbane-broncos-8424529">Brisbane Broncos.</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Alofiana Khan-Pereira first try scorer.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Melbourne Storm vs St George Illawarra Dragons Prediction</h2> <p><strong><em>Saturday, August 3, 5:30pm AEST – AAMI Park</em></strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>It doesn’t get any easier for the Dragons in round 22, travelling to face the Storm after being dismantled by Nathan Cleary and his Panthers last start.</p> <p>After being torn limb from limb by one returning superstar, they’ll have to deal with another here.</p> <p>Storm standoff Cameron Munster made a successful return from injury last week in his side's 32-14 victory over Parramatta.</p> <p>The Queensland and Australian international got through 50 minutes unscathed and will no doubt play a bigger role here against the Dragons.</p> <p>After conceding just shy of a half century against Penrith at home, we can’t see St George troubling Melbourne too much at AAMI Park on Saturday afternoon.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/melbourne-storm-v-st-george-illawarra-dragons-8424532">Melbourne Storm.</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> Cameron Munster to score or assist.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Cronulla Sharks vs South Sydney Rabbitohs Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Saturday, August 3, 7:35pm AEST – Shark Park</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>They now have to be perfect from here on out and that still might not be enough for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.</p> <p>They’re in the same boat as the Broncs, but with an injury and suspension list that reads like a Stephen King novel – pure horror.</p> <p>Try scoring extraordinaire Alex Johnston ruptured his Achilles in their loss to Canberra last week in terrible scenes. The Rabbitohs flyer was closing in on Ken Irvine’s <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nrl/news/most-nrl-tries">all-time NRL try scoring record</a>, but now faces an indefinite period in the treatment room.</p> <p>He is joined on the sidelines by Cody Walker, Cameron Murray, Latrell Mitchell, Campbell Graham and Jai Arrow just to name a few.</p> <p>With nearly a full salary cap of injured talent and having to play top four candidates Cronulla away from home, round 22 is surely the week the curtain finally comes down on the Rabbitohs finals hopes.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/cronulla-sharks-v-south-sydney-rabbitohs-8424549">Cronulla Sharks.</a></p> <p><strong>Sugar says:&nbsp;</strong>‘Tricky’ is in a rich vein of try scoring form. He has nnine&nbsp;tries from 13 matches this year including four on the trot.</p> <p><strong>Sugar's tip: </strong>Braydon Trindall Anytime Try Scorer&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Penrith Panthers vs Newcastle Knights Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Sunday, August 4, 2:00pm AEST – Penrith Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>You were warned. Now if you’re reading this it’s too late. Nathan Cleary is back, and he’s already got himself a <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nrl/news/most-nrl-hat-tricks-of-all-time">hat-trick.</a></p> <p>He also grabbed two try assists and kicked seven goals as he almost single-handedly tore the Dragons apart in his side’s most recent outing.</p> <p>Newcastle are next on the chopping block and we doubt their bye last week will have been enough to prepare them for what awaits at the foot of the mountains on Sunday afternoon.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/penrith-panthers-v-newcastle-knights-8424551">Penrith Panthers.&nbsp;</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Nathan Cleary to score 12+ points.</p>

<h2>Canterbury Bulldogs vs Canberra Raiders Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Sunday, August 4, 4:05pm AEST – Belmore Sports Ground</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The final game of NRL round 22 sees the bounding Bulldogs welcome the revived Raiders to Belmore.</p> <p>The return of halfback Jamal Fogarty has been exactly what the doctor ordered for the Green Machine, with the Raiders winning both of their games since his comeback.</p> <p>This will be his tallest task since returning from injury with the Bulldogs shaking off their slow start to the season to emerge as genuine top four contenders.</p> <p>The way they dealt with Broncos at Lang Park sans the services of marquee man Stephen Crichton, should have the rest of the competition on notice.</p> <p>They ran in stunning try after stunning try, with Mr. Fix It, Connor Tracey, helping himself to a hat trick, while filling in at fullback for Crichton.</p> <p>As good as Fogarty has been over the last fortnight, there is no stopping this Blue and White runaway train at the moment.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/canterbury-bulldogs-v-canberra-raiders-8424554">Canterbury Bulldogs.</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Under total match points.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Manly Sea Eagles – BYE</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Manly get a rest in NRL round 22 after their see-sawing encounter against the Chooks last week, that saw them only go down by four points, despite giving the Tri-colours a 22-point start after 19 minutes.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>NRL 2024 Premiership Odds</h2>