<p>The premiership picture came further into focus last week as we now enter the final month of the regular season.</p> <p>With finals footy looming, it’s nearly last call for September spots. A quick look at the stock market that is the NRL ladder and it’s clear which sides are trending up and which are beginning to crash.</p> <p>After being at a four-year low earlier this year, Penrith stocks are now through the roof, while adding some of the Roosters to your portfolio might not be a bad thing either.</p> <p>It might be time to sell all Dolphins and Warriors shares however, with injuries taking their toll on both sides, as their respective top four and eight hopes begin to falter.</p> <p>Still, where there’s life, there’s hope, and with a month of footy still to play, anything can happen from here.</p> <p>For all the latest news, analysis, odds, and betting tips ahead of this week’s action, check out our expert NRL round 24 tips and predictions below.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Thursday, August 14, 7:50pm AEST – CommBank Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Start as you mean to go on. The first match of NRL round 24 is unequivocally the best.</p> <p>Fresh off win number 10 in a row, the Penrith Panthers welcome the Melbourne Storm to CommBank Stadium in a season defining clash.</p> <p>After the Warriors lost last week, the Panthers now find themselves in the top four, meaning if that’s where they remain, they will get the all-important second chance come finals.</p> <p>A win here, in what will be a Grand Final rematch from last season, and we might just have to admit that the Panthers are the new premiership favourites.</p> <p>Considering they were dead last earlier this season, it would be a truly remarkable feat, one we think might just come to fruition.</p> <p>At home, with a tidal wave of momentum behind them and against a Storm side sans arguably their best player (Jahrome Hughes), we’re picking Penrith, not just for this game, but for the whole shebang.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/penrith-panthers-v-melbourne-storm-9487782">Penrith Panthers.</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Brian To’o first try scorer.</p>

<h2>New Zealand Warriors vs St George Illawarra Dragons Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Friday, August 15, 6:00pm AEST – Go Media Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Another unlikely victory has kept the faint flicker of the Dragon’s finals hopes alive and now they head across the ditch to see if they can keep their late-season salvage mission alive.</p> <p>One slip up between now and the end of the season and its curtains for St George, but there arguably hasn’t been a better time to face the Warriors this season.</p> <p>They’ve dropped out of the top four off the back of three straight losses, two of which were at home and a string of horror injuries to key personnel.</p> <p>If the Dragons can play like they did during their ambush against Cronulla last week, they should be able to capitalise on the undermanned Warriors slide and keep their slim finals hopes alive for another week at least.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/new-zealand-warriors-v-st-george-illawarra-dragons-9487783">St George Illawarra Dragons.</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Clint Gutherson anytime try scorer.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Sydney Roosters vs Canterbury Bulldogs Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Friday, August 15, 8:00pm AEST – Allianz Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>A challenger to the Penrith vs Melbourne match for game of the round, we’re expecting serious fireworks when the Roosters host the Bulldogs at Allianz Stadium.</p> <p>Forget Chicken Run, it’s the Roosters making a dash for the finals, with the return of Sam Walker about a month ago flipping the top eight script in their favour.</p> <p>They ran riot away from home against the Dolphins last week, running in 64 points in a demolition job that saw Mark Nawaqanitawase grab three, Tedesco and Tupou cross for a brace and the aforementioned Walker booting 10/11 conversions.</p> <p>That result pulled them level on 26 competition points with the Dolphins and helped erode most of their inferior points difference.</p> <p>Now the Bulldogs await. Well, they’re more bloodhounds at the moment and they’ve picked up the scent of the minor premiership and are back on the hunt, after almost losing the trail there for a bit.</p> <p>We’re excited to see how both side’s No.7s match up, with Lachie Galvin seeming to have finally settled in Blue and White.</p> <p>We think whichever side’s young gun controls the game better, will get the chocolates and to be honest at the moment, we fancy Slammin’ Sam Walker just that little bit more.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/sydney-roosters-v-canterbury-bulldogs-9487785">Sydney Roosters.</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Mark Nawaqanitawase to score two or more tries.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Cronulla Sharks vs Gold Coast Titans Prediction</h2> <p><strong><em>Saturday, August 16, 3:00pm AEST – Shark Park</em></strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Sharks will be looking to bounce back from their shock loss to the Dragons and sure up their spot in the eight when they welcome the last-placed Titans to Shark Park on Saturday.</p> <p>The Titans dropped to the bottom of the standings after losing ‘The Spoon Bowl’ to the Rabbitohs last week in a two-point thriller.</p> <p>While they scored some nice tries and certainly applied an adequate amount of effort, that loss should see the last of their self-belief see itself out.</p> <p>This is the ideal bounce-back game for the Sharks as they look to swim into the finals with momentum on their side.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/cronulla-sharks-v-gold-coast-titans-9487786">Cronulla Sharks.</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Under total match points.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Brisbane Broncos vs The Dolphins Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Saturday, August 16, 5:30pm AEST – Suncorp Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Queensland Derby on Saturday night will be contested by two teams coming off truly devastating losses.</p> <p>The Dolphins loss at home to the Roosters was devastating due to the 64 points they shipped thanks to a defensive disaster class.</p> <p>While there is no shame in going down to the Storm in Melbourne, for the Broncos losing both of your starting halves in the same game, in the same play no less, is the very definition of devastating.</p> <p>Both&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nrl/news/broncos-hamstrung-by-triple-injury-blow">Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam suffered freak hamstring injuries in the same play</a> as they attempted to chase down a runaway Xavier Coates.</p> <p>Neither will be back before the finals, but luckily, they have Ben Hunt ready to step up and steer the ship.</p> <p>For us it feels impossible to turn around and back a side that has just conceded 64, even if their opposition will have a brand-new halves pairing.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/brisbane-broncos-v-dolphins-9487787">Brisbane Broncos.</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Ben Hunt anytime try scorer.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Parramatta Eels Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Saturday, August 16, 7:35pm AEST – Allianz Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>There is an argument to be made that Parramatta’s Mitchell Moses is the most influential player in the game at the moment.</p> <p>It is genuinely astounding to see the difference when he is part of the Blue and Gold ranks. He led the Eels to another win last start, slotting the decisive field goal in a 19-18 win over the Cowboys and now has his sights set on the South Sydney Rabbitohs.</p> <p>Speaking of influential players, how about that Latrell Mitchell? His return couldn’t have come sooner for the busted Bunnies, as they just snuck past the Titans to climb off the bottom of the ladder.</p> <p>Mitchell was one of the main factors for that result and it will be interesting to see if he can offset Parra’s Mitchell, or will Moses part the Red and Green Sea? We think the latter.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/south-sydney-rabbitohs-v-parramatta-eels-9487788">Parramatta Eels.</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>SGM – Mitchell Moses and Latrell Mitchell anytime try scorers.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Wests Tigers vs Manly Sea Eagles Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Sunday, August 17, 2:00pm AEST – Allianz Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Sunday’s action starts with the Wests Tigers and the Manly Sea Eagles going toe-to-toe at Allianz Stadium.</p> <p>Manly need a win badly to stay in the race for the eight and normally the Tigers are just the tonic for times like this, but maybe not now.</p> <p>Benji’s boys are coming off a big win over the Bulldogs and a bye. They’re fresh, full of running, at home and our tip here.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction: </strong><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/wests-tigers-v-manly-sea-eagles-9487789">Wests Tigers.</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> Jeral Skelton first try scorer.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>North Queensland Cowboys vs Newcastle Knights Prediction</h2> <p><em><strong>Sunday, August 17, 4:05pm AEST – Queensland Country Bank Stadium</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>In direct opposition to Thursday night’s opener, the final game of NRL round 24 looks like a bit of fizzer with pride the only thing on the line.</p> <p>The North Queensland Cowboys will look to bounce back from their single-point loss to the Eels when they welcome the Newcastle Knights to the tropics, in a game they will fancy their chances in.</p> <p>The Knights are winless in their last five and are still in very real danger of collecting the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nrl/news/most-wooden-spoons-of-all-time">wooden spoon</a> if they aren’t careful.</p> <p>If this isn’t the ultimate bounce-back game, we don’t know what is. North Queensland by plenty.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head prediction:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/nth-queensland-cowboys-v-newcastle-knights-9487790">North Queensland Cowboys.</a></p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Big win little win – Cowboys 13+</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Canberra Raiders – BYE</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>There is perhaps no other side in the competition more deserving of a week off than the Canberra Raiders.</p> <p>The Green Machine sit top of the ladder and recorded another assured victory last week. They get to rest and reset with a bye in NRL round 24 before they look to close out the 2025 minor premiership over the next month.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>NRL 2025 Premiership Odds</h2>