However, they took their foot off the gas to let Wests back in it before holding onto the 26-24 win. Cowboys 21 Final Thoughts: The Brisbane Broncos need to win if they’re to be any chance of avoiding their first ever wooden spoon. After dealing to the Knights with relative ease in Round 18, James Tedesco and Siosiua Taukeiaho have been given a week off to rest. No team has done it better over the last two seasons. The Brisbane Broncos concede 31.4 points per game. Just five points have separated the two in their last three games with Wests winning two of them. Meanwhile, the Sharks are way down at 10th in yardage at 1,649 metres per game but concede the fifth-fewest metres at 1,618 per game. Melbourne will be buoyed by the returns of Cameron Smith, Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes to the line-up for their Sunday clash with Manly – … The Knights are sending out a new-look halves pairing with Tex Hoy joining Mitchell Pearce. Tigers 22. It’s a result that can either snap them back into action in Round 19 or act as a confidence killer ahead of an important fortnight building into finals footy. Planted at the bottom of the NRL ladder and with an awful points differencial, a win before a Bulldogs loss on Saturday will allow them to jump up to 15th to finish the season. Final Thoughts: The South Sydney Rabbitohs flew out of the blocks in Round 18 to lead the Tigers 20-0 inside 30 minutes. But again, their defence did the job to keep the Eels to just two points. A fast start can put the Dragons in the box seat. Some tries this group have allowed through them this season are nothing short of embarrassing.

History: Played 40, Warriors 21, Knights 18 Last Meeting: Round 1, 2020: Knights 20 def. While losing 20-2 is another poor result for the club as they struggle their way towards the finals, they can take a lot out of their defensive effort. Cowboys 10. Their attack didn’t fire last week, although, it’s not a huge concern.

While the Bulldogs lack talent, they’re always up for the fight. While Api Koroisau and James Tamou are rested this week, the Panthers are unlikely to slow down as a team. History: Played 36, Cowboys 18, Panthers 18, Last Meeting: Round 10, 2020: Panthers 22 def. With the Warriors sending out unfamiliar backrow, centre and wing pairings, the Raiders will have plenty of opportunities to cross the line on the edges on the back of their strong pack. It may not be so much of a problem this week, though. However, it’s up to his forwards to get him up the field into good ball areas. They’re officially out of contention for a finals spot and their return home is now less than two weeks away. They’re a different side without him and his presence will not only improve their attack, but add plenty to the mindset of a side no longer competing for a Top 8 spot. Required fields are marked *. Kayo is your ticket to the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership. Final Thoughts: The Parramatta Eels were never in their game against the Panthers last week. History: Played 39, Knights 12, Dragons 27, Last Meeting: Round 10, 2019: Knights 45 def. The Knights attack has struggled over the last month and trialling another halves combination won’t make things easy.

Having won back-to-back games before blowing a late lead the last time these two teams met, applying the Game Saver to the Tigers is the best use of the token this week. About your choices. While their lethal attack got the job done early, the way Souths switched off is a concern. This one might come down to Tom Trbojevic. Their win over the Broncos last week makes it two for the season – the first time the Titans have achieved the feat. The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs sit 16th on the NRL ladder and it’s largely due to their second half performances. However, they’ve only kept their opposition to fewer than 20 points once in the last six weeks. Sharks 16. Last Meeting: Round 3, 2020: Eels 34 def.

Expect them to start strong and play themselves into try-scoring form. Final Thoughts: The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles did exactly as expected last week to carve the Bulldogs up through the middle on their way to a 32-20 win over the Bulldogs. Keeping a Panthers attack with 57 tackles inside their 20-metre line to 20 points is a fair effort. The NRL Round 16 teams have been revealed. History: Played 41, Roosters 24, Sharks 16, Last Meeting: Round 5, 2019: Roosters 30 def.