Expert breakdown of NRL round 19 matches

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Tigers (17) v Sharks (3)

Thursday 7.50pm, CommBank Stadium

The Tigers will bounce back after the 74-0 drubbing in Townsville – few teams give up cricket scores two weeks in a row – but they still won’t beat Cronulla. The home side are missing too many key players. Starford To’a and Jahream Bula were two of the few standouts last week. Cronulla’s back five will win this game; they were excellent against St George Illawarra, and the Sharks improved the longer the game went. Expect the Shire boys to kick away late. Sharks by 14.

Christian Nicolussi

Dragons (16) v Raiders (5)

Friday 8pm, WIN Stadium

Don’t look now, but the Raiders have a sneaky top-four berth calling for them with the Dragons, a bye, Knights and Tigers looming in the next month.

Jahream Bula, Matt Burton, Canberra coach Ricky Stuart, Jayden Campbell and Blake Taaffe.Credit: Getty

Canberra have a series of tight wins — which would have been tight losses in previous years — but such is the finals race right now, they’re still only two points clear of eighth place. The Dragons will give them a run for half an hour … and then all bets are off. Without Ben Hunt and Tyrell Sloan (calf injury), it’s hard to see where their points come from. But after conceding an even 100 in their last two games, stopping them is first on the to-do list. Raiders by 18.
Dan Walsh

Eels (6) v Warriors (8)

Saturday 5.30pm, CommBank Stadium

The Warriors have a huge advantage at this time of year. Parramatta will be without Mitchell Moses, Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Clint Gutherson, who are all absent due to State of Origin duty.

The Warriors slipped up at home against the Rabbitohs last week.Credit: Getty

The Warriors, meanwhile, are unaffected by the interstate period. To make the task even more difficult for the Eels, they will again be without Dylan Brown, who remains suspended under the no-fault stand-down policy. Regardless, the blue-and-golds remain in fine form and are aiming for a sixth consecutive victory, while Andrew Webster’s men are seeking a rebound after a home loss to the Rabbitohs. This is a massive test of depth for Parramatta, who haven’t won without captain Gutherson since 2017. This will be too tough an ask. Warriors by 4.

Adrian Proszenko

Rabbitohs (7) v Bulldogs (15)

Saturday 7.35pm, Accor Stadium

What an interesting Saturday night this will be. The Bulldogs are limping back to Accor just a week after their 66-point humiliation, but the Rabbitohs are missing all their key players.

Reed Mahoney needs a big game for the Bulldogs.Credit: Getty

Damien Cook, Cody Walker, Cameron Murray and Keaon Koloamatangi are all out on Origin duty, and Latrell Mitchell is still in the casualty ward. It’s a great opportunity for Blake Taaffe to take control of the game and Lachlan Ilias’ kicking has to be on point. The Bulldogs have nothing to lose. Toby Sexton has been parachuted in as Canterbury halfback, and Cameron Ciraldo has named him to play just four days after arriving at his new club. Goal line defence is crucial, and Matt Burton and Reed Mahoney need to come up with creative plays to get points on the board — something they have struggled to do in past weeks. This might be crazy, but… Bulldogs by 4.

Billie Eder

Titans (10) v Dolphins (12)

Sunday 4.05pm, Cbus Super Stadium

The Titans will feel the loss of four key stars to State of Origin duties, as the Dolphins look to end a four-game losing streak. Gold Coast forwards David Fifita, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Moeaki Fotuaika will be joined in the Maroons set up by fullback AJ Brimson, leaving a gaping hole in interim coach Jim Lenihan’s side. While Jayden Campbell is a more than capable backup in the No.1 jumper, the loss of so much size and experience from the Titans’ pack could prove detrimental late in the contest. A bench make-up which includes hooker Chris Randall, outside back Jojo Fifita, debutant Jacob Alick and hooker-turned-lock Erin Clark is dwarfed by their Dolphins rivals. Wayne Bennett’s men showed far greater resolve in their late defeat to Brisbane than the team who conceded 136 points in their three games prior, and with only Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow missing for Origin duties they should have the size and troops to return to the winner’s circle. Dolphins by 8.

Nick Wright

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