Our experts check out teams for NRL round 15 and offer their tips
A TOUGH round 14 saw many of our tipsters bomb out. Can they turn it around in an Origin-affected bye week? Check out their tips for hints and advice.
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A TOUGH round 14 saw many of our tipsters bomb out. Can they turn it around in an Origin-affected bye week? Check out their tips for hints and advice.
Follow Phil Rothfield, Dean Ritchie, Michael Carayannis, Matty Logue, Paul Crawley, Barry Toohey, Christian Nicolussi, David Riccio, Nick Walshaw, James Phelps and Paul Kent throughout the season for advice and tips.
Have they got it right for round 15 or are some of them way off the mark?
ROUND 15 FIXTURES: Rabbitohs v Titans, Storm v Cowboys, Sharks v Tigers, Eels v Dragons.
Nick Walshaw's top tips:
Score so far: 72
No brainer: Souths over that poor old M*A*S*H unit up there on the holiday strip.
Upset: Can't find one. Bet on the dishlickers instead this weekend.
Coin toss: If you didn't know who Tim Glasby was before Monday afternoon, we suggest you steer well clear of Cowboys/Storm.
Michael Carayannis's top tips:
Score so far: 71
No brainer: Hard to nail a certainty in this round but the Sharks with their forward pack should have too much power.
Upset: Eels to beat the Dragons. Based on the competition ladder, the Dragons should have too much class for the Eels, but the Dragons minus a few players could struggle.
Coin toss: Origin has ravaged the Storm and Cowboys with what would have been a mouth-watering contest now diluted.
Matt Logue's top tips:
Score so far: 67
No brainer: In a round of no guarantees, I'll stick with South Sydney to beat the Gold Coast on Friday night in a must-win match for the struggling Rabbitohs.
Upset: The Tigers have been average this season, but they face the Sharks at the best possible time during the Origin period.
Coin toss: The Eels versus Dragons clash on Sunday could go either way. The Dragons are no certainties to fire without their Origin stars, while the Eels will be desperate to get their season back on track with a win.
Paul Kent's top tips:
Score so far: 67
No brainer: Sharks over the Tigers.
Upset: Storm with no Cronk, Slater or Smith against the Cowboys.
Coin toss: Who bounces back best out of Eels and Dragons?
Barry Toohey's top tips:
Score so far: 66
No brainer: Of the four games, I'd have Souths the strongest favourites.
Upset: Tigers won't get a better chance to beat a leading team.
Coin toss: It should be one of the feature games of the year but thanks to poor scheduling, the Storm-Cowboys game is a deadset lottery with so many players missing.
David Riccio's top tips:
Score so far: 66
No brainer: Sharks. Hit hard by Origin, but still boast Gallen, Lewis, Townsend, Bukuya, Heighington.
Upset: Rabbitohs. Two very inconsistent sides and Titans would be embarrassed by last-start loss to NZ.
Coin toss: Dragons. No Dugan is a blow and they were worryingly flat against the Bulldogs.
Phil Rothfield's top tips:
Score so far: 64
No brainer: Sharks to beat Wests Tigers.
Upset: Stick with the favourites.
Coin toss: Storm/Cowboys is a lottery.
James Phelps's top tips:
Score so far: 63
No brainer: I think the Sharks will prove too strong for the Tigers even without their stars.
Upset: The Cowboys will go close to beating the Storm at home.
Coin toss: I am struggling to find a clear winner this weekend. The coin may come in handy.
Dean Ritchie's top tips:
Score so far: 63
No brainer: The Sharks over the Tigers, even without their Origin stars.
Upset: I've gone with all the favourites this weekend.
Coin toss: The Storm v Cowboys contest is a lottery that could go either way. One thing is certain, though, and that's the bizarre decision to schedule this game on the eve of Origin II.
Paul Crawley's top tips:
Score so far: 59
No brainer: Another tough round, I'd say Sharks.
Upset: I've gone the four favourites.
Coin toss: Why would you schedule Storm v Cowboys this weekend?
Christian Nicolussi's top tips:
Score so far: 55
No brainer: South Sydney went close against Brisbane and will put a score on the Titans before their bye.
Upset: Wests Tigers nearly got the Sharkies about six weeks ago with their Origin stars, and the return of Luke Brooks is a big plus.
Coin toss: The Eels are backing up from a road trip to Darwin but meet the Dragons without key Origin stars. Who knows?
Originally published as Our experts check out teams for NRL round 15 and offer their tips
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