Our experts check out teams for NRL round 18 and offer their tips

IT’S a race in two as Nick Walshaw and Michael Carayannis maintain a healthy gap over the chasing pack. See who they tipped this week as we hit the final big NRL bye round.

IT’S a race in two as Nick Walshaw and Michael Carayannis maintain a healthy gap over the chasing pack. But can Walshaw keep his nose in front?

Follow Phil Rothfield, Dean Ritchie, Carayannis, Matty Logue, Paul Crawley, Barry Toohey, Christian Nicolussi, David Riccio, Walshaw, James Phelps and Paul Kent throughout the season for advice and tips.

Have they got it right for round 18 or are some of them way off the mark?

ROUND 18 FIXTURES: Roosters v Rabbitohs, Panthers v Sea Eagles, Storm v Eels, Bulldogs v Knights.

   Nick Walshaw's top tips:

   Score so far: 86 

No brainer: Parramatta should be too strong for a Melbourne side missing almost half its starting side to Origin.

Upset: Can't find one this week.

Coin toss: Can Canterbury find the points required to sink Newcastle? It's no guarantee.

   Michael Carayannis's top tips:

   Score so far: 84 

No brainer: The Bulldogs to pay tribute to Josh Reynolds in style as they farewell him from Belmore against the Knights.

Upset: The Panthers to beat Manly, even though the Sea Eagles have DCE available. It's do or die for the Panthers.

Coin toss: Melbourne have shown they can get the job done without their Origin players, but expect the Eels to have too much class for the Storm.

   David Riccio's top tips:

   Score so far: 78 

No brainer: Back to Belmore for the Dogs, which will be enough to get them over the Knights.

Upset: I've gone with all the favourites this week.

Coin toss: Bookies can't split Penrith and Manly. This one could go either way.

   Matt Logue's top tips:

   Score so far: 78 

No brainer: The Bulldogs will be far too good for the hapless Knights in Josh Reynolds' Belmore farewell on Sunday.

Upset: The Roosters may be missing a cast of Origin stars, but they still have the cattle to beat a Souths side unaffected by representative football.

Coin toss: The Penrith-Manly clash could go either way. The Panthers have to win to keep their slim finals hopes alive, but the Sea Eagles will have a sting in their tail following DCE's Origin snub and other bad press this week.

   Paul Kent's top tips:

   Score so far: 78 

No brainer: Bulldogs have to be, right?

Upset: Eels against the Origin-ravaged Storm.

Coin toss: Roosters, slightly.

   Phil Rothfield's top tips:

   Score so far: 75 

No brainer: Bulldogs over the Knights at Belmore.

Upset: Despite being without their stars, Storm will be too good against the Eels.

Coin toss: The game's oldest rivalry between the Rabbitohs and Roosters looks like a 50-50 call in Origin week.

   Barry Toohey's top tips:

   Score so far: 74 

No brainer: I'd like to see the Knights get up, but can't see it here against the Bulldogs, even without their Origin reps.

Upset: This round is one for the favourites so I'm sticking with them.

Coin toss: I've gone for the Panthers, but this game at Penrith against the Silvertails is clearly the match of the round.

   James Phelps's top tips:

   Score so far: 73 

No brainer: Bulldogs to beat the Knights.

Upset: Rabbitohs to beat the Roosters.

Coin toss: Panthers-Sea Eagles.

   Dean Ritchie's top tips:

   Score so far: 73 

No brainer: Bulldogs to give Josh Reynolds a fitting farewell at Belmore against the Knights.

Upset: Rabbitohs looked classy against the Panthers last round and come up against a weakened Roosters outfit this weekend.

Coin toss: Manly are flying at the moment and Daly Cherry-Evans will have plenty of motivation after his Queensland snub when they take on a Panthers side smarting from last week's belting at the hands of the Rabbitohs.

   Paul Crawley's top tips:

   Score so far: 72 

No brainer: Bulldogs to celebrate Josh Reynolds' last home game at Belmore in style.

Upset: None, I've gone with all the favourites.

Coin toss: Panthers-Sea Eagles.

   Christian Nicolussi's top tips:

   Score so far: 64 

No brainer: The Bulldogs for Josh Reynolds' farewell on a likely sunny Sunday afternoon at Belmore.

Upset: None, should be expecting some perfect records this week.

Coin toss: The Penrith-Manly fixture will go right down to the wire.

Originally published as Our experts check out teams for NRL round 18 and offer their tips