NRL Round 14 brings a little bit of normality back into proceedings with the first game kicking off on a Thursday night again.
This week, the battling Brisbane Broncos host the rampaging Canberra Raiders in Brisbane.
The Broncos will be looking to get their season back on track here with a full strength side coming up against a team that is looking for their fourth win on the trot.
Origin hasn’t been kind to the banana-benders so far but this is one opportunity where they will have a chance to play with their full complement of players before they lose them again for Game Two.
They also have the bye next week, so if they win here, it is effectively a four pointer!
The funny thing is, it’s the NRL after all, the Raiders will be thinking the same thing as they also have the bye next week.
The Raiders won easily last week but knocked off early against the struggling Sea Eagles.
Sticky Stuart wouldn’t have enjoyed that knowing the task ahead of them this week.
This looks like a very open game with a dry track anticipated and both teams knowing how to put the ball over the chalk. But the Raiders are an unruly bunch, forcing 29 more errors than their northern counterparts so far this season.
It is the way they play – they throw the ball around and hope it sticks.
The problem is, the Broncos make you pay for cheap possession.
I see the Raiders being their own worst enemy here, going down by a try or two.
Tip: BRONCOS (Suggested Bet: Broncos -10.5 @ $1.85)
Monday night brings us one of the best games of the season when the Sharks host the Cowboys.
The Sharks are on a roll at the moment, undefeated over the past nine games.
A run that included wins over both the Storm and the Broncos.
Both of those games were played at Shark Park, and so far nobody has been able to beat the Sharkies on their home turf in 2016.
This is a real issue for the reigning premiers as, opposed to last season, their away record isn’t great so far.
They have only managed to win two games from six when they play away from Townsville.
Both of those games were against struggling Penrith and Manly, so the form isn’t great.
The 2016 version of the Sharks is a force to be reckoned with as they can beat you in a variety of ways, and the scary thing is, they may have a bit of improvement in them yet.
Cronulla usually get up for these types of games, and they have proven it twice already this season.
Chances are these two will be up against each other in the playoffs, but I think this time, the ledger will be squared from their first round game in Townsville.
Tip: SHARKS (Suggested Bets: Sharks @ $1.90)
Other Games:
Wests Tigers V Rabbitohs: RABBITOHS (Suggested Bet: 1st Try Scorer: D Neilsen (SOU) @ $8.50)
Knights V Warriors: WARRIORS (Suggested Bet: 1st Team to Score: Warriors @ $1.62)
Eels V Titans (in Darwin): TITANS (Suggested Bet: HT/FT Double: Titans/Titans @ $2.25)
Roosters V Storm: STORM (Suggested Bet: 1st Team to Score: Storm @ $1.65)
Sea Eagles V Panthers: PANTHERS (Suggested Bet: 1st Try Scorer: T Peachey (PEN) @ $10.00)
Dragons V Bulldogs: BULLDOGS (Suggested Bet: 1st Team to Score: Bulldogs @ $1.68)
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This article first appeared on TopBetta HERE