Almanac Rugby League – 2022 NRL Round16 Preview: Crucial ladder spots on the line

 

After a week’s break for Representative Round the NRL is back for Round 16 this weekend featuring several match-ups that could have significant implications for finals aspirations.

 

First up is the Manly Sea Eagles v Melbourne Storm clash tonight. Ladder positions suggest that Melbourne will win and continue to consolidate their top four spot. But this is usually a hard fought fixture with Manly often able to get under the southerners’ skin. The likely absence of Cameron Munster will weaken Melbourne to some extent but the Storm seem to be able to slot in a more than capable replacement whenever you think they might be vulnerable. Manly hasn’t been able to find a way to win regularly this season and I think that problem will continue this week leaving the Sea Eagles perhaps two games and points differential out of the top eight with only ten rounds to play. What can Des Hasler pull out of his bag of tricks?

 

Friday evening features the Knights at home to the Titans, 12th v 16th. It’s hardly a riveting game. Newcastle will be without Kalyn Ponga (concussion protocols) which robs them of their best attacking option. However the Titans seem to be without any attacking options of late and I can’t see them causing too many problems here. I expect the Newcastle pack to get on top quickly and pave the way for a comfortable win.

 

The match of the weekend follows when the Panthers host the Roosters in Penrith. First versus ninth looks like an easy win to Penrith but, surely, the Roosters will find form soon to make a run towards September. They’re too  talented to be in the lower half of the ladder. But Penrith are in great form and playing at home where they’ve lost once in three years. The only thing that might restrict them this week is Origin fatigue. Expect an enthusiastic and energetic clash but the Panthers will eventually run away with it to heap more pressure on the boys from Bondi.

 

Saturday’s programme starts with the recently resurgent Bulldogs playing the not-yet-fully-convincing Sharks. The week’s break may have come at the wrong time for the Doggies who have shown real fight and not a little flair of late. Can they find that form again and take this game right up to the more highly favoured Cronulla? The Sharks will want to consolidate their tentative hold on a top four position and that should be more than sufficient incentive for them. I’ll stick with the men from the Shire.

 

The Queensland derby has the early evening time slot with the Cowboys at home to the Broncos. With a number of State of Origin players backing up for both teams, who will recover better and rediscover their pre-Origin form sooner? You’d expect that third versus fifth would be a good game and I expect it might take us back a few years to when these teams were separated by the thickness of a cigarette paper – if you can remember what that was! I favour the Cowboys at home, even if the less-than-fully-fit Payne Haas and Adam Reynolds line up for the Broncos.

 

Then the Rabbitohs take on the Eels at Stadium Australia in another vital clash for both sides. Their ladder positions belie their recent, inconsistent form. The Eels have the better record for the season to date but are prone to the odd, inexplicable disaster; the Rabbitohs haven’t been able to find consistency in spite of their strong playing list. The likely return of Latrell Mitchell will be an enormous boost for them. Perhaps that shock loss to the Bulldogs a few weeks ago will prove to be the wake-up call Parramatta needed to get their season back on track. I’ll go with them to win this one and stay in equal fourth spot.

 

On Sunday, the Warriors finally return to Mt Smart Stadium for the first time in three years and will play in front of a packed house in spite of their lowly ladder position. Their equally lowly opponents, the Wests Tigers, will have both the Warriors and a likely heaving crowd to beat which I think will be far too much for them to overcome. I predict a happy homecoming for the Warriors.

 

The round’s final game is between the Dragons and the Raiders at WIN Stadium, 8th v 11th. Both teams are at a point where every result is critical to their season. The Dragons may be in the top eight – just – but their -72 points differential is doing them no favours. They have to win to keep ahead of the sides below them (Roosters, Sea Eagles and Raiders) who all have better for and against figures. The Raiders have to win to close the competition points gap with the top eight as well as narrow their own -39 points differential. With so much on the line, this should be a beauty! It’s hard to be enthusiastic about either side given their indifferent records but I’ll go with Canberra.

 

So my winners this week are the Storm, Knights, Panthers, Sharks, Cowboys, Eels, Warriors and Raiders.

 

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Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

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