NRL 2024 Round 20 – Betting Tips, Odds & Predictions

The focus of the rugby league world will this week be squarely focused on Wednesday night’s State of Origin series decider, but in its wake there is a big round of NRL to take place. Just three teams will enjoy a week off, leaving us with seven games over the weekend, and as it generally is following an Origin game this one will be back-ended with good games. The league’s best teams will be given as long as possible to allow for their state representatives to recover, with the Storm hosting the Roosters on Saturday night, the Panthers taking on the Dolphins in Penrith on Sunday afternoon and the Bulldogs heading to Townsville to take on the Cowboys to conclude the round’s action. Below, we take a detailed look at all seven games set to take place in Round 20. 

The round starts with what is currently a clash between two bottom seven sides, but with each of them just a game or so out of the top eight there is plenty on the line in this one. The Raiders had a much-needed week off last round, handing them their first points in over a month after they suffered four consecutive defeats. The wheels appear to be falling off in the nation’s capital and finals are looking increasingly out of reach, though they will receive a boost in the form of Jamal Fogarty’s return for this game – and it is not as though their opponent’s form has been all that much better. 
 
The Warriors have won just one of their last three games, a period which included a remarkable 60-point loss to the Titans, though they were decent in their last game before last week’s bye, losing by just a point to the Bulldogs. That week off will also likely have been enough for the trio of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Marcelo Montoya to get up for a game that they – as well as their opponents – really need to win to keep touch with the top eight. When these sides met much earlier in the year the Warriors got up by eight points, and though that was across the pond, it’s easy to envision a similar result this time around. 

Bookmaker	James’ Tip	Odds
	Warriors -1.5	$1.91
	Warriors to win	$1.81
	Warriors 1-12	$3.10

Predicted Squads

Canberra Raiders: 1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Jordan Rapana 3. Matt Timoko 4. Albert Hopoate 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papalii 9. Tom Starling 10. Joe Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Morgan Smithies 14. Danny Levi 15. Ata Mariota 16. Trey Mooney 17. Simi Sasagi

New Zealand Warriors: 1. Taine Tuaupiki 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 4. Adam Pompey 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Te Maire Martin 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Jackson Ford 11. Marata Niukore 12. Leka Halasima 13. Dylan Walker 14. Freddy Lussick 15. Jazz Tevaga 16. Mitch Barnett 17. Kurt Capewell

At long last the Rabbitohs’ winning streak came to an end, their first loss in well over a month coming at the hands of the Dolphins in an entertaining game last weekend. Both sides managed six tries throughout its 80 minutes, but where the Dolphins didn’t miss a conversion the Bunnies slotted just two of theirs, resigning them to an eight-point defeat. That was a massive blow to their unlikely finals charge, but they should be able to keep themselves in the mix with a win this Saturday. Though they sit in 15th place, the Rabbitohs are only two games out of the eight, so with eight games still to go they can’t be ruled out just yet. 
 
The Tigers have worked away at being competitive this year, generally being able to avoid getting blown out too drastically, but as the season wears on that is beginning to change. After a 42-point loss to the Dragons six weeks ago, they were beaten by the Roosters by 34 points three weeks later and then last week, went down 58-6 in a loss which can only be described as uncompetitive. They are looking increasingly likely to secure a third straight Wooden Spoon even with the Eels struggling away too, and they will probably cement their spot at the bottom of the ladder further with another relatively big loss this weekend. 

Bookmaker	James’ Tip	Odds
	Rabbitohs -11.5	$1.91
	Rabbitohs 13+	$2.02
	Rabbitohs 7+	$1.50

Predicted Squads

South Sydney Rabbitohs: 1. Jye Gray 2. Alex Johnston 3. Taane Milne 4. Richard Kennar 5. Jacob Gagai 6. Jack Wighton 7. Cody Walker 8. Davvy Moale 9. Damien Cook 10. Sean Keppie 11. Michael Chee Kam 12. Jai Arrow 13. Keaon Koloamatangi 14. Peter Mamouzelos 15. Cameron Murray 16. Tallis Duncan 17. Tom Burgess

Wests Tigers: 1. Jahream Bula 2. Solomona Faataape 3. Adam Doueihi 4. Starford To'a 5. Junior Tupou 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Aidan Sezer 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Tallyn Da Silva 10. David Klemmer 11. John Bateman 12. Samuela Fainu 13. Isaiah Papali'i 14. Heath Mason 15. Fonua Pole 16. Sione Fainu 17. Alex Twal

It was a disappointing weekend for both of these teams in Round 19, each of them failing to perform up to expectations in important games. The Knights’ loss was particularly disappointing; in a pivotal clash both because of their own need for a win and the fact that the Sea Eagles, who they played, were just marginally ahead of them on the ladder, they were walloped from pillar to post by Tom Turbo and co. The Sea Eagles jumped out of the blocks in Sunday’s only game, scoring four tries in the first half to accelerate away to a 20-0 lead, and they didn’t let up in the second half as they ultimately ran out 44-6 winners.  
 
The Broncos, meanwhile, had a good opportunity to arrest a then-five-game losing streak against the Dragons, though with a number of Origin stars out that was never going to be as easy as it otherwise might have been. And so it proved; they went down big early in the second half, and though they very nearly fought their way back from a 28-6 deficit, that gap proved too big and they fell four points short. Their Origin quartet of Reece Walsh, Payne Haas, Selwyn Cobbo and Patrick Carrigan will have to back up on a three-day break if they’re to play in this game, but with the importance of the game surely at least a couple of them make their way onto the park. Their fitness will have a huge impact on the outcome of the game, but if they do suit up as expected, the Broncos look like a good chance of finally getting back on the winners’ list. 

Bookmaker	James’ Tip	Odds
	Broncos -3.5	$1.91
	Broncos to win	$1.62
	Broncos 7+	$2.15

Predicted Squads

Newcastle Knights: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Krystian Mapapalangi 3. Bradman Best 4. Dane Gagai 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Will Pryce 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Adam Elliott 14. Jayden Brailey 15. Jacob Saifiti 16. Dylan Lucas 17. Mat Croker

Brisbane Broncos: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Deine Mariner 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Selwyn Cobbo 5. Jesse Arthars 6. Ezra Mam 7. Josh Rogers 8. Corey Jensen 9. Billy Walters 10. Payne Haas 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan 14. Tyson Smoothy 15. Kobe Hetherington 16. Xavier Willison 17. Martin Taupau

• The Rabbitohs have won five of their last six games by double figure margins, and four of those by at least 14 points.
• Seven of the last eight games involving the Panthers have seen 44 points or less scored – the points line for their game against the Dolphins is 46.5.
• Six of the last seven Sea Eagles games have seen 50 points or less, while three of the last four Titans games have seen 40 points or less. The points line for the game between the two is set at 51.5. 

Multi of the Week

The game of the round is on Saturday night, with two of the three teams which have raced ahead of the chasing pack as Premiership favourites going toe to toe. The Storm won five games on the trot prior to last week’s bye, and while none of those wins was all that emphatic, they just continue to find a way to do what they need to do to get the points. They have established a two-game lead on top of the ladder and three-game lead from third spot, giving them a great chance to finish top two and earn the all-important home double chance. One of those teams looking to displace them, however, is the Roosters, and a win for the visitors this weekend would make that race a whole lot more interesting. 
 
The Roosters have themselves won four games in a row, and while the Storm have been doing just enough to get their wins, their New South Wales counterparts have been a lot more dominant. After beating the Eels by ten points a month ago, they knocked off the ever-competitive Bulldogs by 18, then the Tigers by 34, and in their most recent game, the Dragons by 30 points. Though they are a few games back on the Storm, the Roosters have the best points difference in the league by some margin, and for good reason. They are doing a good job of challenging the hierarchy which has for so long seen the Panthers clearly the best team in the league, and a win at AAMI Park – where the Storm have lost just a game all year – would do wonders for their already strong Premiership credentials. This should be a belter of a game, but the Roosters are undeniable at the moment, and can earn a hard-fought win.  

Bookmaker	James’ Tip	Odds
	Roosters -1.5	$1.87
	Roosters to win	$1.75
	Roosters 1-12	$3.10

Predicted Squads

Melbourne Storm: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Will Warbrick 3. Nick Meaney 4. Jack Howarth 5. Grant Anderson 6. Tyran Wishart 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Tui Kamikamica 9. Bronson Garlick 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eli Katoa 13. Trent Loiero 14. Sualauvi Faalogo 15. Christian Welch 16. Alec MacDonald 17. Joe Chan

Sydney Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Michael Jennings 4. Joseph Suaalii 5. Dom Young 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Terrell May 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Angus Crichton 12. Victor Radley 13. Connor Watson 14. Ethan King 15. Sitili Tupouniua 16. Nat Butcher 17. Spencer Leniu

Wedged in between the above two teams is the Panthers, who have unsurprisingly not looked like missing the top four all year and can potentially secure a two-game buffer inside the top two with a win this weekend. With five players playing in State of Origin on Wednesday night there is an element of uncertainty about the team that the Panthers will trot out on Sunday, but one thing that looks close to a certainty is the much-awaited return of Nathan Cleary. That will obviously be a massive boost for the three-time reigning Premiers, and with at least a couple of their state stars likely to play they should still be running out a pretty damn good team. 
 
The Dolphins, meanwhile, will be without Euan Aitken for the rest of the year after he suffered a pec issue last round, but there was plenty of good to come out of that game. After losing four of their five games previous, the Dolphins looked a lot better against the in-form Rabbitohs and ultimately secured a 36-28 win which was pivotal to their season. At 9-7, they are a game behind third and a game ahead of ninth, and with many of the teams around them still yet to enjoy a third bye, the Dolphins really need to keep winning. Unfortunately for them, they have a pretty difficult draw to come over the remainder of the season, and this is the most difficult matchup of them all. The Panthers do not often lose in Penrith, and this weekend is not likely to be an exception.

Bookmaker	James’ Tip	Odds
	Panthers 1-12	$3.20
	Panthers to win	$1.22
	Under 46.5 total match points	$1.88

Predicted Squads

Penrith Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Izack Tago 4. Paul Alamoti 5. Brian To'o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Jack Cole 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Liam Henry 17. Luke Garner

The Dolphins: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Jack Bostock 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Max Plath 10. Tevita Pangai Junior 11. Connelly Lemuelu 12. Felise Kaufusi 13. Kenny Bromwich 14. Josh Kerr 15. Mark Nicholls 16. Ray Stone 17. Sean O'Sullivan

The Sea Eagles were very impressive against the Knights last week, and this Sunday they get a great opportunity to make it three consecutive wins and really solidify their spot in the top eight with a win over the Titans. Of course, Jake Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans will need to back up from captaincy for their respective state teams on Wednesday, but back up they will and alongside Tom Trbojevic fresh off a dominant performance, they look well placed to continue their winning ways. 4 Pines Park has been a particularly happy hunting ground for the Sea Eagles this season, with seven wins from nine games on their home turf including their last three, and though the Titans probably won’t just rollover, this should be another win for the home team. 
 
The Titans have actually been pretty impressive for most of this year, their dreadful start notwithstanding, and it has finally begun to translate to results in recent weeks as they have won three on the trot. The first of those was by a whopping 60 points against the Warriors while the next week they impressively beat the Sharks, and though last week’s victory was only against the Eels it nonetheless continued an impressive run of form. But they will need every bit of that form and then some if they’re to continue their winning ways this weekend. The Sea Eagles have been really good at home this year and come into the game on the back of an excellent performance, and with their Origin star duo getting four days to recover from Game 3, they should be able to win their third game in a row. 

Bookmaker	James’ Tip	Odds
	Sea Eagles to win	$1.40
	Sea Eagles 1-12	$3.15
	Under 51.5 total match points	$1.88

Predicted Squads

Manly Sea Eagles: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jason Saab 3. Tommy Talau 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Lehi Hopoate 6. Luke Brooks 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Toafofoa Sipley 9. Jake Simpkin 10. Josh Aloiai 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Ben Trbojevic 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Clayton Faulalo 15. Karl Lawton 16. Nathan Brown 17. Ethan Bullemor

Gold Coast Titans: 1. AJ Brimson 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Phillip Sami 5. Jojo Fifita 6. Jayden Campbell 7. Kieran Foran 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Sam Verrills 10. Erin Clark 11. David Fifita 12. Beau Fermor 13. Chris Randall 14. Keano Kini 15. Klese Haas 16. Josiah Pahulu 17. Keenan Palasia

This is a pivotal game between the 8th placed Cowboys and the 5th placed Bulldogs to conclude Round 20, and plenty will be riding on the fitness of the home team’s five Origin representatives. But with this being the last game of the round, they will get as long as possible to recover from what will no doubt be a taxing Game 3, and with so much on the line expect some if not all of them to back up. The Cowboys, however, have not been quite as formidable at home as they have been in the past, losing more often than they have won there this year, but they enter this game in relatively good form after winning two of their last three and the solitary loss coming by just a point to the Sea Eagles. 
 
The Bulldogs have been really good this year, but their winning form has been entirely limited to their home ground. They have been the best home team in the league as far as win/loss record goes, boasting an 8-0 record there, but unfortunately that has been largely offset by winning just one of eight games away. But all has not been quite as bad as it seems. Their latest away game was a disappointing 18-point loss to the Roosters, but prior to that they beat the Knights in Newcastle by 30 points, while their four previous away losses were all by six points or less. While they haven’t got the wins they would like, they haven’t played all that badly away from home this season, and they can finally get just desserts for their efforts with a hard-fought win in Townsville this Sunday night. 

Bookmaker	James’ Tip	Odds
	Bulldogs +1.5	$1.91
	Bulldogs to win	$2.10
	Bulldogs 1-12	$3.10

Predicted Squads

North Queensland Cowboys: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Villiami Vailea 5. Tom Chester 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. Heilum Luki 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Sam McIntyre 15. Harrison Edwards 16. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 17. Griffin Neame

Canterbury Bulldogs: 1. Connor Tracey 2. Jacob Kiraz 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Blake Wilson 6. Matt Burton 7. Toby Sexton 8. Josh Curran 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Sam Hughes 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Jacob Preston 13. Bailey Hayward 14. Kurt Mann 15. Kurtis Morrin 16. Poasa Faamausili 17. Lipoi Hopoi

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