Round 11 of the NRL season is set to offer up some exciting and tight clashes, with four of the league's powerhouses in action on Thursday and Friday night.
Melbourne will host Brisbane in the opening game of the round on Thursday night, before the Roosters travel out west to Penrith in a bid to turn their season around.
St George Illawarra will hope to break a five-game losing streak when they face the Cowboys in Townsville, before the weekend's fixtures conclude with an interesting match-up between the Sharks and Sea Eagles.
Below are The Sporting News’ betting predictions and best bets for Round 11. Odds courtesy of Bluebet.
Storm vs Broncos predictions, tips, best bet
Brisbane have been the form side of the competition across the opening 10 rounds, but will face another tough test when they battle Melbourne at AAMI Park on Thursday night.
The history between the two NRL powerhouses is well-documented, with the Storm winning their past 12 outings against the Broncos and winning over 75 per cent of total meetings between the clubs.
Melbourne are coming off a disappointing display against South Sydney and will be looking to keep themselves in the top-eight. Craig Bellamy's side will be boosted by the likely inclusion of front-rower Tui Kamikamica, who returns from injury.
Kurt Capewell has been cleared to play despite suffering a head knock in Magic Round, however experienced winger Corey Oates remains sidelined with a knee injury for the visitors.
Given their recent record against the Broncos - which includes a 60-12 smashing last season - we're tipping the hosts to turn things around in a tight affair between two genuine premiership hopes.
BEST BET: Melbourne Storm 1-12 ($3 with BlueBet) ✅
Panthers vs Roosters predictions, tips, best bet
Two of the competition's best sides of the past decade will square off in the Friday night main event, with the Roosters travelling out west to Penrith for a must-win clash at BlueBet Stadium.
The hosts are coming off a mixed run over the past month, dropping games against the Rabbitohs and Tigers before bouncing back against the Warriors in Round 10, and could potentially welcome back Liam Martin.
For the Roosters, Angus Crichton will come into the starting side, with young forward Egan Butcher sidelined due to a head knock. Sam Walker remains out of the side, with Joseph Manu retaining the five-eighth role for another week.
Neither side have been overly convincing across the opening stages of the season, with inconsistency and injuries plaguing both sides. However, the recent history is against the Roosters, who haven't beaten their opponents since 2019, and haven't registered a victory on the road at Penrith since 2017.
Despite the recent history, the disappointing effort in their last outing and the pressure mounting from the media, Trent Robinson should be able to motivate the Tricolours to come out rejuvenated and motivated against the reigning premiers, and expect to see them push the Panthers to their absolute limits.
BEST BET: Roosters +5.5 ($1.90 with BlueBet) ❌
Cowboys vs Dragons predictions, tips, best bet
There will be plenty of eyes on the Saturday evening clash between the Cowboys and Dragons in Townsville, with pressure mounting on the struggling Dragons and their head coach, Anthony Griffin.
Following five-straight losses by a combined total of 13 points, St George Illawarra will be desperate to return to the winners' column this weekend and give captain Ben Hunt something to celebrate in his 300th first grade appearance.
North Queensland returned to form in Magic Round with a surprise 20-6 win over the Roosters, with the likes of Scott Drinkwater and Chad Townsend back to their best.
Jason Taumalolo remains sidelined for the hosts, while the Dragons have not made a single change to the side that lost last weekend, with the likes of Zac Lomax and Jacob Liddle still languishing on the outer.
Todd Payten praised his side's character after their recent victory and believes they may have turned a corner - and what better way to continue that reversal in fortunes than facing a vulnerable and wounded Red V side.
BEST BET: Cowboys 13+ ($2.74 with BlueBet) ✅
Sea Eagles vs Sharks predictions, tips, best bet
This shapes up as one of the more interesting games of the weekend, with both Cronulla and Manly coming off poor performances last time out.
Anthony Seibold faced a tough return to Brisbane during Magic Round in his side's 32-6 defeat, with plenty of attention on the fitness of Tom Trbojevic and the status of Josh Schuster, who has been named in the squad and could line up against the Sharks.
Craig Fitzgibbon has stuck solid despite an uncharacteristic display against the Dolphins and will be hoping for a quick turnaround.
Nicho Hynes will be looking to impress NSW selectors with a dominant display, and will get a great chance to prove his credentials against long-time Queensland halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, in what promises to be a tantalising individual battle.
From a results perspective, Cronulla should probably come out on top given their quality of their side, but the hosts at Brookvale Oval can't be discounted - especially with 'Tommy Turbo' due for a big game.
It's no secret that both sides have struggled defensively this year. Cronulla have conceded over 25 points in four of their matches, while the Sea Eagles are leaking 23 points per game, which makes the overs a rather safe bet here.
BEST BET: Over 46.5 total points ($1.87 with BlueBet)
