As another round of NRL action nears, several teams will be determined to start anew and bounce back from their disappointing showings last week. Others, on the contrary, will be looking to keep the momentum going. Can the Warriors steady the ship after dropping points in consecutive matches? Will the Sharks, Broncos and Storm continue their hot form? Read on as we dissect each NRL round nine clash, using the most recent odds from betting sites to deliver our predictions.
NRL 2024 Round 9
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Penrith Panthers
The Rabbitohs will be looking to end their three-game losing streak when they open the Accor Stadium gates on Thursday night for the Panthers. The hosts have lost five of the last six matches played between the two sides, but they did clinch a narrow win against the Mountain Men in their most recent meeting.
The Panthers, who are hot favourites to win the NRL this season across multiple betting apps, have had a solid start to their campaign. After dispatching the likes of the Tigers and Cowboys in their last two matches, they will head to Sydney eyeing a third consecutive win.
TopSport has a whopping 14.5 points between the two teams. While the Panthers attack has not always hit the highs it’s capable of in the ongoing campaign, we believe they will thrive against a leaky Rabbitohs backline. Back the visitors to cover the spread in a one-sided clash.
| Bookmaker | Bren’s Tip | Odds |
 | Rabbitohs to score first | $2.60 |
 | Panthers -15.5 | $1.87 |
 | Over 7.5 tries | $1.80 |
Official Squads
Rabbitohs: 1. Jye Gray 2. Jacob Gagai 3. Jack Wighton 4. Isaiah Tass 5. Izaac Thompson 6. Cody Walker 7. Dean Hawkins 8. Keaon Koloamatangi 9. Damien Cook 10. Thomas Burgess 11. Michael Chee Kam 12. Jacob Host 13. Cameron Murray 14. Peter Mamouzelos 15. Siliva Havili 16. Davvy Moale 17. Jai Arrow.
Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Izack Tago 4. Taylan May 5. Brian To'o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Luke Garner 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Daine Laurie 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Liam Henry 17. Matthew Eisenhuth.
Brisbane Broncos vs Sydney Roosters
The Broncos and Roosters reconvene almost two months after their opening round clash. Sydney come into this tie off the back of a brilliant 60-18 drubbing of the Dragons. They also won the Vegas fixture, so they should fancy their chances under the Suncorp Stadium lights.
Bisbane will be no pushovers, however, as they are on a roll themselves. They are currently fifth on the table, two points and two steps clear of their Friday night opponents. Having won four of their last five, the Broncos will be hopeful of avenging their opening day defeat to the Roosters.
This is a true heavyweights clash, so it could go either way. Both teams are in great form, and Roosters have had better luck in the recent games involving these two. That said, we believe the Broncos will be able to put their Roosters woes to end in front of their home crowd. A -6.5 line for the hosts is reasonable here.
| Bookmaker | Bren’s Tip | Odds |
| Broncos to win both halves | $2.05 |
| Broncos -6.5 | $1.87 |
| Broncos to win | $1.55 |
Official Squads
Broncos: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Corey Oates 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Jesse Arthars 5. Deine Mariner 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Corey Jensen 9. Billy Walters 10. Payne Haas 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan 14. Tyson Smoothy 15. Xavier Willison 16. Kobe Hetherington 17. Fletcher Baker
Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Fetalaiga Pauga 3. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii 4. Joey Manu 5. Dominic Young 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Angus Crichton 12. Nat Butcher 13. Connor Watson 14. Sandon Smith 15. Naufahu Whyte 16. Egan Butcher 17. Terrell May.
Canterbury Bulldogs vs Wests Tigers
After a revitalising break, the Canterbury Bulldogs are roaring to get back on the pitch. They'll be looking to recapture the form that saw them put a lacklustre Knights unit to the sword when they welcome the Tigers on Saturday evening.
The Tigers suffered another demoralising defeat in their last outing as they succumbed to a title-chasing Broncos side. This week, they’ll no doubt be targeting a more resilient performance against their fellow Sydney team and a return to winning ways.
Canterbury will draw inspiration from their recent record against the Tigers, where they’ve won three of the last four meetings. While Benji Marshall and company started strong this year, but they have lost steam in recent weeks. Therefore, we expect the Bulldogs to cover a -7.5 spread in this tie.
| Bookmaker | Bren’s Tip | Odds |
| Tigers to win first half | $2.80 |
| Bulldogs -7.5 | $1.85 |
| Over 41.5 | $1.91 |
Official Squads
Bulldogs: 1. Connor Tracey 2. Jacob Kiraz 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Matt Burton 7. Drew Hutchison 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Sam Hughes 11. Villiame Kikau 12. Jacob Preston 13. Jaeman Salmon 14. Bailey Hayward 15. Josh Curran 16. Kurtis Morrin 17. Blake Taaffe.
Tigers: 1. Jahream Bula 2. Charlie Staines 3. Brent Naden 4. Justin Olam 5. Solomon Alaimalo 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Aidan Sezer 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Api Koroisau 10. David Klemmer 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. Samuela Fainu 13. John Bateman 14. Latu Fainu 15. Alex Twal 16. Alex Seyfarth 17. Fonua Pole.
Gold Coast Titans vs Melbourne Storm
The Titans finally got a win under their belt this season with a courageous display in Auckland. Now they will seek to replicate that energy and stifle a Storm outfit who seem unstoppable at the moment. Can Des Hasler inspire his team to another statement victory this weekend?
The Storm kept their winning streak rolling this month, hammering the Rabbitohs 54-20 at AAMI Park. Injuries to Xavier Coates and Nelson Asofa-Solomona put a dampener on things though, with both likely to be ruled out of this encounter.
The Titans’ recent performances make us optimistic about their chances in this tie. We still expect the Storm to win, but the home side could make life difficult for the Victorians. Back punters the Titans to make this closer than expected on Saturday.
| Bookmaker | Bren’s Tip | Odds |
| Storm 1-12 | $3.10 |
| Titans +13.5 | $1.92 |
| Titans to score first | $2.80 |
Official Squads
Titans: 1. AJ Brimson 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Aaron Schoupp 5. Jojo Fifita 6. Tanah Boyd 7. Kieran Foran 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Chris Randall 10. Jaimin Jolliffe 11. David Fifita 12. Beau Fermor 13. Klese Haas 14. Sam Verrills 15. Erin Clark 16. Isaac Liu 17. Josiah Pahulu
Storm: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Will Warbrick 3. Reimis Smith 4. Nick Meaney 5. Grant Anderson 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Christian Welch 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eli Katoa 13. Trent Loiero 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Joe Chan 16. Tepai Moeroa 17. Alec MacDonald.
North Queensland Cowboys vs Dolphins
Seeking solace after their respective setbacks, the Cowboys and Dolphins are set to face off in Townsville. The home team will eye a repeat of their gutsy away victory in Brisbane earlier this season, while the visitors will be out for revenge.
Both teams will feel that they could have won their matches last week, had they showed more urgency earlier on. The Cowboys fought back remarkably against the Panthers after a first half hammering, but they eventually fell short. A late resurgence could not save the Dolphins either as they lost to the Knights in a 18-14 affair.
Who will come out on top in this Queensland derby? The Cowboys have won three of their last four matches against their neighbours and scored 77 points in their last two outings against the Dolphins. So, we feel confident about a Cowboys win.
| Bookmaker | Bren’s Tip | Odds |
| First half/second half Cowboys/Dolphins | $11.00 |
| Cowboys to win | $1.40 |
| Cowboys 6-10 | $6.50 |
Official Squads
Cowboys: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Villiami Vailea 5. Semi Valemei 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Griffin Neame 11. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Jake Granville 15. Jason Taumalolo 16. Heilum Luki 17. Thomas Mikaele
Dolphins: 1. Trai Fuller 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Jack Bostock 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Josh Kerr 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Mark Nicholls 11. Connelly Lemuelu 12. Euan Aitken 13. Max Plath 14. Anthony Milford 15. Kurt Donoghoe 16. Ray Stone 17. Oryn Keeley
Newcastle Knights vs New Zealand Warriors
Last year's semi-finalists renew hostilities for the second time in five weeks, with both Newcastle and the Warriors battling injuries and inconsistency so far this season.
Newcastle are out to notch consecutive wins for the first time this season, having rediscovered their fighting spirit in a morale-boosting triumph over the Dolphins on Sunday. The Warriors were far less impressive. Having stormed to an early 12-0 lead last weekend, they astonishingly handed the Titans their maiden victory of the season, leaving Kiwi fans bewildered.
The Warriors will come to this match as the bookies’ favourite, but we believe the Knights will be able to take advantage of their recent poor form. A Knights win at 2.20 sounds like a sweet deal to us.
| Bookmaker | Bren’s Tip | Odds |
| Knights 1-12 | $3.40 |
| Knights to win | $2.20 |
| Knights to win first half | $2.20 |
Official Squads
Knights: 1. David Armstrong 2. Greg Marzhew 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Enari Tuala 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Adam Elliott 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Jack Hetherington 16. Mat Croker 17. Brodie Jones
Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitch Barnett 11. Jackson Ford 12. Jacob Laban 13. Tohu Harris 14. Dylan Walker 15. Tom Ale 16. Zyon Maiu'u 17. Paul Roache.
Cronulla Sharks vs St George-Illawarra Dragons
Expect fireworks when Cronulla and St George-Illawarra clash to conclude round nine in a typically feisty local derby at PointsBet Stadium.
Buoyed by a four-game winning streak, Cronulla secured a dominant 40-0 victory over the Raiders in Canberra on Sunday, thanks to another stellar performance by Nicho Hynes. The Dragons, meanwhile, suffered a 60-18 battering to the Roosters, ending their recent resurgence.
Recent form and points table position often go out of the window in local derbies, but we would be surprised not to see the Sharks covering the -13.5 line here. They’re simply looking too solid this season, while cracks are beginning to appear for the Dragons.
| Bookmaker | Bren’s Tip | Odds |
| Sharks to win both halves | $1.58 |
| Sharks -13.5 | $1.87 |
| Over 8.5 tries | $2.15 |
Official Squads
Sharks: 1. Will Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Kayal Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Daniel Atkinson 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Thomas Hazelton 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cam McInnes 14. Jack Williams 15. Siosifa Talakai 16. Braden Hamlin-Uele 17. Tuku Hau Tapuha
Dragons: 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Christian Tuipulotu 3. Zac Lomax 4. Jack Bird 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Kyle Flanagan 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Jacob Liddle 10. Hame Sele 11. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Tom Eisenhuth 14. Fa’amanu Brown 15. Blake Lawrie 16. Jack de Belin 17. Ben Murdoch-Masila.
Manly Sea Eagles vs Canberra Raiders
It’s tough to say anything positive about the Canberra Raiders after their 40-0 thumping by the Sharks. They put on a defensive horror show that saw them miss a staggering 46 tackles. The Raiders had barely anything to offer in attack either, as the Sharks’ backline remained unbreeched.
On the other hand, the Sea Eagles fought back from behind to condemn Parramatta to a 32-18 loss at the 4 Pines Park last weekend. Now back in the convenience of their home ground, they will be facing a side that are at rock bottom of confidence. Lucky, because they’re missing star Daly Cherry-Evans this week.
PlayUp is offering a great opportunity that we reckon is too good to miss. We fancy Anthony Seibold's men to secure a victory against the Raiders and cover the -8.5 line.
| Bookmaker | Bren’s Tip | Odds |
| Sea Eagles -8.5 | $1.95 |
| Sea Eagles to win | $1.38 |
| Highest scoring second half | $2.05 |
Official Squads
Sea Eagles: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jason Saab 3. Tolutau Koula 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Tommy Talau 6. Jake Arthur 7. Luke Brooks 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Josh Aloiai 11. Ethan Bullemor 12. Corey Waddell 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Karl Lawton 15. Tof Sipley 16. Matthew Lodge 17. Nathan Brown
Raiders: 1. Chevy Stewart 2. James Schiller 3. Matt Timoko 4. Seb Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Kaeo Weekes 8. Josh Papalii 9. Danny Levi 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliot Whitehead 13. Morgan Smithies 14. Tom Starling 15. Ata Mariota 16. Simi Sagi 17. Pasami Saulo
