NRL Women Tips & Preview | Round 8

The Tigers form is fool’s gold and anyone buying into it is about to get burnt. That makes Newcastle an excellent bet at home. These teams have met three times with the Knights winning all three by 20-plus. The Tigers have not scored more than eight in any of the three. The talent at the Knights is just too much. Kira Dibb has been in excellent tryscoring form with tries in her last two including the first last week. Mercedez Taulilei-Siala has five tries in six games playing on the wing this year.

Tips

Best: Newcastle -1.5 ($1.90)
Next: Newcastle 13+ ($4.20)
Tryscorer: Kira Dibb ($19 First, $3.70 Anytime)
SGM: Kira Dibb Try/Mercedez Taulilei-Siala ($6.84)

No team has mixed form more wildly than Canberra this season with the Raiders having rolled the Broncos and pushed the Roosters while losing to the hapless Sharks. They were dead-and-buried against the Knights before a stunning comeback in the final 15 minutes. So confidence cannot be high but the Raiders have too much talent for a banged-up Bulldogs team off being hammered by Parramatta. Elise Simpson is a supreme talent with six tries in seven games. Mackenzie Wiki is a classy finisher with five tries. Sheridan Gallagher has just two tries this year but is one of the best players on the field.

Tips

Best: Canberra -5.5 ($1.83)
Next: Canberra 13+ ($2.80)
Tryscorer: Elise Simpson ($6.80 First, $1.64 Anytime)
SGM: Elise Simpson Try/Mackenzie Wiki Try/Sheridan Gallagher Try ($6.29)

The Dragons and Cowboys have met three times and all have been exceptionally high-scoring affairs with the lowest-scoring match the 56 points put on last year in a 42-14 Cowboys win. The Dragons have conceded 26-plus in four of their last five while the Cowboys have scored 26-plus in their last two. There will be points. Fran Goldthorp has scored in four of seven games this season and has scored in every Dragons-Cowboys game. Teagan Berry has three tries in three games against the Cowboys. Margot Vella meets her former team in great form with four tries in her last three matches.

Tips

Best: Over 40.5 ($1.90)
Next: Over 48.5 ($3.30)
Tryscorer: Francesca Goldthorp ($12.50 First, $2.65 Anytime)
SGM: Francesca Goldthorp Try/Teagan Berry Try/Margot Vella Try ($9.38)

Brisbane have run riot against Gold Coast the last two seasons with back-to-back 44-4 wins but this is a very new Titans side and against a Broncos outfit that has dropped their last two, can get their first win against their in-state rivals since 2023. Gold Coast have conceded more than 12 just once in their last six games while they have been an attacking powerhouse, scoring just two fewer points than the Broncos this year. With Brisbane down on troops, Gold Coast look a very good play. Teagan Levi has five tries in seven games since shifting from rugby union. Evania Isa’ako has four tries in six games since moving to the backrow.

Tips

Best: Gold Coast +1.5 ($1.90)
Next: Gold Coast 13+ ($4.75)
Tryscorer: Teagan Levi ($13 First, $2.65 Anytime)
SGM: Teagan Levi Try/Evania Isa’ako Try ($7.95)

The all-conquering Roosters look a very enticing play laying less than two converted tries against a Warriors team that has struggled in Australia. John Strange’s unbeaten team have won five of their seven games by more than 14 points including their last four. They come off beating primary rivals Brisbane by 14 at Suncorp. The Warriors are 1-3 in Australia this year. Sariah Paki has had a great debut season with five tries in seven games. Jayme Fressard leads the competition in tries this year with nine tries. Jess Sergis joined her with a double last week.

Tips

Best: Sydney Roosters -11.5 ($1.83)
Next: Sydney Roosters -23.5 ($3.90)
Tryscorer: Sariah Paki ($16 First, $2.90 Anytime)
SGM: Sariah Paki Try/Jayme Fressard Try/Jessica Sergis Try ($8.57)

God bless the schedule-makers at the NRL. Once again Cronulla have been handed a night game presenting an auto-bet on their opponent, even if it is the one-win Parramatta Eels. Over the last two seasons, the Sharks are 1-9 straight and against the spread in games played after 5pm. Parramatta broke a six-game losing streak to open the season when crushing Canterbury last start. The Sharks have lost their last three, all by 12 or more points. The Eels are the best bet of the week. Elsie Albert and Abbi Church lead the Eels in tries this year with three apiece.

Tips

Best: Parramatta +1.5 ($1.94)
Next: Parramatta 13+ ($5.00)
Tryscorer: Elsie Albert ($23 First, $4.40 Anytime)
SGM: Elsie Albert Try/Abbi Church Try ($13.97)