NRL Round 20 Expert Tips

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Round 20, or Women in League round of the 2026 NRL season is here, with eight matches and plenty at stake as the race for the finals continues to heat up post-Origin.

Here are my NRL Round 20 tips:

Panthers 13+ vs Broncos

The Panthers are expected to be the first big-margin selection of the round.

Penrith have been the competition’s benchmark side this season and, with Nathan Cleary returning, they should have too much quality for the struggling Brisbane Broncos who are away from home.

The Broncos have enough attacking talent to make this dangerous, but the Panthers’ control through the middle and ability to dominate field position should eventually tell.

Sharks 13+ vs Knights

This could be another comfortable Cronulla victory at home after their 66-0 drubbing over the Dolphins.

The Sharks should have a major advantage in this matchup and, if they establish control early, the Knights could struggle to stay with them for the full 80 minutes, and they've struggled for points in recent weeks.

Cronulla have the attacking weapons to turn a relatively close contest into a convincing win quickly.

Roosters 1-12 vs Storm

The biggest call of Round 20 is the Roosters to defeat Melbourne.

The Storm head into the match without their first-choice halves combination of Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes, creating a huge challenge against a dangerous Roosters side.

Still expect this to be close. Melbourne remain capable of winning regardless of who is missing, but the Roosters have a major opportunity to take advantage of a disrupted Storm lineup.

Raiders 1-12 vs Rabbitohs

Canberra is my pick in what could be one of the closest matches of the round.

The Rabbitohs have enough attacking quality to keep themselves in the contest, but the Raiders are set to get the job done in a tight battle.

This feels like a match that could remain close deep into the second half. But on paper I think this is the Raiders strongest lineup this season, and they could cash in at home.

Warriors 13+ vs Dragons

The Warriors are my third 13+ selection of the weekend.

At their best, the Warriors can overwhelm teams through their physicality and sustained pressure. Against the Dragons, I am backing them to take control and pull away as the match progresses.

If the Warriors start strongly, this could become one of the more comfortable victories of Round 20, especially at home.

Bulldogs 1-12 vs Tigers

Really tough one for both, but Canterbury could get it done but not by a huge margin.

The Tigers have shown they can make life difficult for stronger opponents but have struggled recently, while the Bulldogs have had injury concerns to manage heading into the round. If they get Stephen Crichton and Viliame Kikau back for this one, Canterbury should still have enough quality to win, but this one could go either way.

Sea Eagles 1-12 vs Titans

Manly are the pick in another match I expect to be competitive.

The Titans are capable of causing problems at home, but the Sea Eagles should have enough attacking quality to edge them over 80 minutes despite consecutive defeats.

It may not be comfortable, but I am backing Manly to come away with the two points in what could be a close encounter.

Dolphins 1-12 vs Cowboys

Finishing the round with a QLD derby, the Dolphins could respond to their largest ever defeat, in a close Queensland battle.

These are two teams capable of producing plenty of points, and this could become one of the most entertaining matches of the weekend.

I am giving the Dolphins the edge, but only narrowly. Strong lineups are in place for both sides.