NRL Round 3 odds, title update and schedule 2022; Latrell Mitchell v Joey Manu rematch

NRL Round 3, 2022, starts on Thursday, March 24, with the derby between the Dragons and the Sharks. We take an early look at a big weekend ahead in the NRL.

The Dragons-Sharks match should be a tight one, but it is another derby that looms as a clear match of the round: the Friday night stoush between bitter neighbours Sydney Roosters and South Sydney.

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More: NRL betting guide
NRL match betting previews and tips

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The Rabbitohs have won the past three matches against the Roosters by an average of more than 30 points, but it was a more personal clash in the most recent encounter that could spark some real spite in this one.

Rabbitohs fullback Latrell Mitchell hit Roosters centre Joey Manu, a former teammate and good friend of Mitchell’s, with an ugly high shot that left Manu with a broken cheekbone. Mitchell received a lengthy ban and missed the Rabbitohs’ run to the grand final.

They will square off on the field on Friday night; throw in the fact the Rabbitohs are desperate to break their duck for the season and the Roosters equally keen to pile on the misery and you have the recipe for an enthralling match.

Leading Aussie bookie TopSport has made the Roosters the hot favourites at $1.57 and deservedly so. But the Rabbitohs have circled the wagons and they were a little unlucky not to beat the Storm in Melbourne last weekend. The would love nothing more than the set the Roosters back on their heels.

Elsewhere, the pick of the Saturday matches is the clash between undefeated teams Penrith and Newcastle at Bathurst from 3pm, with bookies expecting the defending premiers to get the job done.

The Storm-Eels clash to follow is also a clash between two teams with real claims on being there at the pointy end of this season.

On Sunday, the resurgent Broncos seek to maintain their undefeated status when they take on North Queensland in Brisbane. The Broncos are $1.55 favourites, even though the Cowboys showed a return to form in their win against Canberra last Saturday night.

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NRL Premiership odds before Round 3, 2022

Only two rounds are down and bookies have already narrowed it down to a race in three with Penrith, Melbourne Storm and the Sydney Roosters well clear at the top of betting.

The undefeated Panthers and Storm have long been considered the main contenders, while the Roosters put a disappointing opening-round loss to the Knights behind them and have firmed in from $6 to $5.50 after their big win against the Sea Eagles.

Manly and Parramatta are on the nose, the Sea Eagles out from $9.5 to $13 and the Eels to $12. Souths lost again and were out from $13 to $16.

There is some love for a couple of the sides to have shown good form early, with the Sharks $21 to $17 and the undefeated Knights into $19. The Knights would certainly vault further into calculations if they can upstage the powerful Panthers on Saturday.

NRL title odds 2022

$4.60 Penrith Panthers
$4.80 Melbourne Storm
$5.50 Sydney Roosters
$12 Parramatta Eels
$13 Manly Sea Eagles
$13 South Sydney Rabbitohs
$17 Cronulla Sharks
$19 Newcastle Knights
$21 Brisbane Broncos, Canberra Raiders
$23  Gold Coast Titans
$31  St George Illawarra Dragons
$41 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
$61 North Queensland Cowboys
$71 New Zealand Warriors
$81 Wests Tigers

Check out all the latest odds at TopSport!

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NRL Round 3 fixture, odds and times

Thursday, March 24 

• 8.05pm: St George Illawarra Dragons  $2.08 v Cronulla Sutherland Sharks $1.74

Friday, March 25 

• 6pm: Wests Tigers $2.05 v New Zealand Warriors $1.77
• 8.05pm: South Sydney Rabbitohs $2.40 v   Sydney Roosters $1.57

Saturday, March 26

• 3pm: Penrith Panthers  $1.23 v Newcastle Knights $4.20
• 5.30pm:  Melbourne Storm  $1.40 v Parramatta Eels $2.95
• 7.35pm: Canberra Raiders $1.67 v Gold Coast Titans $2.20

Sunday, March 27

• 4.05pm: Brisbane Broncos $1.55 v North Queensland Cowboys $2.46
• 6.15pm: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles $1.25 v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs $4