NRL Round 1 odds, title update and schedule 2022; Panthers without Nathan Cleary

Rupert McIntosh

March 8, 2022

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NRL Magic Round 10, 2022, title odds, fixture, news

NRL Round 1 starts on Thursday, March 10, with a massive clash between defending premiers Penrith and title hopefuls Manly at BlueBet Stadium. We take an early look at a big weekend ahead in the NRL.

The 2022 season opener is easily the most intriguing match of the opening round, as the Panthers seek to start off their title defence in style at home, a place where they have been nigh on unbeatable for the past couple of seasons.

More: NRL betting guide
NRL match betting previews and tips

But they face a Manly side that stormed home last season to be seen as serious challengers, and the Panthers will be missing talismanic halfback Nathan Cleary (shoulder surgery) for at least the first three rounds of the 2022 season. Recruit Sean O’Sullivan, playing at his fourth NRL club at the age of 23, will step into the breach.

Bookies have installed the Panthers ($1.73) narrow favourites to win against the Sea Eagles ($2.14), who head into the clash with close to a full-strength line-up.

Manly’s back line was outstanding last season, with Tom Trbojevic and wingers Jason Saab and Reuben Garrick scoring tries at will. Those three players are all among the top five in betting to be the leading try-scorer for the 2022 season with Australian bookie TopSport.

The NRL action continues with a Friday night double-header, with Canberra hosting Cronulla and then the Brisbane Broncos facing last year’s beaten grand finalists South Sydney.

The Broncos-Bunnies clash has been robbed of some interest as the Broncos’ star recruit, former Souths ace Adam Reynolds, won’t play after contracting COVID-19. Bookies expect the Rabbitohs to win, though we are tipping it to be much closer than the 11.5-point line would suggest.

NRL Super Saturday is back a triple treat, with the pick of the matches from a neutral perspective the Sydney Roosters-Newcastle clash.

Many pundits are tipping the Roosters to rebound strongly in 2022 after a disastrous run with injuries throughout 2021.

The round concludes on Sunday with two matches, the first between finals hopefuls Parramatta and Gold Coast, and the latter between North Queensland and a revamped Canterbury.

NRL Premiership odds before Round 1, 2022

Bookies have made perennial contenders the Melbourne Storm the early favourites to land the 2022 title, ahead of the Panthers who have been so dominant for the past two seasons, although in the end they were probably luck to get away with the 2021 title in a thrilling grand final against Souths.

The Rabbitohs, who have lost key playmaker Reynolds as well as master coach Wayne Bennett, are on the nose with betting agencies, despite coming so close to the ultimate success. They will have a point to prove, led by fullback Latrell Mitchell who was suspending when they needed him most.

Sydney Roosters regain playmaker Luke Keary after a serious knee injury last season, and his return combined with that of another handful of key personnel has many expecting them to challenge once again. We would rather wait a few weeks before making any strong calls on the Roosters.

It’s hard to see any team outside the top six in opening betting challenging for the title in 2022. The Sharks are the seventh line of betting but there has been a distinct gap between Storm, Panthers, Roosters, Sea Eagles, Rabbitohs and Eels, and the rest for the past few seasons.

We hope that changes in season 2022 but suspect it will now. Good punting.

NRL title odds 2022

$5 Melbourne Storm
$5.50 Penrith Panthers
$6 Sydney Roosters
$8.50 Manly Sea Eagles
$11 South Sydney Rabbitohs
$12 Parramatta Eels
$18 Cronulla Sharks
$23 Canberra Raiders
$26 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans
$34 Newcastle Knights
$41 New Zealand Warriors, St George Illawarra Dragons
$51 North Queensland Cowboys
$67 Wests Tigers