NRL Round 23 schedule, odds, title betting — Panthers, Souths in match of round

NRL Round 23 kicks off on Thursday night, August 19, with the clash between Gold Coast Titans and the rampant Melbourne Storm at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.

That is a vital match, especially for the Titans, who are clinging to eighth place on the NRL ladder on points differential, while the top-placed Storm are seeking an incredible 18th consecutive win.

In early markets, Australian bookies rate Craig Bellamy’s Storm as $1.10 favourites against the Titans ($7.25) but the Storm must make do without star playmaker Jahrome Hughes and veteran forward Dale Finucane, who both suffered head knocks in the win against Canberra.

In another week where all matches are in Queensland, the match of the round comes on Friday night when the second-placed Penrith and third-placed Rabbitohs clash at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

The Panthers-Rabbitohs match will likely decide which team can still challenge the Storm for the minor premiership and also the team most likely to square off against the Storm in a grand final.

Penrith regain some mojo last weekend with a comfortable win against the Dragons and important had halfback Nathan Cleary back in the side after a shoulder injury.

With Cleary back steering the ship, the Panthers are around $1.67 favourites to beat the Rabbitohs ($2.20).

That is the second match of a double-header at Suncorp with the earlier match pitting the ninth-placed Raiders against the sixth-placed Manly in another vital encounter.

Manly are closing in on fourth place and a double chance in the finals, but they possibly could lose Tom Trbojevic to a cheekbone injury for this match.

The Sea Eagles are $1.50 favourites for this clash against the Raiders, who have injury issues of their own with gun young hooker Tom Starling (broken jaw) likely to miss the rest of the season.

Canberra have also lost forward Corey Harawira-Naera for three weeks to suspension but on the positive side could regain fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad after a long layoff with a neck injury.

Wests Tigers and Cronulla clash at Browne Park, Rockhampton, in the early match on Saturday with the Sharks praying for a good recovery for veteran prop Andrew Fifita (larynx), who was placed into an induced coma this week in hospital after difficulties breathing.

The 10th-placed Sharks must win this match to stay in the finals race.

Elsewhere, the Roosters are clinging on to fourth place and cannot afford a slip-up against the Dragons at Clive Berghofer Stadium, Toowoomba, in their match which kicks off at 2pm on Sunday.

The Roosters have lost hard-hitting forwards Ryan Matterson (high tackle) and Victor Radley (dangerous contact) for three weeks, with the pair not available again until the first week of finals.

The should be too good for the struggling Dragons but his certainly levels the playing field a little and we would not take the $1.28 on offer for a Roosters win given their injury and suspension woes.

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NRL Premiership odds before Round 23

There was little movement in betting markets for NRL winners after round 22, though bookies have pretty much decided it’s a race in four as we close in rapidly on finals.

Melbourne Storm firmed up from $2.25 to $2.10, with Penrith steady around $3.8 and dark horse Souths in from $6.50 to $5 now that they have at worst third place locked up.

Manly were in from $9.25 to $8 after destroying Parramatta at the weekend, though they can’t afford any slip-ups as they close in on fourth place.

Roosters were out from $18 to $21 after failing to impress with their 21-20 win over the lowly Broncos, while the fading Eels were $34 to $41 and their season is falling apart.

The Titans were out from $71 to $101 after they were not match for Souths in a 36-6 loss but a win against the Storm would force their odds in significantly.

NRL title odds 2021

$2.10 Melbourne Storm
$3.80 Penrith Panthers
$5 South Sydney Rabbitohs
$8 Manly Sea Eagles
$21 Sydney Roosters
$41 Parramatta Eels
$61 Newcastle Knights, Canberra Raiders
$101 Gold Coast Titans
$151 Cronulla Sharks
$251 New Zealand Warriors,
$501  St George Illawarra Dragons, Wests Tigers

* Brisbane Broncos, North Queensland Cowboys, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs can’t make finals.

Check out all the latest odds at TopSport!

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NRL Round 23 fixture, odds and times

Thursday, August 19 

• 7.50pm: Gold Coast Titans  $7.25 v Melbourne Storm  $1.10

Friday,  August 20 

• 6pm: Canberra Raiders  $2.60 v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles  $1.50
• 8.05pm: Penrith Panthers $1.67 v South Sydney Rabbitohs $2.20

Saturday, August 21

• 3pm: Wests Tigers $2.50 v  Cronulla Sutherland Sharks $1.55
• 5.30pm: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs $5 v Newcastle Knights $1.18
• 7.35pm: Parramatta Eels $1.30 v North Queensland Cowboys $3.50

Sunday, August 22

• 2pm: St George Illawarra Dragons $3.70 v  Sydney Roosters $1.28
• 4.05pm:  Brisbane Broncos $2 v New Zealand Warriors $1.82

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