NRL Round 24 schedule, odds, title betting — Roosters try to cling on to fourth

NRL round 24, the penultimate round before the finals, kicks off on Thursday night, August 26, with the Newcastle Knights v Gold Coast Titans clash from Sunshine Coast Stadium.

That is a crucial clash in shaping the top eight, with the Knights able to lock up a final position with a win, while the Titans could stay right in the mix if they triumph.

But there is little doubt the match of the round is the clash between bitter rivals Sydney Roosters and South Sydney at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

In early markets, Australian bookies have made Wayne Bennett’s Rabbitohs $1.26 favourites an deservedly so. The Bunnies have third position sewn up but the match means a whole lot more to the Roosters.

Sydney Roosters have had an injury ravaged season yet still sit in fourth place on the table, a win clear of the surging Manly.

Sea Eagles fans will be on the Souths bandwagon on Friday night because if the Roosters win, the need only beat the Raiders in the final round to finish fourth and have the all-important double chance heading into the finals.

Manly look the team most likely to challenge the dominance the Storm, Panthers and Rabbitohs have held over the competition this season but if they can’t get to fourth spot before the finals their chances will be greatly diminished.

Elsewhere, Cronulla must win against the Broncos on Saturday to stay in the eight, while Melbourne will be aiming for an incredible 20th straight win when they play fading Parramatta on Saturday night.

The Sharks-Broncos and Storm-Eels match make up a double-header at Suncorp Stadium.

The round ends with another double-header on Sunday, this time at Moreton Daily Stadium, Redcliffe, with the Sea Eagles-Bulldogs match followed by second-placed Penrith v Wests Tigers.

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NRL Premiership odds before Round 24

The Storm eased slightly to $2.30 in betting to win the NRL title as the Panthers firmed up from $3.80 to $3.20 after their impressive win against fellow contenders South Sydney last weekend.

Souths moved from $5 out to $6 but we were not too disappointed with their loss as they showed early their best was good enough to have the Panthers almost on the ropes.

Manly were out from $8 to $9 as the Roosters cling on desperately to fourth place. The Sea Eagles should have little trouble winning their final two matches of the season against the Bulldogs and Cowboys but if the Roosters also win their two, it’s going to make it tough for the Sea Eagles to go all the way from fifth or sixth spot.

NRL title odds 2021

$2.30 Melbourne Storm
$3.20 Penrith Panthers
$6 South Sydney Rabbitohs
$9 Manly Sea Eagles
$18 Sydney Roosters
$51 Parramatta Eels
$61 Newcastle Knights
$151 Canberra Raiders, Gold Coast Titans, Cronulla Sharks
$1001 New Zealand Warriors, 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 24 fixture, odds and times

Thursday, August 26 

• 7.50pm: Newcastle Knights  $1.82 v Gold Coast Titans  $2.02

Friday,  August 27 

• 6pm: New Zealand Warriors  $2.85v Canberra Raiders  $1.44
• 7.55pm: Sydney Roosters $4 v South Sydney Rabbitohs $1.26

Saturday, August 28

• 3pm: St George Illawarra Dragons $1.66 v  North Queensland Cowboys $2.25
• 5.30pm: Cronulla Sutherland Sharks $1.50 v Brisbane Broncos $2.65
• 7.35pm: Melbourne Storm $1.09 v Parramatta Eels $7.75

Sunday, August 29

• 1.50pm: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles $1.04 v  Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs $12
• 4.05pm:  Penrith Panthers $1.03 v Wests Tigers $13