NRL Round 22 Predictions: Galvin-gate, finals deciders and the Raiders to keep on rocking

The tension ratchets up yet further this weekend, with two pivotal clashes with big finals implications, both for the top eight and the top four.

This being rugby league, there’s also a huge narrative game – Lachie Galvin returns to the Wests Tigers – to get everyone’s blood up, interspersed with the kind of nonsense footy we all know and love from this time of the year.

There’s eight fixtures, four of which might be slop, but the ones that aren’t should be great. Let’s get into it.

Sea Eagles v Roosters

The obvious place to start is a Saturday night blockbuster that ticks all the boxes. Finals implications? Traditional rivals? Attacking footy? Yes, yes and double yes. 

Manly host Easts knowing that, if they win, it’s game over for their foes from the other side of the harbour, who are already in the last chance saloon. Lose, however, and they will be in the gun next week for a trip to Canberra.

The Sea Eagles lost Haumole Olakau’atu last week, while the Roosters are in decent shape, with Victor Radley, Billy Smith and Hugo Savala all back on deck.

The strength of both sides is their 1-7, which are pretty much full strength, and neither can expect to keep the other out for particularly long. It should be on for one and all at Brookie on Saturday night.

Tip: Manly

Warriors v Dolphins

Friday night promises to be more attack v defence as the Dolphins, the best side to watch with ball in hand this year, head to Auckland to take on a Warriors side who do all the basics right, if little more.

Redcliffe travel on the back of a bye, with a returning Kodi Nikorima at 6 and Felise Kaufusi back in the middle. 

The Wahs, on the other hand, have yet more men missing as Chanel Harris-Tavita, James Fisher-Harris and Wayde Egan all drop out from last week’s defeat to the Titans.

That loss left their top four hopes hanging precariously, and with Brisbane, Penrith and Cronulla all favoured, they can nary afford to slip up again.

The Phins are rested and highly motivated, knowing how little wiggle room they have to secure a first finals outing. The Kiwis should be worried.

Tip: Dolphins

Tigers v Bulldogs

OK, real footy out of the way – it’s soap opera time.

Lachie Galvin’s decision to walk out on the Wests Tigers for Canterbury has been one of the stories of the season, provoking much smugness from Bulldogs fans and howling from righteously angered Wests supporters.

Now, the comeback mission is on as Galvin, wearing the 7 jumper he never got at the Tigers, returns to face his old club.

It’s a pretty meaningless game on the field – the Tigers won’t make the finals, the Dogs almost certainly finish second – but you can expect a lot of spite from the Wests players who so publicly backed their coach over their teammate when he made the call to flounce.

Canterbury would do well to ignore that and simply play their game. They usually do, and should win regardless.

Tip: Bulldogs

Titans v Panthers 

We made the call that the Panthers are ominous long ago, but even so, few could have predicted just how much they would loom over the finals series.

Last week’s demolition of the Wests Tigers was peak Panthers, totally strangling an opponent in their inimitable style. Now, the Titans get the chance to be constricted too.

The intrigue will be largely elsewhere. If the Wahs lose, then Penrith’s draw with the Cowboys sees them come within a point of fourth. 

A Panthers side who finish outside the top four are as dangerous as anyone from the lower half of the finals has been in a long time, but one that finishes within it? Watch out.

The Gold Coast will be the other team, but nobody cares about that. It’s all about whether Penrith can notch up an eighth straight win.

Tip: Panthers

Dragons v Raiders

Speaking of consecutive victories, the Raiders are well on their way to a record of their own.

They haven’t lost in nine, which would be ten if they were to overcome a Dragons side with nothing to play for. 

That would equal their best streak in the NRL era, dating back to the 2016 season. 

If you want to know how long ago that was, Closer by The Chainsmokers was number one (no, me neither), Sully was top of the US box office (no, me neither) and the betting markets had Hillary Clinton as a 75% chance of winning the upcoming US Presidential election (oh dear).

Canberra’s success should not be taken as a harbinger of doom, but perhaps with a pinch of salt. 

Since losing to the Bulldogs on May 10th, they’ve won every game, but played just one team – the Warriors – in the top eight. They won’t again this week, or (pending Manly’s results) next either.

Not that Canberra care – their soft schedule is because TV companies don’t think they rate, exactly the sort of attitude that Ricky Stuart thrives off. The Raiders keep motoring along.

Tip: Raiders

Everyone else

A whistle stop tour through our increasing band of uneven fixtures starts in Sydney’s West, where Parramatta will attempt to back up their stunning win over Brisbane last week by ambushing Melbourne. They won’t.

Speaking of the Bronx, they will attempt not to embarrass themselves again – think Grampa Simpson with his broken suspenders – by defeating a Souths side with, conservatively, 12 first teamers out. 

Unlike the Raiders, Brisbane and Souths do rate, so we get to watch the England v India cricket instead of this, as it is the Friday night primetime, even though the contest itself will be trash and we will learn very little.

We end in the Shire, where the Cowboys will attempt to remember where to stand in the tackle against the Sharks, who are the ultimate flat-track bullies. They’ll win, it’s just a question of how much North Queensland bother to keep it down.

Tip: Sharks, Storm, Broncos