Gidday everyone, welcome to the 2023 season. We say it every year, but this season looks super tough to pick. Especially these early rounds. Just check on the team lists sometimes as well because they can change late.
Round 1 of the NRL season kicks off on Thursday night, and starting from game one, every game of the round is set to be a cracker. Dabble’s experts will provide NRL tips for each and every round of the 2023 NRL season, meaning you won’t miss a thing.
Our NRL footy tips cover all the key factors of every game, of every round. So, if you are as obsessed with the NRL as the team at Dabble are, you have certainly come to the right place! Get your scrolling finger ready, all you need to do is read and scroll, our experts will take care of everything else for you.
Check out all our expert NRL tips for Round 1 below:
Game 1 – Eels vs Storm, Thursday 2nd March, 7.50pm
The Storm have never lost their first up game under Craig Bellamy. Even though they’ve lost a lot of experience with the Bromwich brothers and Kaufusi moving on to the Dolphins. They still have Cam Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant running the show, but Parramatta didn’t make last season’s Grand Final for nothing. So, it will be a fairly tight affair, I think.
The Storm’s preseasons have been built on getting their defence right. So, if their new look forward pack can get that right, I think Munster and co. will score the points. Parramatta can score some points themselves with Gutherson, Moses and Dylan Brown always a threat, but I think those three will miss Reed Mahoney’s work out of dummy half for a while.
Expert NRL Tip: Total Points – Under
Game 2 – New Zealand Warriors vs Newcastle Knights, Friday 3rd March, 6pm
Both these teams will be looking to bounce back from a lacklustre 2022 season. The Warriors finished in 15th place last season, while the Knights finished just above the Warriors in 14th place. The only team worse than these two teams last season was the Tigers.
The Warriors are finally back at home, and they have a lot of new faces. They’ll want to start with a bang for their home fans. The Warriors and Knights played each other once last season, and the Knights came out victorious 24-16 at Moreton Daily Stadium in Redcliffe.
Expert NRL Tip: Total Points – Over
Game 3 – Penrith Panthers vs Brisbane Broncos, Friday 3rd March, 8.05pm
The Panthers begin their quest for a three-peat with a Round 1 clash against the Broncos, who imploded to end the season in ninth place, and missed out of the Finals altogether. Despite all the players they have lost, the Panthers still have too much depth and losing against St. Helens will have made them cranky.
Look for To’o to start his season off with a try in his first game, and with these two teams, the under looks the way to go. The Panthers and Broncos played each other once last season, and the Panthers were way too good, winning 40-12 at BlueBet Stadium in Penrith.
Expert NRL Tip: Anytime Try Scorer – Brian To’o
Game 4 – Manly Sea Eagles vs Canterbury Bulldogs, Saturday 4th March, 3pm
A lot of Manly’s season will rest in the hands of Tommy Turbo. I know they were only trials, but Manly looked okay and hopefully Turbo stays on the park. Turbo had very little time on the field last season, and the Sea Eagles ended up finishing 11th on the ladder. Right behind the Sea Eagles on the ladder for the 2022 season was the Bulldogs.
It’s shaping up to be a high scoring affair, and there could be tries galore, especially from the likes of Tuipulotu and Addo-Carr. The Sea Eagles and Bulldogs played twice last season, and amazingly both games were decided by one point. The Sea Eagles won the first game of the 2022 season against the Bulldogs, 13-12. The Bulldogs bounced back to win the second game these two teams played last season, 21-20.
Expert NRL Tip: Anytime Try Scorer – Josh Addo-Carr
Game 5 – North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders, Saturday 4th March, 5.30pm
The Cowboys will be looking continue their good form from last season where they finished in third place on the ladder. The Raiders also just managed to sneak into the Finals last season, finishing in eighth place. The Raiders could be in for a tough afternoon in North Queensland.
Looking for the Cowboys to pile on the points against the Raiders, and it could very well be a blow out. In the last two times the Cowboys and Raiders have played, it has been all the Cowboys. The Cowboys beat the Raiders 26-6 in first clash of the 2022 season, and they backed up that with another win a couple weeks later, 18-12.
Expert NRL Tip: Handicap – Cowboys
Game 6 – Cronulla Sharks vs South Sydney Rabbitohs, Saturday 4th March, 7.35pm
The Sharks and Rabbitohs will be looking for a deeper run in the Finals series this season. In the previous season, the Sharks finished in second place on the ladder, while the Rabbitohs finished in seventh position. This clash will be close. Tough game at home for Cronulla, but no Nicho Hynes.
Looking like defence will be the priority in this clash, and the match could very well go under the total points. But with Mitchell back and firing, look for him to kick off his 2023 with a bang (and a try). The Sharks and Rabbitohs have split the last two games they have played against each other.
Expert NRL Tip: Anytime Try Scorer – Latrell Mitchell
Game 7 – Dolphins vs Sydney Roosters, Sunday 5th March, 4.05pm
History will be made on Sunday when the Dolphins play their first game in the NRL against the Roosters. It will also be the first game at home for the Dolphins, but the Roosters should be too classy. The Dolphins do have Wayne Bennett as the head coach to weave his magic, but not sure if it can start right off the bat, against a team like the Roosters.
The Roosters finished last season in sixth place, and they will be looking to push into the top four this season. In terms of recent form for the Roosters, they have won four of their last five games. But that fifth game was the game that counted, where they lost in the week 1 of the Finals to the Rabbitohs, 30-14.
Expert NRL Tip: Total Points - Over
Game 8 – Wests Tigers vs Gold Coast Titans, Sunday 5th March, 6.15pm
Two bottom-dwellers from the 2022 season, the Tigers and Titans, have a chance to get their 2023 off on the right track with a win. There’s been a lot of changes at the Tigers, and the big question remains; can they deliver?
It could potentially be an under total points scenario here today, as both teams don’t really have a potent attack and will be looking to gel together as a team. The Tigers and Titans played each other once last season, and it was certainly a low scoring affair, with the Titans coming out victorious, 8-6.
Expert NRL Tip: Total Points - Under
We told you our NRL betting tips were on point! If reading our NRL preview for Round 1 has got you all fired up, make sure you head on over to the Dabble app, get all your bets sorted and share your thoughts in the Banter channel.
