Not one of Nine’s tipsters has picked the Dragons to bounce back on Thursday night at the end of what has been a stinker of a week for the under-fire club.
Kicking off the NRL’s Beanies for Brain Cancer round, St George Illawarra visits local rivals the Sharks with many believing the football team has become a carcass for opponents to feast on.
If anything that view has become stronger this week after Ben Hunt was told he wouldn’t be allowed to exit his contract at a meeting on Monday.
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Speaking on Wide World of Sports’ Freddy and the Eighth’s Tips Brad Fittler predicted more doom for the Dragons following their 48-18 thrashing at the hands of the Warriors last Friday night.
“If it’s tough early, I think the score could build up,” Fittler said.
Already the Dragons sit bottom of the ladder, with the second worst for and against in the competition. Another couple of hidings and a wooden spoon could become a fait accompli to cap the season from hell.
While the tipsters can’t see the Dragons turning things around on Thursday night, Andrew Johns considers it a huge opportunity for the club’s young guns to make their mark before a new coach takes over.
Writing in his column for The Sydney Morning Herald, Johns pointed out that Tyrell Sloan and Jayden Sullivan were talented enough to give Dragons hope that they weren’t going to be stuck in the doldrums for years to come.
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“St George Illawarra have to build the combination between those two players. I think they’ve both got the tools to be top-liners,” Johns wrote, revealing he had spoken to them both in recent weeks.
“I didn’t spend long talking to them, but one thing I’ve noticed is Sullivan has this fantastic right foot step. I wanted to see what Sloan is thinking when Sullivan gets the ball, in what areas he needs to think he should be to support his playmaker, and how they can work together to break down defensive lines.
“It was interesting to get an insight into what they’re thinking in certain situations and how they want to play.
“If you look at the NRL player market, there are not many high-quality halves and fullbacks available. The Dragons have got to be all-in on those players. They are the future of that club.”
Scroll below for the current leaderboard and Round 18 tips by all Nine’s expert tipsters!
Andrew Johns: Sharks, Warriors, Panthers, Titans, Cowboys, Broncos, Knights, Sea Eagles
Brad Fittler: Sharks, Warriors, Storm, Raiders, Cowboys, Broncos, Knights, Roosters
Darren Lockyer: Sharks, Warriors, Storm, Raiders, Cowboys, Broncos, Knights, Sea Eagles
Allana Ferguson: Sharks, Warriors, Storm, Raiders, Cowboys, Broncos, Knights, Roosters
Paul Gallen: Sharks, Rabbitohs, Storm, Raiders, Cowboys, Dolphins, Knights, Roosters
Mat Thompson: Sharks, Warriors, Raiders, Cowboys, Dolphins, Knights, Sea Eagles
David Middleton: Sharks, Warriors, Panthers, Raiders, Cowboys, Broncos, Knights, Roosters
Peter Psaltis: Sharks, Rabbitohs, Storm, Titans, Cowboys, Broncos, Knights, Manly
The Mole: Sharks, Warriors, Storm, Raiders, Cowboys, Broncos, Knights, Sea Eagles
Ben Glover: Sharks, Warriors, Storm, Raiders, Cowboys, Broncos, Bulldogs, Sea Eagles
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