Another week, another NRL round descending into chaos due to State of Origin.

No matches on Thursday night this week due to Wednesday night’s match in Perth.

The Maroons have kept the Origin series alive with their stunning upset win at Optus Stadium and the NRL has another four weeks of competition affected by the rep season before the series finale, then eight rounds leading into the playoffs.

Round 16 kicks off at Campbelltown on Friday night with Wests Tigers the rank underdogs against Canberra. Jarome has been freed to play despite being charged with dangerous contact for his unscheduled facial appointment on Reuben Cotter during the Maroons’ 26-24 victory.

Saturday’s opening match in Auckland is a golden chance for the Warriors to hammer another nail into Penrith’s premiership coffin with five Panthers not selected by Ivan Cleary due to the Origin burden being compounded by a massive journey to get from Perth to Auckland.

The Dolphins and Knights feature in the second big game in Perth for the week when they clash at HBF Park before Souths and the Storm round out the Saturday schedule at Accor Stadium.

Sunday is a triple header with Brisbane at home to the Sharks in a match that will have major ramifications for both teams in their quest to qualify for the finals.

The Cowboys fly south to face the Roosters before Parramatta get a visit from the Titans in the final match of the round.

Here’s how the experts see Round 16 unfolding.

Stuart Thomas

Raiders, Warriors, Dolphins, Storm, Broncos, Cowboys, Titans

After my incredibly accurate Origin tip, I’m confident with this lot. The Raiders simply have too much talent to lose to a Tigers team on the slide. It will be another spoon for Wests this season. The Warriors and Panthers could be a beauty but will be a dud based on the Penrith team that has been announced. If that is honest, New Zealand win in a canter. 

The Dolphins have been good to me this season and after writing confidently about their top four chances last week, they should have too much in the tool box for the Knights. The Rabbitohs are wobbling, not very good and everyone will pick the Storm. That presents an upset scenario. Surely not?

Could the Broncos bring some life back to what already looks like a failed season? I guess they could and despite all the drama, finals should be a lock. Cronulla hard to read…..I’m lost. Broncos in golden point at home. I cannot fathom how the Roosters are favourites against the Cowboys. I may be proven wrong, but I think it goes the other way convincingly.

Goodness me, the Eels and the Titans……who cares? It looks a tight one and I’ll tip Dr Des’ way, just to see the blue and gold misery deepen. Sorry, Canterbury folk remember.

Kurt Mann. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Nick Wasiliev

Raiders, Warriors, Dolphins, Storm, Broncos, Roosters, Eels

Wow, good start to the round. Raiders by a lot.

Panthers are definitely on the comeback trail but having to rest five stars thanks to Origin is a rough end of the stick for Ivan Cleary. Warriors should take this one.

He might be named, but after Origin I, I don’t think Kalyn Ponga will actually play this weekend. Judging by last week with a pretty uninterrupted side, the Dolphins should come home strong.

Lots of question marks around the Bunnies and the Storm – Wayne Bennett’s men because of the injury toll, Craig Bellamy’s men because of the five players on Origin duty who may or may not play. Based on form, going Storm.

Match of the round this weekend at Suncorp. Both sides are relatively uninterrupted by Origin and are playing alright. If Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan actually play after backing up from Origin, it tips the scales in the Broncos’ favour.

Both the Chooks and North Queensland are decimated by Origin. One got a win last week, the other an embarrassing loss. This is a hard one, as it is variable as to who will back up. But the head is saying the home side will do it. 

Spoonbowl has come early (pending another Tigers season collapse!) The Eels are missing Mitch Moses, the Titans have a mounting injury toll. I want to say the Titans… I’m going to say the Titans… but… why am I picking the Eels for this one!? As Dennis Denuto once said, it’s the vibe, I guess.

Mary Konstantopoulos

Raiders, Warriors, Dolphins, Storm, Sharks, Roosters, Eels

The Raiders are the in-form team in the competition right now and should beat a Tigers team who may rest Jarome Luai after State of Origin.

I’m not sure which version of the Penrith Panthers will turn up, but again my guess is that several players will be rested. The Warriors get a great advantage at this time of the year with very little SOO interruption and I expect them to get the win at home.

I can’t tip the Knights at the moment, so am tipping the most exciting attacking team in the comp right now, the Phins.

The Storm will beat the Bunnies and I think the Sharks will beat the Broncos. People seem to have given up on the Sharks again and they always perform best when they are under no pressure whatsoever.

The Roosters young players will continue to shine in a win against the Cowboys and even without their first choice halves, Parramatta will get a win at home over the Titans.

Angus Crichton and the Blues in Origin II. (Photo by Getty Images)

Paul Suttor

Raiders, Warriors, Dolphins, Storm, Broncos, Roosters, Titans

The Tigers are way too unreliable. Canberra are the opposite so the Green Machine in this one. Raiders by 12

Both coaches decided to rest their Origin guns rather than make them trek from Perth to Auckland for the Warriors vs Panthers clash but unfortunately for Penrith they had five players on rep duty while the home side only had Kurt Capewell. Warriors by 10.

The Dolphins should trample over the Knights. Dolphins by 20.

South Sydney’s only hope is that Melbourne rest their entire Origin contingent but even that won’t guarantee them victory. Storm by 8.

Brisbane and Cronulla are both wildly unpredictable in a toss of the coin job. Broncos get the nod by courtesy of home-ground advantage. Broncos by 2.

The Roosters are full of commitment in 2025. The Cowboys are not. Roosters by 14.

Parramatta and the Gold Coast could be the hardest to predict game all year. The Eels have been decent but are missing both halves. Titans by one with zero confidence whatsoever.

Brian To’o and Jarome Luai after one of the winger’s three tries. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

AJ Mithen

Raiders, Warriors, Dolphins, Storm, Sharks, Roosters, Titans

Don’t worry kids, there’s only one Origin game left…

We continue the path to tipping immortality by watching your presumptive champions, the people’s team, the Canberra Raiders laying a casual 56 on the hapless Wests Tigers. 

Warriors will beat the very short handed Panthers, Dolphins will beat Newcastle, Storm continue their Bunnies ownership.

Sharks will beat the Broncos because it’s their effort week, Roosters will massacre the Cowboys and as much as I like that the Eels are building the Titans will get over them, just. 

Mike Meehall Wood

Raiders, Warriors, Dolphins, Storm, Broncos, Roosters, Eels

You can’t tip the Wests Tigers to do anything and the Raiders are good, so an easy start with Canberra.

Penrith in NZ would regularly be fun, but in a classic example of Origin swamping everything, we won’t get that here as half the Panthers haven’t travelled. Up the Wahs.

The Dolphins and Knights will keep their Origin contingents in Perth, so there’s that advantage, and Redcliffe are looking to extend their club record victory for the third week in a row. The way Newcastle have been going, they might. The Phins are up regardless of margin.

Souths are unbackable, no matter how badly Melbourne have gone on the road.

The Sharks-Broncos clash is interesting – Brisbane have Origin back-ups and are generally rubbish, the Sharks have none and have been decent long-term and crap short-term. I’ll take Brisbane with little confidence.

Roosters are at home and playing well, the Cowboys make Manly look consistent. Easts to win.

The last game is the toughest – usually the Titans are the obvious tip against, but Parra have no halves. I’ll take the Eels on home advantage, but this could be 13+ to either side and I wouldn’t bat an eyelid.

David Shilovsky

Raiders, Warriors, Dolphins, Storm, Broncos, Roosters, Eels

Canberra will be too good for the Tigers. Warriors v Panthers is an interesting one, but home ground advantage should give the Wahs the edge, Dolphins to compound Newcastle’s pain, Storm to overrun the sinking South Sydney.

Broncos should take care of Cronulla, Chooks over Cowboys, and the Eels will take out the relegation battle with Gold Coast.