NRL NRL 2025 - Round 17

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https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/pickem/picks/2025-official-bigfooty-nrl-tipping.183/?week_id=441

 

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NRL Team Lists: Round 17

Official team lists, updates and injury news for Round 17 of the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership.

www.nrl.com

 

[Jatz]

With Sharpe out, I fear our wins will dry up quickly.

Especially against a red hot Canberra unit.

 

[moto748]

That's a top game for me on tomorrow morning after breakfast!

 

[juss]

Panthers v Bulldogs should be a great game. Panthers have found some groove now winning 3 in a row, and although they're weaker than previous years they still have a lot of talent running around for them.

The Bulldogs have been brilliant this season and haven't really put a foot wrong, but I feel like this contest will be a little closer than the W/L column suggests.

 

[Jatz]

Yeah huge test for the Dogs, arguably one of their biggest so far.

I reckon they'll stand up and win. I still remain unconvinced the Panthers are really 'back'.

 

[PhatBoy]

Yeah huge test for the Dogs, arguably one of their biggest so far.

I reckon they'll stand up and win. I still remain unconvinced the Panthers are really 'back'.

Probably safe to say every team in the comp is on notice

 

[moto748]

Not at all surprised, I expected Penrith to win. But a cracking contest which didn't disappoint.

 

[Jatz]

Probably safe to say every team in the comp is on notice

Was a good game. Don't think it told us that much though. Penrith's only try came from a charge down, I don't think you'd be overly upset as a Dogs fan.

They'll be there when the whips are cracking but it's easily the least skilled side of the dynasty.

 

[PhatBoy]

Was a good game. Don't think it told us that much though. Penrith's only try came from a charge down, I don't think you'd be overly upset as a Dogs fan.

They'll be there when the whips are cracking but it's easily the least skilled side of the dynasty.

Of course it is, it’s been shorn of three quarters of its star players and can’t afford to replace them.
However last night they completed all but five sets, gave away less penalties than they have for any game for months, defended better than a team who’ve defended their way to the top of the ladder. Though the Dogs themselves can win in more than one way their game is built around defence and shutting other teams down and they managed to do that themselves.

With a bit of improvement still left in them after winning four on the bounce I still reckon they’re the side to beat.

 

[Jatz]

I still think it's the Storm personally.

But I would expect they'll be playing one of the Dogs/Penrith in the GF.

 

[nobbyiscool]

The Panthers are going to cut a swathe through this final series from outside the 4. Cross your fingers that your team ends up on the other side of the draw.

 

[Andronicus]

defended better than a team who’ve defended their way to the top of the ladder.

Did that happen?

The difference was a penalty, and the only try the dogs conceded was a charge down.

 

[Jatz]

The Panthers are going to cut a swathe through this final series from outside the 4. Cross your fingers that your team ends up on the other side of the draw.

May not even finish outside the top 4.

I'm still 100% convinced they aren't winning though. They've had looooong seasons the last 5 years, Cleary feels like he's hanging on by a thread with his various injuries.

 

[PhatBoy]

Did that happen?

The difference was a penalty, and the only try the dogs conceded was a charge down.

Missed less tackles (not by a lot admittedly), smothered the Dogs kick returns to an extent (not that it’s a major strength of theirs it has to be said), kept their play the ball slow and did all that with less time in possession than the Dogs so I think it’s a reasonable conclusion. Like Jatz said I don’t think the Dogs really lose any credibility or ‘fans’ as a consequence of it all and could have squared the game with a kick at goal or even won it in the last seconds but short of turning it into more points, there was a bit more of old Penrith about it than there has been in other wins

 

[Jatz]

Just on that, there's no way that To'o hit at the end was not high (he rightfully hasn't been charged).

Jumped into that because of the optics, rather than what actually happened.

 

[nobbyiscool]

May not even finish outside the top 4.

I'm still 100% convinced they aren't winning though. They've had looooong seasons the last 5 years, Cleary feels like he's hanging on by a thread with his various injuries.

They came into this round 3.5 games behind the Warriors in 4th. And as you point out, they're pretty dinged up already - they can't really aim to win out and finish top 4, they're going to have to rest guys and come into the finals as fresh as they possibly can to try and challenge from outside the 4. As a Raiders fan they terrify me.

 

[PhatBoy]

They came into this round 3.5 games behind the Warriors in 4th. And as you point out, they're pretty dinged up already - they can't really aim to win out and finish top 4, they're going to have to rest guys and come into the finals as fresh as they possibly can to try and challenge from outside the 4. As a Raiders fan they terrify me.

Not that I really think the Roosters, for all our improvement, can pull a surprise and make a charge for the comp, but I started to think ‘you know what, if we get Walker back and can maybe finish 5-6, we could make a bit of a charge because it’s quite open.’

With Penrith there, I’m just resigned to us having no chance. We can upset a few of the teams above us, we can do that AND potentially have to beat Penrith at some stage

 

[Jatz]

If Tigers fans want to see what they’re getting with KPP, watch that 3rd try the Raiders just scored.

Utterly pathetic in defence.

I can’t tell you how glad I am to be rid of him. All potential, no substance.

 

[nobbyiscool]

We are an eminently frustrating team. I find that first half more frustrating than the second. It was a proper men vs boys domination, but we just don't put teams away, which leaves us exposed to that kind of second half comeback. The stats at half time were something like 100% completion, 11 offloads and 5 line breaks. You give the Storm those numbers in the first half, they put on 40 and the match is already over. We should never have been in that position.

I think Jed Stuart is going to give us a lot of joy over the next however many years. He has the speed of a winger, the hands of a centre, you look at him from behind and he has the size of a back rower, and he has the pedigree of a half back. He looks like he could play anywhere from 1-6 or 11-13.

 

[moto748]

If Tigers fans want to see what they’re getting with KPP, watch that 3rd try the Raiders just scored.

Utterly pathetic in defence.

I can’t tell you how glad I am to be rid of him. All potential, no substance.

Heh! I came here to say, having just watched the two Friday games, if Benji is really in for KPP, then my faith in him as a coach goes down a notch! He has been absolutely stealing a living at Newcastle IMO. Goes missing for a pastime, regularly out-played by a rookie on the other flank, he's always the dummy runner and never seems to want the ball. When do you ever see him make an intelligent, angled run at the line in attack, which is one of the prime jobs of a second-rower, surely? He certainly put a lot more effort in when he was in a Wigan jersey.

 

[Roobs321]

Feels good to wake up on top of the ladder. When was the last time we were top this deep into a season? Maybe snatched a week somewhere in the Stuart era, but my mind goes back to 2003 (R20)

 

[PhatBoy]

Feels good to wake up on top of the ladder. When was the last time we were top this deep into a season? Maybe snatched a week somewhere in the Stuart era, but my mind goes back to 2003 (R20)

I sort of keep waiting for it to fall apart - not in an ‘I want it to happen’ way (I’m indifferent on the raiders, used to be my second team, now I neither like nor dislike them) - just in an ‘oh they will disappear like most seasons’ way but I think it’s fair to say they’re the real deal.

 

[Paul Kersey]

On way to game - hopefully the boys take a big fat dump on Cronulla and old mate Ronaldo cops a hard hit (or 10).