NRL Round 20 Tips & Predictions 2026: Expert Picks for Every Game
The Rugby League Zone (RLZ) expert panel has delivered its verdicts for Women In League Round 20, and the results are in! While there's complete agreement on three fixtures, with the Panthers, Sharks, and Warriors earning unanimous support, heavyweight clashes like Roosters vs Storm and Raiders vs Rabbitohs have split opinions across the panel.
As for the tipsters, Matt Attard leads the RLZ tipping standings on 86 correct tips. Now's your chance to make your move on the Rugby League Zone Tipping Leaderboard. Get your selections in before kick-off and see how your footy IQ stacks up against our tipsters.
Unanimous selections
The panel unanimously agrees on three fixtures:
- Panthers over Broncos
- Warriors over Dragons
Strong consensus
There's also a strong consensus on the following fixtures, with the majority of writers picking one team over the other:
- Sharks over Knights (8-1)
- Roosters over Storm (7-2)
Leaning favourites
While some writers are leaning towards one team over the other, the majority of writers still have a clear favourite:
- Bulldogs over Wests Tigers (5-4)
- Sea Eagles over Titans (6-3)
- Dolphins over Cowboys (5-4)
True toss-up
One fixture has the panel split, with a near-even split in predictions:
- Raiders vs Rabbitohs: Raiders 4 / Rabbitohs 5
The tipsters
Here's a breakdown of the tipsters' overall scores and their predictions for each fixture:
| Game / Writer | Matt Pritchard | Andrew Pelechaty | Brendan Wood | Jem Nash | Lachlan Jeffery | Mathew Williams | Matt Attard | Nathan Smith | Shannon Meyer | Total |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panthers vs Broncos | Panthers by 8 | Panthers by 20 | Panthers by 12 | Panthers by 14 | Panthers by 24 | Panthers by 18 | Panthers by 38 | Panthers by 20 | Panthers by 12 | Panthers by 20 |
| Sharks vs Knights | Sharks by 16 | Sharks by 6 | Sharks by 6 | Sharks by 6 | Sharks by 12 | Knights by 4 | Sharks by 14 | Sharks by 8 | Sharks by 10 | Sharks by 16 |
| Roosters vs Storm | Roosters by 4 | Roosters by 4 | Roosters by 16 | Roosters by 10 | Storm by 6 | Roosters by 8 | Roosters by 12 | Roosters by 8 | Storm by 8 | Roosters by 4 |
| Raiders vs Rabbitohs | Raiders by 10 | Raiders by 2 | Raiders by 4 | Rabbitohs by 2 | Raiders by 4 | Rabbitohs by 12 | Raiders by 4 | Rabbitohs by 6 | Rabbitohs by 2 | Raiders by 10 |
| Warriors vs Dragons | Warriors by 8 | Warriors by 14 | Warriors by 16 | Warriors by 24 | Warriors by 30 | Warriors by 16 | Warriors by 22 | Warriors by 14 | Warriors by 20 | Warriors by 8 |
| Bulldogs vs Tigers | Bulldogs by 14 | Bulldogs by 10 | Bulldogs by 10 | Bulldogs by 8 | Bulldogs by 20 | Tigers by 8 | Bulldogs by 10 | Tigers by 8 | Tigers by 8 | Bulldogs by 1 |
| Titans vs Sea Eagles | Sea Eagles by 6 | Sea Eagles by 12 | Sea Eagles by 4 | Sea Eagles by 6 | Titans by 2 | Titans by 4 | Sea Eagles by 10 | Sea Eagles by 8 | Titans by 4 | Sea Eagles by 6 |
| Dolphins vs Cowboys | Cowboys by 1 | Dolphins by 6 | Dolphins by 2 | Cowboys by 4 | Dolphins by 10 | Cowboys by 8 | Dolphins by 8 | Cowboys by 10 | Dolphins by 16 | Cowboys by 1 |
| Round Score | -/8 | -/8 | -/8 | -/8 | -/8 | -/8 | -/8 | -/8 | -/8 | -/80 |
Personal commentary
As an expert commentator, I find the RLZ panel's predictions fascinating, especially the near-unanimous agreement on the Panthers, Sharks, and Warriors fixtures. This suggests a strong consensus among the writers, and it will be interesting to see if this holds up throughout the season.
One thing that immediately stands out is the split opinions on the Roosters vs Storm and Raiders vs Rabbitohs fixtures. This highlights the unpredictability of the NRL, and it will be interesting to see how these fixtures play out. In my opinion, the Roosters have a slight edge over the Storm, while the Raiders have a slight edge over the Rabbitohs.
If you take a step back and think about it, the RLZ panel's predictions reflect the current form of the teams and the strength of their lineups. However, the NRL is known for its unpredictability, and upsets are always a possibility. This raises a deeper question: how do the writers' predictions reflect their understanding of the game, and what factors influence their choices?
A detail that I find especially interesting is the tipsters' overall scores. While Matt Attard leads with 86 correct tips, the other writers' scores are close behind. This suggests a high level of expertise among the panel, and it will be interesting to see how their predictions evolve throughout the season.
What this really suggests is that the NRL is a highly competitive league, with strong teams and talented players. The writers' predictions reflect their analysis of the current form and strengths of the teams, but the unpredictability of the game means that upsets are always a possibility. This makes the NRL an exciting league to follow, and it will be interesting to see how the season unfolds.
In conclusion, the RLZ panel's predictions for Women In League Round 20 offer a fascinating insight into the current form and strengths of the teams. While the writers' opinions may differ, their expertise and analysis provide a valuable perspective on the NRL. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how their predictions evolve and how the teams perform on the field.
