- 1 Sydney Roosters vs Dolphins: that 48-10 hammering from Round 13 still hasn t been forgotten
- 2 The Roosters get Tedesco back at exactly the right time
- 3 The Dolphins have not lost in Sydney all season
- 4 NRL prediction Sydney Roosters vs Dolphins
- 5 First, a word on our free tips
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Sydney Roosters vs Dolphins: that 48-10 hammering from Round 13 still hasn t been forgotten 
The Roosters were beaten 25-24 by the Wests Tigers last week. A side sitting near the bottom just snatched second place off them.
The damage was immediate in the table. Sydney drop to third, with the Dolphins right behind them in fourth.
It all comes down to Saturday, 29 August at Allianz Stadium, kick-off 17:30 Sydney time (9:30am in France). Two top-four spots are up for grabs in 80 minutes.
There is a memory in the Sydney dressing room that has not faded. In Round 13, the Dolphins put 48 past them and never looked troubled.
Kristian Woolf s side arrive with momentum after coming from behind to beat Parramatta. They were on the back foot early, then took control with a burst of tries and finished strongly.
That slow start has become a pattern for the Dolphins. The same thing happened in Round 23 against Brisbane.
Handing the Roosters a 10-point head start at home would be a much bigger gamble. Sydney are the kind of side that punish mistakes fast once they find space.
One stat does muddy the picture. The Dolphins have made three trips to Sydney this season and won all three.
The Roosters get Tedesco back at exactly the right time 
James Tedesco is back after missing three matches with an ankle injury. The captain returns at fullback, pushing Cody Ramsey to the bench.
His comeback comes straight after the poor showing against the Wests Tigers. Sydney need more certainty in the back end of the field.
The pack, though, takes a hit with Victor Radley out after a head knock. Nat Butcher starts in his place at lock.
Taylor Losalu joins the interchange alongside Spencer Leniu and Egan Butcher. The bench still has size, but it loses some sting without Radley.
Out wide, the numbers point firmly to the home side. Billy Smith has scored ten tries in his last eight appearances.
Mark Nawaqanitawase, meanwhile, loves this matchup. The right winger has five tries in two games against the Dolphins.
The halfback pairing of Daly Cherry-Evans and Sam Walker remains the beating heart of Sydney s attack. They ll need to set the tone early and force the pace in the opening 15 minutes.
The head-to-head record still leans heavily towards the Roosters, who have won four of the last five meetings. That 48-10 loss in Round 13 looks like a blip, not a trend.
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The Dolphins have not lost in Sydney all season 
Three trips to Sydney, three wins. That stat alone tells you the Dolphins won t be overawed by this one.
Kristian Woolf has not changed a thing after the Parramatta win. The same 17-man squad is named again.
The only tweak is in the rotation: Brian Pouniu drops back to the bench after starting last week. Max Plath takes over in the second row.
Kurt Donoghoe is among the reserves and is pushing for a return after a thumb injury picked up in Round 23. His versatility would give an already deep bench another option.
Up front, Jamayne Isaako is chasing a club record. He is four points short of the Dolphins single-season scoring mark.
The backline of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Herbie Farnworth and Selwyn Cobbo is still one of the most dangerous in the competition. It already did plenty of damage to the Roosters in the first meeting.
The halves duo of Kodi Nikorima and Isaiya Katoa brings the sort of speed and sharp decision-making that sparked the comeback against Parramatta. That is where the Dolphins can hurt teams away from home.
The real concern is that slow start they keep serving up. Falling behind Parramatta did not cost them. Doing it at Allianz Stadium might.
Probable Sydney Roosters line-up: Tedesco ; Smith, Savala, Toia, Nawaqanitawase ; Cherry-Evans, Walker ; Whyte, Robson, Collins, Foketi, Wong, N. Butcher. Bench : Watson, Leniu, E. Butcher, Losalu
Probable Dolphins line-up: Tabuai-Fidow ; Isaako, Bostock, Farnworth, Cobbo ; Nikorima, Katoa ; Flegler, Marshall-King, Gilbert, Plath, Finefeuiaki, Knowles. Bench : Stone, Molo, Kaufusi, Pouniu
NRL prediction Sydney Roosters vs Dolphins
Our prediction: Sydney Roosters to win
James Tedesco s return after three matches out changes the look of this team. Sydney get their strike runner back just when they need to lock down a top-four spot.
The Dolphins, by contrast, keep handing out slow starts, just as they did against Parramatta and earlier against Brisbane in Round 23. Against wingers with Billy Smith scoring ten tries in eight games, that kind of generosity gets punished.
The Roosters have won four of the last five against this opponent and head home with the Wests Tigers defeat still fresh in the mind. Sydney to take it.
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