Round three NRL tips: Brad Fittler expects rot to continue as 'bad situation' that led to halfback's axing festers
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Cowboys coach Todd Payten continues to make statements at the selection table but his latest shake-up won't stop the team from plunging to a 0-3 start to the season according to Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler.
North Queensland on Friday night visit Suncorp Stadium to face the Broncos in a much-anticipated Queensland derby, with both teams licking their wounds.
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The Broncos were arguably the most impressive team in round one, thrashing the Roosters in Sydney, before copping a stunning reality check at the hands of Ricky Stuart's Raiders in Canberra.
Reece Robson of the Cowboys speaks to players after a Sharks try. Getty
While that result was a shock, the Cowboys' formline is of greater concern and Payten has attempted to address it by recalling representative star Jeremiah Nanai and $1 million-a-season front-rower Jason Taumalolo, while axing young halfback Tom Duffy.
Noting those changes in Wide World of Sports' Freddy and the Eighth's Tips, Fittler expressed doubt that they would have the desired impact, given the team's leaky edge defence has been largely to blame for conceding 42 points against Manly and then 36 points against Cronulla.
"Well the Cowboys coach has made a move, he's brought back Nanai, Taumalolo's back, and also Jake Clifford (replacing Duffy at halfback)," Fittler said.
"Nanai's on the bench. They've got Robert Derby as well, the Papua New Guinean centre, good player.
"Poor old Duffy just got thrown into a bad situation..."
Johns agreed, that Duffy had been hung out to dry.
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"Especially playing behind a forward pack that's not going forward," Johns said. "For a young half it's impossible."
Both tipped the Broncos to win a game that will bring back bad memories for Ben Hunt, with the star half wearing a Brisbane jersey against the Cowboys for the first time since the 2015 grand final, in which he famously dropped the kick-off to start golden point extra time, moments before Johnathan Thurston kicked a field-goal to win an instant classic, delivering the Cowboys their first and to date only premiership.
Scroll below for the current leaderboard and Round 3 tips by all Nine's expert tipsters!
Nine's NRL tipping leaderboard. Nine
Andrew Johns: Storm, Warriors, Broncos, Sharks, Dolphins, Knights, Bulldogs, Manly
Brad Fittler: Storm, Roosters, Broncos, Sharks, Tigers, Knights, Bulldogs, Manly
Paul Gallen: Storm, Roosters, Broncos, Sharks, Dolphins, Titans, Bulldogs, Manly
Ruan Sims: Storm, Warriors, Broncos, Sharks, Tigers, Knights, Bulldogs, Raiders
Johnathan Thurston: Storm, Warriors, Cowboys, Sharks, Dolphins, Titans, Bulldogs, Raiders
Danika Mason: Storm, Warriors, Broncos, Sharks, Tigers, Knights, Bulldogs, Sea Eagles
David Middleton: Storm, Warriors, Broncos, Sharks, Tigers, Knights, Bulldogs, Sea Eagles
Mat Thompson: Storm, Warriors, Broncos, Sharks, Tigers, Titans, Bulldogs, Manly
Peter Psaltis: Storm, Roosters, Broncos, Sharks, Dolphins, Titans, Bulldogs, Raiders
Michael Chammas: Storm, Warriors, Broncos, Sharks, Tigers, Titans, Bulldogs, Sea Eagles
The Mole: Storm, Warriors, Broncos, Sharks, Wests Tigers, Knights, Bulldogs, Sea Eagles
Ben Glover: Storm, Warriors, Broncos, Sharks, Tigers, Titans, Eels, Sea Eagles
