Round five tips: 'Lucky' judiciary verdicts set stage for classic Ricky Stuart 'ambush'
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No one saw the Raiders coming when they sprung an upset against the Broncos in round two and Andrew Johns can see a similar result coming when Ricky Stuart's men host the Sharks on Thursday night.
While the bookies have listed the Raiders as $2.32 outsiders on the back of two straight losses, the Eighth Immortal is backing them to continue winning ways at home in just their second outing for the season in Canberra.
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"Ambush by Ricky," Johns told Wide World of Sports' Freddy and the Eighth's Tips.
"We saw three weeks ago the Raiders, they gave it to Brisbane, 32-22. They gave it to them. This will be the same."
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart is an expert at the art of the ambush. Getty
Johns said he liked the look of the Raiders' pack, adding that they'd been lucky to be able to field their best middles after Josh Papalii and Corey Horsburgh were charged after Canberra's loss to the Cowboys but escaped suspension. Joseph Tapine was also put on report in the game but was not charged over a 'chicken wing' tackle.
"They've had some luck with the judiciary, Papalii, Tapine and Big Red, Horsburgh, all got off, pretty lucky actually."
On the flipside the Sharks are missing Kayal Iro, Siosifa Talakai and Teig Wilton, weakening their line-up to travel to the nation's capital.
"I'm tipping an upset, I really like the Raiders down there," Johns added.
He wasn't the only one, with Nine's expert tipsters almost split down the middle by the Thursday night game.
With criticism raining down on Sharks playmaker Nicho Hynes, to the point that the club's chairman Steve Mace has slammed it as "un-Australian" Johns added in his column for The Sydney Morning Herald, that it was time for the $1 million-a-season halfback to stand up.
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"He does his best work down the right side with Jesse Ramien getting one on one. This is the blueprint for me: put (Braydon) Trindall in charge and on the ball, as they did last year, and don't overload or confuse Nicho with too much right now," Johns wrote.
"I spoke on The Sunday Footy Show and said I just don't know how you rebuild Nicho into the Dally M Medal halfback that he was three years ago. These right-side plays are the tactical side of things to get him into a position he knows well and excels in out the back as second-receiver.
"But as far as building that confidence back up in him, that's a big challenge for Fitzgibbon, and it won't happen overnight."
Scroll below for the current leaderboard and Round 5 tips by all Nine's expert tipsters!
Nine's NRL tipping leaderboard. Nine
Andrew Johns: Raiders, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Eels, Titans, Broncos, Sea Eagles, Knights
Brad Fittler: Raiders, Panthers, Roosters, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Sea Eagles, Bulldogs
Ruan Sims: Sharks, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Storm, Bulldogs
Darren Lockyer: Sharks, Cowboys, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Dolphins, Broncos, Storm, Bulldogs
Danika Mason: Raiders, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Storm, Bulldogs
Mat Thompson: Raiders, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Storm, Dogs
Michael Chammas: Raiders, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Sea Eagles, Bulldogs
Peter Psaltis: Sharks, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Storm, Bulldogs
David Middleton: Raiders, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Eels, Titans, Broncos, Sea Eagles, Bulldogs
The Mole: Sharks, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Storm, Bulldogs
Ben Glover: Raiders, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Sea Eagles, Bulldogs
