The NRL Round 3 tips and predictions for the 2026 season are in, with the Rugby League Zone expert panel analysing every match of the weekend.
Our panel has reviewed the latest team lists, injury news, head-to-head records and early season form to deliver their picks for all eight games, including blockbuster clashes like Roosters vs Panthers and Storm vs Broncos.
Submit Your Round 3 Tips Here → ESPN FootyTips
Round 3 Fixtures & Expert Predictions
Canberra Raiders vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (GIO Stadium – Thu Mar 19, 8:00pm AEDT)
Sydney Roosters vs Penrith Panthers (Allianz Stadium – Fri Mar 20, 6:00pm AEDT)
Melbourne Storm vs Brisbane Broncos (AAMI Park – Fri Mar 20, 8:00pm AEDT)
Newcastle Knights vs New Zealand Warriors (McDonald Jones Stadium – Sat Mar 21, 3:00pm AEDT)
Cronulla Sharks vs Dolphins (Sharks Stadium – Sat Mar 21, 5:30pm AEDT)
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Wests Tigers (Polytec Stadium, Gosford – Sat Mar 21, 7:35pm AEDT)
Parramatta Eels vs St George Illawarra Dragons (CommBank Stadium – Sun Mar 22, 4:05pm AEDT)
North Queensland Cowboys vs Gold Coast Titans (Queensland Country Bank Stadium – Sun Mar 22, 6:15pm AEDT)
| Game / Writer | Matt Pritchard | Andrew Pelechaty | Brendan Wood | Chris Petrie | Jem Nash | Lachlan Jeffery | Mathew Williams | Matt Attard | Nathan Smith | Shannon Meyer | Round Total Correct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score (Season) | 9/16 | 8/16 | 7/16 | 10/16 | 9/16 | 13/16 | 9/16 | 13/16 | 8/16 | 9/16 | 95/160 (59.4%) |
| Raiders vs Bulldogs | Bulldogs by 8 ✅ | Raiders by 6 ❌ | Raiders by 4 ❌ | Bulldogs by 8 ✅ | Bulldogs by 4 ✅ | Raiders by 4 ❌ | Bulldogs by 4 ✅ | Raiders by 10 ❌ | Raiders by 1 ❌ | Raiders by 6 ❌ | |
| Roosters vs Panthers | Panthers by 14 ✅ | Panthers by 10 ✅ | Panthers by 10 ✅ | Panthers by 12 ✅ | Panthers by 10 ✅ | Panthers by 12 ✅ | Panthers by 10 ✅ | Panthers by 16 ✅ | Panthers by 8 ✅ | Panthers by 2 ✅ | |
| Storm vs Broncos | Storm by 20 ❌ | Storm by 14 ❌ | Storm by 16 ❌ | Storm by 10 ❌ | Storm by 18 ❌ | Storm by 18 ❌ | Storm by 12 ❌ | Storm by 20 ❌ | Storm by 16 ❌ | Storm by 22 ❌ | |
| Knights vs Warriors | Warriors by 6 ✅ | Warriors by 20 ✅ | Warriors by 10 ✅ | Warriors by 6 ✅ | Warriors by 2 ✅ | Warriors by 6 ✅ | Warriors by 10 ✅ | Warriors by 16 ✅ | Warriors by 10 ✅ | Warriors by 6 ✅ | |
| Sharks vs Dolphins | Sharks by 4 ❌ | Sharks by 14 ❌ | Sharks by 20 ❌ | Sharks by 12 ❌ | Sharks by 6 ❌ | Sharks by 8 ❌ | Sharks by 8 ❌ | Sharks by 14 ❌ | Sharks by 12 ❌ | Sharks by 14 ❌ | |
| Rabbitohs vs Tigers | Rabbitohs by 6 ✅ | Rabbitohs by 4 ✅ | Rabbitohs by 8 ✅ | Rabbitohs by 6 ✅ | Rabbitohs by 2 ✅ | Rabbitohs by 4 ✅ | Rabbitohs by 10 ✅ | Rabbitohs by 8 ✅ | Rabbitohs by 2 ✅ | Tigers by 8 ❌ | |
| Eels vs Dragons | Eels by 16 ✅ | Eels by 8 ✅ | Eels by 4 ✅ | Eels by 8 ✅ | Eels by 6 ✅ | Eels by 12 ✅ | Eels by 14 ✅ | Eels by 10 ✅ | Eels by 12 ✅ | Eels by 1 ✅ | |
| Cowboys vs Titans | Cowboys by 6 ✅ | Cowboys by 4 ✅ | Cowboys by 6 ✅ | Titans by 4 ❌ | Titans by 4 ❌ | Titans by 2 ❌ | Titans by 6 ❌ | Titans by 12 ❌ | Titans by 10 ❌ | Cowboys by 20 ✅ | |
| Round Score | 6/8 | 5/8 | 5/8 | 5/8 | 5/8 | 4/8 | 5/8 | 4/8 | 4/8 | 4/8 | 47/80 |
NRL Round 3 Predictions
Here are the Rugby League Zone expert predictions for every match in Round 3 of the 2026 NRL season.
| Match | Prediction | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Raiders vs Bulldogs | Raiders | Medium |
| Roosters vs Panthers | Panthers | High |
| Storm vs Broncos | Storm | Very High |
| Knights vs Warriors | Warriors | High |
| Sharks vs Dolphins | Sharks | High |
| Rabbitohs vs Tigers | Rabbitohs | High |
| Eels vs Dragons | Eels | Very High |
| Cowboys vs Titans | Titans | Medium |
| Match | Consensus | Avg Margin |
|---|---|---|
| Raiders vs Bulldogs | Raiders | Raiders by 5 |
| Roosters vs Panthers | Panthers | Panthers by 10 |
| Storm vs Broncos | Storm | Storm by 17 |
| Knights vs Warriors | Warriors | Warriors by 9 |
| Sharks vs Dolphins | Sharks | Sharks by 11 |
| Rabbitohs vs Tigers | Rabbitohs | Rabbitohs by 5 |
| Eels vs Dragons | Eels | Eels by 9 |
| Cowboys vs Titans | Titans | Titans by 7 |
RLZ Best Bet – Round 3
The strongest consensus pick from the RLZ panel this week is Melbourne Storm to defeat the Brisbane Broncos at AAMI Park, with all 10 experts tipping the Storm.
Predicted margin: Storm by 17 points
Upset Watch
The most divided game this week is Raiders vs Bulldogs, with the panel split 6–4 in favour of Canberra.
This shapes as one of the most unpredictable games of the round.
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NRL Tips FAQ
Who are the favourites in NRL Round 3?
The Panthers, Storm and Eels are strong favourites according to the Rugby League Zone expert panel.
How accurate are RLZ expert tips?
The RLZ panel currently sits at a 59% success rate after two rounds of the 2026 season.
Where can I submit my own NRL tips?
Fans can enter their selections via the Rugby League Zone FootyTips competition.
