NRL: Roosters boosted by star duo return

Sydney Roosters and Melbourne Storm will be out to prove their premiership credentials when they clash at Allianz Stadium on Thursday night.

The Storm have started the season strongly with four wins from their opening five games and are priced at 6.50 to win the 2024 grand final.

The Roosters can be backed at 9.00 to do the same, and have won three and lost three so far this season.

There is not much to separate the two sides, who are both packed with talented players, so it should be an exciting game to kick off round seven.

The Roosters will be hoping home advantage and the return of James Tedesco will help swing things their way.

. What: Sydney Roosters v Melbourne Storm
. Where: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
. When: 19:50 (AEST), Thursday 18th April 2024
. How to watch: Kayo, Foxtel, Channel 9
. Odds: Sydney Roosters 1.87, Melbourne Storm 1.95

Top duo back for Roosters

The Roosters picked up their third win of the season when beating Newcastle Knights by two points on Thursday night.

The win came on the back of defeats against Penrith Panthers and Canterbury Bulldogs, and they will be keen to pick up another two points against the Storm.

Skipper James Tedesco and playmaker Sam Walker both missed the win over the Knights through concussion, but are in line to return.

Joey Manu was outstanding when filling in for Tedesco at fullback against the Knights, but the Roosters will be delighted to have their captain back.

Manu will switch back to centre as the Roosters look to pick up back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

Winger Daniel Tupou will also be key for Trent Robinson’s side after helping himself to a couple of tries against the Knights.

He now has five tries in six games and will be a huge threat to the Storm at Allianz Stadium.

Storm target first win on the road

Melbourne Storm have had the edge over Sydney Roosters in recent meetings and will look to keep it going when they clash again.

Indeed the Storm have won eight of the last nine meetings between the two sides.

They won both games in 2023, when beating the Roosters by five points at AAMI Park and 30-16 in Sydney.

It is likely to be a close encounter on this occasion and the Storm are priced at 3.10 to win by 1-12 points.

The Bondi outfit can also be backed at 4.75 to win by 30+ points.

Although the Storm have been in good form when winning four games, all four of the wins have been on home soil at AAMI Park.

The one defeat came in Sydney, when losing by two points to Newcastle, and they will be keen to put that right and win on the road.

Xavier Coates loves playing against the Roosters, scoring seven tries in the last three games against them, and will be looking to get amongst the tries once again.