Fox Sports Lab: Stats you need to know for NRL Round 8, from expert statistician Aaron Wallace

One streak will fall

The Warriors host just their second home ANZAC Day clash and are hoping for a change of luck this time around; they lost 32-28 to the Titans at home in 2015. ANZAC Day has not been successful for the Warriors, winning just two of 14 games; all but their loss to the Titans were played against the Storm in Melbourne. Their current ANZAC Day losing streak sits at eight defeats, yet their record against the Titans in Auckland offers some positive news, with eight wins from their past 10 starts.

Des Hasler is also hoping for a change of luck, as his 13 consecutive loss streak is fast approaching record territory in the NRL era (Since 1998). Only two coaches - Nathan Brown (19) for Newcastle in 2016-17, and Tom Raudonikis (14) for Wests in 1998-99 - have worse losing streaks. There is some hope in previous results for Des and the Titans as well: Hasler has his best record as a coach against the Warriors, winning 70 per cent of his games against them.

Two up?

St George Illawarra were last start winners against the Roosters, Ryan Carr’s first game as interim coach, and new coach Shane Flanagan would love the same result to give the Dragons their first back-to-back wins against the Roosters since 2011.

Since winning the 2010 grand final against Sydney, the “Red V” have won just seven of their next 25 games against them, a poor record in anyone’s books. Six of those wins, however, have come from their 12 ANZAC Day clashes.

Last season, the Roosters snuck home 27-26 in the first ANZAC clash at the new Allianz Stadium, continuing the recent trend of very close results; five of the past eight have been decided by two points or less.

Going South

Souths have won two of their past three games against Melbourne and after winning their most recent clash 28-12 at Magic round last year, the Bunnies are chasing consecutive wins against the Storm for the first time. However, there is a rather large elephant in the room: their record in Melbourne.

Souths have lost all 18 games they have played in Melbourne, with only the switch from Olympic Park to AAMI Park saving them from facing the all-time worst losing streak by a team at a venue (Illawarra lost 19 straight at Belmore). Half of their losses have been by 18 points or more, but they have come agonisingly close to snapping the streak several times in their past few trips south, with three losses from their past six trips by exactly one point.

Bounce back?

The Eels have won four of their past five games against Manly and after last week’s debacle in Darwin, continuing the good run is essential to keeping their season on track. The good news for Brad Arthur’s men is they have bounced back strongly after poor defensive performances in recent times, winning five of their past six games (all since 2021) the week after conceding 40 points or more.

Manly have won both of their games at Brookvale this season and are looking to start 3-0 there for the third time in three years. They have a good recent record against the Eels on the Peninsula, winning four of the previous five encounters.

CampbeLLLLLLLLLtown

Wests Tigers have lost nine straight games at Campbelltown, though they have never lost 10 straight at any venue. Brisbane is far from the ideal opponent to face this week in trying to snap that streak; the Tigers have never defeated them in Campbelltown, losing their past seven after a 24-all draw in the joint venture’s first-ever game.

Brisbane’s season has seemingly come to life with big wins over the Dolphins and Raiders, but both wins came at Suncorp Stadium. The Broncos are 4-0 at home this season but have lost all three away games.

Home ’Boys

The Cowboys have won both games they have played at QCB Stadium this season, continuing their good form from last year. They have won 10 of 14 games played in Townsville since the start of last season, compared with just six of 17 on the road.

The Cowboys are one of just five teams since 2020 to have defeated the Panthers more than once and a victory here would give them the second-best win record of any team against Penrith in that period; albeit they still would have won just three from eight games.

Hard crusade

The Knights have won just two of their past 11 games outside of NSW, but one of those wins came against the Dolphins in Perth late last season. They have lost all three games away from Newcastle so far in 2024.

500 reasons to win

The Sharks haven’t started a season 5-1 since their minor premiership-winning year in 1999 and are flying high on top of the table. A repeat of their 36-22 win over Canberra just three games ago will certainly keep them on top for another week and will give Cronulla a third-straight win over the Raiders for the first time since 2008, when Ricky Stuart was Sharks coach.

Ricky will be hoping to celebrate his 500th game as an NRL coach with a much-needed win and he will become just the fifth coach to reach that milestone. Of the four before him to do so (Wayne Bennett, Tim Sheens, Brian Smith and Craig Bellamy), only Bennett lost in game 500.

The Raiders have been disappointing on the road this season, with just one win from four games, but have won all three matches at GIO. Canberra have won their past four games at home against Cronulla, three of those by less than a converted try.