Good Friday NRL action begins with the traditional clash between the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs at Homebush. Always a fixture which fans look forward to, the Bulldogs will want to continue their winning momentum. With just 2 wins to their name, the Rabbitohs stand in their way and will be desperate to climb up the competition ladder; the NRL Power Rankings suggest they are a far better side than their current standing on the ladder. As always, Before You Bet will have you covered across all sporting codes this weekend and with a day off, there is no greater opportunity to study the previews of the weekends sporting action.
NRL Round 6 Preview & Betting Tips
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Accor Stadium, Friday 7th April, 4:05pm (EST)
The Bulldogs made a statement in their 15-14 Golden Point victory over the Cowboys. Scoring a 79th minute try to push the game into extra time, they demonstrated fight and were rewarded with a positive result. With 52% possession, they completed at 81%, dominating metres made and post contact metres, as well as line breaks. All of this was in testing conditions.
The Rabbitohs were defeated 18-10 by the Storm at home and were again let down by their own errors. Dominating most areas, mistakes at key stages halted their momentum. If they want to win matches, they cannot afford such efforts; the Storm were vulnerable and they failed to make the most of that opportunity, especially considering they still only have 2 victories so far this season.
Form, quality, and player availability suggests that the Rabbitohs should win this contest. This is also reflected in betting markets, with the Rabbitohs strong favourites ($3.70 vs $1.28). The Bulldogs lost a further 3 players from Sunday’s match and had to apply to the NRL for exemption to field 21 players this week. The Rabbitohs are not without their issues, with flying winger, Alex Johnston, ruled out through concussion. Recent history and home ground advantage (while not their home game) also favours the Rabbitohs; they have won the past 4 meetings between these two sides and hold a superior record here (54% vs 58%). The same 4-game period has seen high scoring affairs, with the average total points scored being 56.
This game will be won or lost in two areas; the forwards and the number of mistakes each team makes. The Rabbitohs have a stronger pack and will need to dominate this area to negate the impact of Mahoney and Burton. If not, the Rabbitohs outside backs will be targeted. Both teams also commit a lot of errors (Rabbitohs 3rd – 13.3 vs Bulldogs 4th -13.0). The team who commits fewer in this game should win. The line has been set well (11.5 points) and there is a sense of timing about this game for the Rabbitohs. The Bulldogs are a capable team on their day but have had 3 draining contests in a row (Tigers – hot, Warriors – in NZ & Cowboys – physical). The timing for the Rabbitohs may just mean that this is their breakout match against a team which still makes some defensive errors. Confidence isn’t too high, so invest a smaller amount on this fixture and look at other matches this weekend.
Same Game Multi
Rabbitohs (H2H), Total Points over 42.5, Graham & Mitchell to score @ $8.50 – 0.5 units
Rabbitohs -11.5
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
