We close out NRL Round 2 with a clash between the Dolphins and Dragons at Kayo Stadium, with two sides who had vastly different round 1 results. The Dragons will be looking to build off their surprising round 1 effort, whilst the Dolphins will want a much better performance this week.
Below, we will dissect the matchup, supply our Best Bet, and suggest a Same Game Multi. Be sure to head over to our NRL Tips regularly, as we preview every single game all season long, for free!
Also, if you’re new to sports betting or betting on the NRL, check out the following articles to help build your knowledge:
- Guide to Betting on the NRL
- Where to Bet on the NRL
- Factors to Consider When Betting on the NRL
NRL Round 2 Preview & Betting Tips
Dolphins vs St George Illawarra Dragons
Kayo Stadium, Sunday 17th March, 6:15pm (AEDT)
Last Week
The Dolphins put up one of the worst performances in round 1, going down 43-18 to the Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium. Wayne Bennett has swung the axe early, dropping Tesi Niu and Sean O’Sullivan, with Jake Averillo and Isaiya Katoa coming in as replacements. The Dolphins allowed over 2000 metres from the Cowboys, and they need a far better performance in the forwards if they’re any chance this week.
The Dragons kicked off their 2024 campaign with a terrific performance, spanking the Titans 28-4 on the Gold Coast. The Dragons looked strong and fit, with Head Coach Shane Flanagan having his fingerprints all over this squad early. The Dragons ran for over 1700 metres, whilst offloading 10 times and making 6 line-breaks. They made far too many errors (15), but the Titans weren’t good enough to take advantage. Will the Dolphins be good enough?
Match Preview
The Dragons and Dolphins met twice last season, with the Dragons hammering the Dolphins in round 5 at WIN Stadium, with the Dolphins repaying the favour in round 13, winning 26-12 at Kayo Stadium. Of note, the round 13 matchup was during Origin, with both teams missing key players.
This matchup has seen the biggest move in the market since open, with the Dolphins opening as 5.5-point favourites before last Sunday’s games. After both teams round 1 performance, the market has corrected a full 7 points, with the Dragons now 1.5-point favourites. It’s easy to agree with the move, as the Dolphins performed well below what was expected of them last week, whilst the Dragons looked far better than pre-season expectations. Obviously, it would have been nice to get on at a better number, but I believe the Dragons should win this matchup easily, unless the Dolphins can drastically improve their performance.
As for the total, it opened at 45.5, where it has remained all weekend. This is exactly the total I would make this matchup, and as such I have no play on the game total.
Ultimately, I didn’t see nearly enough from the Dolphins last week to suggest they can turn things around this week. They were extremely poor to end season 2023 and look just as poor to start their 2024 campaign. The Dragons look a level above the Dolphins early in the season, and right now appear the only side I can back in this one.
Dragons to Win
$1.93 (1.5 Units)
Same Game Multi
Dolphins (team total) under 21.5 – The Dragons looked solid in defence last week, and I trust them to keep the Dolphins under 4 tries in this one.
Mikaele Ravalawa (1+ try) – The Dolphins right side defence was horrific last week. Yes, with Averillo coming in for Niu it should look better, but with new combinations on that edge, expect the Dragons to go left.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (1+ try) – The Hammer had one of his worst games for years last week, and he will want to make up for it here. Scored tries for fun last season, and he gets off the mark for season 2024 here.
SGM Odds: $10.77 at Neds
