The opening match of NRL Round 10 will begin in Brisbane this week, almost a dress rehearsal of what is to come in Round 11 with Magic Round. This game will see the Dolphins host the Sea Eagles in an important game for both sides. They sit 4th and 5th respectively and being separated by just 1 competition point. The NRL action has been exhilarating to start the season and this game promises to continue the trend of exciting matches. Before You Bet is here to take a detailed look at the action ahead.
2024 NRL Round 10 Preview & Betting Tips
The Dolphins vs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Suncorp Stadium – Thursday 9th May – 7:50pm (AEST)
Match Preview
The Dolphins jumped up the table (and the NRL Power Rankings) with a spirited 28-26 victory over the Cowboys in Townsville. Heading into the game as outsiders, most thought the task of winning was beyond them and that appeared likely as they fell behind 10-nil after 8 minutes. Such is their resilience, they fought their way back into the contest and trailed 22-18 at HT, before eventually prevailing on the back of exciting attacking play and rigid second half defence. It was a pleasing performance as they completed at 85% with 51% possession; they did this while trailing total metres, pcm’s and line breaks. They also missed more tackles (32) over 80 minutes. The fact that they still prevailed says a lot about the mentality of this team.
Had the Sea Eagles performed to a similar standard, they wouldn’t have been defeated by the Raiders in Round 9. After a strong first half display, they appeared in control of the match, leading 20-6 at HT. A horrible second half saw them fall apart in defence and only manage just one try in attack. They were poor and allowed their opponents several opportunities to get themselves back into the match. Their inferior completion rate (79%) impacted their ability to build pressure; they also trailed the Raiders in total metres and pcm’s, while also missing 35 total tackles. Usually, it is their opponents falling away in contests but not this time around. If they can make this an isolated performance, it will not derail their campaign too much.
Match Prediction
The Dolphins head into another week as outsiders ($2.15 vs $1.70) but that will cause little concern for them as it is something they are accustomed to. They are boosted with the return of Farnworth at centre and Bromwich in the middle. Both are key inclusions which strengthen their team. The Sea Eagles are relatively unchanged from last week but have the cover the loss of Croker at hooker; his role in the team is undervalued at times as he is the one leading the forwards around the field. This provides the Dolphins with a chance of controlling the ruck and pressuring the Sea Eagles’ forwards.
These two sides have met just once, with the Sea Eagles recording a dominant 40-point victory. The home side is a far superior outfit to the one which featured in that contest. With both teams averaging the same number of points in attack (26ppg), the deciding factor could be defence. The Dolphins have a slight edge here (20ppg vs 22ppg); the Sea Eagles have leaked too many points against inferior opposition this season. A ‘bounce back’ is expected from last week on both sides of the ball and there is no doubting their exciting attacking options which they possess. If they gather enough momentum, they are a difficult team to stop. So too are the Dolphins on their day and given the similarities between both sides, it is preferable to invest on this game being a close contest and enjoying everything this match has to offer. Each team is capable of a commanding victory on their day, but the strength of their opponent should kept this contest tight until the end.
Either Team by 8.5 Points or Less
$2.25 (2 Units)
Same Game Multi
With both sides having a good ability to score points, this game is expected to go over the total on offer. As for the try scorers, Bostock, and Garrick (equal) are the leaders for their clubs. Bostock can finish a sweeping attacking move on the edge and the Dolphins demonstrated how dangerous they were there last week. Garrick will take his chances when he gets his hands on the ball, so look for him to be going close at numerous stages throughout the match.
Total Points Over 47.5
Bostock to Score
Garrick to Score
SGM Odds: $7 at Ladbrokes (0.5 Units)
