The 2017 NRL season has reached finals time and there are four exciting matches to be played in the opening weekend. We take a look at all four games in our NRL Finals Week 1 Preview and Betting Tips below.
NRL Finals Week 1 Betting Tips
Sydney Roosters vs Brisbane Broncos (Friday 7.55pm AEST)
To kick the finals series off we will see the Sydney Roosters face off with the Brisbane Broncos. The Roosters were far from their best last week against the Gold Coast Titans and they relied on a rally in the final five minutes to secure the victory and a home semi-final. The Roosters were trailing for the majority of the match despite having everything to play for. The Roosters were at near full strength so there is no excuse for their poor performance.
Meanwhile the Broncos were clinical to start the match against the Cowboys and Anthony Milford was putting on a show as he carved up their defence. However, disaster struck just before half-time as Darius Boyd went down with a hamstring injury in the final play. The Broncos went on to win the match but they limped to a 20-10 victory. Boyd will miss Friday nights contest and Kodi Nikorima will start at fullback. It is a huge loss for the Broncos as Boyd does a lot for Brisbane defensively and contributes a lot in attack. His absence will be felt while the Roosters will put together an improved performance. The home field advantage will play its part too as the Roosters hold on for a narrow victory to advance to the preliminary final.
TIP: Roosters at the margin (1-12) – $2.88 with Sportsbet
Melbourne Storm vs Parramatta Eels (Saturday 4.10pm AEST)
The Eels will enter the finals series on the back of an impressive run. They were sitting outside the eight only two and half months ago but they locked up a top four spot with a win against the Rabbitohs on Friday night. The Eels were forced to work in the game but ultimately they got the victory. Corey Norman and Mitchell Moses have been impressive since combining in the halves but if the Eels are going to stand a chance of defeating the Storm on the road on Saturday afternoon then they will need Semi Radradra to be the difference. He has scored seven tries in his past two games and is capable of turning a match. The more ball he touches, the more chance the Eels have of winning.
The Storm locked up the minor premiership a fortnight ago and they did nothing in the final two weeks to look anything other than premiership favourites. The side annihilated the Rabbitohs before they defeated the Raiders comfortably last week. To make matters worse for the Eels, Cameron Smith will be celebrating his 356th game in the NRL which will make him the most capped player of all time and there is no team that does milestone matches better. The Storm are notorious for earning large victories in Cooper Cronk’s, Billy Slater’s and Smith’s milestone matches and we can see a similar score line happening in this one.
TIP: Storm at the margin (13+) – $2.00 with William Hill
Manly Sea Eagles vs Penrith Panthers (7.40pm AEST)
We predicted this outcome last week, the Panthers and Sea Eagles will play each other in back-to-back weeks and funnily enough we will be predicting the Panthers to turn the tables on the Sea Eagles and advance in the finals series.
The Sea Eagles have had a roller coaster season but they finished their year off in style. Their forwards were too big and too strong for the Panthers as they muscled up defensively and stopped their go forward. However, we are predicting the forward pack of the Panthers to get one back on the Sea Eagles as they look to return the favour. Trent Merrin has been included in the starting line up while we believe Bryce Cartwright will get an extended run off the bench in an attempt to improve their offence. Matt Moylan will likely be out for the remainder of the year because he is seeking mental health help but in a boost for the Panthers’ chances Dylan Edwards was named on an extended bench. It would be a huge boost for Edwards to be included in the side.
Meanwhile the Sea Eagles will name an unchanged line up for the contest. We are predicting the Sea Eagles to come into the match with a similar game plan but things won’t go their way as much in this one and Daly Cherry-Evans won’t adjust quickly enough and the Sea Eagles season will come to an end.
TIP: Panthers to win – $2.40 with CrownBet
Cronulla Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys (Sunday 4pm AEST)
The North Queensland Cowboys limped into the finals with all of their injuries impacting the sides performance. They were defeated quite convincingly by the Broncos last week and failed to look dangerous in attack with their star playermaker Johnathan Thurston on the sideline. Michael Morgan and Lachlan Coote will do their best to create something for the away side while Jason Tuamalolo will be at his damaging best but ultimately the Cowboys are too hurt to cause an upset in this one.
Meanwhile the Sharks were able to finish their season on a high note with a victory against the Knights in Newcastle. The Sharks ran out to an early 18-0 lead but they took their foot of the accelerator. They have rarely put together an 80-minute performance this season and they will need to improve to contest for back-to-back premierships. However, we believe they will do enough to advance this weekend.
TIP: Sharks at the line (-8) – $1.90 with William Hill
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