After a massive ANZAC weekend of NRL, the 2017 NRL season continues this week with action returning to Thursday night. See our NRL Round 9 Preview and Betting Tips below.
2017 NRL Round 9 Betting Tips
Brisbane Broncos vs Penrith Panthers (Thursday 7.50pm AEST)
The Broncos escaped with victory against the Rabbitohs last Friday night but it was one of the more controversial matches in the last few years. There were a lot of decisions that favoured the Broncos and it left Bunnies fans, players and coaching staff furious. The Broncos defence was cracked on multiple occasions and they have had question marks around their attack this season, despite their top four status on the ladder. They have been unable to mount pressure on opponents and it is the second time over the past two weeks they have had a lucky escape. Kodi Nikorima is yet to stamp his authority on the side as the replacement halfback for Ben Hunt.
Meanwhile the Panthers enter this match in 14th spot on the ladder and they haven’t lived up to their expectations. Their attack was meant to be one of the strongest in the league but they have struggle to find points this season. Meanwhile their defence has been one of the worst as they are in the top five in missed tackles, ineffective tackles and linebreaks conceded. The side has been making a lot of errors and despite their potential, we can’t see them turning things around in Brisbane. The Broncos will escape with another narrow victory.
TIP: Broncos to win at the line (1-12) – $3.10 at Sportsbet
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Manly Sea Eagles (Friday 6pm AEST)
As mentioned above, the Rabbitohs were unfortunate to miss out on a victory against the Broncos. It would have been an even more impressive victory considering halfback Adam Reynolds was ruled out prior to kick off. Cody Walker and Sam Burgess stepped up to lead the backline and forward pack and the rest of the team put in a huge effort. They trailed early but showed a lot of character to not give up and level the scores on multiple occasions. Unfortunately for them things didn’t go there way and they suffered defeat.
The Sea Eagles are one of the hardest sides to tip this season and they have produced differing results on different days. Surprisingly the side has a perfect record on the road this year, winning there three matches away. Meanwhile they have suffered four defeats on home soil, winning just one. It is a strange record but one that will give the Sea Eagles confidence heading into this one. Daly Cherry-Evans regained form last week and Dylan Walker had an up and down performance but he iced the game with a penalty goal in extra time against the Raiders. The Sea Eagles forward pack stood up to the challenge and we are backing them to do the same in this one.
TIP: Sea Eagles to win – $1.82 at Ladbrokes
North Queensland Cowboys vs Parramatta Eels (Friday 7.50pm AEST)
The Eels were able to hold off the Panthers on the weekend to win their second straight match. Corey Norman has returned to his early season form in these two victories with Clint Gutherson being excellent at the back in replace of the injured Bevan French. Norman is at his best when he is taking on the line and keeping the defence in two minds. He has been able to do that in recent weeks and he will be looking to continue to straighten the attack this weekend. The Cowboys defence has been caught out on the inside this season and the Eels are good at attacking through this area.
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The Cowboys injury crisis is begginning to lessen but they are still without their two co-captains Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott. Thurston will return in a couple of weeks but Scott is out for the entire season with an ACL injury. Lachlan Coote could return this Friday night, which would be a massive inclusion for the home side, however it is likely the Cowboys won’t want to speed up his return because he has already reinjured the calf. Kalyn Ponga has been solid as a replacement but he is still very young. The Cowboys will challenge in this match but ultimately the Eels will prevail in a close contest.
TIP: Eels to win at the margin (1-12) – $3.50 at William Hill
Gold Coast Titans vs Newcastle Knights (Saturday 3pm AEST)
The two cellar dweller sides will be looking to pick up an important victory this weekend. The Knights have continued to play each match with enthusiasm but it is the same old story, they aren’t able to get the job done. They are clearly missing the x-factor required to break games open and are missing leadership in the forward pack. However, they will enter this match with confidence, having beaten the Titans in round 2 of this season. It is the only victory the red and blue have earned in the past year and they will be hoping they can earn back-to-back victories over the Gold Coast side.
The Titans were able to shock the defending premiers, and ruin a lot of multis, as they came out on top against the Sharks last week. The side had Jarryd Hayne return and he came in with a bang. Criticised for being lazy and not wanting to be there, he shut the critics up with a man of the match performance which involved him having a hand in all three of the Titans tries. If he is able to continue to improve and reach his previous heights, he will no doubt lead the Titans to many victories in the coming weeks.
TIP: Titans to win at the margin (1-12) – $3.10 at CrownBet
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs vs Canberra Raiders (Saturday 5.30pm AEST)
The Raiders and Bulldogs will enter this match on the back of a loss last week. Both came in close and grueling matches, with the Raiders loss hurting more as it went into extra time.
The Raiders had been riding a high for the previous month and they were looking at becoming premiership favourites. Their attack was scintiliating and they were hard to contain. However, the Sea Eagles used a tactic of kicking the ball into touch at the end of their sets and it allowed their defensive line to get set and avoided the dangerous back three of the Raiders getting their hands on the ball early. It proved to be a winning tactic and we are expecting the Bulldogs to implement it this Saturday.
However, the only problem with that is the Bulldogs kicking game is woeful when Matt Frawley isn’t on the field. He has been selected on the bench for the last two weeks and it has definitely hampered the side. He needs to be starting with Moses Mbye playing hooker and Michael Licha to the bench. It will improve their attack, structure and their ability to apply pressure and have a kicking game. If the Bulldogs can keep the game close when Frawley makes it onto the field it will be interesting, however we can’t see the Raiders losing this one with their attack far superior of their opponents.
TIP: Raiders to win at the line (-6) – $1.90 at William Hill
Wests Tigers vs Cronulla Sharks (Saturday 7.30pm AEST)
Is the Ivan Cleary factor real? They have won two of their last three matches since the new coach has taken charge of the Tigers side. They have looked better in attack while they have improved defensively. However, their is still a lot of issues with the club and they remain in almost every rugby league headline. Despite this Mitchell Moses continues to perform at a high level but he will likely leave the club in the coming weeks to join the Eels early. Aaron Woods and James Tedesco are also heading to new clubs next season, but they both proved on the weekend they will be competing hard for the side this year with Tedesco being everywhere in attack while Woods had a man of the match performance in the middle of the field.
Meanwhile the Sharks rollercoaster season continued on the weekend. They weren’t able to show the crisp attack they have over the last two seasons. Their defence also fell away but they were able to keep the game close. The Titans missed plenty of opportunities which kept the Sharks in the match but ultimately they were outclassed on the day. We are predicting the defending premiers to bounce back in this one, with their outside backs proving too strong against a Tigers outfit that has had weaknesses in defence out wide.
TIP: Sharks to win at the margin (1-12) – $3.00 at Sportsbet
New Zealand Warriors vs Sydney Roosters (Sunday 2pm AEST)
The Warriors and Roosters had differing results on Anzac Day but they both played at a high level. The Warriors continue to improve since Keiran Foran made his return. He has brought a lot to the side and made all the players around him better. We are predicting the side to continue to lift and they will be hard to stop when their spine and attack hits its peak. Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck are dangerous running off Foran.
The Roosters were able to earn a golden point victory over the Dragons and despite the media hyping the performance of the Roosters, we believe it was below par. The side failed to create many opportunities in the opening 40 minutes and it wasn’t until Gareth Widdop left the field injured near the end of the second half that they started to get on top. We believe their defence has question marks sorrunding it and it will be caught out this weekend.
TIP: Warriors to win at the margin (1-12) - $3.40 at Sportsbet
St George Illawarra Dragons vs Melbourne Storm (Sunday 4pm AEST)
The Dragons suffered just their second loss of the season last week against the Roosters but unfortunately for them, they are about to be on a downward spiral. The side has had a lot of success this season due to their improved forward pack, but their attack has been sparked by the form of Gareth Widdop. Unfortunately he has gone down in an injury and it will hurt their attack and game management. Josh McCrone will now partner Kurt Mann in the halves, a player who hasn’t lived up to his potential.
The Storm on the other hand continue to earn victories and find themselves on the top of the table. Billy Slater has begun to find his best form and is looking dangerous swooping around the back. Cameron Munster has been named to start at five-eighth and will be looking to impress in the position. Felise Kaufusi has been strong on the edges for the Storm and has grabbed three tries in his past two matches. We are backing this game to be a close one but for the Storm to come out on top.
TIP: Storm to win at the margin (1-12) - $2.90 at William Hill
