NRL action is back this week after an exciting week of International and Origin football.
Round 16 of the NRL season gets underway this Thursday and we are back with a full betting preview of all the Round 16 matchups below.
NRL Round 16 Betting Tips
St George Dragons vs Parramatta Eels (Thursday, Jun 28 7:50pm AEST)
In this matchup, the Dragons and Eels face off at WIN Stadium on Thursday. The Dragons sit 1st on the ladder and the Eels are placed 16th. So the story of the season is very different for both sides. In terms of points scored, the Dragons rank 2nd in the NRL and haven’t lost as the home team in 2018 (8-0). Looking at the Eels, they have a 1-4 win-loss record in their last 5 games. They are scoring just 14.53 points per game, which ranks dead last in the NRL. Interestingly the Eels have won 6 straight against the Dragons but that should change this Thursday. The Dragons are scoring 34 points per game at WIN Stadium in 3 wins this season and they have easily covered the line in all 3 as well. The Rabbitohs smashed the Eels before the bye and St. George have a similar attack. So Dragons at the line.
Dragons Handicap (-8.5)
$1.92
New Zealand Warriors vs Cronulla Sharks (Friday, Jun 29 6:00pm AEST)
On Friday night, the Warriors and Sharks meet at Mt Smart Stadium. Both sides are in the top eight so this should be a close matchup. The Warriors are coming off a close win against the Cowboys by 7 points. In the Sharks last match, they lost a close one (20-16) against the Broncos at Shark Park. But they have been boosted by the addition of Aaron Woods from the Dogs. He joins an already strong forward pack. In the end, the bookies have this game staying close with value odds for either side to win. However, I like both sides to score over 13 points, which has happened in 4 of the last 5 meetings.
Both teams to score 13+
$2.00
Sydney Roosters vs Melbourne Storm (Friday, Jun 29 7:50pm AEST)
Round 16 continues with the Roosters up against the Storm at Adelaide Oval. The key storyline is former Storm legend Cooper Cronk taking on his Melbourne mates. But the other factor in this game is the impact of Origin and International football. Both sides will be carrying injuries into this clash and backing up from Rep footy. So this should be a close matchup between two very similar sides. They’re both 4-1 in their last 5 and score around the same points per game. Which means it should finish below a 10 point margin either way.
Either team to win by 10 or less
$1.72
Penrith Panthers vs Manly Sea Eagles (Saturday, Jun 30 3:00pm AEST)
NRL football continues with the Panthers playing the Sea Eagles at Panthers Stadium in this clash. In regards to ladder position, the Panthers are 4th on the ladder and the Sea Eagles are sitting 14th. The Panthers are undefeated at home this season and that should continue. Manly has lost 4 straight games and have conceded 30+ in the last 2. However, the week off should give them a boost in defence to stop the Panthers. The home side will have a few backing up from Origin and that will help this game finish under the total. Under is 5-1 at this venue and the Panthers D has allowed just 4 total points in their last 2 wins here. The under is also 5-0 when these sides meet in Penrith.
Total points UNDER 42.5
$1.90
Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs (Saturday, Jun 30 5:30pm AEST)
McDonald Jones Stadium plays host to the Knights and the Bulldogs in NRL footy on Saturday. The Knights will be desperate for a win as they’re season is pretty much on the line. They’ll get the Bulldogs at the right time. They’ve lost 2 of their better players to other teams with Aaron Woods and Mybe leaving. They’re 3-11 on the season and were terrible last time out. At Belmore, the Titans thrashed them 32-10 for a 4th straight defeat. The Knights have played the Storm and Roosters back to back, which was always a tough ask. The line is still a bit risky so I’ll take the Knights to win this straight up for the safe bet.
Newcastle Knights to win
$1.57
Brisbane Broncos vs Canberra Raiders (Saturday, Jun 30 7:30pm AEST)
The Broncos meet the Raiders in NRL footy on Saturday. Both sides won before the week off and will be looking to build momentum here. Brisbane beat the Sharks 20-16 in Sydney and the Raiders thrashed the Tigers 48-12. The key for Canberra is the return of hooker Josh Hodgson. They look like a different side with him on the park and that should help in Brisbane. In the end, this should be a high scoring game with both sides looking to push for a top 8 finish. So I can see either team scoring over 15 points. The Broncos have scored 15+ in 9 straight games. The Raiders have not been held under 15 points in 2018 (14-0)!
Both teams to score 15+
$1.85
Wests Tigers vs Gold Coast Titans (Sunday, Jul 1 2:00pm AEST)
Leichhardt Oval will see the Tigers and the Titans in NRL footy action on Sunday. This is a huge occasion for the home side as Robbie Farah returns to his beloved Tigers. But also, they’ll welcome Mybe from the Bulldogs into the fullback position. This is a tough ask for the Titans. But they should be confident after smashing the Bulldogs in Round 15 by 22 points. The Tigers were poor in a 48-12 crushing defeat to the Raiders. But I can see this staying close and low scoring as the Tigers defence looks to rebound. The under is 11-6 at this venue when the Tigers are the favourites and the only game at Leichhardt in 2018 went under the total. The under is also 4-2 when these two sides meet.
Total points UNDER 42.5
$1.90
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs North Queensland Cowboys (Sunday, Jul 1 4:10pm AEST)
The round concludes with the Rabbitohs and Cowboys playing in Cairns on Sunday. This will be a tough game to pick as both sides have players backing from Origin and from International footy. Especially the Rabbitohs with the Burgess boys returning from Denver. The Rabbitohs have been a great side in 2018 and I do see them winning, but I’m not sure how the travel will impact them. The Cowboys know their season is on the line so they’ll be desperate to win this. They also probably should of beaten the Rabbitohs in the previous 2018 meeting (lost by a point). So I’m not confident with betting on this game.
TIP: No Bet
