Round 17 action in the NRL continues on Saturday night as the Bulldogs host the Roosters in the sole game of the day. As always, our main man Scooby is back with a full preview and betting tips for the Saturday night clash from Bankwest Stadium here.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs Sydney Roosters
Bankwest Stadium, Saturday 10th July, 7.35pm (AEST)
There isn’t too much you can say about the Bulldogs performance last week after a 66-nil drubbing against the Sea Eagles at home. They were always going to find it a difficult task to perform well with several players missing through either injury or COVID breaches. Still, the Bulldogs have always been a team which makes their opponents work for a victory but that was completely absent in that game. In the 11 try romp, the Bulldogs had just 44% possession, completed at 71%, averaged just 7.2m per carry, missed 43 tackles and concede 14 line breaks while making zero.
It was a tough watch to say the least and it does not get any easier here. The Roosters also suffered a comprehensive defeat, losing 46-nil to the Storm. The score was an indication of how the match played out and of how poor the Roosters were at times; by their standards, a better level is expected. With 49% possession, they completed at 66%, averaged 7.7m per carry, had just 1 line break, missed 38 tackles and committed 12 errors. Compounding their problems, the loss saw them drop a place on the ladder. They are capable of better, and the Bulldogs could be on the receiving end of yet another belting as the Roosters look to restore confidence in their play and maintain touch with the Top 5 teams in the competition.
Head-to-Head = Bulldogs 21 Roosters 23
At Bankwest Stadium = Bulldogs 35% Roosters 62%
Last 10 Matches = Bulldogs 2 Roosters 8 – The average winning margin is 8 points for the Bulldogs and 16.3 points for the Roosters. The Bulldogs record is far worse if you extend their history, winning just 2 of the past 13 meetings between these two sides. You must go back to Round 17, 2016 to find their last win.
The Bulldogs are expected to bounce back here after such a poor display last week and are boosted by the return of 4 players from COVID breaches but a lot more will be needed if they are to be competitive here. The Roosters welcome back Radley to their team, and it is a timely return for the young lock. His club faces the prospect of a 3-game losing streak, something they have not allowed this year. They too are heading into this game after being kept to nil last week; this has not happened since 2016 and ironically, also came against the Storm.
Despite missing Tedesco and Crichton to Origin duties, they still present a strong team. The Roosters have a habit of beating up on teams lower them on the ladder and doing it by scoring plenty of points and limiting their opponents’ opportunities. This game should be no different as they have confidence return to their performance on both sides of the ball. Expect a bold showing from their halves, particularly Sam Walker, who has had a few quiet weeks. The Bulldogs have lost their past 7 matches at this ground and that trend appears set to continue. The line (22.5) is making many nervous though, seeing the price drift in the past few days.
To ease your concerns, the Bulldogs average just 11.5ppg (16th) in attack compared to the Roosters 26.1ppg (6th). In defence, the Bulldogs concede an average of 31.2ppg (15th) while the Roosters allow 21ppg (6th). Bookies are trying to lure punters in to this one and if you want a safer option, the 19+ ($1.62) is recommended; however, there is no reason why you shouldn’t consider the first option.
