A Sunday afternoon of football WITHOUT the Bulldogs, the footy Gods have finally had some mercy. Well, kind of. Instead of the Bulldogs getting flogged again, we get to see two teams in horrendous form, when the St George Illawarra Dragons host the Newcastle Knights in Wollongong.Both teams are on losing streaks of 3 games or more, and both have off field issues hampering them as well. But before we are subject to that train wreck, we get to see the inconsistent Sydney Roosters take on the New Zealand Warriors, winners of 3 straight. If the Warriors can maintain this form, a tight game with the Roosters is a possibility, but the Roosters will be looking for their 3rd in a row as they look to keep pace with the top 4.
Whilst it doesn’t appear to be the greatest slate of games on NRL Sunday, there’s always a chance to make it more exciting with some skin in the game. So as always, make sure you keep up to date with our match-by-match previews throughout the 2022 NRL season, where we will give you all the best bets to beat the bookie throughout the year.
NRL Round 6 Sunday Betting Tips
Sydney Roosters vs New Zealand Warriors
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sunday 17th April, 2:00pm (AEST)
Sydney Roosters
1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Paul Momirovski 4. Joseph Manu 5. Kevin Naiqama 6. Sam Walker 7. Luke Keary 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Sam Verrills 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Nat Butcher 12. Sitili Tupouniua 13. Victor Radley. INTERCHANGE: 14. Connor Watson 15. Fletcher Baker 16. Angus Crichton 17. Siosiua Taukeiaho. RESERVES: 18. Lachlan Lam 19. Naufahu Whyte 20. Adam Keighran 21. Renouf Atoni 22. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 23. Joseph Suaalii 24. Drew Hutchison
New Zealand Warriors
1. Reece Walsh 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Jesse Arthars 4. Adam Pompey 5. Edward Kosi 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake (c) 9. Wayde Egan 10. Matt Lodge 11. Euan Aitken 12. Bayley Sironen 13. Josh Curran. INTERCHANGE: 14. Kodi Nikorima 15. Bunty Afoa 16. Aaron Pene 17. Eliesa Katoa. RESERVES: 18. Taniela Otukolo 20. Viliami Vailea 21. Pride Petterson-Robati 22. Rocco Berry 23. Otukinekina Kepu 24. Junior Ratuva 25. Valingi Kepu
Match Preview
Two top 8 sides get us started on Easter Sunday, as the Sydney Roosters host the New Zealand Warriors at the SCG. The home side have won 2 straight, after going loss, win, loss in their first 3 games. After starting 1-2, there were early concerns, with one rather elderly rugby league writer suggesting the Roosters Premiership window had closed. After two straight wins the Roosters, I’m sure, think otherwise.
The Warriors are coming off a golden point win over the Cowboys last week, their third win is as many weeks, and as great as that sounds, I don’t buy the form. The Cowboys totally dominated through the middle last week, and basically threw the game away in the second half (killing our Cowboys ML ticket). The week before that, they beat an insipid Broncos, and before that the Tigers, who haven’t managed a win all season.
I get the feeling the Warriors might be on the other end of a hiding in this one. Easter Sunday, 2:00pm at the SCG in what is supposed to be dry, sunny conditions, says to me the Roosters could be in for a field day.
Statistically speaking, both sides are quite similar in attack and defence, however I’d suggest the Roosters have had tougher opponents. I think after two straight wins and seeing 4 teams pulling away at the top of the ladder, the Roosters need to start making their presence known. They have a relatively soft schedule for the next month, and they’d love to kick start their pursuit of the top 4 here today.
The handicap is large at 14.5, but this is where the number opened and there hasn’t been a lot of movement. I make this a 16-point game, and as such will look to the Roosters to cover.
Points are expected, with 41.5 to 42.5 being the total depending on where you are shopping. Whilst the Warriors team total isn’t large, it is over 2 converted tries and I like the Roosters to make life difficult for the Warriors attack, keeping them to two tries or fewer.
Prop Bets:
Warriors Under 13.5 ($1.90 at Unibet)
Roosters -14.5
$1.90 (2 Units)
St George Illawarra Dragons vs Newcastle Knights
WIN Stadium, Sunday 17th April, 4:05pm (AEST)
Squads
St George Illawarra Dragons
1. Moses Mbye 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Moses Suli 4. Zac Lomax 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Jack Bird 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Josh Kerr 11. Tariq Sims 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin. INTERCHANGE: 14. Talatau Amone 15. Blake Lawrie 16. Josh Mcguire 17. George Burgess. RESERVES: 18. Tautau Moga 19. Jackson Ford 20. Aaron Woods 21. Tyrell Sloan 22. Jack Gosiewski 23. Tyrell Fuimaono 24. Jayden Sullivan
Newcastle Knights
1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Edrick Lee 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Enari Tuala 6. Jake Clifford 7. Adam Clune 8. David Klemmer 9. Chris Randall 10. Daniel Saifiti 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Brodie Jones 13. Kurt Mann. INTERCHANGE: 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Jacob Saifiti 16. Leo Thompson 17. Sauaso Sue. RESERVES: 18. Simi Sasagi 19. Pasami Saulo 20. Tex Hoy 21. Jack Johns 22. Jaron Purcell 23. Dylan Lucas 24. Brayden Musgrove
Match Preview
How to even try and handicap this game. I’ve bet on the Knights the last 3 weeks to cover, and they haven’t managed to do so on any occasion, looking worse and worse every week. After the first two rounds, the Knights were one of the genuine surprise packets, after solid wins over the Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers. They then matched it with the Panthers for 34 minutes, before Mitch Barnett had a brain snap that seems to have destroyed the Knights’ season.
The Dragons haven’t fared any better. Currently 1 win from 5, and riding a 4-match losing streak, the knives are being sharpened to end the tenure of head coach Anthony Griffin. Doubling down on his recent decision to drop boom fullback Tyrell Sloan, Griffin’s stubborn ways could ruin not only the Dragon’s 2022 season, but also careers of promising young juniors. He’s a dinosaur and needs to go, but it seems as though the Dragons brass are in a tough position, with a Griffin sacking expected to cost the Dragons plenty in severance. They just don’t seem to learn when it comes to coaches.
My numbers are all still in favour of the Knights, and I have consistently downgraded them for the past 3 weeks. I just cannot get to the Dragons being favourites in this game. But I cannot in good conscience bet the Knights again either. Money has come in on the Knights, with the Dragons opening 4.5-point favourites, with that number coming into 3.5. Still, I just can’t throw more of my hard earned at the Knights, but if you must bet the side, I’d suggest Knights with the start.
Regarding the total, if Griffin keeps his team as named, I like the under. The team named is clearly there for defence and to try and reduce the errors being made by the Dragons. The Knights attack has also been very average since the Panthers game in round 3, so unders is something I can get my head around more-so than the side. My suggestion is to go a little harder if the Dragons are 1-17, and a bit more conservative if Griffin brings in some of his young guns like Sloane, Amone or Sullivan.
Prop Bets:
Dragons Under 20.5 ($1.84 at Palmerbet)
Enari Tuala Anytime Try Scorer ($2.40 at Bet365)
Under 38.5 Points
$1.90 (2 Units)
