Friday night footy is back with a double-header spanning across two countries. Regular rugby league action returns to New Zealand, as the Warriors start their season off by hosting the Knights. It has been a tough few years for this club but returning home will hopefully improve their chances this season. Scooby previews the game and brings you his best bet below!
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New Zealand Warriors vs Newcastle Knights Preview & Betting Tips
Friday 3rd March, Sky Stadium, 6pm (AEDT)
It’s been a rough few years for the Warriors as they were based out of Australia. While the competition survived because of their commitment, justification was given to their poor performances. Now that they are home, such efforts won’t be tolerated for long and ironically enough, they’re playing this game out of Wellington. It is a new era too with coach Andrew Webster leading the way. They’ve recruited some new players that can do a job, but the greatest challenge for their new coach appears to be getting consistency out of this side.
The Knights are also out to prove a point. Their season quickly unravelled on the back of injuries and sub-par performances. Finishing 14th on the ladder, pressure is on all at the club to lift. Coach O’Brien is firmly in the hot seat and will gamble by moving superstar fullback, Kaylan Ponga, to the halves (5/8). With each team out to prove a point, this fixture should be a great way to start your Friday evening viewing.
The Warriors are strong favourites for this match ($1.50 vs $2.60) and it is a case of ‘buyer beware’ any time they are in this situation. There is every chance that they could come out and play well. In equal measure, they could play an abysmal match and be comprehensively defeated. The uncertainty around the Knights is also likely to have punters worried about investing on them and rightly so. Just as easy as the Warriors could win or lose this game, so too could the Knights.
This is a classic, early season game which you should stay away from. You will learn a lot from watching it rather than investing on it. Plus, it will give you save money for other, more fancied bets over the weekend. If you must have an investment, take on the total points. Only 2 of the past 10 meetings between these sides has been over 42.5 points and conditions in New Zealand can always make it a contest dominated by defence.
Total Points Under 42.5
$1.88 (1 Unit)
