The first match on Friday features two sides who are horribly out of form, with the Dragons playing host to the Roosters. Having met one another just under a month ago, these teams will be familiar with what each possesses. The Roosters scraped home by 1-point in that contest and there is every chance that this game could see a similar outcome. As always, check out the previews of all sports this weekend at BeforeYouBet which are designed to help you find a winner or two.
NRL Round 12 Preview & Betting Tips
St George-Illawarra Dragons vs Sydney Roosters
Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Friday 19th May, 6pm (AEST)
The Dragons reached a new low on Saturday in their 42-22 loss against the Cowboys on the road. In what was a milestone game for their captain, Ben Hunt, the Dragons failed to honour his 300th game in the right way. A 63% completion rate meant they had minimal opportunities to build pressure and when they did, they failed to capitalise. A late (77th minute) try only flattered them on the scoreboard.
The Roosters were just as disappointing in their 48-4 defeat to the Panthers. Waiting until the 63rd minute to post points, it was one-way traffic as the Panthers scored 8 tries over 80 minutes. The Roosters were outclassed; with just 41% possession, they completed at 68%, failed to crack 1,200m, had just 280 post contact metres and missed 35 tackles. It has led to a lot of noise about the problems associated with this club currently; there is no shortage of people offering their opinion on the matter. Fact is, they are still a talented team who can turn it around, but injuries will only compound the challenges ahead.
The complexion of this game changed when the Dragons sacked coach Anthony Griffin during the week. This has thrown all sorts of chaos into the club; the uncertainty about the future of play maker Ben Hunt is towards the top of the list; however, if there was one player you would back to perform regardless of the circumstances, Hunt would be an ideal selection. This has seen the Dragons drift to $2.70 compared with the Roosters posting as $1.47 favourites. The issues at the Dragons have almost masked those at the Roosters; they are without another playmaker, with Hutchinson named at halfback and Keary at 5/8. With several other players having injury concerns, their price is under what it should be. History isn’t kind to the Dragons though; they’ve won just 1 of the past 10 meeting between these two sides, with the Roosters winning by an average of 15.9 points. The home ground advantage (Dragons 59% vs Roosters 50%) will hopefully count for something. A lot more will be needed than that though if they are to win. With a lot of indecision around this contest, the preferred selection is around the total match points or avoid this contest altogether.
Total Points Over 41.5
$1.90 (1 Unit)
