With a reduced number of fixtures this weekend, only two games will feature on Super Saturday, with both occurring on different sides of the Tasman. The first game will see the Warriors, fresh off the Bye, host the Broncos who are missing several troops to Origin selection. Extra time at home is bound to serve the Warriors well for this contest. The second game will head to Homebush as the Rabbitohs host the Raiders. Several Bunnies will have a point to prove after being overlooked for Origin selection, but the Raiders will want to bounce back from a poor showing in Round 12. Both games promise to be exciting contests.
Check out our best bets for both Saturday fixtures below, and make sure to head over to our NRL Tips pagefor more Round 13 content!
NRL Round 13 Saturday Preview & Betting Tips
New Zealand Warriors vs Brisbane Broncos
Saturday 27th May, McLean Park, 5:30pm (AEST)
The Warriors earned their week off with a Round 11 24-12 victory over the Bulldogs. They dominated the first half of that match, scoring 3 tries and leading 18-nil at the break. It also saw their climb up the NRL Power Rankings. Always in control, they cruised to victory in the second half with measured play. They had a superior completion rate (81%) and relied upon their defence to remain strong; it is surprising that they missed 55 total tackles in that contest, but they were scrambling well to cover each time.
The Broncos will provide a different challenge here, especially as they are looking to bounce back from a loss to the Panthers in Round 12. Always expected to struggle without halfback Adam Reynolds, the Broncos were competitive in defence, only to be defeated 15-4. They did their best with just 42% possession and an inferior completion rate (78%); they trailed the Panthers in every area statistically and can consider themselves lucky that the margin of victory wasn’t higher. The fact that they missed 48 tackles added to their opponent’s momentum also. Now, with Reynolds returning, they are forced to cover the loss of other key players to Origin.
The Warriors are well placed to win this match. Aside from remaining at home, they face a Broncos team that is missing 5 players to Origin duty. While also having their own injury battles, the Warriors appear to be fielding a stronger team. They are listed as favourites ($1.43 vs $2.85), but this is discrediting the attacking power which remains for the Broncos. The loss of Walsh hurts their spine, but the other 3 players are their regular starters; the loss of key forwards will also require a new face to lead this pack. Capewell could be the man considering he was overlooked for Origin selection. The Warriors have a strong pack that will be difficult to for any opponent to halt the momentum they will aim to generate. With the confidence of their playmaker, Shaun Johnson, higher than ever, there is no reason why they cannot score points in this game. The Warriors have won 2 of the past 4 meetings between these two sides, with one of the results being a draw; the average margin of victory in those two games was 12-points. They’ve also only won one game this season by more than 12 points. It will be closer that the margin markets are suggesting, as the Broncos defensive structure likely to keep them close to their opponents for majority of the match.
Same Game Multi
Broncos +7.5, Total Points Under 43.5 points & Johnson to score @ $23 (0.5 Units)
Warriors 1-12
$3 (1.5 Units)
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Canberra Raiders
Saturday 27th May, Accor Stadium, 7:35pm (AEST)
The Rabbitohs were outplayed by the Eels in Round 12, upset 36-16 in a performance which was a stark contrast to previous ones they have delivered this season. Despite two late tries extending the margin, the Rabbitohs were given a reality check that will likely serve them well in weeks to come. An inferior completion rate (70%) with a lesser share of possession (44%) impacted any momentum they attempted to generate. Chances were still there, they just failed to take them when it mattered, as their opponents did and built plenty of momentum in the meantime. That loss also saw them drop down from the top of the NRL Power Rankings.
The Raiders were also defeated convincingly in Round 12, losing at home to the Sea Eagles 42-14. Starting strongly with a 5th minute try, the Raiders appeared poised to extend their winning streak. It soon unravelled, as they allowed their opponents to score 8 tries. They struggled to build momentum with a poor completion rate (66%), while also making significantly fewer metres and missing 45 tackles. Their previous performances indicated that this effort isn’t what they are capable of, but they will want to erase it quickly with a positive performance here.
This game has hardly been robbed of quality with Origin ahead. Cook and Graham will both take their place for the Rabbitohs in this contest, meaning that Mitchell and Murray will be the only two absent players; they are big losses and have a large impact on their team’s performance each week. Their absence is cancelled out by the omissions of Young (Origin) and Whitehead (suspension) for the Raiders. This game will come down to which team has the better spine. On paper, that appears to be the Rabbitohs; the loss of Mitchell isn’t as bad with Taafe named at fullback. The odds were even when markets opened but the Rabbitohs firmed ($1.70 vs $2.15) once squads were named. There are still questions about the validity of the Raiders winning streak as their average points score (20ppg) is less than what they concede (25ppg). This is compared to the Rabbitohs 23ppg in attack and 15ppg in defence; the attack of the Rabbitohs won’t need an invitation to pressure the Raiders defensive line. Even in a poor match last week (by their standards), they still scored some impressive tries. The recent history has seen the Raiders win the past 4 of 6 meetings between these two sides, with only one of those had the Rabbitohs as the home team (which the Raiders won). The line may not be enough, but do not over invest on this option. There are more suitable bets this weekend.
Same Game Multi
Either Team by 1-12, Total Points Under 47.5 & Graham to score @ $6 - 0.5 Units (TAB)
Rabbitohs -2.5
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
