The first game of Friday night's NRL double-header will see the Knights take on the Dolphins. Scooby previews the matchup and brings you his best betting tips below!
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Newcastle Knights vs The Dolphins Preview & Betting Tips
McDonald Jones Stadium, Friday 17th March, 6pm (AEST)
Labelled as one of the best victories this club has experienced, the Knights travelled to Leichhardt Oval to face the Tigers, lost several players to injury (including Ponga inside 2 minutes) and battled hard for a gutsy 14-12 victory. Needing to bounce back from a Round 1 loss to the Warriors, the Knights fought hard. As spirited as their performance was, the Tigers are hardly a challenging opponent and losing the possession battle, having fewer run metres, and missing 30+ tackles against other sides won’t deliver a victory. A few difficult weeks are also ahead injuries hitting this team.
The Dolphins should sense the opportunity to go 3-0 to start the season, building on their Round 2 victory over the Raiders. Challenging conditions in which the field was soaked, the Dolphins fought back from a 12-nil deficit and kept their opponents tryless in the second half to capture their second consecutive win. They too will want to improve upon their ball control (76% completion rate) and generate more attacking opportunities (only 1 line break). Their vastly different start to the season has a lot to do with their momentum and this was highlighted in the Round 2 Power Rankings. A game in which the Dolphins should perform well in will go a long way to determining whether this team is capable or have been riding the emotion of their (new) start to the season.
The Knights are struggling to field a team. They had to apply to the NRL for special dispensation this week to field a squad of 22. The Knights are without Ponga, Brailey, Frizell and Saifiti just to name a few. This has led to the Dolphins being posted as favourites ($1.53 vs $2.50) to extend their winning streak further. The Dolphins are not without their challenges, with the suspension to Marshall-King at hooker forcing a change with Nikorima named at hooker. This will limit their effectiveness in the middle; Marshall-King has been a maestro out of hooker to start the year. That aside, the Dolphins still have a strong pack of forwards. This has been a key factor in their two victories and will undoubtedly be another focus for them in this game. Providing they hold the same standards which they have upheld to start the season, there is no reason why they should not be winning this game with authority. Spirit will take the Knights only so far, then, quality will take control.
Prop Bets
SGM – Dolphins -4.5/Total Points Under 41.5/Tesi Niu to Score - $6.50 at TAB (1u)
Dolphins -4.5
$1.90 (2.5 Units)
