We have another shortened round on our hands in the NRL this weekend with just seven fixtures on the schedule. The first of three on Super Saturday will take place at Sunshine Coast Stadium where the Dolphins will play hosts to the Eels.
Check out our NRL best bets for the Dolphins vs Eels below!
NRL Round 17 Preview & Betting Tips
The Dolphins vs Parramatta Eels
Sunshine Coast Stadium, Saturday 24th June, 3pm (AEST)
The Dolphins have been on a concerning slide in the past two weeks, highlighted in the NRL Power Rankings. They lost their Round 14 game against the Warriors 30-8 and were hammered 58-18 by the Sea Eagles the following week. The less said about their most recent match, the better. With just 42% possession, made almost 500m less in attack, had just 2 line breaks and missed 33 tackles. The Bye in Round 16 came at an opportune time as to allow players to return to full fitness, although they are sure to be tested by a confident Eels team.
As the Dolphins slide, the Eels are finding form. They have climbed into 8th on the ladder, on 18 points with the Dolphins. Winning 4 of their past 5 matches has been returned conviction to this team. Most recently, they were strong covering the losses of key players in their 34-4 victory over the Sea Eagles. Expected to win, the way they executed was impressive; they never allowed their opponents a chance to find momentum. They gave few chances away with a 62% share of possession, having a superior completion rate, making 800m more than their opponents and missing just 12 tackles in defence. While the quality of the opposition they faced will be questioned, you cannot overlook such an impressive display. With players expected to return from injury and Origin duty for this game, they are predicted to only get stronger.
Momentum is with the Eels heading into this game and it is only expected to be maintained with Paulo and Moses set to return to their team following Origin. The Dolphins also welcome back some key personnel but are not without their challenges. They are outsiders for this match ($2.65 vs $1.48) but will be well prepared for this contest given the methodical, yet simple approach taken by Wayne Bennett. The proof of what will occur in this game appears to be in the averages for each team on either side of the ball; there is a distinct difference in the execution and structure of both clubs. The Dolphins have shown that they are a capable attacking team; they average 22ppg in this area, but the Eels are well ahead with 26ppg. In defence, the Eels are strong and have even kept good sides to smaller totals. They also allow just 19ppg, while the Dolphins find themselves struggling to limit their opponents’ attacking opportunities and concede an average of 25ppg. Only on 5 occasions this season have they stopped a team from scoring more than 20 points (Eels 8 times). It appears they will again be challenges in this area.
If Sullivan plays, the Dolphins could get closer to their opponents; his combination with Marshall-King and the Tabuai-Fidow in the middle will be vital. Until they show more though, you cannot invest on the Dolphins with confidence. The line has been set at 6.5 points and while the averages of each side suggests that this is right, the safer investment is to limit this, while having a slightly larger stake.
Eels -4.5
$1.72 (2.5 Units)
NRL Same Game Multi at Picklebet
Popular bookmaker Picklebet have launched their Same Game Multis for both the AFL and NRL. There are plenty of markets to choose from an excellent odds on offer, so make sure to check them out!
Eels to Win – The selection of the Eels goes without saying.
Over 44.5 Points – The Total Points option is favouring a high scoring encounter. As mentioned above, the Dolphins can score points in bunches but also allow a lot.
Sean Russell 1+ Try – Hehas a 50% strike rate in matches. As the Eels attack grows in confidence, expect him to benefit from sweeping movements to his edge.
SGM Odds: $4.20 at Picklebet
