Second up on Saturday’s three-game slate for NRL Round 16 will be the Parramatta Eels vs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. The bookies have priced this matchup thinking it will be a close affair, with the Eels listed as narrow favourites to win their eighth game of the season.
Scooby previews the matchup and brings you his best betting tips below, and remember to head over to our NRL Tips Page for our free previews and tips for all other Round 16 fixtures.
NRL Round 16 Preview & Betting Tips
Parramatta Eels vs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
CommBank Stadium, Saturday 17th June, 5:30pm (AEST)
Always expected to defeat the Bulldogs in Round 15, the Eels went about their job in impressive fashion, prevailing 34-12. They dominated the first half, leading 24-6 courtesy of 4 tries in the opening 30 minutes. Once this lead was established, they clicked into cruise control for the remainder of the match. This might explain why they had such a poor completion rate (65%) and missed a total of 37 tackles. They were clearly the better team in most other areas and there was a noticeable difference in the metres made by each team (1,589m vs 2,054m).
The Sea Eagles were also victorious last week in an imposing manner, defeating the Dolphins 58-18. In a performance which suggested they are working their way back towards their best, their 10-try effort gave little hope to their opponents. They controlled possession (58%) and had a high completion rate (80%), which fatigued their opponents in the first half (lead 28-6). They were even more impressive in defence, missing just 19 total tackles and appearing capable of shutting down their opponents attacking options quickly. They now must continue this effort without their Origin stars and solidify their standing in the Top 8.
Both teams are impacted by Origin, with the omission of key players. Each loses their halfback, while the Sea Eagles face a tough task replacing Tommy Turbo. It is no secret that they struggle to win matches without their star fullback on the field (34% winning record). The Eels also have the advantage of knowing what their opposition halfback will offer; apart from being the Eels coaches’ son, he was an Eels player just a few weeks ago. Asi proved capable in the halves last week covering for Brown but moving to 7 will create a new challenge with Moses also absent this week. Expect the Eels to play a game dominated by the forwards, with Gutherson more involved in ball playing. The Sea Eagles will enjoy a forward led match but will need to counter the challenge which the Eels offer. They have been caught out several times this season by opposition forward packs, rolling them through the middle of the field and generating momentum for their outside backs. This appears to be another key factor in selecting the Eels. Keep your stake low but the home side should build on their strong record at home (Eels 63% vs Sea Eagles 33% - in 21 matches!) and cover the line on offer. This is mainly due to the concerns about who will generate points for the Sea Eagles in attack.
Eels -4.5
$1.94 (1.5 Units)
NRL Same Game Multi at Picklebet
Popular bookmaker Picklebet have launched their Same Game Multi’s for both the AFL and NRL this weekend. There are plenty of markets to choose from an excellent odds on offer, so make sure to check them out! We’re keeping it simple with our SGM again for this match, opting to go with just the two legs.
Maika Sivo 2+ Tries – He has scored eight tries in eight games for the Eels against the Sea Eagles. He has also scored 2+ tries against them on three occasions.
Eels to Win – Playing it safe based off our suggested bet and reasoning above.
SGM Odds: $5.25 at Picklebet
