The second NRL game on Friday night heads to Melbourne as the Storm host the Bulldogs. With both teams sitting outside the Top 8 but holding onto a chance of playing in the Finals, the outcome of this game is as important as ever. The resurgence of the Bulldogs is intriguing; meanwhile, the Storm have a host of injuries to overcome. It’s time for a team to push their case and Before You Bet is here to preview the game ahead.
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Storm vs Bulldogs Predictions & Tips: NRL Round 22 2026
From bad to worse
Not only did the Storm lose their second game to the Rabbitohs this season in their 28-26, the loss was compounded by the injury suffered by Grant. It appears every week brings a new set of challenges for the Storm and yet again, they will be tested. As hard as they tried, they couldn’t land a knockout blow last week and conceded an 18-8 HT lead. It was somewhat surprising; with an equal share of possession, they completed at 87%, made 9.8m per carry, and dominated PCM’s (625). Unfortunately, they conceded too many chances to their opponents who made 10 line breaks and had the Storm missing 45 tackles.
Back with a bite
The Bulldogs made it two consecutive impressive victories with their 18-6 home victory over the Warriors. Gritty and determined, the Bulldogs controlled possession (51%) and had a great completion rate (87%) to continually build pressive on their opponents. This dominance allowed them to average 8.9m per carry, 605 PCM’s, and create 6 line breaks. It wasn’t all good news though; the Bulldogs missed 43 tackles and will want to be better in coming weeks against teams which will punish them for their mistakes.
Stats that matter
- The Storm have a strong record at home, winning 72% of matches here. The Bulldogs struggle with the trip south, winning just 4 games for a 31% strike rate.
- The Bulldogs won their Round 12 encounter 30-20. Of the past 5 matches between these two sides, 4 have been decided by 10 points or less (average 8 points). They’ve been low scoring games too, with the average total points 39.2.
- The Storm have a superior attack compared to the Bulldogs, averaging 23ppg vs 19ppg. They are worse defensively though, allowing 24ppg compared to the Bulldogs 22ppg.
Quality to prevail
As spirited as the Storm are, they will have a tough game of being competitive for 80 minutes against a team which is growing in confidence. The task increases in difficult with the omission of Grant and Howarth, to go with Munster and a host of other stars. Knowing the Storm, it will likely see a new player emerge who fits their system but even that has been underwhelming this season. The Bulldogs will want to make a statement with a strong performance here and they have the right stage to be able to achieve that. Their execution in recent weeks, particularly their completion rate and defence, suggests a positive shift has occurred.
The Storm are always strong at home but in a year of unlikely events for the Storm, they look set to be defeated again. It will not be through lack of effort, rather, they will be pressured in the middle and concede points on the edges. It won’t be blowout win; the Bulldogs system is still finding their groove. They will want to make a statement while also executing well. This suggests a margin of no more than 2 converted tries to the visitors.
Bulldogs 1-12
$2.70 (1 unit)
Storm vs Bulldogs Same Game Multi
Leg 1 = Total points under 42.5 – see above for justification.
Leg 2 = Kiraz to score – he loves playing the Storm, recording 5 tries in the same number of matches against them. Kiraz is slowly returning to his best, recording a try in his most recent match also, as well as 4 tries in 4 games at this ground.
Leg 3 = Tuala to score – it seems crazy to take two Bulldogs outside backs, but they are in form. Like Kiraz, Tuala has performed well against the Storm recently (4 tries in 3 matches) and 1 try from 2 visits to this ground.
Storm vs Bulldogs Betting Odds & Match Info
Date: Friday 31st July
Location: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Time: 8pm (AEST)
Odds: Storm $2.65 vs Bulldogs $1.50
Line: +6.5
Points: 42.5
Where to Watch Storm vs Bulldogs
Watch the Storm vs Bulldogs match live and ad free on Kayo Sports.
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