Round 1 of the expanded NRLW season begins this weekend, with 5 games of exciting action to engage fans. With 4 new teams coming into the competition, the depth of each side is going to be tested. This creates uncertainty and leaves many wondering what to expect. BeforeYouBet will take a look at each match and try to find you a winner to enhance your enjoyment this weekend.
NRLW Round 1 Preview & Betting Tips
Gold Coast Titans vs North Queensland Cowboys
Cbus Super Stadium, Saturday 12:50pm (AEST)
Two Queensland teams do battle in the opening game of the round. The Titans head into this game as favourites ($1.42 vs $2.90) and rightly so given the amount of experience they possess. Despite a poor season in 2022, they have recruited well and are expected to perform better. The Cowboys are a new side to the competition and will be relying on their key stars in Goldthorp (fullback), Dibb (halfback) and Harden (prop) to lead this team around. The Titans are the stronger of the two sides and should account for the Cowboys. They defeated them 30-6 just over a week ago in a trial and while trial form is just that, it says a lot about the combinations within each side as they head into the season. They should be able to cover the line comfortably but from there is anyone’s guess.
Titans -6.5
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
Newcastle Knights vs St George-Illawarra Dragons
McDonald Jones Stadium, Saturday 3:10pm (AEST)
This is a rematch of last year’s Semi Final where the Knights hammered the Dragons 30-6 to progress onto their maiden competition victory, but both are very different teams to that contest. Expansion has seen each side pulled apart, with the Dragons losing plenty of quality and poised to head into a rebuilding year with just 5 players returning from last season. Hannah Southwell is a key omission for the Knights; her ability to tighten up the middle with her rigid defence is one of the best in the competition. Confidence is low in this game due to the uncertainty around it. The Knights should record a comfortable win and history supports this; they scored 60 total points in two matches against the Dragons last season, while the average winning margin when these two sides meet is 27.3 points. The better option might be investing on a try scoring option rather than an overall result.
Prop Bets:
Tamika Upton to Score – $2.30 (0.5 Units) at TAB
Teagan Berry to Score – $4.50 (0.25 Units) at TAB
Knights 13+
$2.45 (1 Unit)
Brisbane Broncos vs Sydney Roosters
Sunshine Coast Stadium, Saturday 7:45pm (AEST)
The two competition favourites go head-to-head in match of Round 1. The Broncos were disappointing by their standards last season and will be out to improve. The Roosters also had hopes of making the Grand Final but fell short with a poor Semi Final performance. They have recruited strongly and are the ‘team to beat’ ahead of this season. They are favourites for this game ($2.25 vs $1.65) and rightly so with the strength of their team. They look difficult to beat but you cannot discredit the quality which the Broncos also possess. Do not be surprised if this is a preview of a future Semi Final encounter. For that reason, expect this game to be tight, with no more than an 8 point margin deciding the winner.
Either Team By 8.5 Points or Less
$1.85 (2 Units)
Parramatta Eels vs Wests Tigers
CommBank Stadium, Sunday 12pm (AEST)
The Eels resemble a vastly different team to the once which were the runners-up in last year’s competition. Very few players remain from that team and a number have shifted over to the Tigers, one of the newcomers to the competition. If there is going to be an upset in Round 1 of the NRLW competition, then this is it. The Tigers have gone with a similar team to the one which won the Women’s Harvey Norman Premiership. Key attacking players in Piliae-Rasabale, Lutu and Vette-Welsh will be strong threats. The Eels will need to tighten up the middle and grind the Tigers down, with a stronger pack of forwards on paper. The uncertainty around this selection suggests that the investment should be low (or the game avoided altogether).
Either Team by 8.5 Points or Less
$1.68 (1 Unit)
Cronulla Sharks vs Canberra Raiders
PointsBet Stadium, Sunday 1:50pm (AEST)
Two new clubs do battle in the final match of the round, with the Sharks appearing to be in a better position to perform well in this contest. Their recruitment has seen an experienced and talented squad assembled for their campaign. The Raiders have also recruited well but will also hope talent transfers into performance in some of their inexperienced players. The Sharks have firepower across the field, so much so that Emma Tonegato has been shifted to 5/8 to accommodate Jada Taylor at fullback. The odds favour the Sharks ($1.58 vs $2.40) and while you should never discount a Raiders team, they look hard-pressed to stop their opponents. They will be competitive though; their experience in key position, namely Temara (5/8), Dodd (second row) and Taufua (lock), need to have a high level of involvement in this match. The line doesn’t appear it will be enough in this match.
Prop Bet:
Jada Taylor to Score – $2.90 (0.5 Units) at TAB
Sharks -5.5
$1.90 (2 Units)
NRLW Round 1 Multi
Either Team by 8.5 or less (Broncos vs Roosters)
Sharks -5.5
Newcastle (H2H)
Multi Odds: $4.67 at TAB (1.5 Units)
