The NRLW season begins this Thursday night, taking centre stage with the NRL Round 21 start pushed back to Friday. Heading into its 7th season, 10 teams will contest the competition, with the Top 4 qualifying for the Semi Finals. It is the same structure as the 2023 competition, where the Newcastle Knights were successful in taking out the title. A complete preview of each team for the 2024 season can be found in the NRLW Season Preview. It may be of benefit to look at that heading into the first weekend of fixtures, with only 1 trial game to go off, it could get confusing trying to read the chances of each team. Best to keep your stake low and follow the advice from Before You Bet.
2024 NRLW Round 1 Preview & Betting Tips
Newcastle Knights vs Sydney Roosters
McDonald-Jones Stadium – Thursday 25th July – 7:45pm (AEST)
A blockbuster contest begins the round of action with the Premiers hosting the 2024 favourites. Playing at home will assist the Knights, who have an 80% record here (vs Roosters 33%). The reigning Premiers are listed as strong favourites ($1.58 vs $2.40), but the odds are not a true reflection of how close this contest is. The loss of Baxter to a season-ending injury hurts the visitors but they are still a capable team. This is the type of early-season match whereby they remind everyone just how talented they are. While the Knights are the preferred selection in this match, the Roosters’ class means that the home side will be made to work hard for the victory. In the chance that the visitors could cause an upset, it is better to ‘sit on the fence’ and have an option for either team to win. The nighttime conditions should impact the execution also, allowing each team to have their chance at victory at some point.
Either Team by 8 Points or less
$1.90 (2 Units)
Cronulla Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys
PointsBet Stadium – Saturday 27th July – 11:05am (AEST)
It is an early start on Saturday with the Sharks hosting the Cowboys. Both teams missed the Finals last season and will be out to begin their 2024 on a positive note. The strength of the Sharks team is evident by their posting as strong favourites for this clash ($1.22 vs $4.30). The Cowboys have not been respected in this market; they performed well in their trial match and demonstrated that their attack is improved on last season. With the Sharks also performing strongly in their trial, this game could be much closer than anticipated. The Sharks are undoubtedly the better team on paper and will benefit playing at home. If they are to overcome their opponents, they may struggle to cover the generous line given (11.5 points). The nature of early season matches generally throws up a surprise or two, so the selection below allows for a tighter contest. While not offering a lot of value, it provides safety and could be used to anchor a multi bet or two over the weekend.
Sharks by 5+ points
$1.40 (1.5 Units)
Brisbane Broncos vs Parramatta Eels
Suncorp Stadium – Saturday 27th July – 12:45pm (AEST)
Much talked about hype always surrounds the Broncos and this will be no different on Saturday as they start their season off with a game against the Eels. It is a tough task for the visitors to travel north and while it may look like a lop-sided contest on paper, a result in the NRLW is never a forgone conclusion. There is no doubting the difference in class between these two sides. The Broncos are near on full-strength, with (the very capable and talented) Adams named to cover for Broughton at 5/8. The strength of their team is highlighted in the odds ($1.17 vs $5) and despite improve the depth of their squad and possessing some representative players, the visitors look outclassed across the park. The trial form of both sides suggest that they are capable attacking teams, and the match will come down to which side is stronger defensively. It is a case again of taking the ‘safer’ option earlier in the season. They Broncos could easily cover the line (13.5), but it is just a tad high to invest on with complete confidence. Pick your own line; you could even lower it to 6.5 points ($1.40), but you lose further value. Best to see what each team produces first rather than jump into larger investments this early in the season.
Broncos -8.5
$1.50 (1.5 Units)
St George-Illawarra Dragons vs Gold Coast Titans
WIN Stadium – Sunday 28th July – 12pm (AEST)
The Dragons host the Titans to start of Sunday afternoon action, with the Queensland club having to make the trek down to Wollongong. It is bound to be different conditions to what they are accustomed to at home, and the Dragons will want to use that to their advantage. The Titans are a formidable team; they are strong on both sides of the ball and came close to winning the competition in 2023. This is why they have been installed as favourites ($2.55 vs $1.52). The trial form of the Dragons raises questions about their credentials; they are a young team who may have their lack of experience exposed. Strike attacking weapons for the Titans will challenge the home sides defensive resolve. This should mean that they have the class to cover the line on offer.
Titans -4.5
$1.95 (1.5 Units)
Wests Tigers vs Canberra Raiders
Campbelltown Sports Stadium – Sunday 28th July – 1:45pm (AEST)
The final NRLW game of Round 1 see’s the Tigers host the Raiders at Campbelltown. With each team missing the Finals last year and promising a lot more than that result suggests, starting the 2024 season off with a win is crucial to their chances this year. These two sides are difficult to split if the odds are anything to go by ($1.90 each). The Tigers have always promised a lot with their squad, but the Raiders have capable players also. This is probably a game to stay away from; there are other betting options this weekend but if you do need to invest, the play is around either team winning this match. Given how close the sides are in just about every area, use this to your advantage and bank on either team winning by fewer than 2 tries.
Either team by 8 points
$1.85 (1 Unit)
Multi of the Week
Sharks by 5+
Broncos -8.5
Titans -4.5
Multi Odds: $4.14 at Ladbrokes (2 Units)
