NRL Tips and Previews, March 18-19
Gold Coast Titans vs. Melbourne Storm
March 18th
Can the Melbourne Storm bounce back from a shock loss? At $1.46 with Bet Nation, the market thinks so.
Craig Bellamy’s men were less than impressive in their Round Two clash with Cronulla, going down by 14 points at Aami Park. To make matters worse, prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona will miss the next 6-8 weeks after injuring his knee during the game. Justin Olam has been named to return early from injury, while Storm fans hope Xavier Coates, Tui Kamikamica and Tariq Sims all receive final clearance by Friday after being named.
The Titans, who started the season so promisingly, will need to shake off their 32-18 loss to the Dragons from last week if they stand a chance against the Storm. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui led the charge with a game-high 42 tackles, but the Titans simply couldn’t withstand the Dragons’ offensive onslaught in the second half.
Suggested Bet:
Melbourne Storm to win at $1.45
North Queensland vs NZ Warriors
March 18th
The North Queensland Cowboys will enter their match with the Warriors as the heavily backed $1.36 favourites. Despite their 12-point loss to the Broncos, most firmly believe Brisbane will be there at the pointy end of the season.
Jeremiah Nanai stood tall for the Cowboys in the loss, while their captain Scott Drinkwater has been banned for three games and will be replaced by Tom Chester at fullback.
The Warriors remain in the seventh spot on the ladder following their eight-point loss to the Roosters in Sydney. Taine Tuaupiki will debut in a special game for the Warriors that also doubles as the 200th for captain Tohu Harris.
While the Warriors will have plenty to celebrate, the Cowboys should drive home the winner in front of the home crowd.
Suggested Bet:
North Queensland (-9.5) at $1.90
Brisbane Broncos vs. St George Illawarra
March 17th
The Broncos are still $10 in the premiership futures market, but that could all change if they can make it three successive wins against St George Illawarra on Saturday.
Sitting in the fourth spot with a 2-0 record, Kevin Walters’ side made light work of the Cowboys as they ran out 28-16 winners. Ezra Mam led the way with two tries, while Herbie Farnworth ran for 244m.
As it turns out, the Dragons sit one spot above the Broncos on the ladder with their Round One bye followed by an impressive 32-18 victory over the Titans. The Dragons aren’t expected to do much this season, but they started in style with five different try scorers sharing the load.
The Broncos are simply the team to beat right now, and they should account for the Dragons comfortably.
Suggested Bet:
H. Farnworth anytime try scorer at $2.20
Canterbury Bulldogs vs. Wests Tigers
March 18th
In the best possible fashion, Canterbury hit back from the disappointing Round One performance against the Sea Eagles, defeating the Storm in front of a packed house in Melbourne.
It was a night for the Jake’s, with Jacob Kiraz (2), Jacob Preston and Jake Averillo scoring four of their five tries alongside Josh Addo-Carr. Cameron Ciraldo liked what he saw against the Storm, as he named the same squad.
A slow start ultimately cost the Tigers their first win of the season, going down to Newcastle by two points at Leichhardt Oval. The Knights scored two tries in the first 15 minutes of the game, and it was all uphill from there as the Tigers managed just two of their own tries in the 33rd and 79th minutes.
If the Tigers couldn’t get it done against the Knights at home, they stand very little chance at Canterbury.
Suggested Bet:
Canterbury Bulldogs to win at $1.35
Canberra Raiders vs. Cronulla Sharks
March 18th
The Cronulla Sharks delivered the performance of the round last week with a four-point win over the Eels, and they’ll be hungry for more when they visit the Raiders.
William Kennedy was unstoppable with three tries, and 183m gained, while Blayke Brailey laid 46 tackles. At $1.60 in the market, the Sharks could be considered value at this point.
The Raiders have yet to get off the mark from their two games after falling to the Dolphins 20-14. It was a hard loss to digest for Raiders fans after they led by 12 points during the first half. Ricky Stuart’s starting line-up is unchanged, but Trey Mooney is the new man on the bench instead of Ata Mariota (broken hand).
