It’s already Round 12 of the NRL season, and things are certainly heating up.
Kicking off with a mouthwatering Broncos and Panthers match-up at Suncorp Stadium, BetDeluxe dives head-on into every game.
game of the week: Broncos vs. Panthers
18th May 7:50pm
Another Thursday night chartbuster, another BetDeluxe Game of the Week.
The Brisbane Broncos have a challenging task ahead if they are to return to the winners’ stall and the top of the NRL ladder as they host the Penrith Panthers at Suncorp Stadium.
Kevin Walters’ men fell into second spot behind the Rabbitohs following their eight-point loss to the Storm last week. With scores level 10-10 at half-time, the Broncos struggled to curtail the Victorians and managed just one additional try to Cory Paix. It was the Broncos’ first loss away from home and second overall from their past five games.
The Panthers have now pieced together two strong performances since their shock loss to Wests in Round Nine, defeating the Warriors at home, followed by a 44-point massacre of the Roosters last week. Everything seemingly clicked for the reigning premiers as they drove home eight tries to one, while Nathan Cleary was faultless with the conversions.
Despite their dominance over the competition for most of the season, the Broncos are just 3-2 at home, giving the Panthers a strong sniff in this one.
Suggested Bet: Same Game Multi
- Leg 1: Penrith to win
- Leg 2: Over 39.5 points
- Leg 3: D. Edwards anytime try scorer
- Leg 4: S. Cobbo anytime try scorer
- Total: $10
Dragons vs. Roosters
19th May 6:00pm
It’s the second time these two teams have met this month, and the pressure on both sides couldn’t be any higher. Following their sixth-straight defeat, the Dragons confirmed the departure of Anthony Griffin as coach on Tuesday morning, with assistant Ryan Carr assuming interim coaching duties. On the other hand, the Roosters are coming off a record-breaking 48-4 loss to the Panthers. While Joey Manu is out (ankle), any chance of a genuine finals run must start here.
Suggested Bet: Roosters to win @ $1.43
Rabbitohs vs. Eels
19th May 8:00pm
The Bunny train has well and truly left South Sydney Station after they recorded their sixth consecutive victory and catapulted into top spot on the ladder. Most impressively, the Rabbitohs kept the Tigers scoreless one week after keeping the Storm to 12 and two weeks after keeping the Broncos to six. Even with Mitchell Moses returning, seven in a row is there for the taking.
Suggested Bet: Rabbitohs 13+ @ $2.40
Sharks vs. Knights
20th May 3:00PM
In a match-up that’s arguably closer than the market suggests, Cronulla will be looking to improve on their 2-3 home record when they host the Knights on Saturday afternoon. They’ve been one of the form sides over the past five weeks with four wins, but the Knights just returned to form with a 20-point thrashing of the Titans. We’re sticking with the Sharks, but only just.
Suggested Bet: S. Katoa anytime try scorer @ $1.62
Tigers vs. Cowboys
20th May 5:30PM
A Round 10 clash against the Rabbitohs was never going to be easy for the Tigers, but failing to score one point will have Tim Sheens slightly concerned. The Cowboys destroyed the embattled Dragons 42-22, but they’ll be wary of their 1-4 away record this season. It could be an upset.
Suggested Bet: Tigers (+4.5) @ $1.81
Dolphins vs. Storm
20th May 7:35PM
One that could have been named Game of the Week, the Dolphins will look to maintain their pre-bye form whereby they defeated Cronulla by 20 points in Magic Round. And it gets a lot easier to do so with the return of their captain, Jesse Bromwich, Ray Stone and Brenko Lee. Melbourne’s form has fluctuated, but they put it all together with a solid eight-point win over the Broncos. Storm are rightfully the favourite, but it should be awfully close.
Suggested Bet: Storm to win @ $1.44
Bulldogs vs. Titans
21st May 2:00PM
Can the Titans hit back? Consecutive wins over the Sea Eagles and Eels meant little as the Knights put the Titans to the sword in Newcastle. They’ll undoubtedly get a boost from the return of Erin Clark. The Bulldogs, who the Warriors crushed at home, will welcome back Josh Addo-Carr, but it might be irrelevant if the Titans can bring their best form.
Suggested Bet: Titans to win @ $1.77
Raiders vs. Sea Eagles
21st May 4:05PM
How about those Canberra Raiders? Their victory over the Eels was their fifth on the trot after starting the season 1-4. Alternatively, Anthony Seibold’s men have now lost three in succession, capped off by a home loss against the Sharks. The Raiders to make it six.
Suggested Bet: Raiders 1-12 @ $2.95
