Just two rounds remain in the NRL home and away season, with the make-up of the finals far from set.
BetDeluxe takes an in-depth look and provides best bets for every game this weekend.
game of the week: Knights vs. Sharks
27th August 4:05pm
Prepare yourselves, punters; this mouthwatering top-eight clash is about as good as it gets.
With just two rounds remaining, the Newcastle Knights and Cronulla Sharks will be looking to secure finals and send a warning to their rivals with victory over a fellow finals-bound side.
The Knights are the form side of the competition (other than Penrith, of course), having secured their seventh consecutive win for the first time since their 2001 premiership-winning season. A first-half treble from Greg Marzhew led to a 29-10 dismantling of the Rabbitohs, with captain Kalyn Ponga again starring at fullback.
The Knights will welcome Jackson Hastings back this week after he was a late omission with an ankle injury.
The Sharks have certainly returned to form with a three-game winning streak, as they proved far too strong for the Cowboys in Townsville (12-32). They’re now ranked first for points scored following a second consecutive 30+ game and will take confidence from the fact they’ve won their past three against the Knights.
With both sides firing at the right time of the year, we’re happy to take the home side as they attempt to make it eight wins from 12 games this season.
TIP: Same Game Multi
- Leg 1: Newcastle to win
- Leg 2: Over 44.5 points
- Leg 3: D. Young score anytime
- Leg 4: S. Katoa score anytime
- Total: $8.00
Panthers vs. Eels
24th August 7:50pm
Another week, another total domination from the premiership favourites as they travelled to the Gold Coast for a 14-40 victory. And guess what, Brian To’o is back on deck after being rested. The Panthers are just tuning up for another tilt at the flag, and there’s little chance the out-of-form Eels can do anything to stop them.
TIP: Panthers 13+ @ $1.39
Warriors vs. Dragons
25th August 6:00pm
OK, can the Warriors win their seventh game in a row for the first time since 2002? History is there for the taking for Andrew Webster and his team after dishing out a 29-22 win over the Sea Eagles on the back of a Dallin Watene-Zelezniak treble. The Dragons have not disgraced themselves one iota over the past month, with every loss coming by less than 12 points. The Warriors should salute in Shaun Johnson’s 250th, but it’ll be closer than the market suggests.
TIP: D. Watene-Zelezniak first try scorer @ $5.50
Dolphins vs. Cowboys
25th August 8:00PM
With just one win from their past 10 matches, the Dolphins will welcome a slate of talent back into their side this weekend, including Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Kenny Bromwich, Connelly Lemuelu and Anthony Milford. The Cowboys must win if they want to play finals, but they will need to do so without crucial playmaker Jeremiah Nanai who has once again been sidelined with injury—one of the toughest match-ups this week.
TIP: Cowboys 1-12 @ $3
Storm vs. Titans
26th August 3:00PM
There’s no doubting it now; the Storm is brewing. While inconsistency has plagued Craig Bellamy’s men since the opening month of the season, Melbourne has now won three out of their past four and sits at $7 in the premiership markets. More importantly, Ryan Papenhuyzen is expected to suit up for his first game since he injured his knee last year. It’s an almighty boost for a team looking to cement a spot in the top four. The Titans look destined for a fourth straight loss.
TIP: Storm (-18.5) @ $1.90
Roosters vs. Tigers
26th August 5:30pm
You’re thinking about it, aren’t you? We told ourselves it was over. It couldn’t happen. They’ve been too poor this season. But here we are, once again talking about the Roosters’ chances of playing finals. After demolishing the Eels 12-34, Trent Robinson’s squad is now in 10th and on the same number of points as the Rabbitohs in eighth. Unbelievably, they’ve averaged 30 points in their past three games. The Tigers will have their chests out after recording a thrilling win over the Dolphins, but it’s hard to see them stopping a finals-hungry Roosters, even without Teddy (concussion).
TIP: J. Manu anytime try scorer @ $1.80
Raiders vs. Broncos
26th August 7:35pm
It’s hard to imagine a sixth-ranked team going into a home game as $3.55 underdogs, but here we are. The Raiders returned to form with a 36-24 victory over the Bulldogs in Round 25, but it wasn’t enough to turn the market support in their favour as the Broncos look to secure their seventh straight win. While Adam Reynolds will nurse a sore calf ahead of finals, Corey Oates and Jock Madden will re-enter the starting line-up for the Broncos, showcasing Kevin Walters’s abundant talent.
TIP: Broncos to win @ $1.30
Bulldogs vs. Sea Eagles
27th August 4:05pm
Two teams who won’t feature in the money month of the season, both the Bulldogs and Sea Eagles, will be playing for pride when they meet at Accor Stadium on Sunday. Manly will welcome Ben Trbojevic and Brad Parker back into their side, but it’s unlikely they’ll see anymore from Reuben Garrick this season after fracturing his back. The Bulldogs have conceded 393 points in their past 10 games, and their record against the Sea Eagles isn’t pretty (one from their past nine).
TIP: Sea Eagles to win @ $1.48
