The 2017 NRL season continues this weekend with only four matches to be played as we enter the first bye round of the year. We take a closer look at all four games in our NRL Round 12 Preview and Betting Tips below.
2017 NRL Round 12 Betting Tips
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Parramatta Eels (Friday 7.50pm AEST)
Remarkably, neither of the Rabbitohs or Eels sides have been affected by Origin, with none of their players selected to represent their state next Wednesday night. However, Michael Jennings will miss this match due to injury but it is perfect timing with Brad Takairangi making a return. The Eels had a slow start to their match last week against the Raiders and it cost them in the end. They were able to fight their way back to 16-all but they couldn’t find the final knockout punch to earn the victory. Mitchell Moses didn’t have a great start to his career in the blue and gold and it could take him a while before he gets into the swing of things.
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Meanwhile the Rabbitohs suffered a narrow loss to the competition leaders the Melbourne Storm on home soil. The side has been muscling up in the middle of the field and Sam Burgess continues to lead by example. He has been tremendous over the past month while Cody Walker’s move to fullback has resulted in their attack looking more dangerous as John Sutton has been solid at five-eighth. We believe this will be a close match but the Rabbitohs will earn the narrow victory.
TIP: Rabbitohs at the margin (1-12) – $3.00 at William Hill
New Zealand Warriors vs Brisbane Broncos (Saturday 5.30pm AEST)
We have almost given up hope on the Warriors producing anything this season and it is disappointing considering the capabilities and potential of their roster. They were at their worst on Friday night against a Dragons side that was missing their two best players and in front of their home crowd. However, the Warriors normally peak during the Origin period and last year they earned their biggest win of the season against the Broncos in this corresponding fixture.
The Broncos are missing a number of players for this one but fortunately for them they have (an unlimited salary cap) a lot of depth and still have a strong side. Ben Hunt makes a timely return to the side to slot back into halfback and surprisingly Kodi Nikorima has been demoted to the bench and Benji Marshall will start at five-eighth. We aren’t convinced this is the right decision as Marshall is returning from an injury himself and has only played a couple of QLD cup games this season. However, we can’t bring ourselves to get on the Warriors after some of their dismal performances this season and we will take the Broncos with the points advantage.
TIP: Broncos at the line (+8.5) – $1.90 at Sportsbet
Cronulla Sharks vs Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs (Sunday 7.30pm AEST)
The Sharks and Bulldogs will enter this match with a number of players missing due to Origin commitments. However, the Sharks definitely are affected a lot more. The side will have Paul Gallen throughout the series for the first time in what feels like forever but they will miss a more damaging forward Andrew Fifita. He is coming off a huge performance while captain Wade Graham, James Maloney and Jack Bird will join him in the NSW side. The four stars are instrumental players in the team’s success and while they have solid replacements, none compare in skill and match-winning ability.
Meanwhile the Bulldogs are without Brett Morris and Josh Jackson. Fortunately for the Bulldogs they have a lot of depth in both of these areas and they will cover them well. The side was unfortunate not to defeat the Roosters last week but a poor start cost them. They showed a lot of character to get back into the match and they definitely improved as the game went on. We are predicting the Sharks to miss their stars more than the Bulldogs and it will lead to their demise.
TIP: Bulldogs at the margin (1-12) – $3.65 at CrownBet
Canberra Raiders vs Sydney Roosters (Sunday 4pm AEST)
The Raiders will be without Josh Papali for this match but despite having a lot of star calibre players. he is the only one selected to represent his state. The side will be hoping to build on their victory last week that snapped a three game losing streak. The Raiders have snuck into the top eight due to their strong for and against and they will be hoping to take advantage of a depleted Roosters outfit on Sunday.
The Roosters are without three of their stars including captain Boyd Cordner, halfback Mitchell Pearce and Aiden Guerra. The latter was a surprise selection into QLD despite representing his state in the past. He has been playing poor this season but he will still be missed in this one. Meanwhile Pearce has been playing in career best form and his absence will put a lot of pressure on Luke Keary and Connor Watson’s shoulders to control the side and lead them to a surprise victory. Meanwhile they won’t have as much of a punch on the left edge with Cordner out of the game. We are predicting the Raiders to take this one in a comfortable victory on home soil.
TIP: Raiders at the margin (13+) – $2.70 at William Hill
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