Friday Night NRL kicks off with the game of the round, as the Bulldogs host the Sea Eagles at Accor Stadium. With a top 4 finish still up for grabs for the Bulldogs, they will be desperate to extend their winning streak to six, with a win over another top 8 side in the Sea Eagles.
Below, we will dissect the matchup, supply our Best Bet, and suggest a Same Game Multi. And don't forget to head to our NRL tips page for previews of all of the NRL and NRLW matches this weekend!
Also, if you’re new to sports betting or betting on the NRL, check out the following articles to help build your knowledge:
- Guide to Betting on the NRL
- Where to Bet on the NRL
- Factors to Consider When Betting on the NRL
NRL Round 26 Preview & Betting Tips
Canterbury Bulldogs vs Manly Sea Eagles
Accor Stadium, Friday 30th August, 6:00pm (AEST)
The Bulldogs continued on their merry way last weekend, cruising by the Warriors 34-18 in Auckland. It was a tight first half, with the Warriors leading heading into the break 18-16, however it was the Bulldogs who came out and asserted their authority on the game in the second half, running in three unanswered tries in 23 minutes to run away with the result. Statistically, the teams were extremely close, with the Bulldogs once again showing how good they are at executing in the big moments, putting them in great stead heading into the finals.
As for the Sea Eagles, they had one of their worst performances of the season, going down 34-26 to the Tigers at Leichhardt Oval on Thursday evening. In a game where they closed 17.5-point favorites and needed the win to keep pace with the top four, it was a worrying result for a side that seemed to be gathering momentum heading into September. If it wasn’t for Tom Trbojevic, this result could have been even more embarrassing, with the custodian scoring three tries whilst breaking the line three times and busting 12 tackles.
Match Preview
The Bulldogs and Sea Eagles last met in the penultimate round last year, with the Sea Eagles running out 42-24 winners at Accor Stadium as 5.5-point favorites. The scary thing for the Bulldogs was that the Sea Eagles were without Tom Trbojevic in this game. The Bulldogs are a far different animal to last season though, and I’ll be taking absolutely nothing away from that result in my handicap of this game.
Speaking of this game, the Bulldogs opened short 1.5-point favorites prior to last weekend’s results, before re-opening as 4.5-point favorites on Monday morning. Some Manly love has come back into the market, pushing the spread down below a try to 3.5. I make the Bulldogs a 4-point favorite, and believe the spread is pretty much bang on here, in what should be a cracking game with a finals-like feel to it.
The total opened 45.5, where it remains, however the over is heavily juiced, with a closing total of 46.5/47.5 likely here. I make a fair total 43.5, so I do see value in the under here, however with the Bulldogs attack looking far more efficient in recent weeks, I’m a little scared off by the total.
I believe this will be a tight contest, and a true test of where these sides are. If either want to be considered a genuine threat in the second week of the finals, they will need to be winning these sorts of games. An either team to win by 1-10 seems like a good leg to me here.
Either team by 1-10
$1.95 (1.5u)
Same Game Multi
Under 47.5 points – As above, this game should have a real finals feel about it, and a tight contest should result.
L Hopoate (1+ try) – Hopoate has it, as he has looked every bit the first grader in his first season in the top grade. 7 tries in 10 games, and attacking down the left flank outside Tom Trbojevic is a great place to be.
J Skelton (1+ try) – Skelton has also looked the part in his limited time in first grade, scoring two tries in three games this season, the young winger has done enough to earn a big contract upgrade at the Tigers next season. A great chance this week.
SGM Odds: $12.89 at Ladbrokes
