Whilst the Dragons cling on to a spot inside the NRL top 8, their opponents this week, the Eels, will surely have one eye on their round 27 clash #SpoonBowl. The joint venture club surely has too much to play for here and should get a crucial two points on Saturday afternoon at CommBank Stadium.
Below, we will dissect the Dragons vs Eels matchup, supply our Best Bet, and suggest an NRL 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
Parramatta Eels vs St George Illawarra Dragons
CommBank Stadium, Saturday 31st August, 3:00pm (AEST)
The Eels showed some fight last weekend, taking on a Broncos team desperate for a win to keep their slim finals hopes alive, eventually going down 30-24 at Suncorp Stadium. It was a surprise the Eels still had enough resolve to keep the game within one converted try, given they were put on a Round 27 collision course with the Tigers for the wooden spoon, after the Tigers won on Thursday night. Joe Ofahengaue continued his impressive form for the Eels, running for 174 metres, making 35 tackles, popping three offloads, and scoring a try. He continues to be a workhorse in the middle for the Eels and will be at it again this weekend no doubt.
The Dragons would have been hoping for a better showing last weekend, being totally dominated by their old foe the Sharks, losing 38-10 at home. With the Broncos, Knights, and Raiders all winning last weekend, it was a loss that brought the Dragons right back to the pack. The Dragons allowed 2000+ metres, conceded 8 line breaks, whilst missing 44 tackles and making 13 errors. It was a poor display from a team that has been extremely inconsistent this season, and they will be hoping the yo-yo is on the way up this weekend.
Match Preview
The Eels and Dragons last met in Round 23 last season, with the Eels running out 26-20 winners at CommBank Stadium. After trailing 20-10 with just over 20 minutes remaining, the Eels managed to score three unanswered tries in 11 minutes to get the win. The Eels closed whopping 16.5-point favourites for the game, showing how far the Dragons have come this season. The total closed 47.5, which was good total set by the market.
As for this weekend’s game, the Dragons opened 4.5-point road favourites, before re-opening as 2.5-point favourites after last weekend’s games were completed. Bettors were quick to snap up this move, with plenty of Dragons money coming into the market, pushing them out to 3.5/4.5-point favourites at most books. I believe Dragons under 4-point favourites is about right from a numbers perspective, but the motivation levels of both teams has me understanding the number sitting outside 4.
As for the total, it opened 52.5, where it remains. The Dragons have been a heavy unders team this season, however the Eels are the inverse, being the second heaviest over team this year. Both these teams are in the bottom six teams in the league in terms of points conceded per game. And whilst the total is high, this game sets up nicely for points. The Eels will want to put on a show for their fans in their final home game of the season, whilst the weather should be absolutely perfect for free-flowing football. Over is the play.
Over 53.5 points
$1.98 (2 units)
Same Game Multi
Dragons (-2.5) – As above, I like the Dragons to win by 4+ here, and with Ladbrokes still lining this below 4, I’ll take it in the SGM.
Z Lomax (1+ try) – Lomax will be taking on the extremely poor Eels’ left side defence. I can’t see them stopping him scoring at least one.
M Sivo (1+ try) – Sivo is an auto add to any Eels SGM, and with 12 tries in 10 games it’s easy to see why. The Dragons concede 41% of their tries down the right edge, the edge Sivo will be targeting.
SGM Odds: $4.76 at Ladbrokes
