The first NRL game on Friday night heads to the northern beaches as the Sea Eagles host the Warriors. Appearing likely that the Sea Eagles will finish inside the Top 8 and play in the Finals, they will want to consolidate their standing on the competition ladder with a victory. The Warriors are out to salvage some pride and will see this as an opportunity to upset the momentum of a Finals-bound opponent. Before You Bet is here to provide a comprehensive analysis of what will occur in this fixture, with the aim of finding you a winner or two, to add to your viewing enjoyment.
NRL Round 24 Preview & Betting Tips
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles vs New Zealand Warriors
4 Pine Park – Friday 16th August – 6pm (AEST)
Match Preview
The Sea Eagles travelled down to Canberra last week and overcame a slow start to power past the Raiders 46-24. The 8-try display highlighted their attacking threat, while also reminded the club that they cannot neglect their defensive approach. With just 47% possession, they completed at 80%, averaged 9.9m per carry and had 9 line breaks. On the other side of the ball, they missed 29 tackles, allowed 9.6m per carry and conceded 6 line breaks. Better teams in the competition will make them pay for such mistakes, especially in Finals matches.
The Warriors faced off against the Dolphins and were defeated in Golden Point. They were poor in the first half and found themselves behind 20-6 at HT. A 5-try second half bought them back into contention but they ultimately fell short. They gave themselves every possible opportunity with an 84% completion rate, averaging 9.5m per carry and making 846 PCM’s. It was disappointing that they missed 45 tackles, but that approach has been their downfall for majority of the year.
Match Prediction
The Sea Eagles are red-hot favourites ($1.18 vs $4.80) for this game and are deserving of this tag for several reasons. The return of Johnson may seem like a positive for the home side, but he has limited their attack for majority of the year; the Sea Eagles can shut him down. The attacking (Sea Eagles 26ppg vs Warriors 21ppg) and defensive (Sea Eagles 20ppg vs Warriors 23ppg) support the home side. The Warriors have conceded far too many points this year and, while they can produce a similar tally, play with an inconsistency which offers their opponents numerous attacking opportunities. Their 47% record at this ground is also inferior to the Sea Eagles 62%.
The Sea Eagles will also give their fair share of opportunities but with a spot in the Finals on the line, an improved effort would be expected. With a likely outcome expected, the most challenging decision comes down to deciding on an option which offers value. You cannot overlook the Round 6 22-all draw between these two sides; with that in mind, on top of the home side’s ability to concede points, it would be surprising to see a complete blowout in this match.
Sea Eagles 1-12
$3.40 (1.5 Units)
Same Game Multi
Talau (15), Trbojevic (12) and Saab (9) lead the way for the Sea Eagles this season when it comes to tries scored. You would think that each will be heavily involved again in this contest and while the return is as high as most would like, it still worth some consideration.
T.Trbojevic, Talau and Saab to Score
SGM Odds: $4.80 at OldGill (0.5 Units)
