Round 7 NRL action begins on Thursday night in Sydney with the Roosters hosting the Storm. The Roosters are currently outside the Top 8 and finding consistency hard to come by, meanwhile, the Storm are 2nd on the competition ladder. Both teams play an exciting brand of rugby league are well coached; they will look to expose potential weaknesses in their opponents and take their chances. This sets the stage for an exhilarating night of rugby league. As always, Before You Bet is here to take a comprehensive look at the action, with the aim of finding you a winner or two to add to your enjoyment.
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
2024 NRL Round 7 Preview & Betting Tips
Sydney Roosters vs Melbourne Storm
Allianz Stadium – Thursday 18th April – 7:50pm (AEST)
Match Preview
The Roosters bounced back to winning form with a much-needed 22-20 win over the Knights on the road. Heading into the game as outsiders and missing key personnel, it was always going to be a difficult challenge. They set up victory with a strong first half display, but the Knights were still within striking distance. This lasted up until the final stages of the match, with the Roosters defence holding strong. They set the result up with strong ball control (51% possession) and a high completion rate (85%). They carried the ball with power, averaging 10.8m per carry and having 887pcm’s. This led to 7 line breaks and a return to their dominant best in the middle. They will need to improve upon that effort though, with the Knights hardly a resolute defence unit.
The Storm were victorious over the Bulldogs in a nail-biter 16-14. In a dour and gritty match, the Storm held a 10-nil HT lead and had to rely upon a 74th minute try to regain the lead. They are a better team than that performance suggests, and their toughness and poise got them the positive result. They had no right to win the match either considering their opponents lead most key areas; they had just a 48% share of possession, ran for 200 fewer metres, conceded more line breaks (5 vs 8) and had less pcm’s. Thankfully, they survived and will take confidence from such a result.
Match Prediction
In a boost for the Roosters, Tedesco has been named to return from injury. His inclusion sends Manu back to the centres; opinion is divided as to whether this is an ideal move for this team. The Storm also have some quality returning, with Nelson Asofa-Solomona returning for his first game of the season. His inclusion will add some much-needed grunt to this pack. The teams appear evenly split and this is reflected in the odds, with the Storm slight favourites ($1.95 vs $1.85). Given their recent form, the Storm should be shorter; they have been executing at a better level compared to the Roosters.
The home record of the Roosters (64% vs 47%) suggests the Storm may struggle; on top of this, they have a superior ability to score points (24ppg vs 20ppg). The difference between the two sides will come down to defence, and this is where the Storm have an advantage (18ppg vs 17ppg). They have prided themselves this season on this part of the game and while the Roosters can produce some impressive attacking plays, it will take a lot to break down the resolute defence of the Storm. With that in mind, it should be a narrow margin of victory to either team. Stick to this approach for the match.
Either team by 8.5 points or less
$2.10 (2 Units)
