The following are previews with betting tips for Round 19 of the 2019 NRL season.
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Sharks v Cowboys
Thu, Jul 25, 7.50pm
Shark Park |
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The Cowboys and Sharks face a massive test with both clubs sitting one win outside the top-eight in a congested competition ladder. North Queensland are desperately missing skipper and halfback Michael Morgan and his presence may well have changed the outcome of their disappointing last-start loss to the Rabbitohs. Meanwhile, Cronulla conceded a disappointing loss to the Warriors last week in yet another defeat in which they have scored more tries than their opposition.
The Cowboys have named an unchanged squad for this match, while the Sharks will draft Josh Dugan and Josh Morris at fullback and centre respectively with Billy Magoulias to join the bench.
Cronulla will enter this match as favourites, despite facing their sixth consecutive loss. The Cowboys will be looking to dominate the ruck against a Cronulla outfit missing their forward leaders in Andrew Fifita and Wade Graham, while the Sharks will look to their more experienced halves to kick their opposition into submission to win the battle for field position. Could go either way but expect the power of North Queensland’s middle-men to prove the difference.
Betting Tip: Cowboys +4.5 @ $1.90 (Sportsbet)
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Knights v Tigers
Fri, Jul 26, 6.00pm
McDonald Jones Stadium |
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Newcastle will be looking to avoid their fourth consecutive defeat and turn around a form-slump that has come at the worst time of the year, particularly after last week’s embarrassing 48-10 loss to the reigning premiers. They will come up against a Wests outfit whose season hangs by a thread with the joint-venture club similarly facing their fourth loss with their defeat by the Raiders in round 18.
Newcastle have named an unchanged line-up for this match, while the Tigers will welcome back Corey Thompson at fullback with Oliver Clark also joining the starting side in the front-row.
The Knights will enter this match as firm favourites and coach Nathan Brown will be looking for a big response from his troops with their finals berth at risk. Wests have shown they can perform bravely in their last month of football and their improved defense will make victory no certainty for the Knights. Expect the class within this Newcastle squad to prove the difference.
Betting Tip: Knights -5.5 @ $1.90 (Beteasy)
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Rabbitohs v Dragons
Fri, Jul 26, 7.55pm
ANZ Stadium |
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Souths have done a tremendous job to string together some gritty victories through a difficult representative period for the club. Their opposition will be a St George outfit whose woeful last-start loss to Penrith typified their struggles since the grueling Origin period in yet another mid-season slump for the joint-venture club.
Souths have named an unchanged 17 this week, although both Sam and Thomas Burgess are a chance to return after being named in the reserves in what would be a massive boost for the club. Meanwhile, the Dragons will pin their hopes on captain Gareth Widdop who makes his return from a long-term shoulder injury at five-eighth. Ben Hunt has been named at halfback after he was rested last week as NRL debutant Jason Saab and Zac Lomax both join the side on the wing.
Souths will enter this match as firm favourites but expect St George to lift, particularly on the back of Widdop’s return. Dragons faithful will be hoping Corey Norman’s shift to fullback to form a new look back-three combination will be successful, although Souths’ composure and spirit should get them over the line.
Betting Tip: Rabbitohs -6.5 @ $1.90 (Beteasy)
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Eels v Warriors
Sat, Jul 27, 3.00pm
Western Sydney Stadium |
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The Eels returned to their patchy form in a disappointing last-start loss to Manly and they will now face a Warriors outfit who have produced some gritty performances the over the past month to keep in touch with the top-eight – most recently in their field-goal victory against Cronulla last week.
Daniel Alvaro and Oregon Kaufusi will join the Eels’ bench with mid-season recruit Waqa Blake set to make his club debut at centre in a big boost to the Parramatta back-line. Ken Maumalo will return on the wing for the Kiwis in an otherwise unchanged squad.
Parramatta’s home-ground advantage will see them enter this contest as firm favourites with their inconsistent form primarily coming from their away-games. The Warriors have shown plenty of spirit in their last few matches and should be primed for a big performance as they sit ninth on the competition ladder. Could go either way but expect the Eels’ to lift at home to get the win.
Betting Tip: Warriors +4.5 @ $1.85 (Unibet) OR Warriors +4.0 @ $1.91 (Pointsbet)
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Titans v Broncos
Sat, Jul 27, 5.30pm
CBus Super Stadium |
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A number of key players are finding form at the right time for Brisbane as the club mounts a late-season charge for a finals berth. They will face the struggling Titans in a Queensland derby with the Gold Coast club sure to respond to their woeful 38-18 loss to Melbourne last week with a big performance.
Tyrone Peachy will return from injury for the Titans from the bench, while Super League recruit Kallum Watkins will also line up at centre as veteran Michael Gordon returns to his preferred position of fullback. Brisbane will welcome back Matt Gillett in the second-row in a huge boost for the club in an otherwise unchanged squad.
The Broncos will enter the match as heavy favourites given the Titans’ recent form, but should be wary after the Gold Coast club produced a 26-18 upset in their last meeting. Expect the Titans to bring their trademark style of expansive footy to this match, but Brisbane should get the points, particularly with the return of Matt Gillett.
Betting Tip: Broncos -6.5 @ $1.90 (Neds)
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Storm v Sea Eagles
Sat, Jul 27, 7.35pm
AAMI Park |
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No one could have predicted the anticipation of Saturday night’s clash between arch-rivals Manly and Melbourne during the pre-season given Manly’s meteoric rise to top-four contention leading into the finals. The Victorians were at their devastating best in a 38-18 victory over the Titans last week, while Manly were equally impressive in a crucial last-start victory over the Eels.
Melbourne will welcome their full Origin contingent to return with Cameron Munster, Christian Welch, Felise Kaufusi, Josh Addo-Carr and Will Chambers returning to their starting line up. Sandor Earl will also retain his position on the wing in the absence of the suspended Suliasi Vunivalu. Meanwhile, Des Hasler has named an unchanged Manly line-up from last week.
Melbourne will head into the match the clear favourite but the Victorians should be careful of this spirited Manly outfit whose rock-solid defensive structures have formed the back-bone of their resurgence. This shapes as a fantastic litmus test of the Sea Eagles’ finals chances, but expect the class of the Storm’s returning representative players to get them over the line.
Betting Tip: Sea Eagles +8.0 @ $1.91 (Bet365)
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Bulldogs v Roosters
Sun, Jul 28, 2.00pm
ANZ Stadium |
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After performing solidly through the Origin period, the Roosters flexed their considerable muscle in an impressive 48-10 victory over the Knights last week. They will face a Bulldogs outfit who were mauled by Brisbane in their last match as pressure mounts on coach Dean Pay to improve his struggling squad’s form.
Lachlan Lewis, Kerrod Holland and Aiden Tolman will join the starting 17 for Canterbury in a big boost for the club. For the Roosters, Joseph Manu will return at centre with Zane Tetevano coming onto the bench in an otherwise unchanged squad.
The Bulldogs will need to produce a massive turnaround in their form to upset the Roosters with complacency looking unlikely from the reigning premiers after last week’s demolition of the Knights. Roosters coach Trent Robinson will be looking for his squad to re-form the deadly combinations that saw them win the competition last year and expect the Bulldogs to offer little resistance. Roosters to get the win.
Betting Tip: Roosters -14.5 @ $1.90 (Beteasy)
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Panthers v Raiders
Sun, Jul 28, 4.05pm
Panthers Stadium |
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The Panthers’ run of winning form will be put to the test against the fourth-placed Raiders with both sides sure to be desperate to consolidate their respective ladder positions heading into the finals. Canberra produced a gritty victory over the Tigers in their last game in a performance that typified their new-found defensive resolve, while Penrith were impressive in their 40-18 victory over St George.
Given their recent form, both teams have unsurprisingly named unchanged squads heading into this clash.
This match shapes as a huge test for the Panthers with their recent victories against top-four teams in the Roosters and Souths coming while both clubs were under-strength during the Origin period. Penrith will be looking to extend their winning streak to eight consecutive matches in a bid to break into the top-four, while the Raiders should be similarly conscious of their ladder position with pressure from the fifth placed Sea Eagles. This match could go either way but expect the Raiders to get the points.
Betting Tip: Raiders H2H @ $1.82 (Bet365)
Best Bet
Rabbitohs -6.5 @ $1.90 (Beteasy)
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