ANZAC Day features 3 interesting matchups and before that, the red-hot Dogs will look to make it 7 straight when they face the Broncos on Thursday night at Suncorp.
Brisbane Broncos (5th) vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (1st)
The Broncos are on a 2-game losing streak after their narrow 20-18 loss to the Warriors at Mount Smart. Despite this, they've had a solid season so far, with a 4-3 record, placing them 5th on the ladder. They've been impressive in attack, ranking 2nd in the NRL for points and tries scored. At home, they've been strong with a 2-0-1 record, and they've also done well away with a 2-0-2 record. Over the last 5 games, they've gone 3-0-2, showing they can bounce back from setbacks.
The Bulldogs are on fire with a 6-game winning streak, sitting comfortably at the top of the ladder in 1st place. They're yet to lose this season, boasting a perfect 6-0 record. At home, they've been flawless with a 3-0 record, and they've also won all their away games (3-0). Their recent performance was dominant, crushing the South Sydney Rabbitohs 32-0 at Stadium Australia. Over the last 5 games, they've been unbeaten (5-0-0). In attack, they're ranked 5th in the NRL for points scored and 4th for tries scored, showing they're a serious force in attack. But their defence has been even more impressive, highlighted by 2 shutouts in a row. They have conceded just 14 points across their past four games.
Stadium Record
Brisbane are 4-6 in their last 10 games at Suncorp. Canterbury are 1-9 in their last 10 games at this venue.
Head to Head Record
In the last 10, the Broncos hold a 7-3 record.
Best Bet
The Doggies defence is elite, having allowed just a measly 14 pts in their last 4. Without Walsh, I think the Broncos will struggle to score points too. The Under is 4-0 in the Dogs last 4 so I think that's the best bet.
Same Game Multi
The Broncos are just 1-13 ATS at Suncorp so I like the Dogs to cover in this SGM with the Under as their defence is on fire too.
Under 42.5 / Bulldogs -4.5 = $3.80
Sydney Roosters (16th) vs St. George Illawarra Dragons (7th)
The Roosters have had a tough season so far, sitting at 16th on the ladder with a 2-5 record. They're struggling in a few key areas, ranking 14th in both points and tries scored, and they're also making too many errors, sitting 3rd in the league for mistakes. Over the last 5 games, they've only managed to win once (1-0-4). Their home form has been poor, losing all 3 home games, while they've been slightly better on the road with a 2-0-2 record. In their most recent game, they were defeated by the Panthers by 28 points at Sydney Football Stadium, extending their losing streak to 1.
The Dragons are sitting in 7th place on the ladder with a 3-3 record this season. They've been in decent form lately, winning their last two games and going 3-0-2 in their last five. At home, they've been solid, with a 2-0-2 record, while on the road they've had a 1-0-1 record. In their most recent game, the Dragons scraped by with a 2-point win over the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, winning 20-18 in Round 7. However, they do struggle with errors, ranking 5th in the league for mistakes.
Stadium Record
Sydney are 5-5 in their last 10 games at SFS. St. George are 1-4 in their last 5 games at this venue.
Head to Head Record
In the last 10, the Roosters hold an 8-2 record.
Best Bet
This is a tough game to pick as the Roosters usually have the wood over the Dragons but St George are looking the better side coming into this. So I like the chances of the Over, it's 5-0 in the last 5 meetings and the Roosters are struggling defensively.
New Zealand Warriors (4th) vs Newcastle Knights (14th)
The Warriors are currently 4th on the ladder with a 4-2 record this season. They've been in great form lately, winning their last game against the Brisbane Broncos by a narrow 2-point margin, 20-18. They've been unbeatable at home so far with a perfect 3-0-0 record, while their away form stands at 1-0-2. In their last five games, they've gone 4-0-1, showing strong consistency.
The Knights are struggling this season, sitting in 14th place with a 2-4 record. They're on a four-game losing streak and have had issues with errors, ranking first in the league for mistakes. Their attack has also been lacking, ranked 17th in both points and tries scored. In their last game, they suffered a 20-point loss to the Sharks at home. Their win/loss record is even on both home and away games, with 1-0-2 in both. Over the last five matches, they've only managed 1 win and 4 losses.
Stadium Record
New Zealand are 2-1 at this venue since 2018. Newcastle are yet to play here.
Head to Head Record
In the last 10 meetings, the Knights have won 6 games against the Warriors.
Best Bet
The Knights are not looking great in attack and I think the Warriors defence will keep them in check too. Overall, the Under is 8-1 with the Knights so I'll take under 44.5 pts.
Melbourne Storm (2nd) vs South Sydney Rabbitohs (8th)
The Storm are currently sitting in 2nd place with a solid 4-2 record for the season. They've been impressive at home, with a perfect 3-0-0 record, but they're coming off a tough 42-22 loss to the Dolphins at Lang Park. Despite the loss, the Storm remain a high-scoring team, ranking 1st in the NRL for both points and tries scored. However, they've been struggling with errors, ranking 3rd in the league for mistakes. On the road, they've been decent with a 1-0-2 record. Over the last five games, they've won 3 and lost 2, but they're currently on a one-game losing streak.
The Rabbitohs are sitting in 8th place with a 4-3 record for the season, but they're currently on a two-game losing streak. They've had a solid record at home, going 3-0-1, but their away form has been shaky with a 1-0-2 record. In their last game, they were hammered 32-0 by the Bulldogs at Stadium Australia. The Rabbitohs have been struggling with scoring, ranked 15th in the NRL for both points and tries scored. Over their last five matches, they've only managed 2 wins, with 3 losses, which has put a dent in their momentum.
Stadium Record
Melbourne are 8-2 in their last 10 games at AAMI Park. South Sydney are 0-5 at this venue since 2018.
Head to Head Record
The Storm are 10-3 against the Rabbitohs since 2018.
Best Bet
A rare stinker by the Storm last week mean's they'll be fired up on Anzac Day at home against a Rabbitohs side that doesn't like playing in Melbourne. I think Melbourne get the win but it should be high scoring as the Over is 6-0 at AAMI Park.
North Queensland Cowboys (9th) vs Gold Coast Titans (13th)
The Cowboys are currently sitting in 9th place with a balanced 3-3 record for the season, but they're on a three-game winning streak. They've been solid away from home with a 2-0-2 record, and at home, they've managed a 1-0-1 record. In their last game, the Cowboys secured a solid 24-16 win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Round 6. With a strong 3-0-2 record in their last five games, they're looking to keep the momentum going and build on their current form.
The Titans head into this clash against the Cowboys sitting 13th on the ladder with a 2-4 record and looking to snap a three-game losing streak. They've struggled a bit both home and away this season, with a 1-0-2 record in each. Last round, they went down by 10 points to the Raiders at Robina Stadium. Over their past five games, they've managed just two wins, and they'll be eager to bounce back against a Cowboys side riding some momentum.
Stadium Record
North Queensland are 6-4 in their last 10 games at QCB. Gold Coast are 1-4 in their last 5 games at this venue.
Head to Head Record
In the last 10 meetings, the head-to-head is squared at 5-5.
Best Bet
The Cowboys should be fresh from the bye and the Titans are leaking plenty of points again. North QLD are 4-0 ATS and I think they get the job done at home.
North Queensland Cowboys -8.5 = $1.95
Penrith Panthers (15th) vs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (11th)
The Panthers are coming off a big confidence boost after smashing the Roosters by 28 points in Round 7, winning 40-12. Despite that strong performance, they're still sitting 15th on the ladder with a 2-5 record and just one win from their last five games. Their home and away form has been patchy, going 1-0-2 at home and 1-0-3 on the road. One area they'll want to tighten up is ball control — they rank second in the league for most errors. Still, that recent win might just be the spark they need heading into this clash with the Sea Eagles.
The Sea Eagles head into their clash with the Panthers on the back of three straight losses, most recently going down by just 2 points to the Dragons at Brookvale. They're sitting 11th on the ladder with a 3-4 record, and while their away form has been rough (0-0-2), they've been decent at home with three wins from five. Despite the recent slide, there are positives — they're one of the better sides in the comp when it comes to holding onto the ball, ranking 17th for errors made, and they're also top five in both points and tries scored. If they can tidy things up defensively, they're still in with a decent shot.
Stadium Record
Penrith are 5-5 in their last 10 games at CommBank Stadium. Manly are 2-3 in their last 5 games at this venue.
Head to Head Record
In the last 10 meetings, the Panthers hold an 8-2 record against the Sea Eagles.
Best Bet
The Panthers finally got a win and I think they'll make it back to back victories as they look to climb the ladder. They love playing Manly with a 9-1 record and the Sea Eagles haven't looked the same since DCE announced he's leaving.
Canberra Raiders (3rd) vs Dolphins (10th)
The Raiders are in hot form heading into their matchup with the Dolphins, riding a three-game winning streak and sitting 3rd on the ladder with a solid 5-2 record. They're fresh off a 30-20 win over the Titans in Round 7 and have been especially strong at home, unbeaten in three games. Offensively, they've been firing — ranked 2nd in the NRL for points scored and 3rd for tries. With momentum on their side and a balanced home and away record, the Raiders are looking like serious contenders.
The Dolphins are heading into this clash with some solid momentum, having won their last three games — including an eye-catching 42-22 win over the Storm at Lang Park. They've been a bit up and down overall with a 3-4 record, but that recent form has lifted them to 10th on the ladder. At home, they've gone 2-2, while they've picked up one win from three on the road. It's not a perfect start to the season, but they're finding their rhythm at the right time.
Stadium Record
Canberra are 5-5 in their last 10 games at Canberra Stadium. The Dolphins haven't played here yet.
Head to Head Record
The Raiders are 2-1 against the Dolphins.
Best Bet
A great win for the Dolphins last week and I don't think they will be bothered by the Canberra conditions. They're in great form and I think this will be a close one.
Wests Tigers (12th) vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (6th)
The Tigers have been a bit hit-and-miss this season, sitting 12th on the ladder with a 3-4 record. They've been much better on the road, picking up three wins from four away games, but they're still chasing their first home victory after three straight losses. Last round they went down by 16 points to the Eels at Western Sydney Stadium, snapping a decent run. They'll be looking to bounce back this week against the Sharks.
The Sharks are building nicely this season, sitting 6th on the ladder with a 4-3 record and coming off back-to-back wins. Last round they looked sharp, cruising past the Knights with a 34-14 victory. They've been solid both home and away, winning two of three at home and splitting their four road games. One of their key strengths is attack—they're ranked 5th in the NRL for tries scored, and they'll be keen to keep that momentum going as they take on the Tigers.
Stadium Record
Wests are 4-6 in their last 10 games at Leichhardt. Cronulla are 1-1 at this venue since 2018.
Head to Head Record
The Sharks are 4-1 against the Tigers in the last 5 meetings.
Best Bet
A lot of off-field noise for the Tigers and they were poor against the Eels. The Sharkies are playing good footy and like playing Wests, they've covered in 6 of the last 7 meetings.
