Our best bet for Thursday's NRL Round 27 dead rubber between the Canterbury Bulldogs and Brisbane Broncos is the Over 52.5 / Burton to Score / Staggs to Score Same Game Multi at $7.50, with three of Brisbane's last four matches producing 64 or more points and Matt Burton scoring six tries from nine matches at centre this season.
The final round of the NRL regular season kicks off with a dead rubber between the Bulldogs and Broncos at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Thursday.
Canterbury Bulldogs vs Brisbane Broncos
Few would have picked these teams to miss out on finals footy at the start of the season, given their top-four performances last year.
But with the Bulldogs down in 10th and the Broncos languishing in 15th, all that's left to play for this Thursday is pride.
Neither side is in any kind of form, with both winning just once in their last four matches. Most recently the Bulldogs had their campaign ended at the hands of the Panthers 24-10, while the Broncos lost 46-20 to the Storm.
Leg 1 - Over 52.5 Points Total
As a dead rubber, plenty of expansive play can be expected here. Neither side will be looking to grind out a win. They'll be throwing caution to the wind and having a crack.
As it stands, Brisbane's defence has been leaky enough to push this one over the 52.5-point total. Three of their last four matches have had 64 or more points scored.
Leg 2 - Matt Burton to Score
Burton has been prolific since shifting to centre this season and should cross over in an open match like this.
The Bulldogs pivot has six tries in nine matches at centre, including three in his last two starts.
Leg 3 - Kotoni Staggs to Score
Staggs has had a forgettable season by his standards, but is well-placed to finish with a flourish on Thursday.
The Broncos centre is excellent in open play, of which there should be plenty in this clash.
He picked up a try last week against the Storm, his ninth of the season, and should make it two from two here.
Same Game Multi
Over 52.5 / Burton to Score / Staggs to Score = $7.50
Value Bet
Dead rubbers like this are usually something of a coin toss. Neither side has anything to play for. It just comes down to which club can get themselves motivated.
Brisbane are the better chance of doing so, given they've had weeks to come to terms with missing out on the finals, while the Bulldogs' disappointment is still fresh.
