With round 1 of the 2019 NRL season still fresh in the memory it’s time to turn our attention to round 2. Here are our NRL round 2 betting tips for all eight games, and their current starting prices.
Check out our review of Round 1:here
St George/Illawara Dragons vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs
After a week one loss at the Newcastle Knights the Dragons will be looking to get their season on track, but they face one of the toughest opponents to do that against.
The Rabbitohs looked mighty impressive as they took down the defending champion Roosters in round 1. Souths can usually be counted on to put up some points and that makes them a compelling pick every week. With the Dragons conceding 24 to the rampant Cowboys in round 1, this looks like it could be a one-sided contest to us.
Best Bets: Rabbitohs win: 14/25 it’s a bit skinny for round 2. Overs @ 38.5 : 20/21 – we love this bet.
Canberra Raiders vs. Melbourne Storm
While the Raiders are coming off the back of their first shutout win since 2013, the Storm are entering this game after an impressive 10-point win over the Broncos.
Both teams looked very good in round 1, but the opposition has to be considered while the Storm were playing a 15-win team from 2018, the Raiders opponents could only muster 8 wins. While that’s not everything it tells us a lot about expectations coming into this game.
It’s hard to see anything but a Storm win, but it will be a good gauge of just how much the Raiders have improved and how bad the Titans are.
Best Bets: Storm Win: 3/5. Storm Handicap -4.0: 91/100. Expect the Storm to cover this with ease.
Brisbane Broncos vs. North Queensland Cowboys
The Broncos showed some good play against the Storm last week, but something seemed to be missing for them as Milford looked massively off his game. The performance rang some alarm bells for us NRL bettors.
The Cowboys looked impressive led by the amazing performance of Jason Taumalolo and his 287 meters gained. While the Cowboys are likely slightly over-hyped at this point and the Broncos likewise slightly over-hyped we’ll learn a lot more about both squads in this one. I have a sneaky suspicion the Cowboys will pull this one out.
Best Bet: Cowboys Win: 27/20. This game is still priced based on last season, get it while you can.
Cronulla Sharks vs. Gold Coast Titans
The Sharks were battered for most of round 1 by the Newcastle Knights. While their defence held firm, it was an eye-opener. The Titans meanwhile got blanked by the Raiders, only their seventh in team history.
There seems to be no-way that the Titans can win this game. The Sharks must bounce back with new boy Shaun Johnson making a big impact.
Best Bets: Sharks Win: 19/50. Easy Money. Sharks Handicap -7.5: 91/100. It’s a little punchy, but the Titans looked that bad against an average Raiders team.
Newcastle Knights vs. Penrith Panthers
Newcastle looked really good against a quality Sharks team, and that was even without Kalyn Ponga putting in a great performance. Penrith lost at home to the Eels, and while the Eels have definitely improved on last season, this was a troubling sign for the Panthers.
With the sex-tape scandal still circling Penrith a road game in Newcastle is probably not what they really need. With the Knights on a high, and improving and the Panthers in disarray, we’re calling a home win
Best Bets: Knights Win: 3/4
Manly Sea Eagles vs. Sydney Roosters
The Roosters suffered at home to local rivals Souths as they got the defence of the title off to a losing start. While the Sea Eagles got battered against Wests. It’s clear to see which of these teams will be happier going into this game.
The Roosters will be desperate to get their season going with a first win, while Manly will be hoping to keep the score close. It sounds harsh, but the scoreline is likely to be much harsher.
Best Bets: Roosters Win: 27/100.Not usually a backable price, but this is like printing money. Roosters Handicap -10: 91/100 It’s a hefty handicap but a slightly safer bet than the overs
Canterbury Bulldogs vs Parramatta Eels
Canterbury were fairly crushed by the Warriors in round 1 40-6. The Eels on the other hand went in to Penrith and beat the Panthers 20-12. Despite finishing bottom of the ladder in 2018, the additions, led by Blake Ferguson, have the Eels on the upswing.
Canterbury will hope they can get their season back on track, but after an 8-win campaign in 2018 their ceiling really doesn’t seem that high. This will be a big test of a Parramatta team that we really like the look of.
Best Bet: Eels win: 17/25. Can the Eels really win back to back games…of course they can.
West Tigers vs. New Zealand Warriors
Both teams are coming off comfortable wins. Wests beating the Sea Eagles 20-6, and the Warriors beating Canterbury 40-6 in round 1’s biggest win. The Warriors showed no ill-effects of losing talisman Shaun Johnson, while the Tigers looked comfortable all night.
As a Warriors fan, I fancy them to go into Sydney and produce the upset. But that needs to be couched by the fact that I’m slightly biased. The Warriors often struggle on their travels, fading late in games and Wests are a solid unit.
Best Bet: Over 37.5: 91/100. Both of these teams like to put up points, and both had their offences rolling in NRL round 1.
NRL ACCA
With there being a few seemingly safe bets this week, famous last words, here’s our ACCA for round 2:
- South Sydney Rabbitohs win @ 14/25
- Melbourne Storm win @ 3/5
- Cronulla Sharks win @ 19/50
- Sydney Roosters win @ 27/100
@ 10/3 it’s a reasonable payout.
Feeling Punchy
If you want to get a little more punchy with your picks, try this one at your peril:
- Newcastle Knights win @ 3/4
- Wests Tigers / New Zealand Warriors Over 37.5 @ 91/100
- North Queensland Cowboys win @ 27/20
- Parramatta Eels win @ 17/25
At 12/1 it’s got a nice juicy payout.
Please always bet responsibly and never bet more than you can afford to lose.
For more like this, visit our dedicated betting page here. Meanwhile, follow us on Facebook for more opinions and analysis right to your timeline.