THE BRIEF
Not even a handful of games this weekend with the Origin byes in force. Well, technically it would be a handful if you’re a Simpsons character.
Kicking off in South Sydney, heading across the ditch and then rounding out on the sunshine strip, round 15 will cover some kilometers if nothing else. Feels like a weekend for a four leg multi. If you jag it, to the uneducated you can at least say you ‘tipped the card’.
THE BIG FIVE
- $20k on Parramatta -2 line (v Souths) @ $1.92
- $15k on Warriors (v Roosters) @ $1.42
- $5k on Storm +3.5 line (v Dragons) @ $1.92
- $3k on Titans -4 line (Manly) @ $1.92
- $900 on Semi Radradra to score hat-trick @ $9
MULTI MAGIC
- Parramatta ($1.77) into Hawthorn ($1.33) @ $2.35
One punter is going to get RSI from switching channels this evening after placing a $10k multi on the favourites in the respective football codes.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
This was a toss of the coin game at the start of the week but with injuries and of course Origin absences to key players for the Bunnies, the money has been all Eels since Monday.
Given the club is likely to (finally) be stripped of 12 premiership points next week, they’ll be after a scalp and also some key points to keep them in with a chance of a finals berth. However unlikely that might be.
They’ve firmed from $1.92 into $1.77 with the Rabbitohs on the drift beyond the even money mark to $2.10.
REMEMBER 99?
Fox Sports always play classic encounters between combatants in the lead up to a round and what I love most about this match is it meant the 1999 Grand Final has been on high rotation this week. I own that game on VHS but don’t have a VHS player anymore so it has been great reliving it. Not so for my Dragons supporting mates … but that’s only two guys.
Anyway, lots of love for the Storm who have shown they aren’t a two man team this season. (it was always three, but Billy is done for the year and we knew Cam Munster could cover him).
Anyway, Melbourne has been $2.75 into $2.25 as they aim to take outright top spot on the table, that’s due largely to the fact Cronulla have the bye.
They’ve been the best backed outsider while, in turn, the Dragons have been friendless. Perhaps not as lonely as when Bill Harrigan called a penalty try to Craig Smith back in ’99, but still. Sorry, Dragons fans.
NO CROWING FOR TRI COLOURS
Absolutely pantsed by the Storm last week, punters have no faith in the Roosters regrouping in time to upset the Warriors across the ditch.
The money has been all for New Zealand in this one with the home side well supported in both the head to head and line. Both of which have firmed in their favour.
Ladbrokes has barely taken a bet on the Roosters who have blown out beyond the $3 mark.
COASTING INTO THE EIGHT (OR NOT)
If the NRL played by the AFL rules when it came to the bye rounds – in terms of no points for no match – then Gold Coast would find itself in the eight should they defeat Manly on Monday night. Alas, they won’t. Stupid rule.
And they’ve been well backed to do just that. Manly, like the Roosters and Dragons, has been relatively friendless in the betting as the money comes for the Titans at home.
They’ve been well supported in both head to head and line markets with the latter out from -4 to -6.5 after one punter plonked $3k on them at the smaller spread.
MY SUGGESTION
As indicated in the opening brief, a four game round is multi time. As we always say here at the Ladbrokes Lowdown, this is about following the money rather than doing the form and if you do, you get this little quaddie.
- EELS/STORM/WARRIORS/TITANS – $8.08 (as of midday Friday)