NRL Round 9 Footy Form: The stats that matter, what’s been backed and where the money is going
TODAY’S round of NRL has a couple of clear favourites in the betting, but one match is a splitting people down the middle.
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Check out all the best stats, what’s been backed and where the money is going in order to find a winner.
Panthers v Raiders
Carrington Park, Saturday 3pm
HEAD TO HEAD
Overall these teams have had a very close history – Penrith has won 33 matches, Canberra has won 34 and there has been one draw recorded back in 1996.
HIGH SCORING AFFAIR
Canberra has won the past three clashes against Penrith, scoring 30 points or more in all three matches. The Raiders are chasing four straight wins against the Panthers for the first time since 2008, and for just the second time in their history.
BOUNCED BACK
The Raiders bounced back to form with a 60-6 demolition of Wests Tigers last Saturday. It is the most points they have scored in a match since Round 22, 2008 when they defeated Penrith 74-12, which is the most they have scored in a match.
JARROD CROKER
Jarrod is now only 8 points shy of tying David Furner (1,218) for most points scored for the club.
Betting summary: Punters can’t split these two sides as money is running 50/50 in the head to head market.
TAB latest market for Panthers v Raiders
Roosters v Knights
Allianz Stadium, Saturday 5:30pm
HEAD TO HEAD
The Roosters have won five of their past six games against the Knights, with all five wins by 16 points or more. At Allianz Stadium, the Roosters have dominated this clash for more than a decade winning nine of 10 since 2002, including each of the past four at the venue.
TWENTY POINTS
Scoring 20 points is the magic number for the Roosters against Newcastle, winning 22 of 23 matches when they have scored 20 points or more, but just four of 24 matches (with two draws) when scoring less than 20 points.
FINALS FEELIN’
The Roosters slumped to their seventh loss of the season against the Dragons last week. Just two teams in the NRL era (1998–2015) have made the finals after starting the season with just one win after eight matches. The 1999 Broncos and 2002 Dragons – however at this stage Brisbane had recorded a draw in 1999 and the Dragons two draws in 2002.
PEARCE POWER
Mitchell Pearce returns this week from his eight-week suspension. He has a decent record against them with three tries and 10 assists in 11 matches.
Betting summary: Our customers think the Roosters are going to record their second win for the season as they are very well supported here.
TAB latest market for Roosters v Knights
Sea Eagles v Cowboys
Brookvale Oval, Saturday 7:30pm
HEAD TO HEAD
After losing six straight against Manly from mid-2011 until early 2014, the Cowboys have now won their past three and will be looking for four straight wins against Manly for the first time.
NO FORTRESS
Manly have won just one of four at Brookvale Oval this season and will be trying to avoid a fourth of their first five matches of a season at home for the first time since 2004. Manly has not lost three straight matches at Brookvale Oval in the same season since 2005 and on that occasion their third loss came against the Cowboys.
WILL HISTORY REPEAT?
The Cowboys have now won their past four matches and a win in this match would see them win seven of their opening nine matches of a season for just the second time in their history – doing so in 2006. Although on that occasion the Cowboys then went on to win just four of their final 15 matches and ended up missing the finals.
HALF TIME KEY
The Cowboys have won six from six when leading at half-time this season but lost both matches when trailing at the break, both of which came away from home.
Betting summary: The Cowboys have been very dominant in betting in the head to head and the line. In fact, we have hardly written a bet for Manly.
TAB latest market for Sea Eagles v Cowboys
Warriors v Dragons
Mt Smart Stadium, Sunday 12pm
WINNING
The Dragons have won 11 straight against the Warriors, the longest current winning streak of any team against any opponent.
DONUTS
The Warriors 42-0 drubbing at the hands of the Storm last week was their biggest loss since Penrith defeated them 62-6 in Rd 10, 2003. It was the seventh time in club history that they have been held scoreless and this week they come up against the Dragons who have kept them scoreless on two occasions.
LINE BREAKS
90% of the Warriors tries have been scored from line breaks (27 of 30), the highest percentage of any team. 18 of their 30 tries have been scored through their far left and far right edges.
AWAY BLUES
The Dragons have lost 12 of its past 14 matches away from home dating back to last season. However after a last start win over the Titans, they are chasing two straight road wins for the first time since early last season.
Betting summary: Punters aren’t ready to forgive the Warriors for their huge loss last week as all the support Is for the Dragons in this one.
TAB latest market for Warriors v Dragons
Titans v Storm
Cbus Super Stadium, Sunday 2pm
TOUGH RECORD
The Titans have won just five of 15 matches against Melbourne, including just two of their past 10 meetings. The Storm prevailed 34-16 in their most recent meeting in Round 2 at AAMI Park.
HIGH SCORING AFFAIR
Seven of Melbourne’s 10 wins against the Titans have been by margins of 18 points or more, including each of the previous two meetings.
CLOSE CALL
The Storm have won two of their three away games this season however these matches have been tight, decided by eight points or less including a Golden Point win in their most recent away game against the Tigers in Round 7.
COOPER CAN
Cooper Cronk has six tries and 22 try assists in 13 career games against the Titans. He has scored three tries and had four try assists in four games at Cbus Super Stadium.
Betting summary: The betting would suggest that Melbourne is going to win quite convincingly in this match as the 13+ is seeing all the support.
TAB latest market for Titans v Storm
Sharks v Broncos
Southern Cross Group Stadium, Sunday 4pm
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
The Broncos have won the past three, and six of the past nine matches against Cronulla at Shark Park. They are chasing four straight wins at Shark Park for the first time.
HOME SICK
The Sharks have not scored over 16 points in any of their 10 home losses against Brisbane. Cronulla has not won at home against Brisbane since 2009.
BACK IN 1999
Cronulla has not opened the season with five straight wins at home since 1999; the year is significant as they not only won their opening eight, and 12 of the 13 matches played at Shark Park that season, but it was also the year of Cronulla’s most recent Minor Premiership.
LUCKY LEWIS
Luke Lewis has score 14 tries in 17 games against the Broncos. Only Billy Slater (20 tries in 26 games) has scored more tires against Brisbane than Lewis.
Betting summary: It’s very close in the head to head betting, although Cronulla is seeing slightly more support. The draw and Cronulla 1-12 are the popular picks in margin betting.
TAB latest market for Sharks v Broncos
Originally published as NRL Round 9 Footy Form: The stats that matter, what’s been backed and where the money is going
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