NRL Round 17 Footy Form: The stats that matter, what’s been backed and where money is going
MELBOURNE will walk on to Suncorp Stadium for tonight’s clash with the Broncos with plenty of confidence having won nine of their past 10 meetings in Brisbane, including seven straight.
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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.
Brisbane v Melbourne, Friday 7.50pm, Suncorp Stadium
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Melbourne have won nine of the past 10 meetings at Suncorp, including seven straight; the only team the Broncos have not defeated in Brisbane since 2010. Away from home, Melbourne have been solid this season winning five of seven matches, including four of their past five.
NAIL-BITTER
Results have been relatively close in matches between these two teams at Suncorp with nine of the 13 matches decided by eight points or less.
SLUMP IN FORM
In recent years, Brisbane seem to face Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium during a slump in form. The Broncos will be going into this game only winning one of their past five matches and two of their past seven overall.
BATTLE OF THE COACHES
Craig Bellamy has the upper hand over Wayne Bennett when it comes to head to head meetings. The two have faced off 27 times with Bellamy prevailing on 18 occasions. Wayne Bennett’s 33.3 per cent win ratio against Craig Bellamy is his second worst record against a coach he has faced at least 10 times.
Betting summary: It’s all Melbourne here. The storm are holding 70 per cent of the early money.
New Zealand v Gold Coast, Saturday 3pm, Mt Smart Stadium
HOME SIDE ADVANTAGE
The Warriors have enjoyed playing this match-up at Mt Smart Stadium, winning five of the eight matches at the venue, including four of their past five. However the Warriors were last-start losers at Mt Smart when the Titans travelled across the ditch in Round 8 last season.
TOTAL POINTS
All of the Titan’s seven wins this season have come when scoring over 22 points. All eight losses have come when they score 22 points or less.
The Warriors have scored at least 22 points in each of the past 10 meetings against the Titans. Gold Coast have only scored 22 points or more in three of their past 10 matches.
HALF-TIME TROUBLE
If the Warriors lead at halftime it will go a long way towards them winning the game. They have led at halftime in five matches this season and have gone on to win four of those. The Titans have also led going into the half on four occasions this season, converting all four into wins.
ACROSS THE DITCH
Ashley Taylor is looking forward to his trip across the ditch as a first grader when he laces up against the Warriors. He has been in some form of late, with a try, five try assists, five offloads and two line break assists in his past four games.
Betting summary: Punters are willing to take the short odds about the Warriors in this match up.
Wests Tigers v Penrith, Sunday 5.30pm, ANZ Stadium
HIGH SCORING
This will be just the third meeting between these two sides at ANZ Stadium and the first since 2007. Both previous matches have been extremely high-scoring affairs with the Panthers winning 38-22 in 2005 before the Tigers won 43-26 in 2007.
HALF-TIME RESULT
The Tigers’ performance in the first half of matches seems to go a long way in determining the result this season. In all six of their wins they have led at halftime.
HAT-TRICK HEROES?
The Panthers will be aiming to win three straight matches for the first time since the back end of the 2014 season. However to do so they will have to overcome a horrendous recent record at ANZ Stadium, having lost their past three and nine of their past 11 at the venue.
TEDDY TROUBLE
James Tedesco continued his good try scoring form last week and now has 11 tries in 12 matches this season. He also enjoys playing at ANZ Stadium, with 14 tries in 16 matches, including 10 in his past 10 there.
Betting summary: The Tigers are seeing the support to cause an upset against Penrith.
Cronulla v Parramatta, Saturday 7.30pm, Southern Cross Group Stadium
BOGEY TEAM
Cronulla have struggled in recent times against Parramatta. They have won just three of the past eight matches against them, including the last clash in Rd 25, 2015.
ROAD SIDE SUCCESS
Parramatta has the best away win percentage in the competition, winning five of six games on the road (83.3 per cent).
MAKE OR BREAK
In 2010 the Sharks’ 13-game club record losing streak was broken with a win over the Eels at Shark Park. It seems apt their new record will either be set, or finished by the same opponent.
TRY TIME
Sosaia Feki has scored three tries in three matches against the Eels. He has scored six tries in his past four matches along with making seven line breaks.
Betting summary: Cronulla are very popular with multi players.
Canberra v Newcastle, Sunday 2pm, GIO Stadium
STRUGGLE STREET
Unfortunately for the Knights, history suggests their struggles may be continuing. Newcastle have only won five of their 23 games in Canberra. Although their record isn’t pretty, the Knights have managed to win three of the past five in Canberra.
BLOW OUT
Only three of the 20 matches between these two sides since 2006 have been decided by single-figure margins, with almost half decided by more than 18 points.
HOME SIDE SUCCESS
The Raiders have won five of seven matches at home this season, including each of their past three. They have not won four straight at home within a season since 2013, when they won their first eight matches in Canberra in that season.
TURNOVER
Newcastle have already used more players than last season (33 — 2016, 30 — 2015), with 10 players making their NRL debut.
Betting summary: Canberra are seeing the support here from punters to continue their dominance over Newcastle.
South Sydney v North Queensland, Sunday 4pm, Barlow Park
BLOW OUT
South Sydney have won just one of their past six matches against the Cowboys, with three of those losses by 18 points or more.
CLOSE CALL
All five of the Cowboys’ losses this season have been by four points or less, and three have seen their opponents kick a field goal.
RED ZONE
South Sydney have the second-best red zone attack of any team this season, averaging a try for every 8.7 tackles they have inside their opponents 20m line. Only Brisbane (a try for every 7.9 tackles) has been better in 2016.
WINNING RECORD
Paul Green has won four of his past five matches as coach of the Cowboys against the Rabbitohs.
Betting summary: The Cowboys are a popular anchor for multi players.
Manly v St George Illawarra, Monday 7pm, Brookvale Oval
CLUB RECORD
Manly is one loss away from a club record-equalling eighth straight loss, and this week face their toughest opponent of all time, St George Illawarra. Manly have defeated the Dragons just eight times in 23 matches (34.8 per cent); their worst record against any team in history.
MONDAY NIGHT MADNESS
The Dragons have an awful recent record on Monday Night Football, winning just twice in 17 games since late 2011, including losing their past six matches.
STRUGGLE STREET
Manly’s one win from six games at Brookvale this season, including losing the past four games, is their worst-ever record there in a season through six games. Since late last season Manly have won just one of eight matches at Brookvale.
TRAVEL SICKNESS
The Dragons have not had a happy record on the road in recent seasons, winning just two of eight this season, and just three of 17 since round 9 last year.
Betting summary: Customers are rallying with the Dragons to cause an upset against Manly.
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