NRL Best Bets - Round 20
- Best bets for the 20th round of the NRL season
- Featured games include Warriors vs Dragons and Dolphins vs Cowboys
- Preview, stats & head to head
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Wayde Egan of the Warriors (Getty Images)
Warriors vs Dragons
New Zealand Warriors were excellent against Wests Tigers last week as they avoided the potential of tasting consecutive defeats in the NRL. Their 32-6 win over their opponents saw them bounce back from a heart-breaking 26-24 loss to the Dolphins, while it was only their second win across their last five. With top spot in the NRL very much up for grabs, going on an extended run of wins right now is crucial. With 28 points in their back pocket, the Warriors are just four behind the Panthers with a game in hand. Their clash with bottom of the ladder Dragons is a match they simply have to win. Their opponents arrive with a -239 points difference while they have lost eight of their nine on the road. This is a game I back the Warriors to win comfortably.
The Dragons arrive for their latest match on the back of an impressive 24-10 win over the Wests Tigers, with this ending a run of three consecutive defeats. Frustratingly for the Dragons is the fact they had to sit out proceedings last week, with this likely to have had an impact on the momentum that win had created. As mentioned, the Dragons have been poor on the road, losing eight of their nine matches and returning a points difference of -239. Having lost their last two on the road against their opponents, I back a tough outing for the Dragons.
Dolphins vs Cowboys
The Dolphins will be desperate to put their last performance behind them after they were humiliated in a 66-0 loss to the Cronulla Sharks. Trailing 24-0 at half-time, things did not get better in the second period as they shipped 42 unanswered points in a real wakeup call for the side. Prior to this, they had won eight of their previous nine, with their 13-12 loss to the Newcastle Knights leading into that mauling against the Sharks. Fortunately for the Dolphins is the fact they have won their last five against the Cowboys with scorelines of 28-26, 50-8, 58-4, 43-24 and 40-14. If ever there was a time for the Dolphins to really fill their boots with points, it's now.
The Cowboys arrive on the back of an improved run of form that has seen them pick up a brace of wins. Most impressive was their 26-12 win over the Penrith Panthers, with this followed by a 19-18 extra-time win over the Sea Eagles. Clearly, the Cowboys can be tough to beat, but three defeats in their last five seems to allude to something missing right now. Both teams are desperate for a win to keep their hopes of topping the ladder alive, but with two defeats in their last three away games, I am backing against the Cowboys as they are once again easily beaten by their hosts.
Verdict
I am backing the Warriors and Dolphins to secure comfortable wins as they continue to hunt down the Panthers at the summit of the NRL.
Warriors 13+
Warriors vs Dragons Winning Margin
@7/10 - 1 Unit
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Dolphins 13+
Dolphins vs Cowboys Winning Margin
@2/1 - 1 Unit
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NRL Round 20 Best Bets
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