Cowboys v Dolphins NRL tips, multi & top odds – Round 6, 2023

Friday night NRL action wraps up in Townsville with the North Queensland Cowboys hosting the Dolphins at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. Both sides suffered losses in round five and will be eager to bounce back in their first derby meeting.

The Cowboys have suffered lost Heilum Luki and Jordan McLean from the forward pack. They are replaced by Mitchell Dunn and Reuben Cotter, who is returning from injury. The Cowboys will also receive a boost with star fullback Scott Drinkwater returning to the starting side as Tom Chester moves back to the bench.

The Dolphins’ injury toll in their spine has worsened, losing Anthony Milford to a hamstring injury. Kodi Nikorima has been named as his replacement, while Edrick Lee returns from injury on the wing in place of Jack Bostock.

While both sides have been ravaged by injury, the odds are set heavily in favour of the Cowboys, and for good reason. The return of Drinkwater at fullback should be enough in attack to make up for some of the holes in their forward pack.

Isaiya Katoa is an incredibly talented halfback and a star of the future; however, just four games into his NRL career, he is not expected to lead this new-look Dolphins side to a win on the road. The Cowboys should be able to cover the -10.5 line to win at $1.90 with Marantelli Bet.

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With Kangaroos and Maroons winger Murray Taulagi still out injured, the Cowboys’ attacking direction will likely shift to their right edge to take on the new Dolphins combination of Euan Aitkin and Lee. The latter has been missing from the NRL for some time through injury and could not be returning at a much worse time to take on Kyle Feldt.

Feldt has had some issues creep into his game over the last 12 months, yet he is still one of the best finishers in the NRL. Look for Lee to inevitably make a mistake, creating the opportunity for Feldt to score a try at any time during the match ($1.75).

The injury losses for both sides will have an enormous impact on their offensive output in this match. Although dry, sunny conditions are predicted for Townsville leading up to the match, points may prove hard to come by with weaker forward packs. Look for this to be a low-scoring game that goes below 42.5 total points ($1.90).

Key matchup: Reece Robson v Jeremy Marshall-King

Reece Robson vs Jeremy Marshall-King

The clash between these two hookers will go a long way to deciding thee outcome of this match. As much as they have experienced forwards around them, these dummy-halves will need to work hard to get their middles involved in the game. The rate at which these two No.9s are able to attack and run the ball on their own will translate directly to the time and space they can create for their forwards. Their defence in the middle will also be key to deciding the outcome of the game.

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