Cowboys vs Dragons NRL Friday betting tips – Rd 14, 2022

Round 14 of the NRL kicks off in Townsville as the Cowboys host the Dragons on Friday night. It is likely the Cowboys will continue to rest their Queensland rep stars, despite naming them on the extended bench. The Dragons have named captain Ben Hunt to start at halfback, however unlikely that may be to actually happen.

The Dragons have left Tyrell Fuimaono out of the squad. Jayden Sullivan has been named on the bench, the man likely to fill the shoes of Hunt should he miss this game, opening a bench spot for Josh McGuire or Jaydn Su’a.

It should shock no one the Cowboys have been heavily favoured since betting markets opened, as they’ve been backed from $1.40 into $1.18. This market support would also be a result of the proof that coach Todd Payten has set up a system for a successful club after the Cowboys belted the Titans in their most recent outing. The odds may only be at $1.80 with BetOnline for the Cowboys to win 13+, but that result looks a loc k given the form of the Cowboys this season.

The Cowboys are often mentioned for their incredible defence, which is second in the league, but not much is said of their attack which is currently ranked third. Be it cross field kicks, block plays & set plays that create space for attacking players, or individual moments of sheer brilliance, the Cowboys can do it all.

Murray Taulagi and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow are all but certain to score at some point during the match, but one player who is surely due a try is fullback Scott Drinkwater. Drinkwater has often been the orchestrator of the Cowboys attack this season, while scoring five times himself. Look for Drinkwater to go over as one of a trifecta of Cowboys during the match at $1.70, $2.25 and $2.45 respectively.

This match will be a high scoring one, with the total match points of 41.5 set to be exceeded at $1.90. However, the real value is elsewhere in total points markets. Currently the odds for the Dragons to score 12.5 points or less is set at $1.77. Given the Cowboys are allowing less that 12 points on average per game, factoring in clashes against the Panthers and Storm, those odds are great value.

Key matchup: Jason Taumalolo vs Jack de Belin

The clash of these two locks will be one to keep an eye on as the game unfolds, as to which player has more impact in their own unique way. It’s no secret that Jason Taumalolo is one of the most dangerous forwards in rugby league when he’s on his game. But the skills of Jack de Belin must not be underestimated.

De Belin can easily go from a hard running middle forward, to what is more commonly accepted as the role of the modern NRL lock, being a ball player and ‘link man’ for the halves. De Belin will not be able to overpower Taumalolo but can outplay him with his skill. On the other hand, Taumalolo can win the middle third of the field and limit De Belin’s impact.

Cowboys vs Dragons betting prediction

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