Dragons v Bulldogs NRL tips, odds & multi – Round 9, 2023

Round nine of the 2023 NRL season wraps up in Wollongong on Sunday afternoon with the Canterbury Bulldogs travelling south to take on the St George Illawarra Dragons at WIN Stadium. Both sides are struggling in the bottom four of the NRL ladder, and a win here is key to moving closer to the top eight.

The Dragons have lost their rejuvenated star winger Tautau Moga to a shoulder injury, with Max Feagai named as his replacement on the wing. The Canterbury Bulldogs are not without their own injury issues, with Andrew Davey dropping out of the side and Kurtis Morrin coming onto the bench. Meanwhile, Kyle Flanagan has been dropped, with Josh Reynolds moving into the halves and Samuel Hughes named on the bench.

Surprisingly, the Bulldogs have won five of their seven matches against the Dragons at WIN Stadium. The addition of Reynolds to the halves will bring accountability on the field and direction for this Canterbury side, which will assist Matt Burton and his ability to attack with ball in hand. The $2.31 at Marantelli Bet for the Bulldogs to win is brilliant value.

Despite being named at halfback, a position where the player normally lines up on the right-hand side of the field, Burton will surely be able to switch to the left-hand side, from where he tends to attack better. Not only is Burton’s running game dangerous, his kicking game is too.

The target of the former Panther’s short kicks tends to be back-rower Jacob Preston, who has begun his rookie season brilliantly. Look for Burton ($3.50) to attack with his running game and kicking, giving both he and Preston ($4.30) the chance to score at any time during the match.

The injuries sustained for both sides, combined with the apparent lack of talent in this St George Illawarra Dragons side and the fact that almost all their points come through Ben Hunt, adds up to this match possibly being a low-scoring one. Inclement weather is also predicted for Wollongong on Sunday, so the total points for this match should fall below 39.5 ($1.90).

Key matchup: Hunt v Burton

Ben Hunt vs Matt Burton

The matchup of these two halfbacks will be the defining factor of this contest. Most, if not all, attacking sets flow through these guys, who also have the responsibility of organising their side while having to produce a strong kicking game. In poor weather conditions, the roles these two men play will be even more important to put their respective teams in the right positions to try and win the game.

Dragons v Bulldogs NRL match prediction

Dragons v Bulldogs Rd 9 same game multi

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