Dragons v Tigers NRL R21 betting tips – Thursday, July 20

Dragons v Tigers best bets & same game multi

Dragons v Tigers NRL R20 match preview

Round 21 of the 2023 NRL Premiership kicks off in Wollongong on Thursday night with a battle between two wooden-spoon contenders as the St George Illawarra Dragons host the Wests Tigers.

These have been the two poorest-performed sides in the NRL this season. Both clubs are a chance of finishing last on the ladder, so each will be eager to notch a win in this clash as they look to avoid that dire scenario.

Tigers coach Tim Sheens has shifted five-eighth Will Smith back to the reserves in favour of Daine Laurie and lock-forward Fonua Pole to the interchange bench in a direct swap with Shawn Blore. Meanwhile, back-up hooker Jake Simpkin has been dropped for young gun Tallyn De Silva.

Interim Dragons coach Ryan Carr has been forced to make several changes after losing Ben Murdoch-Masila (knee), Paul Turner (hip) and Jayden Sullivan (hamstring) to injury. Tyrell Sloan returns to the starting fullback role with captain Ben Hunt lining up at halfback. Dan Russell has been promoted to start in the second row, with Jack Bird taking his place on the bench.

Dragons v Tigers NRL betting strategy

The Wests Tigers currently sit last on the NRL ladder and have lost their last six games in a row. St George Illawarra sit just one spot above the Tigers.

The Dragons have won two matches since round 12, with experienced playmaker Ben Hunt playing a major role in those results. His return to the starting side should lift St George Illawarra to be the best of two poor sides as they secure the win at $1.68 odds with the top NRL bookmakers.

Hunt is an exceptional value bet at $23 to score the first try of this match. In the Dragons’ last two wins, Hunt was the first tryscorer on both occasions. Hunt has an exceptional running game and the upper-body strength to palm off defenders – aspects of his game that opposition teams clearly underestimate.

Tyrell Sloan showed in his last two NRL matches he is an electrifying talent who can score from anywhere on the field with his incredible speed and elite footwork. Sloan also has the awareness to be always around the football, which can lead to him scoring tries in a variety of situations. Look for Sloan to score a try at any time during the match ($2.45).

Dragons v Tigers key matchup: Hunt v Wakeham

Ben Hunt vs Brandon Wakeham

Ben Hunt is one of the best halfbacks in the NRL with his strong kicking and game-management skills. Brandon Wakeham is not known for these aspects of his game but is producing the best performances he can for his club. If Wakeham can bridge the gap between himself and Hunt, he will give the Tigers an outside chance of winning this match.

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