NRL Dolphins v Dragons betting tips & SGM picks – May 25, 2023

Dolphins v Dragons NRL R12 predictions & best bets

Round 13 of the NRL kicks off in Redcliffe this Thursday night with the Dolphins hosting the St George Illawarra Dragons at Kayo Stadium. The Dragons have found their fire again since sacking Anthony Griffin as coach, while the Dolphins are looking to avoid a second loss on the trot.

The Dolphins have been forced to make changes with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Tom Gilbert being called into the Queensland Maroons side for State of Origin. Kodi Nikorima has been named at fullback with Ray Stone to start at lock, while Kenny Bromwich will start in the second row as a replacement for the suspended Felise Kaufusi.

The Dragons have also been forced to make several changes. Ben Hunt will also line up for the Maroons next Wednesday, with Jayden Sullivan to start at halfback for the Saints. Meanwhile, Jaydn Su’a (knee) and Blake Lawrie (hand) have been replaced with the return of Jack Bird in the back row and Jack De Belin shifting to lock.

The Dragons are long odds to win this match due to the losses of Hunt, Su’a and Lawrie. Fortunately, they do have better depth than most, with players like Moses Mbye and Josh Kerr coming onto the interchange bench.

The Dolphins have played just once at Kayo Stadium, beating the Raiders 20-14 in round two, but Thursday is a danger game for the new club. The Dragons have improved sharply since sacking Griffin, and with an injection of youth in the spine expected to bring a more attacking brand of football, they look a great value bet to win this match at $2.61 with BetOnline.

Moses Suli returned to some of his best form last week against the Roosters, running the length of the field to score inside the first 10 minutes of the game. Suli will be marking up on Brenko Lee, who may be under an injury cloud given cult hero Valynce Te Whare has been named on the interchange bench for the Dolphins. Whether a half-fit Lee or the inexperienced Te Whare starts, Suli looks a good play to score a try at any time ($3.45).

The last time Jayden Sullivan played more than 40 minutes of football in the NRL, he was a shining light in a poor Dragons outfit that was beaten narrowly by the Tigers in Magic Round. His speed, footwork and agility make him incredibly illusive and hard to tackle when defenders are on the back foot. If Sullivan finds himself in that kind of situation at some stage in this match, he will almost certainly score a try ($3.70).

Key matchup: Jesse Bromwich v Jack De Belin

Jesse Bromwich vs Jack De Belin

The battle in the middle between the two captains will be brilliant to watch. Jesse Bromwich’s glittering history speaks for itself and he is a long way to building a strong foundation of culture for years to come at the Dolphins. Jack De Belin is leading in place of the fearless and fantastic Hunt, who is often the sole reason for the Dragons’ success. The visiting skipper will have a long gap to bridge in order to take it to Bromwich.

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Kevin Asio

11 months ago

I strongly believe that Dragons will win this game.

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