NRL Round 2 info, odds and betting – Brisbane vs. New Zealand

Friday, March 11 from 8:05pm at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

CONTRASTING Round 1 efforts have led the bookmakers to install the Brisbane Broncos as the $1.30 favourite for this Friday’s clash against the New Zealand Warriors.

The Broncos opened the 2016 season with a 17-4 win against the injury-plagued Eels and they looked professional in doing so. Looking not so professional was the new-look Warriors side, which took on the Tigers in what proved to be a game of two halves.

The Warriors ($3.20 at Sportsbet) trailed 24-0 before coming back in the second half to, eventually losing 30-22 and copping heavy criticism from their fans. Under fire coach Andrew McFadden is predicting they need time to gel as a unit, but things don’t get any easier on Friday.

We are going to focus on the special player markets for a bit of value, but WilliamHill.com.au is offering a fantastic special for this game only.

Place any head-to-head bet on the Broncos vs. Warriors and you will receive $1 for every point your team scores. These teams scored 43 points between them last week and that’s just money waiting to be snapped up.

Broncos vs. Warriors try scoring player specials

WilliamHill is offering up 13 different markets which focus on most tries scored in the game. This head-to-head betting option provides plenty of entertainment and value for punters that like to see good players go up against each other.

The headline market is Queensland origin star Darius Boyd up against Kiwi international Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. The market hinges on which player will score the most tries and punters also have the option of betting on a tie.

The Warriors scored five tries against the Tigers in Round 1 and the Broncos scored three. There should be plenty of tries scored on a sunny Suncorp surface which should make this a profitable betting type.

Darius Boyd – $4.00
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck – $4.50 at WilliamHill.com.au
Tie – $1.53

Both players were kept off the tryscorers list in Round 1, but both have the potential to cross the white stripe. Boyd considers himself more of a defensive star and he likes to set his other players up to score, but Tuivasa-Sheck has been horribly out of form since arriving with the Warriors.

If the New Zealand franchise is to win this game they might need some magic from the fullback. We don’t think Boyd will score, but Tuivasa-Sheck should be lurking in the backline and he could pounce.

Another option for punters is to take the $1.62 about either fullback scoring a try. Less risk, but it is less rewarding.

Corey Oates vs. Tuimoala Lolohea isn’t a headline-catching matchup, but we’re here to make punters some cash and there is a good betting opportunity with this option.

Corey Oates – $2.50
Tuimoala Lolohea – $4.00
Tie – $2.10

Oates is a big striding player who has more speed than people give him credit for. The Broncos winger is tough to stop when close to the line and he was a try scorer in Round 1 against the Eels.

Lolohea isn’t a noted try-scorer and we’re confused but ultimately happy that WilliamHill have pitted these two against each other. We are confident that Oates can score in this game, especially with the poor defense the Warriors showed last week.

Take Oates at $2.50 and add him to your multi-bet.

Broncos speedster James Roberts will likely take a couple of games to find his groove in the team and that showed in his performance last week. This week he comes up against Solomone Kata who looks to be one of the rising stars of the NRL.

Kata scored twice last week, once in the 23rd minute and again in the 66th minute. That shows he doesn’t get tired and he is the Warriors most prominent try scoring threat.

Roberts is a handful when he has an open try line in his sights, but Kata puts himself in the game and we expect him to cross the line at least once.

James Roberts – $2.40
Solomone Kata – $4.50 at WilliamHill.com.au
Tie – $2.10

Broncos vs. Warriors forwards try scoring betting

We have been previewing the backs so far, but we haven’t forgotten about the hard working forwards and there’s some interesting markets available. Once again WilliamHill are pitting two players against each other, but because forwards are meant to score tries, there is some crazy value on offer.

Our first forwards matchup includes Adam Blair (Broncos) and Ben Matulino (Warriors). Adam Blair doesn’t cross the line often and that’s fair enough, but big Ben Matulino was a dark horse last season for the punters that took him to score first.

Matulino, who now comes off the bench, scored first on a few occasions last season and he’s a genuine hope to score when the forwards get tired at the end of the game.

Adam Blair – $15
Ben Matulino – $15
Tie – $101

There is no value with the tie and we don’t think any punter would even touch it, but there is value with Matulino at $15. Put a sneaky fiver on the Kiwi and watch that sidestep in action.

Punters can also bet on any second rower to score a try. This option pays $1.55.

The two hookers are next to battle with Andrew McCullough and Isaac Luke. The bookmakers are favouring neither player to outscore the other ($1.10), but McCullough is paying $7 so there has been some support for the Broncos hooker.

We see value betting Isaac Luke at $15 (WilliamHill.com.au). The new recruit for the Warriors was lazy at the dummy-half position last week and he should have got a chat from Warriors coach Andrew McFadden.

Luke has the ability to scoot away from dummy half and he might sneak over the line from close proximity.