NRL Round 4 preview: Dragons v Storm betting tips | March 29

Dragons vs Storm NRL R4 best bets

NRL Round 4: St George Illawarra Dragons v Melbourne Storm preview

The undefeated Melbourne Storm head to Kogarah on Saturday afternoon to take on a winless but dangerous Dragons side, with NRL bookmakers still installing the ladder leaders as strong favourites despite key outs.

Jahrome Hughes headlines a trio of absentees for the Storm alongside Nick Meaney and Nelson Asofa-Solomona, which forces several reshuffles, including Tyran Wishart starting in the halves and Will Warbrick returning from concussion on the wing.

St George Illawarra were competitive in their first two losses before the bye, and Shane Flanagan’s side will be bolstered by the inclusion of veteran prop David Klemmer and debutant Dylan Egan. Christian Tuipulotu continues to be a strike weapon out wide, scoring six tries in his last four games.

The Dragons have actually won three of their last four home games against the Storm at Jubilee Stadium, and Flanagan-coached teams have gone 5-2 in their last seven clashes with Melbourne.

That said, the Storm’s attacking power is still considerable — averaging 43 points per game — and they have covered the spread in six of their last eight as the rugby league betting favourites away from home.

The top online bookies have Melbourne giving up 9.5 points, and they will be out to remind the league that even without Hughes, they are still a powerhouse.

Dragons v Storm Round 4 team news

St George Illawarra Dragons

1. Clinton Gutherson
2. Tyrell Sloan
3. Moses Suli
4. Valentine Holmes
5. Christian Tuipulotu
6. Kyle Flanagan
7. Lachlan Ilias
8. Toby Couchman
9. Damien Cook
10. Emre Guler
11. Luciano Leilua
12. Jaydn Su’A
13. Jack De Belin
14. Jacob Liddle
15. David Klemmer
16. Hamish Stewart
17. Dylan Egan

David Klemmer makes his Dragons debut off the bench, while 20-year-old Dylan Egan also debuts after impressing in NSW Cup. Moses Suli has been named despite carrying a rib concern, and Blake Lawrie drops out.

Melbourne Storm

1. Ryan Papenhuyzen
2. Will Warbrick
3. Jack Howarth
4. Grant Anderson
5. Xavier Coates
6. Cameron Munster
7. Tyran Wishart
8. Stefano Utoikamanu
9. Harry Grant
10. Josh King
11. Shawn Blore
12. Eliesa Katoa
13. Trent Loiero
14. Bronson Garlick
15. Alec MacDonald
16. Tui Kamikamica
17. Lazarus Vaalepu

Tyran Wishart steps in for the injured Jahrome Hughes, while Will Warbrick is back on the wing. Lazarus Vaalepu joins the bench in place of Nelson Asofa-Solomona.

Dragons v Storm NRL Rd 4 betting predictions

Even with key players missing, the Storm have the depth and class to win this by double digits. They’ve covered in six of their last eight road games as favourites and dominated Penrith in patches last week despite being below their best. The Dragons have let leads slip in both games this season and could struggle to contain Melbourne’s rolling attack late. Take the $1.91 on offer with BetOnline for Storm to cover the line.

Grant Anderson moves into the Storm centres to cover for Nick Meaney and will benefit from playing outside Cameron Munster and Ryan Papenhuyzen. He’s shown sharp finishing ability in limited NRL appearances and shapes as a real strike weapon against a Dragons edge defence that has leaked tries in bunches this season. At nearly $2.80 with BetOnline, he’s a sneaky value option in tryscorer markets.

Melbourne’s first two games this year have cleared the 50-point mark, and their attack looks even more dangerous now with Papenhuyzen back to full speed. The Dragons have shown some spark in attack but continue to leak points, conceding 25 or more in both outings. With dry afternoon conditions expected, the 51 points or more is a strong play with BetOnline.

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