Roosters vs Dragons NRL best bets & top odds – July 16, 2022

The Sydney Roosters will take their Round 18 home game to Central Coast Stadium when they take on the St George Illawarra Dragons this Saturday.

The Dragons come into the game off a loss to the ‘Baby Broncos’, while the Roosters are fresh off the bye and looking to make a charge towards Finals.

The Roosters at the end of the State of Origin period are sitting in 10th place and it is a situation almost no-one saw coming.

They are a club who rarely find themselves in ‘must win’ territory for a Round 18 game, but if they lose to the Dragons, they will be four points adrift of ninth.

Despite the situation they find themselves in, they are warm favourites to get the job done at -227.27 in the head-to-head market. Their form in recent weeks would suggest that price is fool’s gold, but if there is a club that can time its run, it is the Sydney Roosters.

Lindsay Collins copped an early head-knock in Wednesday’s Origin epic and now looks likely to miss this weekend’s game, while Luke Keary is sidelined with concussion. Keary’s absence will force Joseph Manu into the five-eighth role, and once again it could be a matchup the Dragons are dreading.

Manu showed in New Zealand’s recent clash with Tonga that he can play a running role like Jack Wighton with great effect. He is $3.20 with Marantelli Bet to score a try, and that feels like a fantastic price for punters.

The result doesn’t feel like a 13-plus result is incoming, so take the slightly longer odds at the 1-12 margin if you think the Roosters will hold their nerve and get the win.

The Dragons are once again a head-to-head underdog and that’s been the story of their season.

They’ve got to this stage of the season by beating the teams they should and for the most part being competent, but did their loss against the ‘Baby Broncos’ justify why they are despised by online bookmakers? Have they punched above their weight too long?

Crucially, Ben Hunt will be back in the seven jersey for them. The end to their sets against the Broncos is what ultimately robbed them of a chance to win that game.

If Hunt plays, they could well have flipped the scoreboard, but without him they couldn’t build any pressure in the second half.

Tariq Sims will sit on the sidelines after dual sin-binnings against the Broncos and it will force Frank Molo into the starting side, while Mikaele Ravalawa is likely to miss the rest of the season after tearing his hamstring.

In the tryscorer markets, Moses Suli at $3.05 is shaping up as a great anytime option. He has the size and power advantage over Paul Momirovski and has been in great form all season. Hunt at $5.40 might be a good roughie to get on.

Key matchup: Sam Walker vs Ben Hunt

Sam Walker has far more responsibility than any 19-year-old halfback should ever have and he is up against one of the best in the game in Ben Hunt. In a close game, season on the line, without a recognised five-eighth partner… this is shaping up as a hell of an assignment for the young Queenslander.

Roosters vs Dragons betting predictions

They played out a slugfest on ANZAC Day which only had 26 total points. This feels like it will be a similar style of game, so get on the unders in the total points market.

Roosters vs Dragons same-game multi tips

Dragons +8.5 with Joseph Manu and Moses Suli both scoring a try pays $16.80 at Ladbrokes.

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