Storm open as favourites for back-to-back NRL titles

THERE are no surprises at the upper end of the outright betting for the 2018 NRL Premiership season.

Having clinched the 2017 flag in dominant fashion on Sunday, the Melbourne Storm are very well liked to do it all again in 12 months’ time.

Craig Bellamy’s men have opened at $6 in the early markets at Sportsbet.com.au, with the Sydney Roosters close behind at $6.50.

The North Queensland Cowboys are rated a $7 chance after battling manfully to reach this year’s NRL Grand Final.

The Brisbane Broncos fell short at the pointy end of the season, but they round out the top four prospects at $9.

The Penrith Panthers hold the fifth line at $11 despite failing to deliver on the pre-season hype this year.

September was not kind to the Parramatta Eels, who exited in straight sets after being touted as a potential premiership threat.

Parra should be strong again in 2018, especially with young star Clint Gutherson to return from injury, which is why they are paying $12 for the flag.

The market is especially tight around the cusp of the top eight, where the Canberra Raiders, Cronulla Sharks and Manly Sea Eagles share a $13 quote.

St George Illawarra scared the living daylights out of online bookmakers this year when they bolted out of the gates to set the early pace.

The Dragons missed finals in the end, but they showed enough for their starting price to plummet from $101 into $15.

That leads us into the back end of the field, which is much tighter than it was this time last year.

The Newcastle Knights were as far out as $251 for the 2017 flag, but a burst of form late in the season has seen them plummet into $26 for 2018.

They share that quote with the Canterbury Bulldogs and Gold Coast Titans, both of whom will undergo coaching shake-ups over the summer.

That leaves the two lead candidates for the wooden spoon.

The New Zealand Warriors were a huge disappointment in 2017, while Wests Tigers will lose captain Aaron Woods and star playmaker James Tedesco to rival clubs.

Both are paying $34 for the flag.

2018 NRL outright betting

$6 – Melbourne Storm

$6.50 – Sydney Roosters

$7 – North Queensland Cowboys

$9 – Brisbane Broncos

$11 – Penrith Panthers

$12 – Parramatta Eels

$13 – Canberra Raiders, Cronulla Sharks, Manly Sea Eagles

$15 – St George Dragons

$23 – South Sydney Rabbitohs

$26 – Canterbury Bulldogs, Gold Coast Titans, Newcastle Knights

$34 – New Zealand Warriors, Wests Tigers

Market courtesy of Sportsbet.com.au