Warriors vs Dragons NRL Round 3 betting predictions

Warriors vs Dragons NRL betting preview

The St George Illawarra Dragons should be looking at Saturday’s game at Gosford as an opportunity to earn two competition points and get their NRL season rolling, but it also presents a danger to them.

The New Zealand Warriors have sacrificed an awful lot to take their place in the 2020 NRL Premiership and it could see them present a headache or two in the opening weeks of the restart.

In 2018, the Warriors stayed in Australia whenever they played back-to-back away games. If they lost the first one, they almost certainly bounced back to win the second game.

It is also worth noting that, traditionally, New Zealand national teams have played much better as tournaments go on and struggled in one-off Tests.

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The pandemic has forced these young men away from their families into a full-time camp environment. In the short-term, it will sharpen their desire to win, so the Dragons – and every other teams facing the Warriors in the next few weeks – have their hands full.

It is desperation stakes for St George Illawarra and we haven’t yet got to the end of round three. They had a horror season in 2019 in which they virtually threw the towel in and now their coach, Paul McGregor, is fighting to save his job.

There is more than enough talent in this team for them not to be battling away in the bottom four. If the Red V cannot take care of business against the Warriors, Bulldogs and Titans in the next month, you suspect another mid-season coaching change will happen.

Best bet for Warriors vs Dragons

Expect a close margin in this clash on the Central Coast. The Dragons don’t inspire a lot of confidence and the Warriors are running on spirit more than anything, so Sportsbet’s tribet option on either side by six and under looks the goods.