Warriors vs Knights NRL Rd 12 betting tips – Saturday, May 28

Super Saturday in the Round 12 of the 2022 NRL Premiership will kick off at Moreton Daily Stadium when the New Zealand Warriors host the Newcastle Knights.

It shapes as a game between two of the competition’s most disappointing teams for 2022, but will the desperation of the situation bring a change in fortunes?

The Warriors are seemingly getting the full Nathan Brown experience. They’ve had players leave mid-year, stars get injured and even a talented playmaker signal his intent to retire at season’s end. Make no mistake. They are in a rebuild.

Warriors fans won’t want to hear this but when you have Jazz Tevaga at prop with Freddie Lussick expected to play big minutes in the hooking role, they aren’t exactly shooting for a top four berth. No Matt Lodge and Addin Fonua-Blake leaves a gigantic hole in the middle of the field.

In the past month the Warriors have conceded 70 points, lost to an 11-man Sharks side, almost pulled off a miracle against Souths once the sting was out of the contest and surrendered a halftime lead against the Saints.

While they did sneak a win over Canberra in the middle of all that, it was acknowledged by all and sundry as a dreadful performance.

Have we noticed a trend? $11 as a wooden spoon contender is a terrific price when you look at the rosters of the other clubs.

But we digress…

One positive is their undefeated record at Redcliffe this year and the fact the Knights have such a poor record travelling to Queensland in recent seasons.

They might be a $1.76 favourite with online bookmakers, but whenever Brown-coached teams have been favoured to win in recent years, the occasion has got the better of them.

To liven up this contest, punters might want to look at Ben Murdoch-Masila as an anytime tryscorer option. Newcastle give up soft tries on their goal line, and in 2021 he had a reputation as a strike weapon close to the line, so the $10.50 on offer at BetOnline is a terrific price.

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This corresponding game for the Knights last year turned their season around. They ground to a 10-6 win and from that game they won seven of their last 10 to sneak into seventh place. Can history repeat itself.

Canberra suffered a shocking loss in Round 8 and have since won three-on-the-trot, so is a loss to a dispirited Warriors the tonic to turning it all around? $2.15 in the head-to-head market is a pretty good underdog to get on for the round.

Jake Clifford will make his return in the halves alongside Anthony Milford, while their starting forward pack is as strong as it has been all season.

Daniel Saifiti looked closer to the player fans know he can be and David Klemmer continues to be consistent despite the clown show around him.

If they can get some support they should no doubt blow the middle of the field open against a sub-standard Warriors pack and open the game up for Kalyn Ponga.

It’s almost a fait accompli that punters will gobble up the $2.50 on offer for him to score a try. Dominic Young at the same price also feels too good to be true.

While they’ve struggled to score points consistently this year, they have the best chance they’ve had all season against a team lacking in confidence and down on star power.

The Knights have a bye following this game and Jayden Brailey is set to return following the mid-year break. The back end of their schedule has them playing eight games against teams currently ranked eighth or lower, so there is schedule opening that could see them finish strong. A ‘four-point’ win would have to be motivating them, as well as some dud refereeing which saw the score blow out against the Broncos at home.

Key matchup: Walsh vs Ponga

Kalyn Ponga and Reece Walsh have such similar entries into the game as child prodigies, Maori heritage and star power off the field just as much as they have talent on it. Ponga has great highlight moments but, on the whole, has disappointed so far in season 2022, while the exact same could be said for Walsh. They’re the biggest attacking threats on the field and the game will go through them.

Warriors vs Knights betting predictions

Newcastle should get the upset despite losing eight of their last nine games. The Warriors might be undefeated at Redcliffe this year, but at some point the lack of depth in their middle forwards must start to add up. The Knights by 1-12 at $3.05 is a good way to start your Saturday.

Warriors vs Knights same-game multi tips

Newcastle at the little margin with Dom Young and Kalyn Ponga to both score tries pays a tidy $14.60 at Ladbrokes.

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