After two weeks of the NRLW season, we are down to four unbeaten teams and that should move down to two after Round 3 with those teams meeting each other starting with the Raiders and Roosters on Saturday afternoon followed by the Broncos and Tigers on Sunday.
Both the Raiders and Roosters enter Round 3 unbeaten but it has not prevented bookmakers from opening Canberra as mammoth 12.5-point home underdogs. There is no doubt the Sydney Roosters are a superior team but this line is too big. Canberra opened last season with six straight losses but since then have won five off seven with their biggest loss just 12 points in Sydney to the Roosters. The Chooks have bigger fish to fry and they were more than a little rusty against Newcastle. The plus should go a long way in this match. Elise Simpson has seven tries in her last seven games. Jess Sergis has opened the season on fire with three tries in two games after a big Origin series.
Tips
Best: Canberra +12.5 ($1.90)
Next: Sydney Roosters 1-12 ($2.90)
Tryscorer: Elise Simpson ($14 First, $2.85 Anytime)
SGM: Elise Simpson Try/Jess Sergis Try ($5.50)
North Queensland projected to be one of the worst teams in the NRLW and they are living up to that billing with two horrid showings: a 50-4 loss to the Broncos and a 30-18 home defeat to the Tigers. They are going to be no match for a Warriors team back on New Zealand soil. The Warriors won the only meeting between these teams last year 12-6 but their firepower out wide is set to tear the Cowboys apart. Patricia Maliepo is a quality player who has five tries in 11 games. Ivana Lauitiiti scored against the Cowboys last season and has two tries in seven games coming off the bench.
Tips
Best: New Zealand -15.5 ($1.82)
Next: New Zealand -29.5 ($4.80)
Tryscorer: Patricia Maliepo ($14 First, $2.85 Anytime)
SGM: Patricia Maliepo Try/Ivana Lauitiiti Try ($17.89)
Canterbury are a bottom-tier team this season but they were of a similar standing last year and shocked Cronulla 24-14 in what was their only post-Round 2 win. Cronulla are an utterly horrific team at night, going 1-7 straight-up and 2-6 against the spread in games played after 5pm. The Sharks really struggle to score under lights so the big price available about the Bulldogs is too big to resist. Alexis Tauaneai has seven tries in her last 19 games across the last three years so is a truly incredible price. Ellie Johnston is an excellent tryscoring prop who has 13 tries in 35 games since shifting to the Sharks.
Tips
Best: Canterbury +12.5 ($1.90)
Next: Canterbury Win ($4.60)
Tryscorer: Alexis Tauaneai ($34 First, $7 Anytime)
SGM: Alexis Tauaneai Try/Ellie Johnston Try ($20.89)
Gold Coast are shaping up as the biggest threat to the two-team dominance of the NRLW and will be looking to strengthen those credentials against a Parramatta team that is playing without an identity. The Titans have a truly elite backline and it showed in their 36-10 smash job of the Bulldogs. Gold Coast have won three of the last four against the Eels with two of those by 16-plus. Phoenix-Raine Hippi has nine tries in nine games over the course of her fledgling career. Teagan Levi has scored in both her NRLW starts.
Tips
Best: Gold Coast -14.5 ($1.90)
Next: Gold Coast 19+ ($2.10)
Tryscorer: Phoenix-Raine Hippi ($10.50 First, $2.30 Anytime)
SGM: Phoenix-Raine Hippi Try/Teagan Levi Try ($7.66)
Don’t mind the fact that these two teams are undefeated: there is a huge gulf in talent between the Broncos and Tigers and in a dry afternoon game at Totally Workwear Stadium, this could get ugly for Craig Sandercock’s team. Brisbane have won 10 of their last 11 regular season games starting before 5.30pm by at least 14 points with most of those being wins of 20-plus. Brisbane have downed the Tigers 44-14 and 28-4 the last two seasons. Chips in the minus. Tamika Upton is a tryscoring machine who became the first woman to score 50 premiership tries last weekend. Julia Robinson has 33 tries in 48 games and is a must include. Chelsea Lenarduzzi has scored in all three Broncos-Tigers games.
Tips
Best: Brisbane -13.5 ($1.90)
Next: Brisbane -29.5 ($6.25)
Tryscorer: Tamika Upton ($6 First, $1.52 Anytime)
SGM: Tamika Upton Try/Julia Robinson Try/Chelsea Lenarduzzi Try ($12.87)
Newcastle are deserving of favouritism in this but this line is utterly absurd. The Dragons are not nearly as bad as advertised – and the Knights not nearly as good as being priced. Newcastle’s attack seems particularly limited, being held to 18 points and 10 points respectively. The last two meetings between the two have been flipped eight-point wins. The plus is a confident play. Teagan Berry is a star with eight tries in six games against the Knights. Fane Finau has three tries in six games and is a prolific tryscorer for a forward at the level below NRLW.
Tips
Best: St George Illawarra +11.5 ($1.90)
Next: St George Illawarra Win ($4.25)
Tryscorer: Teagan Berry ($10.50 First, $2.40 Anytime)
SGM: Teagan Berry Try/Fane Finau Try ($8.74)
