Sea Eagles vs Broncos Preview by Dean McHugh 

The Sea Eagles and the Broncos are another two teams flirting with the edge of the playoff places. However, they have both played a game more than most of the teams above them, so a win here is vital.

Brisbane appears to have got their act together following a slow start to the season and is on the ascendancy. I fully expect them to pick up the win here; however, the bookmakers do too, and their odds offer no value. Despite not always coming out on top, the Sea Eagles are always competitive and very seldom lose by much, so I can’t take the Broncos against the handicap. 

With so much on the line in this one, both teams will be keen to gain a foothold early in the game, so I’m backing more points scored in the first half than the second. This has been the case in Manly’s previous two games, it was the case in the Broncos last game and also the case the last two times these teams met.

Bet – Most Points Scored in First Half

If you’ve been following the NRL Expert Tips doing the rounds this week, most of them land in the same spot – Brisbane is the logical pick, but not at those odds.

Manly have been hard to put away all season. They’ve dropped a few close ones they probably should’ve won, but they grind. That counts for something when you’re picking sides for NRL Betting Tips purposes, because a team that keeps scorelines tight is always worth watching on the handicap line.

Brisbane’s mid-season run of form is real, but they’ve had a habit of going quiet after halftime. Look back at their last three games – the first 40 minutes have been their strong suit. Manly’s recent results show the same pattern on the other side of the ball.

For anyone leaning on NRL Expert Predictions this round, the first-half points market looks like the smarter angle here.