NRL Betting: Back Melbourne Storm to return to form with comfortable win against South Sydney Rabbitohs
Recommended bet: Melbourne Storm to win by 11 to 20 points @ 16/5 (4.20) with Sportsbet
South Sydney Rabbitohs take on table-topping Melbourne Storm at the nib Stadium in Perth on Sunday, as the Rabbitohs return to their western home.
After three straight defeats, the Rabbitohs returned to winning ways with a 28-8 win against Wests Tigers at the ANZ Stadium last week and will be hoping to build on that victory with a notable scalp here that will help push them up the table.
Storm went down to a surprise 38-36 defeat at home to Gold Coast Titans last time out for only their second loss of the campaign to date. It also raised further questions about their defence after another game in which they conceded a high score.
It also cut their lead at the top of the table to just two points, so they will be determined to ensure a return to winning ways against the Rabbitohs.
Although both of Storm’s losses this season have come in their last five matches, Craig Bellamy’s charges have a 100% record on the road this term, having won all five games to date. By contrast, Michael ‘Madge’ Maguire’s Souths have lost all four home games to date, with all four of their wins being on the road.
Storm has won eight of the last nine meetings between the two teams, although games have tended to be relatively close and low-scoring.
With regards to team news, Zane Musgrove replaces James Clark on the bench for the Rabbitohs, while Tim Glasby starts in the front row and Tui Kamikamica comes onto the bench for Storm, for whom Nelson Asofa-Solomona has also been added to an extended bench.
Despite results last week, the underperforming Souths currently occupy 13th place in the Premiership, whilst Storm remain top of the pile. It’s difficult to see Melbourne Storm slipping up again here, so the question is the margin of victory we should be looking to back.
Four of the aforementioned last eight wins by Storm against the South Sydney Rabbitohs have been by a margin of between 11 and 20 points and a similar outcome on this occasion looks to be a decent value punt at 16/5 (4.20) with Sportsbet.
