NRL Betting Tips: Melbourne Storm look set for narrow Handicap win over St. George-Illawarra Dragons

Recommended bet:
Handicap – Melbourne Storm +1 @ 9/10 (1.90) with Palmerbet

Table-topping St. George-Illawarra Dragons face reigning premiers Melbourne Storm at the WIN Jubilee Oval on Sunday afternoon in what is unquestionably the headline game of round 9 in the NRL Premiership this weekend and perhaps the season to date.

The Dragons took a two-point lead at the top of the Premiership table on ANZAC Day with a superb 24-8 win over the Sydney Roosters and have now won seven of their eight Premiership games to date this season.  The Storm had an even more convincing win on ANZAC Day, destroying the New Zealand Warriors 50-10 (38-0 at half-time) to move ominously into the top four.

It was the Storm’s resounding win over the Warriors that actually enabled the Dragons to put daylight between themselves and the rest at the top of the table.  The Storm have now won their last three games, with Cameron Smith being particularly impressive.  

The Storm won the corresponding fixture 34-22 at the WIN Stadium last season almost exactly a year ago (also in Game Week 9) and have also defeated the Dragons in six of their last eight meetings.

The Dragons have benefited from stability this season and again have no injury concerns.  Reece Robson has been handed the number 17 jersey ahead of Jacob Host and could be set for a possible NRL debut.

Suliasi Vunivalu (hamstring) returns on the wing for the Storm, with Young Tonumaipea dropping to the reserves unless he is chosen to play centre, where Curtis Scott has been provisionally named despite injuring his ankle last week and originally having been expected to be missing for a few weeks. Dale Finucane (thumb) returns at lock, with Christian Welch moving to prop for Tim Glasby (thumb). 

This looks set to be a close game and the betting odds say as much, with the Dragons a best price of 1.87 at bet365 and the Storm on offer at 2.02 with Centrebet.  

The fact that the Dragons are favourites gives the Storm some appeal on the Handicap markets, with Palmerbet offering 9/10 (1.90) on a win for the Storm with a 1 point start.  That looks worth an interest.