With the 2020 NRL season rolling right along as it steamrolls into Round 15, it’s time to take a look at who’s in action and which teams are offering the best value against their rugby betting odds in their respective matchups. With that thought in mind, I’ve got my top three picks of the week so can wager on their NRL odds.
NRL Betting Round 15 Events Preview – Odds and Picks
Thursday, August 20 Match
Parramatta Eels (11-0-3) vs. Melbourne Storm (12-0-2) at 4:50 AM
- Where: Bankwest Stadium, Sydney
The Eels are in third place in the standings with 298 points scored and 176 points allowed. Unfortunately, Parramatta had their three-game winning streak snapped in their hard-fought 14-12 home loss against the Dragons on Friday. Melbourne is in second place in the NRL standings with a league-high 374 points scored and a league-low 168 points allowed. The Storm are on fire at the right time, having won eight straight games including a commanding 24-6 smackdown of two-time defending champion Sydney on Thursday.
The Eels have been struggling mightily to score and come into this affair having been limited to an identical 12 points in each of their last two games while getting held to 18 points or less five times in their last six games. Conversely, Melbourne has put 20 points or more on the board in each of their last eight games while topping the 40-point mark five times and the 50-point plateau once. Melbourne might be on the road, but the Storm are playing phenomenal footy right now and will get it done despite being on the road in this one.
Pick: Storm 24 Eels 16
Friday, August 21 Match
Penrith Panthers (12-1-1) vs. Cronulla Sharks (8-0-6) at 3:00 AM
- Where: Panthers Stadium, Penrith
Penrith is sitting atop the NRL standings with 350 points scored and 194 points allowed. More importantly, the Panthers are riding the wave of a fantastic nine-game winning streak that includes a hard-fought 18-12 road win over the Warriors on Friday. Cronulla is in seventh place in the standings with 362 points scored and 306 points allowed. The Sharks have won four of their last five games and come into this affair off a commanding 30-18 home win over Gold Coast on Saturday.
While Cronulla is playing solid right now, but each of their last four wins have come against teams inside the bottom eight. Unfortunately for the Sharks, Penrith isn’t one of those mediocre teams that Cronulla has beaten up on recently. The Panthers are outstanding at both ends of the pitch, they’re playing at home and they’ve held eight of their last nine opponents to 14 points or less.
Back Penrith to get it done in convincing fashion.
Pick: Panthers 30 Sharks 16
Saturday, August 22 Match
Wests Tigers (6-0-8) vs. Sydney Roosters (9-0-5) at 2:30 AM
- Where: Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
The Wests Tigers are sitting in ninth place in the standings with 314 points scored and 301 points allowed defensively. After dropping three straight, the Tigers managed to get past the last place Bulldogs 29-28 at home on Sunday. The two-time defending champion Roosters are sitting in fourth place in the standings, having scored 198 points while limiting the opposition to a league-low 156 points defensively. Unfortunately, Sydney had their three-game winning streak snapped in their stunning 24-6 home loss against streaking Melbourne on Thursday.
While Sydney has gone a modest 4-3 over their last seven, the Tigers are just 2-5 over the same span. More importantly, the Tigers have been held to 16 points or less in four of their last five losses while scoring 12 or less in three of those contests. Sydney isn’t playing at the same level they have been for the last two seasons, but they are by far, the better team in this one and they are motivated to stay inside the top four with the fifth place Raiders owning an identical 9-0-5 heading into Round 15.
Pick: Roosters 32 Tigers 16
