Any Sports Tips w/c 16th March

Aussie Rules

Richmond vs Carlton

This is the new season of Australian Football (AFL) or Aussie Rules.
Richmond will field 20 of its 22 players who won the title last season.
Carlton finished in the bottom three last season and are without three important attackers and one key defender.

There are some major changes to this season, due to COVID. The season is reduced from 22 to 17 matches and the duration of a match is reduced from 20 minutes per quarter to 16 minutes each quarter (actual play).

In their previous encounters, for many years now, Richmond have beaten Carlton every time by more than 25 points. Given that this is going to be a shorter match, I won't take the handicap, but I'll take the margin win, because it covers a plain win up to a very comfortable 39 points.

Bet: Richmond 1-39 @1.91

Rugby League - Australian NRL

Canterbury Bulldogs vs Nth Qld Cowboys

In the first round the Bulldogs were not able to score a single try, losing 2-8 away to Parramatta Eels. However, they themselves conceded only one try, and that with 15 minutes left in the second half.

The Cowboys were disappointing in their home loss to Brisbane Broncos, struggling to score. Although the scoreline was 21-28, they scored 2 converted tries (12 points) only in the last 15 minutes, when the outcome of the match was almost decided.

It looks like the Cowboys might win this match, however it also looks like we may have a low score here, and a Cowboys win, as they did show some attacking skills last round, whereas the Bulldogs were simply painful to watch.

Bet 1: Total Points Under 36.5 @1.82
Bet 2: Cowboys -3.5 @1.85

Quill wrote: Aussie Rules

Richmond vs Carlton

This is the new season of Australian Football (AFL) or Aussie Rules.
Richmond will field 20 of its 22 players who won the title last season.
Carlton finished in the bottom three last season and are without three important attackers and one key defender.

There are some major changes to this season, due to COVID. The season is reduced from 22 to 17 matches and the duration of a match is reduced from 20 minutes per quarter to 16 minutes each quarter (actual play).

In their previous encounters, for many years now, Richmond have beaten Carlton every time by more than 25 points. Given that this is going to be a shorter match, I won't take the handicap, but I'll take the margin win, because it covers a plain win up to a very comfortable 39 points.

Bet: Richmond 1-39 @1.91

Adding a new bet here...

This is a traditional opener of the season and for many years now the score of this opening match has been high.

Bet: Total Points Over 132.5 @1.90

A-League
CC Mariners vs Melbourne City

The Mariners have lost 9 (nine) matches in a row. They are rooted to the bottom of the ladder with the least amount of goals scored and the most conceded.
To make matters worse, they will be without Daniel De Silva, one of the most talented players in their team.

City are second on the ladder and need to win points for them to secure the second spot, which means home finals. Their attack line is very productive, with the second most goals scored so far (37 in 21 matches).
City are on the way up, while the Mariners must be down on morale and should be thinking of rebuilding their team for next season already.

Bet 1: City -1 @1.70
Bet 2: HT/FT City/City @2.20

Rugby League
St. George Illawarra Dragons vs Penrith Panthers

The Dragons lost at home in the first round last week. They led at half time against Wests Tigers, otherwise an average team, and in the second half they collapsed 2-16.

The Panthers came from behind, 0-12, and beat the champions at home. They are expected to have a very good season this year.

Obviously, the Panthers appear to be in a different class than the Dragons, but we're still at the beginning of the season.

Bet: Panthers - 4.5 @1.91

Double @2.25
Melbourne City @1.44 + Penrith Panthers @1.56

A-League

Brisbane Roar vs Newcastle Jets

Brisbane are inside the play-off spots and are playing well under Robbie Fowler. 

The Jets are on a remarkable 6 game unbeaten run, climbing up the ladder from bottom to now charging for the top 6 to get a play-off spot. 

They are coming from a convincing 3-0 away win at Adelaide, a play-off spot competitor. 

Both teams are well motivated and certainly capable of scoring, so I'm going for overs. 

Bet: BTTS & Over 2.5 @1.83

Aussie Rules
Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood

Collingwood went deep into the finals the past two years, but couldn't win the title. 

The Bulldogs, title winners in 2016, have not achieved much since then. 

Both teams like free-flowing football.

Collingwood will try again to win the title this year. 

Bet 1: Collingwood @1.91

Bet 2: Total Points over 152.5 @1.91

Rugby League
Brisbane Broncos vs South Sydney Rabbitohs

Both teams won their first round matches last week.
They are pretty similar in quality, so I'm going with the home team, cheap beer stakes.

Bet: Broncos +4.5 @1.79

Quill wrote: Rugby League
Brisbane Broncos vs South Sydney Rabbitohs

Both teams won their first round matches last week.
They are pretty similar in quality, so I'm going with the home team, cheap beer stakes.

Bet: Broncos +4.5 @1.79

Got on the away side to win yesterday @ evens

Smaller play Bunnies by 1-12 @ 3

A-League
WS Wanderers vs Sydney FC

This is a big Sydney derby and without spectators the Wanderers will not have an advantage at their home ground.

The Wanderers will not have the support of the 28,500 fans that they had at this stadium earlier in the season.

Sydney are still the best team in the competition, runaway leaders with the most goals scored and tightest defence,

The Wanderers inflicted Sydney's only two defeats this season, home and away, both times 1-0. However, Sydney are sitting at the top of the ladder, far ahead from the second spot (7 points with 3 matches in hand), while the Wanderers are 2 points outside the play-off spots.

Sydney should be able to take advantage of the fact that there are no spectators, plus that they cannot keep losing to a team that struggles to make the play-offs, and take their revenge here.

Bet: Sydney -0.25 @1.83

Rugby League

New Zealand Warriors vs Canberra Raiders

The Warriors are playing in Australia, due to virus related travel restrictions, so no home ground for them.
They were very poor last weekend, as they lost 0-20 to a team that didn't even make the play-offs last season.

The Raiders are play-offs candidates and one of the best teams in the league. Last week they won comfortably at home, 24-6 against Gold Coast.

Bet: Raiders -12 @1.87

Rugby League
Sydney Roosters vs Manly Sea Eagles

The Roosters, current champions, lost away to Penrith Panthers in the first round, after leading by 12 points. They will be eager to bounce back at home.

Manly lost at home to Melbourne Storm without scoring a single try, with only 4 points from two penalties to show for their efforts. They will want to bounce back too and show some scoring capabilities.

These are play-off teams, so I don't think that the Roosters will run away with the game.

In the last two seasons they met three times, the Roosters winning all three in high scoring encounters.

I noticed the matches without spectators are high scoring so far, so I'll try some cheap beer bets on the totals to go over.

Bet 1: Roosters 1-12 @3.00
Bet 2: Total points Over 36.5 @1.80

Cronulla Sharks vs Melbourne Storm

The Sharks didn't show much for most of the game against Rabbitohs in the first round, but they put in a great effort late in the game, scoring 10 points in the last 15 minutes to make the score look respectable (18-22).

The Storm, a title contender, looked very good last week away to Manly (play-offs team), scoring 3 late tries to win 18-4.

The Sharks will have to improve a lot to be able to hold the Storm, but the Melbourne team is too good for them.

I'm trying the total as over with minimum stakes, because I noticed in the first few matches that playing without spectators the scores are higher.

Bet 1: Over 36 points @1.83, cheap beer
Bet 2: Storm -4.5 @1.85

Wests Tigers vs Newcastle Knights

Both teams won in their first round. They played good, exciting matches. The Knights won 20-0, while the Tigers utterly dominated the second half away to the Dragons (16-2), in a clear 24-14 win.

The Tigers beat the Knights last season in all of their three matches, and all of them were high scoring. The Knights showed an improved face however, so I'm not going to bet on a win here, especially without spectators to bring some home advantage.

Given what they showed in the first round, I think that this match will be high scoring too.

Bet: Total Points Over 40.5 @1.85

Gold Coast Titans vs Parramatta Eels

The Titans finished rock bottom last year, far away from the next team up the ladder.In the first round this season, they didn't show much improvement, losing 6-24 away to Canberra Raiders. They haven't won a match for a long time now, having gone 12 straight losses.

The Eels is a play-offs team and beat the Titans comfortably in their last three meetings over the past three years.

Bet: Eels -6.5 @1.83

Thanks Quil for keeping things going with some Aussie sport!

Have taken a keen interest in the NRL this weekend and must say I'm enjoying it. Apart from a fun bet or 2 last weekend when I was watching it there I haven't yet pulled the trigger but am looking to get involved from next weekend if some punt stand out.

Cheers mate.
We're lucky to still have some sports going.

Aussie Rules
West Coast Eagles vs Melbourne Demons

The Eagles are title contenders. They won it a couple of years ago and they played the finals last year.

Melbourne is a lower quality team, they finished second from bottom out of 18 last year, and throughout the season they were in the bottom three.

The Eagles are a high scoring team, they catch the ball and move the ball fast to their two tall forwards.

Bet 1: West Coast - 19.5 @1.91
Bet 2: Team Total West Coast Over 81.5 points @1.89

Double @1.83
West Coast + Parramatta Eels @1.83

Jeez defence was non existent in that Tigers v Knights game but damn the Knights were ON FIRE!

Come on the Eels - with state closures this might very well be our last live game in quite some time...

Couch Critic wrote: Jeez defence was non existent in that Tigers v Titans game but damn the Titans were ON FIRE!

Come on the Eals - with state closures this might very well be our last live game in quite some time...

NRL and AFL should still go on while there are no virus cases affecting anyone of them. This level will be monitored continuously.
All other sports at lower levels will not travel interstate, if they are still on at all.

This morning the PM said that there were no imminent suspension of AFL and NRL.

This afternoon the AFL was suspended. Only the first round will be completed.

The Cabinet is meeting tonight and we'll hear a decision about NRL as well, indeed.

A-League
Newcastle Jets vs Melbourne City

Since they changed their coach, the Jets have had very good results. In their last 6 matches since Carl Robinson took over, they won three times and drew twice, losing only three days ago, 0-1 away to Brisbane, a top 4 team.

During this stretch of good results, the Jets beat Perth Glory at home, a title contender, and Adelaide away, 3-0, a competitor for play-off qualification.
They are now 6 points adrift from the last play-off spot, and they must get back to winning ways.

City are second on the ladder, but only 4 points ahead of in-form Wellington, who have two games in hand. They are in very good form, having won three of their last four matches, including a 3-2 away win to Perth.
City won both meetings this season, home and away. At that time the Jets were lingering in the basement, but now they are a different team and they are fighting for a play-off spot.

The Jets are scoring goals, and Carl Robinson tightened their defence.
City have a leaky defence, ranked 7th (32 goals conceded in 22 matches), and the second best attack, with 42 goals in 22 matches.
Jamie Maclaren (City) is the leading goalscorer with 18 goals.

The Jets have a high average of corners when they play at home, around 12 per game.

Bet 1: Over 2.5 goals & BTTS @1.80
Bet 2: Total Corners Over 11 @1.90