Wests Tigers vs Sydney Roosters
22nd August 0830hrs
Rugby League – Australia – NRL
Pick Roosters -8 handicap
Bookmaker Bet365
Odds: Even money odds taken 04:35 GMT, Tuesday, 18th August
There were differing fortunes for these two in the last round of NRL action.
Wests Tigers saw themselves haul themselves out of a three-match losing streak by posting a dramatic one-point margin win over bottom-side Canterbury Bulldogs.
As for the Roosters, they saw their chance at a four-match winning streak go down the drain as they were torn apart by the red-hot Melbourne Storm.
The Sydney Roosters though go into this fixture as the favourites to get back to winning ways.
Table of Contents
Wests Tigers Preview – Tigers breathe as sigh of relief
Wests Tigers just avoided their fourth straight loss last weekend as they dug out a dramatic win.
They just got the better of the Canterbury Bulldogs with a 29-28 success to snap their streak.
Having lost 44-4 in their previous game, they won’t have cared too much just how that victory came along.
But this is now a tough fixture for them to go back into, having lost their two matches against the Roosters last year.
Wests finished the last round of action in ninth place with a W6 L8 record for the season, leaving them 4-points outside of the top eight.
So they are still in with a chance of making the finals series but really to post a win in this one.
The Tigers are the 9/4 underdogs in the match outright for this fixture however* (odds taken 04:35 GMT, Tuesday, 18th August).
Wests Tigers are W3 L4 in their designated home games in this NRL season.
As a positive for them, they are the top-scoring side in the bottom half of the ladder and have actually produced more points than four of the current top eight.
But then you look at their defence. The Tigers have conceded an average of 21 points per game this season.
That is a long way from the excellent return from the Roosters who have averaged 14 points per game against them.
Sydney Roosters Preview – Can the Rooster rally after loss?
The Sydney Roosters have won four of their six previous matches played at the Leichhardt Oval, Sydney.
So that is clearly positive for them, as is their overall form this season as they posted a W9 L5 record.
Sydney have been struggling with injuries and they slipped up last weekend in a huge showdown against the Storm.
The Roosters just could not live with the power of Melbourne and were frankly torn apart in a 6-24 loss.
That snapped a good three-match winning streak that the Roosters had been on, even with a big injury list.
Sydney Roosters were stacking up massive points tallies in a matches during the earlier part of the season.
Because of conditions at the club and not being able to field full-strength teams, that has dried up a little bit.
Just one in their last four games now have the Sydney Roosters posted more than 20 points in a match.
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Sydney Roosters have a huge head to head from going against the Wests Tigers which goes way beyond a three-match winning streak.
They have won all but one of their last fourteen fixtures against Wests (L1).
That’s a staggering run of head to head form really.
The Roosters have averaged 25 points per game this season in the NRL, shading the Wests there who are averaging 22 per fixture.
The average winning margin for the Roosters this season has been a league-high 20.8 points.
They are not back fully fit yet, so we certainly wouldn’t look that far on a line, but a Roosters -8 is value at even money* (odds taken 04:35 GMT, Tuesday, 18th August).
Wests Tigers vs Sydney Roosters Betting Advice
The defeat last weekend against the in-form Melbourne Storm for Sydney can be excused. They weren’t at full strength and the Storm look unstoppable at the moment.
But the Roosters are good enough to bounce back from that setback and get back down to winning business.
The head to head between these two speaks for itself and we can’t see Wests holding out defensively over the duration of the match.
Key Facts – Wests Tigers vs Sydney Roosters Betting Tip
- Wests Tigers have won 1 of their last 14 against Sydney
- Wests Tigers are W1 L3 in their last four fixtures
- Sydney Roosters have won three of their last four games
The Roosters have done admirably in working with a sizable injury list over the last few rounds of action. It shows the depth that the reigning double Premiers have.
They have the scoring power to atone for last weekend’s result by collecting two points in this fixture.
The best betting odds for Wests Tigers vs Sydney Roosters
Wests Tigers to win: 2/1 at Bet365
Draw: 22/1 at Bet365
Sydney Roosters to win: 4/11 at Bet365
