NRL 2019 Grand Final Odds Update – Rugby League Betting

Roosters remain NRL favourites despite early setback

Rugby Betting

Hands up, how many rugby league fans foresaw an opening-day home defeat for the SYDNEY ROOSTERS?

The Roosters, the defending NRL champions, were shocked by SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS, the team they beat in the NRL Preliminary Finals at the end of last season. The result was an even bigger shock considering the Roosters had had a competitive game in the World Club Challenge, though maybe that long trip to England had left something in the legs.

NRL Grand Final Winners Since 2000

2000 NRL Grand Final Brisbane Sydney Roosters 14–6 Stadium Australia 94,277
2001 NRL Grand Final Newcastle Parramatta 30–24 Stadium Australia 90,414
2002 NRL Grand Final Sydney Roosters Warriors 30–8 Stadium Australia 80,130
2003 NRL Grand Final Penrith Sydney Roosters 18–6 Stadium Australia 81,166
2004 NRL Grand Final Canterbury Sydney Roosters 16–13 Stadium Australia 82,127
2005 NRL Grand Final Wests Tigers North Queensland 30–16 Stadium Australia 82,453
2006 NRL Grand Final Brisbane Melbourne 15-8 Stadium Australia 79,609
2007 NRL Grand Final Melbourne Manly Warringah 34–8 Stadium Australia 81,392
2008 NRL Grand Final Manly Warringah Melbourne 40–0 Stadium Australia 80,388
2009 NRL Grand Final Melbourne Parramatta 23–16 Stadium Australia 82,538
2010 NRL Grand Final St George Illawarra Sydney Roosters 32–8 Stadium Australia 82,334
2011 NRL Grand Final Manly Warringah Warriors 24–10 Stadium Australia 81,988
2012 NRL Grand Final Melbourne Canterbury 14-4 Stadium Australia 82,976
2013 NRL Grand Final Sydney Roosters Manly-Warringah 26-18 Stadium Australia 81,491
2014 NRL Grand Final South Sydney Rabbitohs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 30-6 Stadium Australia 83,833
2015 NRL Grand Final North Queensland Brisbane 17-16 ANZ Stadium 82,758
2016 NRL Grand Final Cronulla Melbourne 14-12 ANZ Stadium 83,625
2017 NRL Grand Final Melbourne Nth Queensland 34-6 ANZ Stadium 79,722
2018 NRL Grand Final Sydney Roosters Melbourne Storm 21-6 ANZ Stadium 82,688

Regardless, the Roosters are still the 7/2 favourites with most bookmakers to win the Grand Final at the end of the year, though support for local rivals the Rabbitohs has increased and they are now only a best 13/2.

It should be noted that it did take a while f0r the Roosters to start strutting their stuff last season. Their pack was probably their weak link last year but the addition of Angus Crichton should go a long way to rectifying that weakness. They have replaced Blake Ferguson with Brett Morris and it’s impossible to see them finishing out of the first four in the regular season, though Cooper Cronk may be in his final season at the top level.

The Rabbitohs were probably the most exciting side in the NRL last season but coach Anthony Seibold has left the club for the Brisbane Broncos and it remains to be seen if his replacement Wayne Bennett will want to follow the same philosophy. However, his tenure has got off the best possible start so it would be unwise to write them off.

NRL
PENRITH PANTHERS are interesting at a best 11/1.
Ivan Cleary has arrived to take charge and he will be able to call on Dylan Edwards, who missed most of 2018 with a shoulder injury. Edwards has the potential to be one of the best full-backs in the league and, if fully fit, could be the solution to the defensive problems which dogged the Panthers’ progress last year. The finished fifth the regular season last year and have the potential to do even better this year if their disciplinary record improves under the new coach.

It’s hard to imagine that MELBOURNE STORM (a best 13/2) won’t be in the firing-line as well. The legendary Billy Slater may have retired but they still have arguably the modern game’s best hooker in Cameron Smith and he is surrounded by a very talented squad. The Storm only lost the 2016 Grand Final by two points when Slater wasn’t playing and won in 2017, when he was. Jahrome Hughes is one of the game’s brightest young stars and Melbourne are another team that look banker material to finish in the top four.

BRISBANE BRONCOS (a general 8/1) have hired one of the game’s most innovative coaches in Anthony Seibold, who did such a brilliant job last year with the Rabbitohs. They probably have the strongest pack in the NRL but question marks remains about their backs, particularly their half-backs, and they got off to an inauspicious start when beaten by the Storm. Seibold should improve young prospect Jamayne Isaako but the feeling persists that the Broncos are still a little light in crucial areas.

So which teams are most likely to break into the top four this season and upset the old guard?

Moses Mbye could help drag the WESTS TIGERS into the play-offs. They are a generous-looking 28/1 with Betway to win the Grand Final for the first time since 2005. Mbye and Robbie Farah have had a full summer to better know their team-mates and Michael Maguire has inherited a versatile squad in which the likes of Josh Reynolds and Ryan Matterson can shine, though they need to take some of the pressure off the ageing Benji Marshall.

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS could also be one of this season’s surprise packages. A general 16/1, they enjoyed a very profitable close season and have a completely new back-line. There is plenty of try-scoring potential with the likes of Kalyn Ponga and Mitchell Pearce but coach Nathan Brown will have to manage his players effectively with some of them still unsure of their best position. If everything falls into place, they are top-four material – if everything goes wrong, they won’t finish in the top eight.

NRL 2019 Grand Final Betting

Sydney Roosters 7/2
South Sydney Rabbitohs 13/2
Melbourne Storm 7/1
Brisbane Broncos 8/1
Penrith Panthers 11/1
North Queensland Cowboys 14/1
Newcastle Knights 16/1
St George Illawarra Dragons, Cronulla Sharks and Canberra Raiders 20/1
New Zealand Warriors 22/1
Wests Tigers 28/1
Parramatta Eels 33/1
Manly Sea Eagles 50/1
Canterbury Bulldogs and Gold Coast Titans 100/1
(Odds correct at 10.45am March 20)