Zac Lomax slotted the field goal that handed the Eels their first win of their season against the Dragons and he did it with a fractured foot. The Eels will be without him for at least a month and his absence should not be underestimated. The Raiders scored on the stroke of full time to down the Sharks and will fancy their chances of building on the back of that victory.
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Best Bet
Can’t get enough of the Raiders here and they are a play at the line all the way up to double figures. The Eels have lost 4 of their last 5 following a win and last week’s battle will have taken a lot out of them – especially the younger players.
They now head to Darwin and TIO Stadium where they have lost their last three. Thankfully their 12-year long deal to play here is coming to an end this season.
The Raiders have won and covered the line in the last two meetings and have won 10 of their last 12 against the Eels when installed as the betting favourite.
Zac Lomax ranks 5th across the entire NRL for run metres this season and without him, the Eels will find it difficult to get out of their own end. That opens the door for Jamal Fogarty to pick them apart with his kicking game and their big forward pack to dominate through the middle.
Same Game Multi
The duo of Tapine and Horsbrough have been excellent are providing the Raiders with a platform this season and this game will be no exception.
The Raiders have scored 30% of their tries through the middle third this season which is the second highest percentage behind the Dolphins (33%).
Young (3), Nicholson (3), Tapine (1), Starling (1) and Papalii (1) have all contributed and I expect multiple names from that list to get on the scoresheet in Darwin.
Value Bet
J’maine Hopgood has tackled his heart out this season with 200 tackles (9th most) already this season. He hasn’t had enough help from the supporting cast and in what is schedule to be a hot afternoon at the top end, the Eels are certain to fade poorly in the final 20 minutes.
This is when a fi Raiders side have come into their own and as we have seen in the past, Ricky Stuart’s side have good habits that include playing hard for 80 minutes. Barring any silly sin-bins, the Raiders should really go on with it in this one and win by 20+ points.
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