Money Comes for Home Team
The New Zealand Warriors and Canterbury Bulldogs have overachieved so far, but there can be only one winner on Saturday.
NRL lines opened them as equal -120 favorites, but the Warriors have firmed into -150 to score consecutive wins.
However, the Bulldogs have turned their form around, and they’re seeking a rare three-game winning streak.
Upside for Bulldogs
The Bulldogs have been the joke team of the NRL for a few years, but after winning games against the Melbourne Storm and Wests Tigers, their confidence levels are high.
Beating the Storm, who didn’t have their best player, was a quality victory. Despite being the underdogs in sports betting markets, they played with great freedom. If they continue to play like that, the Warriors could be in trouble.
They also won against the Tigers, but the 26-22 victory should have been much easier. They lead 22-8 late in the second half before allowing the Tigers back into the contest. Doing something similar won’t see them win too many more games.
However, there is a good upside with the Bulldogs. They are playing much better than the last few years, so that alone could be enough to see them score a minor upset as the dog at the sportsbook.
New coach Cameron Ciraldo has introduced a multi-cultural atmosphere at the club, reported by NRL news.
“That’s how we kicked off the camp,” Andrew Ryan said. “We invited all of the families in, and the staff. We had Pacific Island performances, Lebanese drummers, an Indigenous workshop with Jono Wright, who is a former player here.”
“The head coach is a massive believer in everyone being united and coming together. He talks about bringing your culture through the door, and not parking it outside.”
Warriors Knuckling Down
The Warriors were big underdogs with Las Vegas NRL odds last week against the North Queensland Cowboys, but they were the best team by far.
The 26-12 win on the road should give them confidence, and despite not having any star players, it doesn’t always matter on the field.
Their only loss came to the Sydney Roosters, a close 20-12 contest. Therefore, with home advantage, we’re not surprised by the shortening odds.
However, as we know with the Warriors, as soon as bettors feel confident of a win, that’s when they underperform. That’s the pressure the Warriors are facing against the Bulldogs, but if they want to contest for a playoff spot in 2023, they need to beat teams like them.
The Dogs have won only six from 16 at Mt Smart Stadium, and it will be a packed crowd, so the Warriors could use that to their advantage. Start strong, and finish the job in the second half.
Warriors vs Bulldogs Head-to-Head
The Bulldogs have a slight 18-17 advantage over the Warriors, but it has been all about the Warriors lately.
They won 42-18 in their only meeting last year, which followed a 24-10 win. Those games have come at home, so the Bulldogs aren’t the best team to follow on the road.
Warriors vs Bulldogs Game Information
- Game: Bulldogs (2-1) vs Warriors (2-1)
- Day/Time: Saturday, March 25th, 10:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, NZ
- Bulldogs vs Warriors Live Stream: RugbyPass
Warriors vs Bulldogs Betting Lines
Warriors vs Bulldogs Picks and Prediction
Our NRL picks expect the Warriors to win at home. They showed great toughness to beat the Cowboys, and returning home in front of a huge Auckland crowd is exactly what they need.
Trusting either team can be tough, but the Warriors’ odds are shortening for a reason.
The Bulldogs are listed at +110 in our Vegas Rugby lines. This means that if you wager $100 on Bulldogs, you have a chance to win $110. The Warriors is -150, offering a chance to win $67 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Bulldogs a 47.62% chance to win, with the Warriors at 60.00%.
