2023 NRL Finals Week 1
The NRL Finals series opening week is a dynamic and intense competition period, featuring four crucial games that set a precedent for the rest of the tournament.
Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm
Date: Friday, September 8, 2023
Time: 7:50pm
Venue: Suncorp Stadium
Melbourne Storm are the clear favourites to win against the Brisbane Broncos. With a 14-game winning streak against the Broncos and a 6-2 finals record, the Storm have the psychological edge. Both teams are welcoming back key players, but Melbourne’s consistency at Suncorp Stadium is hard to ignore. Expect a high-scoring game, as the last eight matches between these teams at this venue have exceeded 42.5 total points.
The final score should be Melbourne Storm 28, Brisbane Broncos 16. Melbourne Storm are the team to beat.
Betting Tip: Storm @2.35
Suggested Bet: Storm by 1-12 @ $3.50
Penrith Panthers vs New Zealand Warriors
Date: Saturday, September 9, 2023
Time: 4:05pm
Venue: Penrith Stadium
The Penrith Panthers are in top form, coming off a dominant win against the Cowboys. They have a strong track record against the New Zealand Warriors, especially at home. While the Warriors are fielding a strong lineup, history and recent performance suggest that the Panthers have the upper hand. Given all these factors, seeing anything other than a Penrith win is hard.
Realistically, expect a final score of Penrith Panthers 28, New Zealand Warriors 14.
Betting Tip: Panthers @1.20
Suggested Bet: Panthers HEAD-to-HEAD @ $1.20
Cronulla Sharks vs Sydney Roosters
Date: Saturday, September 9, 2023
Time: 7:50pm
Venue: Suncorp Stadium
The Sydney Roosters have the edge over the Cronulla Sharks this week. Sydney has won seven of its last eight matches against Cronulla and consistently covered the line. Although Cronulla has strong individual performers like Ronaldo Mulitalo and Jesse Ramien, Sydney’s players like Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and James Tedesco have been equally impressive, especially in finals.
Given these factors, expect a final score of 24-16 in favour of the Sydney Roosters. All signs point to a Roosters win.
Betting Tip: Roosters @1.82
Suggested Bet: Roosters by 1-12 @ $2.85
Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders
Date: Sunday, September 10, 2023
Time: 4:05pm
Venue: Newcastle International Sports Centre
The Newcastle Knights are set for a convincing win against the Canberra Raiders. Newcastle has won their last nine matches and covered the line in their last seven against Canberra. Key players like Bradman Best and Greg Marzhew consistently score tries, especially at home.
While Canberra has some solid individual performances, they’re unlikely to outweigh Newcastle’s overall team strength.
Expect a high-scoring match, with a realistic final score around 28-12 in favour of Newcastle.
Betting Tip: Knights @1.22
Suggested Bet: Knights by 13+ @ $1.90
This Weeks NRL Finals Week 1 Multi
- Storm
- Panthers
- Roosters
- Knights
Take Bet: $6.20 with Ladbrokes
Check out all this weeks NRL Multi Tips on our Multi Bets Page.
NRL Post Season Finals
Two of these games are designated as Qualifying Finals. These matches pit high-ranking teams against each other, with the winners earning a significant reward – rest during the following week. This break provides the victorious teams with a valuable opportunity to recover, strategize, and prepare for their upcoming matches in the Preliminary Finals during Week 3.
On the other hand, the teams that do not secure a win in the Qualifying Finals are challenged to compete in a Semi-Final elimination game in the second week, adding an extra layer of pressure and intensity to their journey in the Finals series.
The remaining two games of the opening week are classified as Elimination Finals. These matches involve the teams that ranked in the bottom four of the Top 8 at the end of the regular season. The stakes in these games are incredibly high, as they are must-win matches for the teams involved. The winners of these games secure their progression to the second week of the NRL Finals. At the same time, the losers are eliminated from the competition, and their hopes of advancing further in the tournament are extinguished.
The NRL Finals series opening week is a critical phase in the competition, filled with high-stakes games that can either propel teams forward in the tournament or bring their season to a premature end. The outcomes of these games significantly shape the trajectory of the Finals series, setting the stage for the intense competition that unfolds in the following weeks.
NRL Draw
Check the NRL Draw for upcoming NRL matches this season.
NRL Injury List
Keep up-to-date with your team’s injuries this week with our NRL injury list.
Other Betting Tips
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