NRL Tips Round 20 & Free Game Preview

Townsville
-2.5 market line
46.5 total points (market position)

Cowboys at Home have won just 1 of last 5
Cowboys poor line record at Home with just 1 of last 7
Bulldogs just 1 Away win this season
Bulldogs at the line Away have covered 4 of last 6
Bulldogs last 5 games have resulted points under

Another game where final teams lists in particular for the Cowboys is important, but with 4 back ups from Origin and 3 of them being key players who each did plenty of physical work last Wednesday night that has to be some impact and question their fatigue through the length of this game.

Cowboys have done well through the Origin period and also picked up two surprise wins when without their reps, and both in Sydney (Roosters and Panthers) but is the consistency back? As the win and handicap record at home shows they can be consistently inconsistent and hard to catch.

Bulldogs now without Max King, big out for them as he has been rock solid in the middle for them this season and in a role where they have lacked depth and quality. With the named changes they look to be going with mobility.

Both teams off a bye and both with 9 wins and potential finals spots, but for mine Bulldogs look to have a bit of ambush about them into this. Minor Origin impact and an extended prep for this and with them each level pegging on the table and plenty at stake a game they can make a further statement off. They have won 4 of their last 5 with defence clearly the cornerstone to their growing success (sit 2nd best D in the comp at present) they can frustrate the Cowboys attacking flow and likely force some errors here.

No knock on the Cowboys, they to have won 5 of their last 7 and put their season back in contention, but I’m still to be convinced as to some of the overall depth and quality to some of that form, and with a disrupted week and key backups it is not an ideal set up.

While the Bulldogs are just 1 Away win this season they have won two of their last four in Townsville and get the luxury of long haul travel off a bye break.

Small lean to Bulldogs expecting they are up for this, I marked this all but even and so the small plus would be my angle. Looks a good contest and a very valuable win at stake.