Dragons vs Tigers Prediction & NRL Betting Preview

The St George Illawarra Dragons attempt to record just a second win of the NRL Premiership season on Saturday when they host the Wests Tigers in Kogarah (5:30pm local, 8:30am BST, Sky Sports+).

Wests are also struggling, with six defeats in eight, so Benji Marshall looks to arrest a slide which has seen his side fall from second to 12th. My Dragons vs Tigers predictions follow, with Betfred’s match odds and the latest team news.

Dragons vs Tigers Betting Tips

Tigers by 1-12 @ 21/10
Valentine Holmes Anytime Tryscorer @ 5/4

*odds correct at time of publishing

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Dragons vs Tigers Odds

Given that they have seven wins to the Dragons’ one this season, there’s no surprise to see the Tigers installed as favourites here.

Wests are 8/13 for the win, with St George an 11/8 pick. The draw is available at 16/1.

Betfred has a couple of Price Boosts, including 2/1 about a Wests victory featuring a Sunia Turuva try. That was previously 7/4.

The 9/4 for the Dragons to win and Setu Tu to score has been boosted to 11/4.

Team News

The Dragons will run out the same 17 which was beaten 24-16 by the Raiders last Sunday. Jacob Halangahu and Lyhkan King-Togia join the bench to fill out the matchday 19.

Dean Young remains without the ervices of Moses Suli, who is still recovering from a hip injury.

Rugby League Odds

There are a series of changes for the Tigers, on the other hand. Jock Madden is back after observing concussion protocols, while Alex Twal is over the knee injury which saw him pulled out of the lineup against the Knights at short notice.

Jarome Luai is the big-name absentee due to a head knock, and Taylan May is also out after failing to shake off a shoulder problem.

Tigers by 1-12 @ 21/10

Much as I think the Tigers will find this one a slog without Luai and May, I can’t see my way to backing the Dragons as things stand.

Yes, they’re competing in games, but this is the worst St George side since the post-Super League merger with the Illawarra Steelers.

They’ll need five wins in their remaining nine games to stave off the ignominy of recording their worst season in that time, but I just can’t see that happening.

Even against a fumbling Tigers team, they could show up well but I can’t see anything other than another Dragons loss.

Valentine Holmes Anytime Tryscorer @ 5/4

He didn’t come through for us last week, but I am backing Val Holmes once again for this one.

With four tries in his last four games, and three scoring appearances in that time, he has a 75% hit rate going up against the probability of 44.4% implied by the 5/4 odds.

And while the Dragons don’t have enough to keep many teams at bay, the former Kangaroo’s firepower ensures they are always a threat with ball in hand.

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