Round 25 marks the end of the 2022 NRL season for the bottom eight teams, a spot where the New Zealand Warriors and Gold Coast Titans definitely sit.
NRL Performance Recap
Gold Coast was even in contention for the dreaded wooden spoon, but it looks like they’ll be able to avoid that based on points differential and the fact that 16th place West Tigers has a tough matchup with the Raiders this weekend.
New Zealand gets to close out in front of their own fans, but they may not get a warm reception after a 6-17 campaign so far this year.
With losses from the Knights and Bulldogs in this weekend’s rugby betting picks as well as a win from the Warriors New Zealand could climb as high as 12th which would look a little more respectable.
Teams’ Previous Scoreboards
The Warriors have one win in their last seven matches, three rounds ago in a 42-18 victory over the Bulldogs.
Warriors Performance Recap
New Zealand has returned to their losing efforts in a big way the last two weeks, dropping a 48-4 contest to North Queensland and falling 46-12 to Penrith last Friday even though the Panthers have nothing to play for, having already clinched the minor premiership.
That’s not a great offensive or defensive performance the last two weekends for New Zealand, but at the same time, they were playing two of the top three teams on the ladder.
Going up against that quality of competition should have the Warriors better prepared for a heavy talent drop when Gold Coast comes to town. Gold Coast was a finals team a year ago, but they dropped off hard, going 5-18.
Titans Performance Recap
The Titans stepped it up 36-26 last week in a win which likely gets them out of wooden spoon contention, but that was preceded by 11 losses in the last 13 games. The Warriors vs. Titans betting prediction does favor New Zealand a bit.
These two teams played to a very competitive finish back in March, with Gold Coast getting a 20-18 victory in round two.
The Titans started off the year 2-3 with all three of those defeats coming by six points or less, but the inability to win the close game sent Gold Coast on a slide.
The Titans have won three of the last four in the head-to-head series, including a 44-0 stomping last September.
New Zealand Warriors vs. Gold Coast Titans Betting Analysis
New Zealand is a slight -4.5 favorite in this week’s Warriors vs. Titans betting prediction. Gold Coast has actually won two of their last three, but both of those victories were at home. In their last road tilt, the Titans lost 46-26 to the Dragons.
These two clubs have split their last eight head-to-head games, and each has a little something to play for on Saturday.
New Zealand can climb as high as 12th with a win and some help, while if the Titans were to get blown out and Wests Tigers miraculously get a large margin of victory, then Gold Coast could still be handed the wooden spoon.
Warriors Back at Auckland
Saturday’s game is being played at Mt. Smart in Auckland, and the last time the Warriors hosted Gold Coast here, they won 26-10 in 2019.
One thing that’s very concerning is the fact that New Zealand has allowed an average of 47 points in the last two weeks.
The problem with New Zealand giving up a lot of points heading into this weekend’s rugby betting is that they are the fourth lowest scoring team in the NRL.
Reece Walsh is a top 15 scorer with 100 points, but he’s the only New Zealand player within the top 50 in points.
Gold Coast In Meaningless Spot
The Titans are likely safe from the wooden spoon and could climb as high as 12th with a win on Saturday, but for all intents and purposes, this match is meaningless.
This team has a lot of questions to answer this offseason after a finals berth last year, and it’s not a shocker if most players (and fans) just want to get this year over with in the Warriors vs. Titans betting prediction.
NRL Injury Report
New Zealand welcomes a plethora of players back for the season finale, including Shaun Johnson, who had a calf injury last week against Penrith. Phillip Sami is also back for the Titans after a head knock forced him out of round 24.
Warriors vs. Titans Betting Preview
The Warriors have to get the edge here, at home, and they are anxious to snap a two-game losing streak against Gold Coast. New Zealand has gotten run over the past two weeks but by the top three teams in Penrith and North Queensland.
Warriors vs. Titans Betting Prediction
New Zealand should be able to close out the season on a positive note, as Gold Coast really has nothing to play for this week while the Warriors want to close things out with momentum for the hometown fans.
NRL Pick: Warriors 5.5 (-1359)
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