NRL Round 1 Odds Preview: Brisbane Broncos, Melbourne Storm Betting Favorites

The two NRL teams that have been most on the nose with punters in the offseason open proceedings on Thursday night when reigning premiers Cronulla host Brisbane.

The Sharks may have created history with their first premiership in their history in 2016, but there is no confidence in them repeating the feat in 2017, with Cronulla drifting from $9 in early premiership markets out to $15 and eighth pick overall.

It's been a similar story for the Broncos, who are out to $12 to win their first title in 11 years.

But when it comes to Thursday night's opener, it's the Broncos who have taken control of the favorite status, after being backed from $2 to $1.80 in the past few days, according to AustralianGambling.com.au. The Sharks, who are without Valentine Holmes, are out to $2.02.

There are two other games which feature clashes of teams from last year's final series, including Friday night's clash which sees last year's beaten grand finalists Melbourne Storm travel to Sydney to play the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, who bowed out in the first week of the 2016 playoffs.

The Dogs have beaten the Storm the last six times the team have met, giving those who have taken the $2 about them plenty of confidence heading into this match. Melbourne are equal favorites for the Premiership and accordingly go into this match as $1.81 favorites.

The other Friday night match sees two teams who missed last year's finals look to begin 2017 with some momentum. The South Sydney Rabbitohs, off the back of a confidence-building Charity Shield win over the St George Illawarra Dragons on Feb. 19, are $1.65 favorites, with the Wests Tigers at $2.25.

The best of the three Saturday matches sees last year's two beaten preliminary finalists face off as North Queensland Cowboys welcome the Canberra Raiders. The Cowboys are $1.40 favorites having not lost to the Raiders at home since 2006, while the Raiders are $3.

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Penrith Panthers have been backed into equal favorites for the title on the strength of their young talent, which is undoubtedly the best in the composition.

The first indication we'll get of whether the Panthers go from boys to men this year will be against the Dragons on Saturday afternoon. They are $1.40 favorites, with the Dragons at $3.

The other team expected to make massive improvement this year are the Sydney Roosters, who finished second from bottom in 2016. Mitchell Pearce's return to full fitness plus the recruitment of Michael Gordon and Luke Keary has the Tricolors in great shape and at $10 to win the Premiership.

They travel to face the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday night and are $1.70 favorites with the home side at $2.15.

Sunday features the most lopsided game of the round according to the oddsmakers, with New Zealand Warriors at $1.17 as they host the battling Newcastle Knights, who are $5.10.

The afternoon match at Lottoland (formerly Brookvale) sees Manly Warringah Sea Eagles host Parramatta Eels, with the Sea Eagles at $1.80 and the Eels at $2.