Damn those Gold Coast Titans rumours

Then comes Four Corners or some other current affairs silhouette-type cloak and dagger interview, and off we go again!

WOODEN SPOON MARKET REOPENED WITH TITANS AT $21

Sportingbet Australia has reopened their wooden spoon market with the Gold Coast Titans as $21 chances after the NRL informed them there was no current investigation regarding the salary cap.

Sportingbet suspended betting on the wooden spoon yesterday morning after a flurry of bets came for the Titans as soon as the market was opened.

Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said the NRL’s statement came after Sportingbet had reported the transactions but as they had clearly stated there was no investigation underway, he was completely confident in reposting the market.

“The market back is up now for punters to bet on with the Titans still at $21, “ Sullivan said.

“I am sure if yesterday morning is any indication we will be taking plenty of bets on them but we have full confidence in the market now given the NRL’s statement.

“We had no choice but to suspend the market yesterday morning given the unprecedented run of bets for a side currently sitting fourth.”

Sportingbet Australia currently has the Cowboys as $3.00 favourites for the Spoon, without Melbourne Storm in the betting, ahead of Cronulla at $4.00 and the Knights at $5.00.

NRL – WOODEN SPOON
Sportingbet Australia Market
North Qld Cowboys 3.00
Cronulla Sharks 4.00
Newcastle Knights 5.00
Canberra Raiders 6.00
Canterbury Bulldogs 11.00
New Zealand Warriors 15.00
Sydney Roosters 21.00
Parramatta Eels 21.00
Gold Coast Titans 21.00
Brisbane Broncos 34.00
South Sydney Rabbitohs 34.00
Wests Tigers 51.00
Penrith Panthers 51.00
Manly Sea Eagles 51.00
St George Dragons 51.00

Gold Coast Titans rumours spark betting plunge

Whether it's a rumour or not, the rugby league administration is a joke. That's about all I can say.

NRL: BETS ON TITANS SUSPENDS SPOON BETTING

Sportingbet Australia suspended betting on their new Wooden Spoon market this morning after a series of bets were taken on the fourth placed Gold Coast Titans.

Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said the market, which excluded the pointless Melbourne Storm, was up for less than five minutes when three bets were struck on the Titans.

“This is very similar to what led us to suspend Spoon betting initially when we saw bets come for Melbourne although we reacted a lot faster this time to suspend betting,” Sullivan said.

“We had the Titans in the market at $21 and I can’t see punters wanting to take that price for the fourth placed side unless they thought they knew something.

“The bets we took were only to win a few thousand but the fact they came on top of each so soon after we put the market up, meant we had to suspend immediately as punters were trying to get onto win a lot more.’

Sportingbet currently has the Titans as $17 chances for the Premiership.

NRL bet of the round North Queensland vs Gold Coast

If you're looking for value, our pick of the round would have to be the Cowboys to overcome the Titans.

Although the Titans have had plenty of experience with Preston Campbell in the halves, it will be tough first week up. For now, the first three weeks of winning form don't mean much.

For the Cowboys, Thurston is in rare form and should run rings around the new combination for the Titans.

The forwards for mine are fairly well matched, and the Cowboys should have the edge out wide. Greg Bird is the wildcard for the Titans. If he has his best game of the year, they're a chance.

But the Cowboys to cover the +3.5 line for me.