NRL | Round 4

alphr.com.au

NQL
Cowboys
VS
MEL
Storm
QUEENSLAND COUNTRY BANK STADIUM, TOWNSVILLE • SATURDAY 28 MAR, 6:30 PM

Win Probability

AI Game Review

Cowboys defied the model's 68% prediction for Storm, a notable upset. The margin model missed here, predicting 9.7 but the actual margin was 4 points. Total score prediction of 53 was close to the actual 52, within 1 points. Cowboys trailed 10–16 at half-time before staging a second-half comeback to win 28–24. The model went 2/4 on this match. The 1-12 margin band call landed. The over 51.5 total call was correct.

Model vs actual outcomes • Post-match analysis

🏁

AI Referee Insights

Gerard Sutton officiated this match (367 career games). The combined score of 52 points was 10 points above Gerard Sutton's career average of 42. Cowboys bucked the trend, Storm historically win 73% of games under Gerard Sutton, but couldn't convert that edge today. Cowboys's home victory fits Gerard Sutton's profile, home teams win 56% of the time under this referee. 61% of his career sin bins go against away teams, a statistically significant away-team bias.

Based on referee career statistics • Post-match analysis

Momentum Replay
Beta
80', Cowboys firmly in control (99%)
COW28
99%80'1%
24STO
HT100%50%0%0'20'40'60'80'
Storm momentumMomentum +14Cowboys momentum →
Next Try (within 10 min)
AI Model
84% none
COW 8%No try 84%STO 8%
Biggest Swings

AI Win Probability

68%StormFavourite

Cowboys

32%

Storm

68%

AI Match Overview

Storm are clear favourites here at 68%, with our model expecting a comfortable victory over Cowboys. The model sees Storm ahead on 5 of 7 key factors including ELO Difference, Forward Pack and Backline Quality. Storm carry a 235-point ELO rating advantage (1625 vs 1391). Recent form favours Storm with 4 wins from their last 5 compared to 2 for Cowboys. The margin model predicts Storm by 9.7 points with a combined total of 53.

Generated from model features • Pre-kick-off analysis

Edge Analysis

Each market is predicted by an independent model, H2H, margin, and totals may occasionally disagree.

H2H Recommendation

Storm to Win @1.19

Lost ✗

Edge

-11.7%

Line / Spread

Cowboys +15.5 @1.91

Winner ✓

Edge

+0.0%

Margin Band

Storm 1-12 @2.55

Lost ✗

Edge

+0.0%

Total Points

Over 51.5 @1.91

Winner ✓

Edge

+0.0%

Form & History

TeamLast 5Avg Pts
Cowboys
R2025-R25W
R2025-R26L
R2026-R1L
R2026-R2L
R2026-R3W

older → newer

25.6
Storm
R2025-R28W
R2025-R30W
R2026-R1W
R2026-R2W
R2026-R3L
32.0

Avg Conceded

30.8

Cowboys

14.8

Storm

Avg Margin

-5.2

Cowboys

17.2

Storm

Run Metres

1762

Cowboys

1882

Storm

Line Breaks

4.2

Cowboys

7.2

Storm

Referee Indicator

Favours Storm

Gerard Sutton

367 career games · since 2011

AI Analysis

Win rate when Gerard Sutton refs each team (vs any opponent)

Cowboys
27W – 23L
54%
Storm
48W – 18L
73%

When Gerard Sutton officiates, Storm have won 48 of 66 games (73%), significantly stronger than Cowboys's 27 from 50 (54%). Home teams win 56% of his matches (vs ~52% league avg).

Avg Total

42.0 pts

Home Win %

56%

Home Bias

Leans home

Penalty & Discipline

Pen / Game

11.8

Sin Bins / Gm

0.12

SB Away %

61%

Avg Penalties Per Game

vs Home Teams5.7
vs Away Teams6.1

Penalty Advantage Under This Ref

Positive = opponent penalised more than your team

Cowboys
+0.7
Storm
+0.7

61% of his 18 career sin bins go to away teams.

H2H History (Last 5)Cowboys lead 3-2
Jul 2025NQL 20 - 26 MEL
Jun 2025NQL 14 - 38 MEL
Sep 2024NQL 38 - 30 MEL
Jun 2023NQL 45 - 20 MEL
May 2022NQL 36 - 6 MEL
Prediction BreakdownPure Alpha Model

📊Team ELO Ratings

NQL
1391Overall1625
MEL
ELO difference: -235 in favour of Storm

🏈Positional Matchups

Player ELO aggregated by position group, higher = stronger unit

875Forwards1109
MEL +234
878Backs1155
MEL +277
867Halves1126
MEL +258
880Hooker1129
MEL +248

📈Recent Form (Last 5)

NQL
Stat
MEL
2.0
Wins (Last 5)
4.0
25.6pts
Avg Score
32.0pts
30.8pts
Avg Conceded
14.8pts
-5.2pts
Avg Margin
17.2pts
1761.8m
Run Metres
1881.6m
4.2
Line Breaks
7.2
322.4
Tackles
326.2
11.6
Errors
8.6

🔑Key Prediction Factors

What the model weighted most in this prediction

1
ELO Difference14.0%
Storm
2
Forward Pack12.0%
Storm
3
Backline Quality10.0%
Storm
4
Halves Control9.0%
Storm
5
Recent Win Rate9.0%
Storm
6
Referee Tendency7.0%
Cowboys
7
Venue Advantage7.0%
Cowboys

Model Confidence

68%

Storm predicted to win by 10 points

Predicted total: 53 · Line: -9.7

2/4 match predictions correct
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