Archie Wilson breaks down the final of the NPC and provides his best bets for the game
The 2026 NPC season has all come down to this. The final has a real good guys versus bad guys feel to it, with Northland making their first NPC final as they take on the reigning champions, Canterbury, who have made finals a regular destination year after year and are hosting this big game.
For mine, Canterbury have been the gold standard of the competition from about midway through the campaign, while Northland, who have endured a couple of downs, are putting together a historic season for their province.
When looking at the clash, I expect this to be a closer bout than the line is predicting. For me, when it comes to finals footy, teams tend to get tight in the big moments, especially when playing a team like Northland, who keep the ball tight. I still think Canterbury get the job done, but I could see it being a low-scoring, tight affair.
Tips
Best: Northland (+9.5) @ $1.85
Anytime Try Scorer: Brodie McAlister @ $1.80 ($11 First)
Same Game Multi: Northland (+9.5), Brodie McAlister ATS & Under 62.5 Total Points @ $8.19
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