The second game on Saturday night heads to Sydney. After a jam-packed weekend of sport already where you hopefully found a winner, this NRL Betting Preview will aim to build on that momentum with a deeper look at this exciting fixture.
Remember to check out our NRL Tips page to find our best bets for every match in the 2022 finals.
Sharks vs Cowboys Preview & Betting Tips
PointsBet Stadium, Saturday 10th September, 7:50pm (AEST)
Plenty has been written about the Sharks ‘soft’ run into the Finals but without little control over who they play, they have still executed well. This was the case against last week as they travelled to Newcastle and comprehensively defeated the Knights 38-22. It was a tight first half, with the teams locked at 12-all at HT. The Sharks lifted a few gears in the second half though and the Knights were powerless to stop them. The victory locked in home ground advantage for them, although there were areas they would be disappointed with; they completed at just 68% and had 14 errors just to name a few. To counteract this, they averaged 10.9m per carry and missed just 21 tackles. The good teams still cover their shortcomings, and the Sharks did exactly that.
The Cowboys also had a comfortable (and much needed) win over a second-string Panthers team 38-8. Losing 2 of their past 3 matches, the Cowboys needed a strong performance and gave little opportunity to their opponents to find momentum. It would’ve been a vastly different contest had the Panthers been at full-strength, but their execution was great. With 56% possession, they completed at 77%, averaged 9.9m per carry and had 11 linebreaks. Like the Sharks, they too have had their potential questioned. At the end of the day, these two sides have consistently performed well and sit 2nd and 3rd on the competition ladder for a reason.
Squads
Cronulla Sharks
1. William Kennedy 2. Connor Tracey 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Matt Moylan 7. Nicholas Hynes 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Royce Hunt 11. Briton Nikora 12. Wade Graham 13. Dale Finucane Interchange: 14. Teig Wilton 15. Cameron McInnes 16. Braden Hamlin-Uele 17. Andrew Fifita 18. Lachlan Miller
North Queensland Cowboys
1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Peta Hiku 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Reuben Cotter 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Jason Taumalolo Interchange: 14. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 15. Tom Gilbert 16. Coen Hess 17. Griffin Neame 18. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown
Match Prediction
You can make a great case for both teams winning this match. The performance of the Sharks or lack of quality in their opponents, will have many doubting their credentials ahead of this match. While that argument may have some validity, they have been playing well enough against lower opponents, allowing them minimal opportunities. The home field advantage will certainly aid them; they won 9/10 matches here this year. The Cowboys have not travelled well to Sydney either; their two most recent trips south have resulted in poor defeats to the Rabbitohs and Roosters; two quality teams which sit below them on the ladder. They are a dangerous team in attack, averaging 26.4 ppg vs the Sharks 23.9ppg. Defence is very similar with the Sharks only allowing 3 more points than the Cowboys all season (364 points vs 361 points). The Cowboys defence has improved dramatically, and it will be needed if they’re to hold out the Sharks.
The odds ($1.72 vs $2.15) reflect the difficulty of the task ahead of the Cowboys but it is not beyond them. With defence a key focus area for both sides this year in big games, you can expect this game to be tight. It would be surprising to see a Top 4 side suffer a ‘blow out’ loss in Week 1 of the Finals when at full-strength. For that reason, invest around a close match. If you’re looking for further value, it may be worth investing on the Sharks to win.
Prop Bet: Sharks 1-12 @ $2.80 – 1.5 units Ladbrokes
Either team by 8 points or less
$1.95 (2 Units)
