Round 3 in the NRL kicks off on Thursday night with an interesting matchup between the St. George-Illawarra Dragons and Cronulla Sharks from WIN Stadium at 8.05pm! Greg Davis is back on deck to preview the Thursday night clash and give his betting tips below.
Remember, we have betting tips for every game this NRL season, so be sure to head to our NRL Tips page for regular updates.
Dragons vs Sharks Betting Tips
WIN Stadium, Wollongong, Thursday 24th March, 8.05pm (AEDT)
Squads
Dragons: 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Cody Ramsey 3. Moses Suli 4. Zac Lomax 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Talatau Amone 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Moses Mbye 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Jack Bird 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Tariq Sims 14. Jack de Belin 15. Josh Kerr 16. Jackson Ford 17. Jack Gosiewski 18. Tautau Moga 19. Poasa Faamausili 20. Daniel Alvaro 21. Mathew Feagai 22. Jaiyden Hunt 23. Michael Molo 24. George Burgess
Sharks: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Connor Tracey 5. Matt Ikuvalu 6. Matt Moylan 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Braden Hamlin-Uele 11. Briton Nikora 12. Siosifa Talakai 13. Dale Finucane 14. Aiden Tolman 15. Cameron McInnes 16. Braydon Trindall 17. Andrew Fifita 18. Luke Metcalf 19. Royce Hunt 20. Jack Williams 21. Lachlan Miller 22. Franklin Pele 23. Jenson Taumoepeau 24. Thomas Hazelton
Match Preview
THERE are rivalries in rugby league and then there are capital “R” rivalries.
Rugby league was created out of angst, anger and conflict and teams can establish a hate-hate relationship at the drop of a hat.
But nothing beats a derby. For they are the rivalries that endure as you may occupy the same postcode, side of town or state where there is no escaping the other mob.
Inner-city foes Souths and the Roosters have the longest-running and probably most bitter (see Russell Crowe and his “The Book of Feuds”), Parramatta and Penrith aren’t fond of each other out west, Manly and Norths didn’t like each other when the Bears were a thing (nobody likes Manly) and the Broncos and Cowboys’ Queensland Derby was a humdinger not that long ago.
The Shire Derby between Cronulla and St George Illawarra is as fierce as most of them. It’s not the first derby that springs to mind but if you live near or support one of the two teams from the southern suburbs of Sydney, they count. Big time.
A win in these games is line by-passing the queue and getting a free drink card at famed local watering hole Northies.
The Sharks and Dragons meet in Thursday night football this week, both boasting a 1-1 record.
Cronulla could easily be 2-0 but could also just as easily be 0-2. After a close loss to Canberra in Round 1, the Sharks stormed home to pip Parramatta last week.
To make their victory over the Eels more noteworthy, Cronulla did it with Hawaiian tourism enthusiast ScoMo in the crowd doing some weird thing with his hands and fingers.
Match-winner Nicho Hynes has hit the ground running as Cronulla halfback and given he touches the ball so often, if he fires, so will the Sharks.
After beating the Warriors in their season-opener, the Dragons showed some fight in the second half against a Nathan Cleary-less Panthers who shot out to a 20-6 halftime buffer. The Red V scored the only two tries of the second half to make things interesting.
Moses Mbye comes into the starting side as hooker to replace fellow Queenslander Andrew McCullough who was injured last week. Mbye was lively out of dummy-half and brings a tonne of experience but McCullough’s leadership and mind-boggling tackle count are voids that will be hard to fill.
Since the Dragons merged with the Illawarra Steelers, these derbies are tight. Physical and tight. In the 48 clashes since, the Dragons have won 23 and the Sharks 24 with one draw.
Their last meeting was a one-point win to Cronulla last year.
This should a close and fiery one too. The Sharks are favourites with the bookies but this is as good as an even money bet. Cronulla to win. But only just with Hynes the difference.
Prop Bet:
Zac Lomax - First Tryscorer ($14 at Sportsbet)
Sharks 1-12 (1.5 Units)
$2.80
