The concluding game of NRL Super Saturday will take place in southern Sydney, with the Sharks hosting the Rabbitohs. Only just holding onto their spot in the Top 4, the Sharks have lost consistent momentum and need a confidence building victory. The struggling Rabbitohs outfit appear at an ideal time; down on troops and coming off a poor loss, they will need every bit of luck and talent for them to win. The stage is set for an exciting NRL fixture and Before You Bet is here to guide you through it with a detailed look at the match ahead.
2024 NRL Round 22 Preview & Betting Tips
Cronulla Sharks vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
PointsBet Stadium – Saturday 3rd August – 7:35pm (AEST)
Match Preview
Heading to Townsville as outsiders, the Sharks would’ve been confident within themselves that they could cause an upset. Proving competitive in the first half and trailing 18-10 at HT, this became a real possibility. Unfortunately, two tries within 12 minutes allowed their opponents to pull away, with only a ‘garbage time’ try narrowing the margin of victory. Trying hard by completing at 80% with a 48% share of possession, they averaged just 7.9m per carry, made fewer PCM’s and had only 4 line breaks. Their strong defensive structure from earlier in the season was also pressured as they missed 31 tackles and allowed 11 line breaks. A higher standard is expected of a Top 4 side, and they are dangerously close to losing this position.
The Rabbitohs faired far worse in their match against the Raiders in Canberra. Missing key players already, they suffered further losses of key personnel, increasing the difficulty of them winning the match. The game was all but over at HT as they trailed 24-8. Despite a slightly better second half effort, they were eventually defeated 32-12. They tried hard to put themselves in a good position completing at 85% with a 49% share of possession but were let down as they only managed 7.8m per carry and 2 line breaks. They also missed 46 tackles and struggled to keep the Raiders away from strong, attacking positions on the field. The loss ended their Finals chances also and it will be interesting to see what they produce with only pride to play for.
Match Prediction
Close to every statistic ahead of this game points towards a Sharks victory. To start, they have a superior record at home (58% vs 30%) with the only positive for the Rabbitohs being that they have won 3 out of the past 4 against the Sharks at this venue; that’s 50% of their victories here in 20 attempts.
The attacking momentum is with the home side. They average 25ppg in this area compared with the Rabbitohs 22ppg, with a larger discrepancy coming in defence. Despite a few poor weeks, the Sharks concede and average of 19ppg compared to the Rabbitohs 28ppg. Even with Murray returning to their side, they will still struggle.
The line has been enticingly set at 11.5 points; the Sharks won by a 12-points margin in their Round 4 fixture and have only won 5 times this season by a 13+ margin. The average winning margin in the past 5 matches between these teams is also 11.6 points. Despite losing Mulitalo on the edge, they welcome back Kennedy at fullback. He offers a stability for the halves to link with the outside backs. It was a factor which was missing in their ball movement last week and could be a timely return for this match. It may take a few more weeks yet until they are back at their peak and this should keep the margin close, with the visitors again narrowing the margin late in this contest, when all hope of a victory is diminished.
Sharks 1-12
$3.30 (1.5 Units)
