Normal NRL transmission resumes this week with a full set of fixtures prior to the next round of Origin selections. Plenty of players will be pushing their cases and will be out to make a point of performing well. Action starts on Thursday with an exciting match between the Sharks and Dolphins. Both teams are in strong form this season and will want to get a win over a potential opponent come September. With plenty to play for, a blockbuster match is expected and Before You Bet is here to take a comprehensive look at what lies ahead.
NRL Round 15 Preview & Betting Tips
Cronulla Sharks vs The Dolphins
PointsBet Stadium – Thursday 13th June – 7:50pm (AEST)
Match Preview
Just when everyone was doubting the Sharks, they headed north to Brisbane and produced an impressive 22-12 upset of the Broncos. With the home side missing several key players, the Sharks also had to overcome the omission of Hynes; they barely missed a trick in setting up victory. Despite conceding the first try and trailing 12-4 at HT, they controlled possession (56%) to build pressure on their opponents and fight their way back into the match. Combined with an 80% completion rate, 10.3m per carry and 713 PCM’s, they were too much for a pack which appeared better on paper. This established a strong platform for them to build pressure. They will be disappointed that they missed 37 tackles but will take confidence away from the fact that they kept their opponents scoreless in the second half.
The Dolphins had a week off with the Bye to lament their Round 13 loss to the Raiders at home. Appearing to be the superior team, they were let down by poor attacking options and misreads in defence. Even with a larger share of possession (52%) and better completion rate (80%), they ran for fewer metres per carry (9.2m) and conceded 5 line breaks. Their 37 missed tackles also contributed to pressure releasing moments in the match. While they were due a dip in performance, they will want to avoid this becoming their regular standard.
Match Prediction
Both teams are positively impacted by returning stars. The Sharks are boosted by Hynes and Hamlin-Uele returning, while the Dolphins welcome back Tabuai-Fidow, Milford and Kaufusi returning. It is surprising that there is such a discrepancy between the two sides in betting markets. The Sharks are favourites ($1.36 vs $3.20) in an offensive price to the Dolphins. It is discrediting what they have achieved this season.
The form of the Sharks has been good but that are still a vulnerable team; a 22-12 scoreline appears like a comprehensive victory but there were several other factors which impacted the result. They were vulnerable at times. The season averages support the idea that it should be closer too. Both teams average 25ppg in attack and are only narrowly separated when it comes to defence (Sharks 18ppg vs Dolphins 20ppg). This brings the (very generous) line into play. The Dolphins have lost 5 games this season and of those, only 2 has been by 8 points or more and one of those was a Round 1 ambush. This game is going to be a close contest. The Sharks are preferred in a head-to-head selection but use the other offers to your advantage.
Dolphins +8.5
$1.90 (2 Units)
Same Game Multi
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The winner by a 1-12 margin goes without saying. Each team is equally a chance, and it would be surprising to see a blowout result in this game. The total points are relatively low when you consider the averages of each team this year. Tabuai-Fidow was electric in Origin and will be out to build on that momentum. Katoa is lethal on the Sharks edge and is proving a threat both in the air and on the ground with a tally of 9 tries this season.
SGM Odds: $8.50 at QuestBet (0.5 Units)
