Two intriguing NRL fixtures await on Friday with the first taking place in Sydney with the Sharks hosting the Titans. Both teams have experienced success and failure in varying measure throughout the season, with a win carrying different positive outcomes for each team. The Sharks need it more to keep their Finals hopes alive, while the Titans, who are playing for pride, could pose as a dangerous team.
Let's take a closer look at the matchup, with our NRL betting tips and Same Game Multi via BoomBet found below. Be sure to check out our NRL Tips page regularly, as we preview every single NRL game all season long, for free!
NRL Round 24 Preview & Betting Tips
Cronulla Sharks vs Gold Coast Titans
PointsBet Stadium, Friday 11th August, 6pm (AEST)
The Sharks were in desperate need of an improved performance as they were on a 3-game losing streak heading into their game against the Rabbitohs. A remarkably different team from these losses took the field; they were confident in attack and appeared resolute in defence. They were quick to shut down the Rabbitohs attacking options. The 26-16 score line was only narrowed by a few ‘garbage time’ tries to their opponents. A 53% share of possession, 80% completion rate, 9.3m per carry and 564 post contact metres highlighted their dominance.
The Titans are in a form slump, winning just 1 of their past 6 matches and coming off a 28-18 loss to the Warriors. Losing Fotuaika in the 16th minute (sent off) didn’t help their cause but they appeared to be out of their depth in several areas. They weren’t bad in attack (9.1m per carry and 4 line breaks) but their defence again struggled, missing 41 tackles and conceding 7 line breaks. With their Finals hopes all but over, they are now playing for pride and will relish the chance to ruin the chances of other teams with the same aspirations.
The Sharks have won their past 8 matches against the Titans and the odds ($1.30 vs $3.50) suggest that this trend is going to continue. There is plenty of evidence to support this too. On top of having a strong home ground advantage (57% vs 30%), they average 26ppg in attack compared to the Titans 22ppg. They also have an edge in defence, conceding an average of 22ppg as the Titans leak 26ppg. The return of Tino Fa’asuamaleaui to the Titans strengthens their chances of winning, but they are still missing other key players. Whether that can give the Titans a chance of winning this game is one thing, but the chances of the Sharks are not as certain as they appear. As good as they were last week, confidence that they are past a poor run of form is still in a moderate area. They still need to perform well here in a game that they should win. The Titans are a team which can turn on a strong display if they are right, especially with the quality of player which remains in their squad. For this reason, use the line to your advantage, albeit, with a lower investment in a game which could throw up a surprise or two.
Titans +10.5
$1.90 (1.5 units)
