Cronulla Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys Tips, Odds, Teams & Predictions – NRL 2023 Round 9

PointsBet Stadium will play host to Thursday's Round 9 NRL game between Cronulla Sharks and North Queensland Cowboys. The game kicks off at 7:50 pm with Cronulla Sharks heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Cronulla Sharks vs. North Queensland Cowboys game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Thursday April 27, 2023 at 7:50 pm

Where: PointsBet Stadium

Bet: Bet On This Match HERE

Cronulla Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys Odds

Cronulla Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys Preview

Cronulla lines up at home in Round 9 with a score to settle, having suffered an agonising 32-30 golden point qualifying final loss to North Queensland last September. Jason Taumalolo’s last-minute try sent the game in extra-time, where a Valentine Holmes penalty goal sent the Cowboys to a prelim.

But two months into the 2022 season, the Cowboys are battling to climb out of the bottom four and skipper Taumalolo is sidelined by injury.

The Sharks, meanwhile, have moved to fifth and have a winning record for the first time this season after accounting for the Roosters (22-12) and Bulldogs (33-20) since the bye. William Kennedy’s first-half hat-trick spearheaded the latter victory in Round 8.

The 3-5 Cowboys held on for a crucial 18-16 win over Newcastle on Saturday, arresting a three-match slide. Scott Drinkwater and Reece Robson were standouts, but their loss of attacking verve – scoring the third-least points per game in the NRL – remains an issue.

The Cowboys’ nerve-shredding finals win in 2022 ended an eight-match losing streak against the Sharks, who won 26-12 in Townsville in Round 18. The Sharks have scored 26-plus points in eight of the teams’ last nine clashes.

In a relative rarity, both teams are unchanged. Form-wise Nicho Hynes and the freewheeling Sharks deserve their $1.30 favouritism with the Cowboys winless on the road in 2023.

The Cowboys are also yet to lose by more than 10 points this season, however, and last weekend’s gritty win should provide a platform to start showing the form that lifted them into the top four in 2022.

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