PointsBet Stadium will play host to Thursday's Round 18 NRL game between Cronulla Sharks and St. George Illawarra Dragons. 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. St. George Illawarra Dragons game and give you our free tips and bets.
When: Thursday June 29, 2023 at 7:50 pm
Where: PointsBet Stadium
Bet: Bet On This Match HERE
Cronulla Sharks vs St. George Illawarra Dragons Odds
Cronulla Sharks vs St. George Illawarra Dragons Preview
The round kicks off with a clash between bitter neighbouring rivals, with Cronulla aiming to reestablish themselves as a title contender and St George Illawarra trying to salvage something from their 2023 wreckage over the remaining 10 weeks.
The Sharks are on a six-match winning streak in the derby, culminating in a 40-8 rout at Jubilee in Round 4 where Nicho Hynes ran riot and the Saints put up the white flag. The Dragons’ last win at Cronulla was back in 2018.
Cronulla are fourth on the ladder but have used up their full complement of byes. A home loss to Origin-weary Brisbane and a 54-10 thrashing at the hands of Melbourne put the Sharks under the microscope, but they bounced back with a comprehensive 48-10 win over Canterbury in Round 16.
The 4-11 Dragons showed some spirit in a 36-30 win over Souths but returned to the foot of the ladder via an insipid 48-18 loss to the Warriors in Wollongong last Friday. They were ruthlessly exposed on their left edge in the nine-try drubbing.
The temporary truce in the Ben Hunt saga offers some respite for the embattled joint venture.
The Sharks’ 17 remains unchanged following their bye, while the Dragons have brought Tautau Moga in to replace Moses Suli (head knock). Jack Bird and Zane Musgrove are out, with Toby Couchman and Jaiyden Hunt joining the bench.
While the effects of his Origin axing may become evident when the Sharks face up to the NRL’s heavyweights, he is an expert at unpicking ordinary teams – and they don’t come much worse than the Saints at present.
If the hosts are switched on, another landslide is imminent.
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Head To Head Bet
We're tipping Cronulla Sharks to win at $1.14 odds.
First Try Scorer
First Try Scorer: Sione Katoa at $7.50.
Cronulla Sharks vs St. George Illawarra Dragons Teams
Sharks team: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Matt Moylan 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Oregon Kaufusi 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Braden Hamlin-Uele 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Dale Finucane 14. Cameron McInnes 15. Thomas Hazelton 16. Jack Williams 17. Wade Graham 18. Connor Tracey 19. Mawene Hiroti 20. Toby Rudolf 21. Braydon Trindall 22. Jesse Colquhoun
Dragons team: 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Tautau Moga 4. Zac Lomax 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Jayden Sullivan 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Jacob Liddle 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Ben Murdoch-Masila 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin 14. Talatau Amone 15. Michael Molo 16. Toby Couchman 17. Jaiyden Hunt 18. Toby Couchman 19. Moses Mbye 20. Zane Musgrove 21. Max Feagai 22. Billy Burns