Cronulla Sharks vs South Sydney Rabbitohs Predictions: Sharks to land crucial home win

The battle to reach the NRL finals series has entered the business stage of the season, and there is a crucial clash taking place at PointsBet Stadium on Saturday, with Cronulla Sharks facing the South Sydney Rabbitohs (10:35am BST, Sky Sports Arena). 

Cronulla sit fourth in the table and they know how pivotal it is that they finish in the top four, as this would provide them with a second chance in the first week of the finals. South Sydney are down in 15th position, just two places off the bottom, but they still have a chance of making the finals series with four points, the gap to eighth. 

Rugby League Odds

Team News 

Will Kennedy is back from suspension for Cronulla, who also see Royce Hunt returning after missing last week's clash in Townsville because of illness. 

Thomas Hazelton and Ronaldo Mulitalo both miss out due to foot and knee injuries, respectively, but there is a place on the bench for Jack Williams, who has recovered from a wrist problem. 

South Sydney's Alex Johnston picked up an Achilles injury last time out that has ruled him out for the rest of the season, with his place on the wing taken by Fletcher Myers, who will be making his NRL debut. 

Captain Cameron Murray is back after serving his two-game ban, meaning Tallis Duncan drops to the bench, while Richard Kennar returns from concussion in place of Michael Chee Kam and Dion Teaupa comes in for the injured Cody Walker. 

Cronulla Sharks vs South Sydney Rabbitohs Odds 

Cronulla are the 1/4 favourites to claim the spoils on home soil, with the draw priced at 25/1 and South Sydney 3/1 to claim a much-needed victory in their pursuit of a top-eight finish. 

Price Boost - Cronulla to score 1st try and winning at H/T @ 1/1 

Cronulla's form over recent weeks has allowed the teams below them to make some ground in the battle for a top-four finish, with the Sharks losing four of their last five matches. 

Head coach Craig Fitzgibbon needs to get his side firing in these final weeks of the campaign and Saturday's visit of South Sydney could be the perfect opportunity for this to happen. 

The Rabbitohs have put together a strong run, winning six of their last eight assignments, but two defeats have come in the last three outings and both of those losses came on the road. 

PointsBet Stadium has not been a happy hunting ground for South Sydney either, with just two victories picked up from their last nine visits, and it is hard to see them coming away with a positive result. 

At 1/4 in the match result market, Cronulla don't provide much value, but Betfred's Price Boost for them to score the first try and be leading at half-time is hard to ignore. 

This bet landed in the Sharks' last home match, a 58-6 drubbing of Wests Tigers, and they should come out of the blocks quickly against a Rabbitohs defence that has conceded 510 points. 

South Sydney have also conceded the first try and been losing at the break in their last two away fixtures. 

Over 49.5 Total Points @ 5/6 

With both sides having so much to play for, this promises to be a free-flowing, entertaining encounter that will see the duo favour attack over defence. 

Over 49.5 points has landed in Cronulla's last two matches and in three of their last five outings, while the same bet has been successful in two of their last three assignments. 

The Sharks also won 34-22 in the reverse fixture, and another high-scoring affair could be on the cards. 

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