Sharks vs Titans Prediction: Go big on finals-chasing Cronulla

As they scrap it out for a spot in the NRL Premiership finals, the Cronulla Sharks have the most winnable fixture of Round 24 on Saturday when they host the side in bottom spot, the Gold Coast Titans, at Shark Park (15:00 local, 06:00 BST).

Des Hasler’s Titans have won just three of their last 17 matches, so my Sharks vs Titans predictions won’t be full of hope for the visitors. They are below with full team news and Betfred’s latest match odds

Sharks vs Titans Odds

Quite naturally, the Sharks are big favourites. Betfred have priced them at 2/5 for the win inside 80 minutes, with the Titans a 2/1 shot.

There have been a number of golden-point thrillers of late, and another dollop of post-80-minute drama in this one can be backed at 22/1.

Handicaps your thing? The regular two-way field offers Gold Coast a 10.5-point start. They’re 5/6 under those circumstances, with Cronulla 20/21 to overcome the disadvantage.

Team News

Mawene Hiroti starts at centre for the Sharks due to the absence of Jesse Ramien. Briton Nikora is out until finals time due to suspension, so Billy Burns is included by Craig Fitzgibbon.

Jesse Colquhoun is back from his own ban and is among the substitutes, with Daniel Atkinson stepping up from 18th player to join him on the bench.

The Titans? They have inspirational skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui – he of the eight-syllable surname – back after missing three matches with a knee injury. Phil Sami and Moeaki Fotuaika are also back after concussion and illness respectively.

Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Klese Haas are switched to the bench, and Brian Kelly is missing due to HIA protocols.

Rugby League Odds

Handicap 3-way Alt 2: Sharks -16 @ 17/10

The Sharks have a blessing and a curse coming up in Round 25. They have a bye.

That means they get the two free points added to the ladder, but there’s also one less opportunity available to boost a pretty paltry points difference.

So what they have in this fixture with the Titans is a big opportunity to build up that +35 mark they currently boast. If they can pad that out somewhat between this match and the clash with the Knights in Round 26, then the trip to the Bulldogs last up might not be quite as desperate for them as they close on the finals.

A decent points difference could be what gives Fitzgibbon’s troops a home game rather than a tough trip in the eliminators. It might even help them to pip the Panthers into fourth spot depending on the champs’ run-in.

So I don’t see the Sharks letting up when they get ahead, and there’s every chance the Titans just don’t have any answers to Braydon Trindall and Nicho Hynes.

The 17/10 price and implied probability of 37% feels light here given the context of the league table.

Sharks Over 30.5 points @ 20/21

Along the same line of thinking, the Sharks ought to make hay in opposition territory.

This one covers us just in case the Titans feel the need to prove a point and Big Tino has a bit of a wow on his return. But the gist is that the Sharks should have plenty of strike on show against an ailing side which has conceded 30-plus points in 11 of 20 matches this season.

The implied probability of 51.2% in the 20/21 Betfred are offering feels generous given the context of what the Sharks need to do to build up that edge even if the game is done and dusted with plenty of time still on the clock.

You can read all our latest Rugby League Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights Rugby League content hub.