Cronulla Sharks v Canterbury Bulldogs NRL tips & preview | 29/3

Sharks v Bulldogs NRL R4 best bets

NRL Round 4: Cronulla Sharks v Canterbury Bulldogs betting preview

Cronulla host the Canterbury Bulldogs at Sharks Stadium on Saturday night in a key clash between two of the form teams in the NRL.

Without key playmakers Matt Burton and Viliame Kikau, the Bulldogs’ attack stalled last week against the Eels, and a trip to Shark Park — where they haven’t won since 2011 — presents a genuine test for their credentials.

Cronulla have bounced back strongly from their Vegas opener, racking up back-to-back wins over the Cowboys and Rabbitohs with plenty of polish.

Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall have clicked into gear early, while Addin Fonua-Blake has added serious muscle in the middle, with the top online bookmakers pricing them as $1.26 favourites this week.

The Sharks raced to a 20-0 halftime lead against Souths last week and could do something similar if they catch the Dogs napping.

History favours the home side, with the Sharks winning six of their last seven against Canterbury, while three of the last four meetings have produced fewer than 32 points — a key trend punters are watching in rugby league betting markets.

Sharks v Bulldogs Round 4 team news

Cronulla Sharks

1. William Kennedy
2. Samuel Stonestreet
3. Jesse Ramien
4. Kayal Iro
5. Ronaldo Mulitalo
6. Braydon Trindall
7. Nicholas Hynes
8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Blayke Brailey
10. Oregon Kaufusi
11. Briton Nikora
12. Teig Wilton
13. Cameron McInnes
14. Daniel Atkinson
15. Siosifa Talakai
16. Thomas Hazelton
17. Tuku Hau Tapuha

Cronulla welcome back Tom Hazelton from a back injury, with the big man slotting onto the bench in place of Braden Hamlin-Uele (knee). Siosifa Talakai (ankle) has been named despite limping off last week, while Toby Rudolf is listed among the reserves as he nears a return.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

1. Connor Tracey
2. Blake Wilson
3. Bronson Xerri
4. Stephen Crichton
5. Marcelo Montoya
6. Bailey Hayward
7. Toby Sexton
8. Max King
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Daniel Suluka-Fifita
11. Josh Curran
12. Jacob Preston
13. Jaeman Salmon
14. Kurt Mann
15. Harry Hayes
16. Sitili Tupouniua
17. Kurtis Morrin

Canterbury have named an unchanged 17 from their gritty win over the Eels, with Bailey Hayward retaining the No.6 jersey and still no sign of Matt Burton (knee) or Viliame Kikau (pectoral). The Dogs continue to lean on their defence while adjusting to life without two of their key attacking weapons.

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Sharks v Bulldogs NRL Round 4 betting predictions

The Sharks have dominated this matchup for over a decade, winning six of the last seven clashes and maintaining a fortress-like record at Shark Park. Their spine is humming, and the likes of Hynes, Trindall and Kennedy are dictating terms beautifully. Even if the Bulldogs hang tough early, Cronulla’s class and home-ground advantage should be enough for them to win by 12 or more points at $1.90 with BetOnline.

Jesse Ramien scored the opening try in Cronulla’s Vegas opener and will be celebrating his 150th NRL appearance on Saturday night. The Sharks centre is a known target in the red zone, and he will get plenty of early ball against a Bulldogs edge prone to defensive lapses. At $2.50 with BetOnline, there is real value for punters backing a milestone four-pointer.

The last three meetings between these sides have all landed under 31 points, and the Bulldogs average just 13.3 points per game at Shark Park over the last four encounters. With Burton and Kikau out, their attack has looked clunky and overly reliant on set starts. Cronulla should control the tempo and field position, setting up a gritty, low-scoring scrap that goes under 46 total points at $1.90 with BetOnline.

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