NRL Cowboys vs Sharks betting tips & best odds – Round 18, 2022

Round 18 of the 2022 NRL season kicks off with a blockbuster in Townsville as the Cronulla Sharks travel up to the tropics to take on the North Queensland Cowboys on Friday night.

The hosts will have several stars backing up from State of Origin on just 48 hours’ rest, while Cronulla will be fresh off an eight-day preparation with only Siosifa Talakai lining up on the bench for the Blues.

The Cowboys have a huge chance to get some breathing room in second place on the ladder with a win on Friday night. They’ll have to hope Jeremiah Nanai, Tom Dearden, Valentine Holmes and Tom Gilbert get through Origin unscathed, as the game has caused disruptions for the club without a ball being kicked.

Jordan McLean heartbreakingly tore his hamstring in Blues training and Murray Taulagi will be out due to the COVID-19 protocols. For a team full of youngsters who haven’t been in this kind of position during a season, it will be a huge test.

If they’re able to get the job done, North Queensland’s premiership odds will no doubt shorten from $7 and they’ll become a popular NRL Grand Final quinella pick. Currently you can get north of $5 for the Cowboys/Panthers matchup on Grand Final Day and, like their outright premiership odds, that combo will shorten if NQC get the win at home Friday night.

The best bets for a tryscorer for the home team are Scott Drinkwater and Reece Robson. They have 11 tries between them, and whether it’s through the middle for Robson or on the edges for Drinkwater, they make plenty happen.

READ: State of Origin Game 3 betting tips & specials

Cronulla have the luxury of an eight-day preparation and only have Talakai backing up from Origin. Even then, he is only expected to play minimal minutes for the Blues unless an injury forces their hand.

Connor Tracey showed last week he is an outstanding backup to throw into the mix if Talakai is unable to get through the Origin decider, so it is all smooth sailing for the Sharks. To get them at $2.45 in the head-to-head market is good value, and should another injury pop up for the Cowboys during the week, that price will come in even further.

The barometer for the Sharkies in their quest for a top-four finish is Dale Finucane. In the games he has missed or been injured in midway through, the Sharks become mediocre defensively and leaked more than 20 points a game. When he stays on the field, they play like a defensive unit that can win a premiership. It’s always been said that saving tries is more important than scoring them, so keep an eye on Finucane in the team lists moving closer to finals.

The wing duo of Sione Katoa and Ronaldo Mulitalo trouble every team out wide, so toss a coin to get one of them in your multi as an anytime tryscorer. They rarely disappoint.

Key matchup: Chad Townsend vs Nicho Hynes

Chad Townsend was virtually on the NRL scrapheap 12 months ago and was moved on from the Sharks for Nicho Hynes. Both players are enjoying fantastic seasons, and Townsend has shocked the entire league by having his best campaign since winning the premiership with the Sharks in 2016. Hynes loves to run the ball, while Townsend has rebuilt his game around perfecting the role of ‘on-field general’. Styles make fights, and this should be a fascinating subplot.

Cowboys vs Sharks Rd 19 betting predictions

The young Cowboys will come of age and get a win at the 1-12 margin in front of their home fans. It will be their defence that will carry them home in a low-scoring game, so get on the unders for total points.

Cowboys vs Sharks NRL same game multi tips

The Cowboys at the small margin with Scott Drinkwater and Ronaldo Mulitalo to both score tries at any time gets you $15.25 with BetOnline.

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