Sharks v Cowboys NRL tips, odds & value bets – Rd 9, 2023

Round nine of the 2023 NRL Premiership kicks off in Cronulla with the Sharks hosting the North Queensland Cowboys at PointsBet Stadium this Thursday night.

These two sides have not met since the first week of the 2022 NRL finals series, where the Cowboys upset the home side with a last-minute try to seal a two-point victory. Both Cronulla and North Queensland have named unchanged line-ups from their round eight wins against the Bulldogs and Knights, respectively.

These two sides were two of the best teams in the 2022 season, and in just a short period of time, the Cowboys have fallen off a cliff with fears they may spiral out of control. They have been failing to beat even the most mediocre of teams in the NRL this season, while the Sharks have suffered losses only to the Rabbitohs and Warriors – two of the best teams in the competition this year. The only question about this Sharks victory will be the number of points they win by, making the 13+ margin a safe bet at $2.20 with BetOnline.

The right-edge attack of the Sharks is now one of the best in the competition. Briton Nikora has continued to improve as a first-grade edge forward while establishing his combination with captain Nicho Hynes. Nikora is running some of the best attacking lines in the NRL, making himself a nightmare for defenders to handle.

Nikora’s opposing defender, Jeremiah Nanai, has all but played himself out of State of Origin contention for Queensland by missing a whopping 26 tackles in just six games. Hynes ($3.80) and Nikora ($3.05) will both look to target Nanai, making them solid picks to score a try at any stage.

The Cowboys’ right-corner defence over the last fortnight has been their biggest weakness. This is key to note due to the form of Ronaldo Mulitalo for the Sharks on the left wing. The Kiwi winger bombed a certain try last week against the Bulldogs, and that will spur him on to make amends. Look for Mulitalo to find the corner again and score a try at any time during the match ($1.62).

Rain, hail or shine, the Sharks are one of the best attacking teams in the comp on their day. Clear weather is predicted for Thursday night; however, if the rain does come, it won’t impact them too much. Should Nikora, Hynes and Mulitalo find the in-goal area, the Sharks will go a long way to piling on the points against the Cowboys, and that should see the total points for this match exceed 40.5 ($1.90).

Key matchup: Hynes v Townsend

Nicho Hynes vs Chad Townsend

The battle of the two captains will be a key indicator of where these clubs are at. While the Cowboys have struggled this season, Chad Townsend has still been kicking and controlling as well as he has in previous seasons, which shows that others in the team are letting him down. On the other side of the park, Nicho Hynes could play himself into back-to-back Dally M Medals with his current form, which is a testament to his teammates and the way they support their halfback. If the Cowboys continue their poor form, the Sharks could end their hopes of playing finals football on Thursday.

Sharks v Cowboys NRL betting prediction

Sharks v Cowboys R9 same game multi

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