Sharks v Rabbitohs NRL betting tips & odds – Saturday 4/3/2023

Super Saturday NRL action finishes in Cronulla with the Sharks hosting the South Sydney Rabbitohs at PointsBet Stadium.

The Cronulla Sharks have already been rocked by injuries to start their 2023 season, as have the Rabbitohs. The Sharks will be without superstar halfback Nicho Hynes due to a calf injury, while the Rabbitohs start their season without bench forwards Hame Sele, Siliva Havili and Liam Knight.

In the 36 contests between these two sides, the Sharks have won on 19 occasions. The greatest battle Cronulla will face Saturday is how the side plays without Hynes at the helm. PointsBet Stadium can be a tough ground to travel to, but the Rabbitohs should be good enough to win at $1.54 with BetOnline.

Rain is predicted to fall in Cronulla in the lead-up to this match, which can make scoring at the ground very difficult. The loss of Hynes will only make scoring tougher for the Sharks. The Rabbitohs are capable of piling the points on, but they are not expected to do so in the first round of the season with an emphasis on defence. This match should fall below the 42.5 total points line ($1.90).

While scoring tries may be difficult on Saturday, the Rabbitohs do still possess one of the best left-edge attacks in the NRL. The combination of Cody Walker, Latrell Mitchell and Alex Johnston is a proven winner. Look for Johnston to cross the line in the corner ($1.62) and Mitchell to also find the in-goal area ($2.35) at any time during the match.

Key matchup: Braden Hamlin-Uele v Tevita Tatola

The battle of the big boys up front will be the key to this match with the conditions expected to place am emphasis on how these two sides play through the middle of the field. Braden Hamlin-Uele and Tevita Tatola are two big, strong, dynamic forwards who can break the defensive line and offload the football, creating second-phase play for their side. The Sharks typically use their second phase to continue rolling down the middle for field position, while the Rabbitohs have players like Damien Cook and Mitchell who can score at the drop of a hat. Whoever creates more opportunities for their side will build a strong platform to get a first-up win for their club.

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