Sharks vs Rabbitohs NRL semi final tips & best odds – 17/9/2022

Week two of the 2022 NRL finals will end with a do-or-die clash between the Cronulla Sharks and South Sydney Rabbitohs on Saturday night. Although technically a home game for the Sharks, recent debates have surrounded the Rabbitohs using Allianz as their home stadium, and it will no doubt be full of Souths supporters this weekend.

The last time these two sides met was at PointsBet Stadium in Cronulla, where Souths superstar Latrell Mitchell missed an incredible three field goal attempts before Tom Burgess was sent off the field in golden point. Nicho Hynes responded for the Sharks by nailing a field goal to break the hearts of Rabbitohs fans.

Heading into Saturday’s clash, the Cronulla Sharks have named an unchanged lineup from the one that went for whopping 93 minutes against the Cowboys last weekend.

Meanwhile, the Rabbitohs have only lost one soldier from the war against the Roosters, with Burgess missing two weeks on account of two careless high tackles charges. Michael Chee Kam is named on the bench as his replacement. This could change late, however, with Davy Moale named on the extended bench.

Since betting opened, the punters have not been able to make up their mind on this match. Favouritism has swung between both the Sharks and Rabbitohs multiple times. At the moment, the Rabbitohs are slender favourites, but that could change. Last weekend would have taken a huge toll on the Bunnies both physically and mentally – more so than the Sharks – and they could struggle backing up this week.

Should the Sharks go on to win this match, it would be hard to see the margin separating the two sides being a large one. The $3.10 at Marantelli Bet is great value for Cronulla to win by 1-12 points.

Jesse Ramien will be one man looking to stand up for the Sharks following a relatively poor game against the Cowboys. Ramien will be attacking Isaiah Tass and Alex Johnston, who are not typically known for their strong defensive combination. Ramien is incredibly destructive on his day, so the $2.85 for his to score at any time looks a good play.

Given the sheer damage these two sides put themselves through last week, defence will be the focal point at both ends of the field. Fatigue will also likely show in the attack of these two sides, so they are unlikely to exceed the 42.5 total points for the match.

Key matchup: Siosifa Talakai vs Campbell Graham

The battle on the edge between these two Origin-calibre centres should be one of the best of the season. Campbell Graham is one of the best defensive centres in the NRL, while Siosifa Talakai is one of the most destructive on his day.

The amount of work Graham does to get Souths out of their own end is incredible, and Talakai does a similar job for Cronulla. Both players can carry the ball over 150m per game without issue. This takes enormous pressure off the forwards in having to get back onside to take carries, making those players more dynamic in attack.

Where this game will be won and lost is on the offensive end of this matchup. Both players will be well prepared for the other leading into this clash. It will likely be a moment of brilliance that will gift either of these two players a valuable try for their side and set up a date with the Panthers next week.

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