Sharks Circling Raiders
A close game is expected according to NRL lines between the Cronulla Sharks and Canberra Raiders on Sunday.
With only 3½ points between them at the sportsbook, bettors should expect a tight tussle, which is usually the case between these teams.
NRL Round 3 action has been excellent so far and Sharks vs Raiders brings it to a close.
Sharks Buoyed By Win
It was a tough start for the Sharks after losing to the Rabbitohs 27-18, but they rebounded with a gutsy 30-26 win over the Parramatta Eels.
However, they will need to turn around some poor recent form against the Raiders. They are 0-2 in their last two against the Green Machine, but sport betting markets have the Sharks favored by 3½ points.
It’s a fair line given their respective form and the Sharks have title ambitions. They also have a fair record in Canberra, with a 13-9 winning record. It’s rare to see a record like that on the road, so the Sharks won’t be worried about playing away.
The experience of Matt Moylan and Jesse Ramien has helped, but they’re still without their best player in Nicho Hynes, who is injured with a calf problem according to the latest NRL news.
“It’s (calf) going good. I had a good run on Saturday and yesterday I got moving again”. Hynes told The Daily Telegraph.
“I’m just waiting for the medical team to say let’s go. It’s just one of those ones that you need to be very careful with the spot it’s in”.
Raiders Needing to Win
It hasn’t been an ideal start for the Raiders, who are the online gambling underdogs once again.
They kicked things off with a 19-18 loss to the North Queensland Cowboys, which was a solid comeback. They were 18-0 down at one stage, so they forced the Cowboys to kick a drop goal late in the game.
However, there were no positives about their 20-14 loss to the Dolphins last week. The quality of play was terrible at times, so the senior players need to step up. Jack Wighton needs to show why he won the Dally M Medal a few years ago, and there is a lack of direction.
We think coach Ricky Stuart is on his last legs and he won’t have a job for much longer. If the Raiders continue to struggle, it won’t be a hard decision. However, there is some betting support at +125 in moneyline markets.
Playing at home helps and they have a recent winning record against the Sharks, so it’s not all bad news.
Sharks vs Raiders Head-to-Head
The Raiders have a slim 24-24 advantage over the Sharks, including the last two games.
They won 30-10 on the road in 2022 and that followed a 24-19 home win earlier in the year, which were excellent performances.
Sharks vs Raiders Game Information
- Game: Sharks (1-1) vs Raiders (0-2)
- Day/Time: Sunday, March 19, 3:15 a.m. ET
- Location: GIO Stadium, Canberra, ACT
- Sharks vs Raiders Live Stream: RugbyPass
Sharks vs Raiders Betting Lines
Sharks vs Raiders Picks and Prediction
Our NRL picks have the Sharks scoring the win and covering the spread. It’s not going to be an easy game, but the -3½ is a fair line.
Cronulla has more strike weapons, and when the Raiders are struggling, they find it tough to get past that.
Cronulla is listed at -165 in our Vegas NRL lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Sharks, there’s a chance to win $61. Canberra is +125, offering a chance to win $125 on a $100 wager. The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Cronulla a 62.26% chance to win, with the Raiders at 44.44%.
