NRL Betting Tip: Points likely to be in short supply in Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v Melbourne Storm clash
Recommended bet: Total Points – Under 35.5 points @ 10/11 (1.91) with bet365
It’s a massive clash between last year’s grand finalists and the current top two in the NRL Premiership at Endeavour Field on Thursday.
Second-placed Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks will be looking for the win that would draw them level with Melbourne Storm at the top of the table. This is unquestionably the tie of Round 14.
Melbourne Storm skipper Cameron Smith is a definite starter according to teammate Josh Addo-Carr, having missed the comprehensive 40-12 victory over cellar-dwellers Newcastle Knights last time out due to the excesses of Origin I. Stand-in hooker Slade Griffin is likely to make way for Smith.
The Sharks also welcome back their Origin stars – Jack Bird, Andrew Fifita, Wade Graham and James Maloney – although the team also benefits from having had a bye in the NRL Premiership last week.
The Sharks have won three of the last four games between the two teams, including an 11-2 victory in their round six clash at a rain-soaked AAMI Park in early April. Prior to that, the Sharks also beat the Storm 14-12 to be declared NRL champions at the ANZ Stadium last October of course.
It’s perhaps worth noting that all three of Cronulla’s losses this season to date have come at Shark Park, whilst the Storm are 100% on their travels. Home advantage might not be such a factor in this game.
Matches between the pair have also had a tendency to be low-scoring of late and it’s easy to see that trend continuing with these teams possessing the two meanest defenses in the NRL Premiership this season.
The last five meetings between these two teams have all failed to register in excess of 32 points.
There’s little to separate these two in the NRL betting odds in this match and, particularly with so much being at stake at the top of the table, another tight, low-scoring encounter would appear to be the most likely outcome.
That being the case, backing ‘Under 35.5 Points’ in the match at 10/11 (1.91) with bet365 may be the way to go from a betting viewpoint in this one.
