SHARKS GO HUNTING BUNNIES
ROUND 1 of the NRL kicks off this weekend and we are treated to a beauty of a game between the Cronulla Sharks and South Sydney this Saturday night at Shark Park. Punters will be over this like CODE Bet’s Stats Guy teeing up Friday froths.
CRONULLA SHARKS: $2.48 SOUTH SYDNEY: $1.55
CAN SHARKS SURVIVE WITHOUT NICHO?
Cronulla has been dealt a blow coming into round 1, with superstar and last year’s Dally M Medalist Nicho Hynes unavailable due to a leg injury. Hardly ideal when opening the season against a fellow top-four hopeful in 2023.
The Bunnies, of course, bundled the Sharks out of the finals last year, so the Sharks have a chance to gain some semblance of revenge straight away. After all, going out in straight sets after finishing second on the table was not what Cronulla had in mind for last season and it will still sting.
With Hynes out, Braydon Trindall will partner Matt Moylan in the halves and, in a positive for the Sharks, Cronulla has won seven of its last eight matches against South Sydney at Pointsbet Stadium.
CRONULLA +6.5 $1.71
BUNNY SCORING OPTIONS EVERYWHERE
South Sydney’s best 17 is up there with the finest in the league, but depth is a concern if they suffer any injuries in a short period of time. But with Alex Johnston, Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker and Cameron Murray all fit and ready to go for round 1, South Sydney are a scary proposition for any team they come up against.
Alex Johnston is going for his fourth consecutive top try scorer gong in 2023 and will be an everpresent danger for the Sharks defence, as is five-eighth Cody Walker has scored four tries in his past five games against the Sharks.
SOUTH SYDNEY – OVER 24.5 TOTAL POINTS: $2.14
FIRST TRY SCORER
Seems quite obvious to tip him, but when you continue to break try scoring records left and right, Alex Johnston is always a good play.
ALEX JOHNSTON – FIRST TRY SCORER: $6.50
DESPITE the loss of Nicho Hynes, Cronulla won nine of 11 at Pointsbet Stadium in 2022 and are always hard to beat at home. The price point seems too much and the Sharks are the value play. THE PICK: CRONULLA SHARKS H2H