NRL Tips Round 4 | Free

NRL Tips Round 4 | Game Preview

Sharks vs Raiders | Shark Park Cronulla

Cronulla
-4.5 market line
40.5 total points (market position)

My Line: Sharks +1.5

The opening market position for mine never looked right here, nor took in to account the full list and impact of the Sharks outs. They have in total 6 forwards missing this week, of which 4 are all quality middles or front rowers (size and grunt), and then two quality edge back rowers. These outs punch a very big hole in the team list and then in trying to replace them and balance up the roles.

The Sharks were clearly very disappointing last week, complacent, flat, out enthused and or jumped early and never recovered, what ever it is put down to it was very poor for a week 3 offering. I’m sure they have been given an impolite attitude adjustment through the last week, play from home, but the outs through the middle surly leaves them open to muscle and yardage and playing much of this game off the backfoot.

Raiders were very close to the Warriors last week and there was a key 12 point turn around decision against them at a vital stage through the second half. Stuart has them playing well, simple but very effective game plan of ball respect, yardage, long quality kicking game and work of field position and or your opponents errors. I also think the Warriors have the makings of a very good team, so the form line looks very credible, especially as an away leg out of NZ. A number of the younger ones are really taking a quality step up as well, Ethan Strange has been super, he’s going to be a player, Saulo gets better by the week and is doing a quality job off the bench, Smithers a find and now have the luxury of starting Whitehead (and rotating his role while also then bringing Hosking on while Horsburgh plays lower grades until an opening presents itself. It is proving a strong line up. They are then ably lead by the two experienced big boppers up front.

I marked the Raiders small favs and as suggested above very surprised at the opening market position or that it took so many days to move. The Raiders can just play to their strengths  and game plan here, right down main street through the middle third of the park all day, kick the front door down and just keep banging through the middle, then use the room and or field position to play to some advantage with their back five. I’m sure the Sharks are better but they do look a very weakened list this week and up against it, in particular how they hold the middle third of the park.

Raiders also have a quality longer term record over the Sharks, even at Cronulla, they have won 9 of the last 10 match ups. Keen to be with the Raiders.

Tip: Raiders by 8
Play: Raiders with any plus start