The Sharks look to continue their momentum against a hurting New Zealand Warriors side at Ocean Protect Stadium in Round 4 of the 2026 NRL this Sunday.
Cronulla Sharks vs New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand come into this clash with three wins from four, but their form couldn’t be more different to the mid-table Sharks.
Last round, Cronulla recorded their second win of the season in emphatic style, putting away the Raiders 34-22 in Canberra. The Warriors, on the other hand, were humbled by the Tigers 32-14 in front of a packed Go Media Stadium.
This is shaping as an early test of each team’s title credentials. Can the Warriors bounce back and prove they’re genuine contenders, or will Cronulla earn their first back-to-back wins of 2026?
Leg 1 - Warriors to Win
Expect a Warriors bounce back here. The Kiwis looked brilliant across the first three rounds, scoring 120 points and comfortably putting away the Roosters, Raiders and Knights.
Last week was a speed bump, but this group has been known to crack under pressure at times.
There’s none of that heading to Cronulla though, where the home side are firm favourites and expected to win easily.
That loss to the Tigers should put a fire in the Warriors’ belly, so we should see more of their early season form in this clash.
Leg 2 - Over 47.5 Points
If the Warriors turn up on Sunday as expected, they’ll likely score the bulk of the 47.5 points required to clear this line.
But the Kiwis had some defensive issues against the Tigers, and the Sharks have scored 30+ points twice already this season, so don’t be surprised if both teams cross for multiple tries.
Leg 3 - Leka Halasima to Score
Halasima has scored in every Warriors win so far this season, bagging four tries across the opening month of the competition.
The big forward looks hungry for the ball in 2026. With his leg drive, reach and strong aerial ability, he’s a threat to score any time New Zealand get inside the Sharks’ 20.
It also helps that Tanner Boyd’s kicking game and Luke Metcalf’s distribution favour the left side, meaning Halasima gets more opportunities than you’d usually expect for a second rower.
Same Game Multi
Warriors to Win / Over 47.5 Points / Halasima to Score = $6.75
Value Bet - Warriors to Win Both Halves @ $5.20
When the Warriors are on, they’re on, so backing them to win both halves at this price makes sense.
In each of their three wins this year they led at half-time, and they take on a team that has started slow and finished poorly this season.
The Sharks fell behind early against the Raiders before coming back to win, and their energy drop against the Dolphins the week before was alarming, conceding 28 unanswered points in the final 25 minutes.
