Two sides with a tinge of desperation about them square off this Sunday, with the Canberra Raiders hosting the Cronulla Sharks at GIO Stadium in Round 4 of the NRL.
Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks
The Raiders and Sharks both finished top five last year and were expected to be finals contenders again this season.
Each opened their 2026 campaigns with two points, but since then it’s been a rough fortnight for both clubs. Canberra were thrashed by the Warriors then lost a tight one to the Bulldogs, while Cronulla were well beaten by the Panthers and Dolphins.
Leg 1 - Sharks to Win
Cronulla have had the Raiders’ number in recent years, winning five of their last six meetings, including three in a row at this ground.
But more than that, it’s the halves and forward packs that swing this in the visitors’ favour.
Canberra are without Josh Papali’i and have two inexperienced playmakers in Ethan Strange and Ethan Sanders, while the Sharks have Addin Fonua-Blake up front and Braydon Trindall and Nico Hynes steering the side.
It should be the Sharks who get some relief this weekend.
Leg 2 - Under 47.5 Points
Neither side has fired in attack over the past two rounds, with each being kept to six points in Round 2 and 10 points in Round 3.
More points should come in this match, but given the desperation around both clubs, don’t expect a wide-open, free-flowing game.
Leg 3 - Sione Katoa to Score
Katoa has two tries already this season and has crossed five times in his last six games against the Raiders.
The Sharks winger should have a good opportunity against Canberra’s left edge defence, which could be even weaker than usual with Papali’i out.
Katoa has been busy this season, averaging just under 20 runs and around 150 metres per game, so expect him to be heavily involved again.
Same Game Multi
Sharks to Win / Under 47.5 Points / Katoa to Score = $6.50
Value Bet - Braydon Trindall to Score @ $3.75
Trindall isn’t a typical try-scoring threat, but he does find the line at a decent rate.
He’s scoring roughly every second game across his last 16 matches and already has three tries this season.
If Fonua-Blake dominates through the middle and Trindall supports through the middle third, he’s a good chance to score again here.
