Cronulla Sharks vs Sydney Roosters Tips and Odds – NRL 2023 Second Elimination Final

PointsBet Stadium will play host to Saturday's NRL game between Cronulla Sharks and Sydney Roosters. The game kicks off at 7:50 pm with Sydney Roosters heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Cronulla Sharks vs. Sydney Roosters game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Saturday September 9, 2023 at 7:50 pm

Where: PointsBet Stadium

Bet: Bet On This Match HERE

Cronulla Sharks vs Sydney Roosters Odds

Cronulla Sharks vs Sydney Roosters Preview

Cronulla Sharks have done enough to book a home elimination final, but will their middling form be enough to stop the charge of a Sydney Roosters side that miraculously made the finals with five straight wins?

The Sharks have won four of their last five, recovering from a 32-6 belting at Newcastle to finish with a wet sail against a 12-man Canberra in a 24-6 win.

The latter ended a five-match losing streak (the last four of which were by 26-plus margins) against fellow Top 8 sides.

The Sharks have named an unchanged 17, though Will Kennedy is in the reserves and is expected to replace in-form fill-in Connor Tracey, who suffered a knee injury against the Raiders.

On the ropes in 14th with the NRL’s worst attack in mid-July, the Roosters have turned things around with out-of-sorts big guns James Tedesco, Brandon Smtih and Joseph Suaalii rediscovering their mojo and Sam Walker’s return to the No.7 in recent weeks has also made a difference.

The Roosters walked the tightrope with five consecutive wins over teams who would go on to miss the finals, displaying impressive composure and intensity to finish over the top of South Sydney 26-12 in a virtual Top 8 playoff last Friday.

Like the Sharks, their last win over a fellow Top 8 finisher was against the Knights mid-season.

Game-breaking centre Joey Manu is racing the clock to be fit but has been named with Corey Allan dropping to the reserves.

Daniel Tupou is still out, giving Junior Pauga – sensational against Souths – another opportunity on the wing. The Roosters are otherwise unchanged.

Cronulla snapped a seven-match losing streak against the Roosters courtesy of a 22-12 result at home in Round 7, dominating the second half.

The clubs have met just twice at finals time, with the Roosters grabbing hard-fought wins in 2002 and 2018.

Essentially a head-to-head pick ’em, this is arguably the hardest match of week one to get a read on.

The Sharks’ straight-sets exit in 2022 after finishing second may still be lingering in the back of their minds and more rests on Nicho Hynes’ shoulders than any individual Rooster.

A packed house in the Shire may give Cronulla a crucial boost, but the Roosters’ momentum and vast finals experience (despite losing four of five matches since winning back-to-back titles in 2018-19) should be more decisive factors.

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Head To Head Bet

Sydney Roosters
$1.85
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We're tipping Sydney Roosters to win at $1.85 odds.

First Try Scorer

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii
$9.25
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First Try Scorer: Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii at $9.25.

Cronulla Sharks vs Sydney Roosters Teams

Sharks team: 1. Connor Tracey 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Braden Hamlin-Uele 11. Briton Nikora 12. Wade Graham 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Jack Williams 15. Royce Hunt 16. Thomas Hazelton 17. Oregon Kaufusi 18. Kayal Iro 19. Daniel Atkinson 20. Jesse Colquhoun 21. William Kennedy 22. Matt Moylan

Roosters team: 1. James Tedesco 2. Fetalaiga Pauga 3. Billy Smith 4. Joseph Manu 5. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Fletcher Baker 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Siua Wong 12. Nat Butcher 13. Victor Radley 14. Sandon Smith 15. Egan Butcher 16. Terrell May 17. Angus Crichton 18. Drew Hutchison 19. Naufahu Whyte 20. Corey Allan 21. Jaxson Paulo 22. Dylan Napa