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Canterbury Bulldogs vs Cronulla Sharks NRL Tips - Dogs to bring winning momentum into finals

Andrew Hendrie

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Last updated: Thu 04 Sep 2025 10:10

Andrew Hendrie 04 Sep 2025

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Canterbury Bulldogs vs Cronulla Sharks expert predictions for Saturday's NRL Round 27 game
Kick off is at 7.35pm AEST at Accor Stadium
Sharks winless on the road vs top eight teams in 2025; Bulldogs tipped to cover -3.5 line
Dogs' defence to lend itself to another low-scoring clash between these sides
Preview, expert analysis, stats, team news & best bets

Canterbury Bulldogs vs Cronulla Sharks NRL Tips

Canterbury Bulldogs vs Cronulla Sharks, NRL Round 27 - Expert Prediction

The Bulldogs are tipped to steady the ship heading into the finals and dash any hopes Cronulla have of sneaking into the top four when the two teams clash to finish off Super Saturday at Accor Stadium.

Canterbury Bulldogs vs Cronulla Sharks, NRL Round 27 - Expert Prediction
Canterbury Bulldogs vs Cronulla Sharks Round 27 Cheat Sheet
Head To Head
Canterbury Bulldogs Form Analysis
Canterbury Bulldogs Team News
Canterbury Bulldogs Team List
Cronulla Sharks Form Analysis
Cronulla Sharks Team News
Cronulla Sharks Team List

Despite being locked into third place and a road trip down to Melbourne in the opening week of the finals, Cameron Ciraldo has opted against resting any players for this clash, instead hoping to build some much-needed momentum and for his new-look spine to continue to improve combinations. Canterbury will be aiming to get back to their defensive best and for Matt Burton to control field position, just as he did when these two teams squared off back in Round 4 when the Dogs ran out comfortable 20-8 winners at Sharks Stadium.

Cronulla haven't done anything to shed their reputation as flat-track bullies in 2025 - they've won just two games against current top eight teams and none away from Sharks Stadium. However, despite their constant inability to show up against the elite teams, they are still in with a chance at the top four and can secure that spot if the Broncos lose to the Storm and they prevail in this contest. But I don't see it happening.

Take the Dogs to cover a small -3.5 line, Under 44.5 total points and Jacob Preston - who is actually the Bulldogs' leading tryscorer for the season - to cross for another four-pointer.

Bulldogs beat Sharks 20-8 earlier this season
Bulldogs have won eight of their 10 games at Accor Stadium this season
Sharks have won just two games vs current top eight teams this season
Sharks haven't beaten a current top eight team on the road this season
Under 44.5 points has landed in five of the last seven meetings
The last three meetings have produced 31 points or less
Bulldogs have seen Under 44.5 points in four of their last five games
Jacob Preston has scored 11 tries this season, including a hat-trick last week & crossed first vs Sharks back in Round 4

Canterbury Bulldogs vs Cronulla Sharks Round 27 Cheat Sheet

Bulldogs vs Sharks Rd 27 Cheat Sheet

Head To Head

The Sharks have won six of the last eight meetings between the teams, but the Bulldogs have taken the last two, including a one-sided 20-8 triumph in Round 4 earlier this season.

Canterbury Bulldogs Form Analysis

The Bulldogs haven't been far from a headline throughout the course of 2025 but if you asked anyone associated with the club if they would take a third place finish before the season started, they would have jumped at the prospect.

Canterbury have improved on last season's top eight finish and now the focus turns to regaining that defensive edge that proved the catalyst to their early-season dominance. Obviously they also need more from Lachlan Galvin and Matt Burton in the halves, while Bailey Hayward hasn't really done enough to justify taking Reed Mahoney's starting hooker position.

It's been a tough end to the season for the Bulldogs - they had lost three of their last four games heading into a clash with Penrith's reserve grade team last week, so this is an important match for them to generate some momentum heading into the finals.

Canterbury Bulldogs Team News

Big loss for the Dogs with Jacob Kiraz suffering an ankle injury in the dying stages last week, so Enari Tuala comes onto the wing.

Viliame Kikau is back from an infection, with Josh Curran dropping to the bench and Daniel Suluka-Fifita pushed out.

Canterbury Bulldogs Team List

1. Connor Tracey

2. Enari Tuala

3. Bronson Xerri

4. Stephen Crichton

5. Marcelo Montoya

6. Matt Burton

7. Lachlan Galvin

8. Max King

9. Bailey Hayward

10. Samuel Hughes

11. Viliame Kikau

12. Jacob Preston

13. Jaeman Salmon

Interchange

14. Kurt Mann

15. Sitili Tupouniua

16. Josh Curran

17. Reed Mahoney

Reserves

19. Jake Turpin

20. Daniel Suluka-Fifita

21. Kurtis Morrin

22. Jethro Rinakama

23. Toby Sexton

Cronulla Sharks Form Analysis

It's been the same old story for the Sharks this season - beat up on the weaker sides and stumble against the elite.

This sort of form line always gets Cronulla into the top eight, but they are then out of their depth in the finals, often bowing out in straight sets.

Which is why a top four finish is crucial to any hope the Sharks have of going deep into September.

It's been no surprise to see the Sharks flattening some bottom nine teams in recent weeks, with Craig Fitzgibbon's side crushing the Titans 54-22 and the Knights 40-16 over the last fortnight.

Cronulla Sharks Team News

Jesse Ramien returns from a thumb injury in place of Mawene Hiroti at centre. Five-eighth Braydon Trindall has been named despite leaving the field with an ankle injury last week in the win over Newcastle.

Cronulla Sharks Team List

1. William Kennedy

2. Sione Katoa

3. Jesse Ramien

4. KL Iro

5. Ronaldo Mulitalo

6. Braydon Trindall

7. Nicho Hynes

8. Addin Fonua-Blake

9. Blayke Brailey

10. Toby Rudolf

11. Billy Burns

12. Teig Wilton

13. Jesse Colquhoun

Interchange

14. Hohepa Puru

15. Siosifa Talakai

16. Thomas Hazelton

17. Braden Hamlin-Uele

Reserves

18. Daniel Atkinson

19. Mawene Hiroti

20. Jayden Berrell

21. Oregon Kaufusi

22. Tuku Hau Tapuha

Verdict

Canterbury Bulldogs v Cronulla Sharks

The Sharks remain without a road win over a current top eight side heading into the final round of the season, so the Dogs are tipped to come away with the win at Accor.

Recent meetings have been low-scoring, so Under 44.5 points is the play, while Jacob Preston remains dangerous on the Dogs' right edge.

Bulldogs -3.5

Line

$1.83 - 3 Units

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