Two teams on the outside looking in of the top 8 clash on Easter Sunday as the Sharks head north to the hunter to take on the Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium. Despite being the current fourth favorite to win the competition, it’s been a tough start to the season for the Sharks, who sit 11th on the ladder. They get a great chance here to bounce back inside the top 8 as they take on a Knights team devoid of any attack, setting the stage for an interesting clash.
The Knights are coming off a terrible showing last week at home, going down 20-4 to the Tigers. The Knights’ only try was a 79th-minute garbage time try to Fletcher Sharpe. It was nearly their second straight game failing to score a point after going down 20-0 the week before to the Bulldogs. Kalyn Ponga was horrible, and they need way more from their main man if they are any chance this week against the Sharks.
The Sharks looked far better last week against the Sea Eagles in Perth after losing two straight heading into the game. They were the dominant team through 50 minutes, leading 14-0 (three tries to zero), however, they allowed two quick tries to Manly in a span of four minutes, cutting the lead to two. They managed to hold on, but the fact they struggled to put away a Manly side that has looked horrible for a month is a slight concern for the Sharks.
These teams met once last year in round 24 at Sharks Stadium, with the Sharks closing 8.5-point home favorites, with a total of 49.5. The Knights were well on top, leading 18-10 with a little over 15 minutes left. The Sharks managed a penalty goal and try to push the game into Golden Point, where rookie Daniel Atkinson slotted an 85th-minute field goal to secure the victory. To be fair, the Sharks were missing both starting halves and Kayal Iro, so it was a solid win from behind.
This game opened with the Sharks as short 2.5-point road favorites on the lookahead before re-opening at 9.5. That’s a massive shift in the market, and punters haven’t been swayed as the Sharks still sit 9.5-point favorite, and you have to pay a little juice to still get them under 10. Looking at the total, it opened at 42.5 and looks as though it may get bet up to 43.5. Given the game is on a Sunday afternoon in cracking conditions, this won’t be a big bet, but I like the under here.
Throughout the 2025 NRL season, we’ll be putting together a fun same game multi for every match at BoomBet using their BetShare feature. The same game multi selections include Sharks ML, Samuel Stonestreet (1+ try), and Bradman Best (1+ try) with odds of $9.50 at BoomBet.
Based in Newcastle, Ben earns a living working for the NSW Government, but his real passion lies in sports and sports betting. Ben has spent years developing sports betting models for various sports and has been using these models for the past few years, creating articles for Before You Bet across NRL, NFL, Formula 1, and fantasy sports contests on Draftstars. A lifelong Penrith Panthers fan, Ben has finally seen some rewards for his years of loyal support, with the Panthers chasing a fourth straight NRL Premiership in 2024.