Rugby League

2025-08-09 - St George Dragons vs Cronulla Sharks

A Sports Betting Pick by Stu

Cronulla Sharks v St George Illawarra Dragons
Rugby League : Australia : NRL Season 2025
Saturday 9th August 2025 - KO 1700 AEST

St George Illawarra Dragons

St George Illawarra enter this clash under the familiar weight of a disappointing campaign. Anchored near the bottom of the ladder with only seven wins from 19 matches, the Dragons season has long been consigned to a rebuilding narrative. Yet if there’s one game their fans still demand maximum effort in—it’s against their closest rival, Cronulla.

Despite their lowly position of 12th, the Dragons have shown glimpses of growth in recent weeks. Last week’s excellent victory over Canberra highlighted both their potential and their flaws, none the less it was a great win in the wet. Captain Gutherson and Damien Cook remain the glue holding the side together, while Tyrell Sloan and Moses Suli offer moments of spark in a side otherwise lacking confidence.

At home in Kogarah, the Red V have been competitive, with two of their seven wins this season coming at Jubilee stadium – they are 2-2 at the ground in 2025. That familiarity, along with the derby energy and expectation, could lift a team that has struggled to string together consistent 80-minute performances.

St George Dragons Team news -Shane Flanagan, facing his former club once again, has made no changes this week.

Cronulla Sharks

The Cronulla Sharks come into Round 22 with their finals destiny still in their own hands. Sitting 7th with a 12-8 record and still a bye remaining, the Sharks showed signs of cohesion again in a gritty win over the Cowboys last week in terrible conditions 32-12—snapping a concerning run of patchy form.

Sione Katoa continues to provide spark on the edge, while Nicho Hynes is rediscovering the tempo and game management that made him a Dally M contender not long ago, his combination with Trindall looks to be coming together again at the right time of the season.

Their pack has also stepped up in recent weeks, with Fonua-Blake and Cameron McInnes tightening up the middle defence that had been leaking points in the middle of the season. Coach Craig Fitzgibbon has made it clear that consistency is non-negotiable from here on out, especially with matches against top-eight sides looming.

Cronulla Sharks Team news - is largely stable for Cronulla. Toby Rudolf returns to the 17 from the bench.

Odds

The visiting Sharks will start as slight favourites, $2.75 to $1.47, the line is 6.5 points and combined points 46.5

The Betting Verdict

Saturday afternoon footy brings us one of the NRL’s fiercest traditional rivalries as the Dragons host the Sharks in a Southern Sydney derby at Kogarah. While both clubs have taken vastly different paths in 2025, this match carries the tension and unpredictability that only a true local derby can deliver.

This rivalry has been closely contested over the years, with Cronulla edging the H2H count 23-1-31 across 55 encounters. Recent history, however, leans heavily in the Sharks favour—they’ve won 11 meetings in a row, dating back to 2020, including a 30-18 victory in Round 15 this season at Shark Park.

At Netstrata Jubilee, the Dragons hold a better record, but Cronulla have tasted success there too winning their last 3 meetings 8-40, 12-13 and 18-32. The away ground may soften the Sharks edge slightly, but history suggests they won’t fear the trip down to Jubilee.

The Sharks deserve to be favoured, but the -6.5 line is tricky in a derby, especially after the upset win last week for the Dragons over the Raiders, where form and ladder positions often count for less. Still, if Cronulla play to their potential, they should have enough control through the spine and forward dominance to cover.

An appealing option is the under 46.5 total points at $1.91. Derbies tend to tighten up, and with St George struggling to score consistently but defending well and Cronulla returning to a defence-first approach, this match may not become the high-scoring affair punters typically expect from Sunday footy.

For try-scorer hunters, Sione Katoa remains a hot hand on the edge, while Mulitalo offers value on the right wing, particularly in a game where attacking flair may be needed late.

The Sharks have more to play for and greater structure across the park, but the Dragons will throw everything at this local derby in front of a fired-up home crowd. Emotion, history, and rivalry ensure this match will carry more than just premiership points—it’s a pride game, and one that could get fiery.