Sunday first NRL Round 25 match is between Cronulla Sharks and Nth Queensland Cowboys with the opening kick to commence at 2:00pm local time. The game is to be played at Remondis Stadium with the home team Cronulla Sharks hold favouritism in the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Cronulla Sharks and Nth Queensland Cowboys.

Remondis Stadium

Sunday 2pm

Cronulla Sharks $1.52 vs Nth Queensland Cowboys $2.55 at Sportsbet Australia get a $250 FREE BET on this match

Cronulla Sharks $1.51 vs Nth Queensland Cowboys $2.60 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison by NRL Odds:

Manly Sea Eagles	1.52	1.50	1.51	1.50	1.52	1.52
Melbourne Storm	2.55	2.60	2.60	2.60	2.55	2.55

Preview:

Cronulla pulled of a big upset last Monday night with a win over the Sydney Roosters.

The Sharks bounced to a 26 – 0 lead at the break and protected their position in the second with several penalty conversions and staved off a Roosters comeback.

It was the Sharks sixth win in the past eight weeks and they’re hitting form at the right end of the season.

The win lifts the Sharks to 30 competition points and fifth spot on the ladder, more importantly it keeps them out of reach of a bunch of teams fighting for one of the remaining finals spot.

One of those teams is the Cowboys who, remarkably given that during the middle of the season they lost eight of ten matches, are still a chance to make the finals courtesy of string of wins over the past month.

Rabbitohs, Panthers, Titans and last week, the Knights have been accounted for during that time and with a head full of steam and a winning record of 4 – 1 since 2011 over the Sharks, they’ll venture to Sydney brimming with confidence.

The Cowboys have covered the line in each of their four wins and are in receipt of -5.5 here.

With Thurston in form anything is possible however, the loss of hooker Ray Thomas, who was starting to make the position his own, with a broken jaw will impact the Cowboys.

Sharks need to make last week’s win over Sydney counts with another one here and at home, they’ll have no excuse if they do not produce a similar performance.

Teams:

Cronulla Sharks:
Michael Gordon, Sosaia Feki, Ben Pomeroy, Jonathan Wright, Beau Ryan, Todd Carney, Jeff Robson, Andrew Fifita, John Morris, Sam Tagataese, Luke Lewis, Wade Graham, Paul Gallen. Interchange: Isaac De Gois, Chris Heighington, Jayson Bukuya, Anthony Tupou, Bryce Gibbs

Nth Queensland Cowboys:
Matthew Bowen, Wayne Ulugia, Brent Tate, Kane Linnett, Antonio Winterstein, Johnathan Thurston, Robert Lui, Matthew Scott, Rory Kostjasyn, James Tamou, Gavin Cooper, Glenn Hall, Joel Riethmuller. Interchange: Jayden Hodges, Tariq Sims, Scott Bolton, Ricky Thorby, Ashton Sims

Snowden hit deserved severe action: NQ

North Queensland coach Neil Henry says Kade Snowden’s jaw-breaking shoulder charge on Cowboys hooker Ray Thompson deserved “severe consequences” but conceded a four week ban would have sufficed.

Snowden has reluctantly accepted a seven-game suspension for his hit on the in-form North Queensland No.9.

Snowden was slapped with a grade four shoulder charge by the NRL match review committee on Monday for the 65th minute incident which warranted a send-off in the Knights’ 26-6 loss on Saturday night.

He could have escaped with a four-match ban but due to loading applied because of two prior offences, Snowden faced a nine-week ban if he unsuccessfully fought the charge.

While clearly upset about Thompson’s injury which left his hooker with three metal plates and 10 screws in his face after a 1cm jaw displacement, Henry said he would have been happy with a month-long ban on the Knights forward.

“I thought four to five weeks was probably where it was at and that’s where they have come in with (before loading was applied),” Henry said.

“They have compared it with other shoulder charges and there is no doubt that the point of the shoulder connected with severe force to Ray’s head.

“They are there to protect the players and the integrity in the game and I think an illegal play like that needs severe consequences.”

The big shoes left by Thompson will be filled by Rory Kostjasyn for Sunday’s must win away clash at Cronulla with rookie No.9 Jayden Hodges his surprise back-up hooker.

The 19-year-old Hodges will be thrown into the deep end as the Cowboys look to extend their four game winning run to earn a last gasp finals berth.

Remarkably the Cowboys are in the top eight barely a month after Henry was told by the North Queensland board his services were not required next year.

But they must keep winning to keep their top eight hopes alive, setting up a pressure-cooker NRL debut for Hodges.

But Henry believed the teenager was up to the task.

“I think he can really add a bit of impact around the ruck area,” Henry said.

“It’s his debut and a tough ask, Cronulla at Cronulla and they can play some tremendous footy as we saw last night (in their win over ladder leaders Sydney Roosters).”

While excited about Hodges’ promise, not much could dull Henry’s frustration over Thompson’s shocking injury.

“It’s just disappointing. He’s had shoulder reconstructions and now this,” he said.

“He’s playing good football in a team that’s got a bit of momentum.

“I feel sorry for Ray. He’s a tough competitor who works extremely hard on his game.”