Our best bet for Saturday's NRL Elimination Final between the Cronulla Sharks and North Queensland Cowboys is the Sharks to Win / Under 47.5 / Mulitalo to Score Same Game Multi at $5.10, with Cronulla's first-choice halves pairing back and Ronaldo Mulitalo scoring in each of the Sharks' last five wins.
One team's season will end on Saturday night, as the Sharks host the Cowboys in the second NRL Elimination Final at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.
Cronulla Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys
This is the toughest of the finals to call this weekend, with both teams bringing highly mercurial track records into this clash.
Cronulla were on track for a top-four finish before losing four of their last five, including their most recent two.
The Cowboys have been similarly patchy, losing three of their last five, bookended by an 82-12 loss to the Roosters in July and a 50-30 defeat to the Raiders most recently.
Leg 1 - Sharks to Win
There isn't much in this one, but two factors point towards the Sharks getting over the line here.
First, they've got their first-choice halves pairing back in Braydon Trindall and Nicho Hynes. These two are integral to Cronulla's attack, and when firing, are far superior to the Cowboys' pivots.
Second, there's some positive recent history for the Sharks when it comes to these two sides playing in NRL finals. They met in the semis two years ago, with Cronulla prevailing 26-18.
Leg 2 - Under 47.5 Points Total
Both teams have had their fair share of high-scoring matches in recent weeks, but this one should buck that trend.
Each will know they have a genuine shot at scratching their way to week two of the finals, despite being in poor form.
Expect this to create a scrappy, tight match where both sides struggle to handle the pressure at times.
Leg 3 - Ronaldo Mulitalo to Score
Mulitalo has been an excellent tryscorer bet in this column over the 2026 season.
The Sharks' winger has 12 tries in just 15 matches so far this year, including in each of Cronulla's last five wins.
Same Game Multi
Sharks to Win / Under 47.5 / Mulitalo to Score = $5.10
Value Bet
There's no denying this match is a toss up, so picking the Cowboys to win 1-12 is a good way of offsetting the above multi.
North Queensland won their most recent meeting 46-34 and have the attack to beat any team when it's firing.
They'll come into this clash with the least expectation of the two sides, and could well pull off an upset if they're able to play their best footy.
