Cowboys vs Sharks Prediction and Tips - NRL Round 8, 2026
Last updated: Apr 22, 2026, 9:11AM | Published: Apr 20, 2026, 12:01AM
The Cowboys will sqaure off with the Sharks in NRL Round 8 action at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Friday, beginning at 6:00pm AEST.
This article features Stats Insider's prediction and tips for the Cowboys vs Sharks game, as well as the latest betting odds and try scorer tips.
Who Will Win?
Utilising trusted machine learning and data, Stats Insider has simulated the outcome of Friday's North Queensland vs Cronulla NRL match 10,000 times.
Our proven predictive analytics model gives the Sharks a 59% chance of winning against the Cowboys in Round 8 of the 2026 NRL season.
Cowboys vs Sharks: Odds
The current Bet365 betting odds for Friday's NRL clash at Queensland Country Bank Stadium are listed here:
- Head to Head: Cowboys $2.00, Sharks $1.82
- Line: Cowboys +1.5 ($1.91), Sharks -1.5 ($1.91)
- Total (Over/Under 53.5 Points): Over $1.91, Under $1.91
Odds are correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Looking at the latest head-to-head odds, Bet365 currently has the Cowboys at $2.00 and the Sharks at $1.82.
The Cowboys are listed as 1.5-point underdogs against the Sharks, with odds of $1.91 available at Bet365.
For the favourite Sharks (-1.5) to cover the line, Bet365 offers odds of $1.91.
The over/under for total points scored is set at 53.5 with Bet365, which has odds of $1.91 for the over and $1.91 for the under.
According to Stats Insider's model, the Sharks (-1.5) are predicted to cover the line 59% of the time, while the 53.5-point over/under is expected to stay under 58% of the time.
Cowboys vs Sharks: Best Bets
- Head to Head: Sharks at $1.82 with Bet365
- Line: Sharks -1.5 at $1.91 with Bet365
- Total Points: Under 53.5 at $1.91 with Bet365
When you see a 🔥, you know it's one of Stats Insider's best bets of the day across all sports.
Stats Insider's Cowboys vs Sharks betting tips are based on world-class simulations and wagering experience to help you place better bets with your chosen online bookie.
Cowboys vs Sharks: Prediction
Stats Insider's predicted final score for Cowboys vs Sharks at Queensland Country Bank Stadium this Friday is the Sharks winning 25-21.
This prediction is based on each team's average score from 10,000 game simulations.
Stats Insider provides full coverage of the Cowboys vs Sharks match on Friday, including data-driven predictions and live win probabilitiestips.
18+. Odds correct at time of publishing and subject to change.Cowboys vs Sharks: Try Scorers
Searching for Cowboys vs Sharks try scorers? The data is in.
According to Stats Insider, the Cowboys' Murray Taulagi is the most likely player to score the first try in North Queensland vs Cronulla.
Taulagi has a 8.1% chance of scoring the first try at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, while the Cowboys star has a 50.7% chance of scoring a try at any time during the game.
Scroll down for our complete list of first try scorer and anytime try scorer probabilities.
First Try Scorer Tips
North Queensland Cowboys
- Murray Taulagi: 8.1% probability
- Braidon Burns: 7.2% probability
- Jaxon Purdue: 6.3% probability
- Jeremiah Nanai: 5.9% probability
- Scott Drinkwater: 5.1% probability
Cronulla Sharks
- Samuel Stonestreet: 7.0% probability
- Mawene Hiroti: 6.4% probability
- KL Iro: 5.2% probability
- William Kennedy: 4.5% probability
- Braydon Trindall: 4.0% probability
Anytime Try Scorer Tips
North Queensland Cowboys
- Murray Taulagi: 50.7% probability
- Braidon Burns: 47.7% probability
- Jaxon Purdue: 41.9% probability
- Jeremiah Nanai: 40.9% probability
- Scott Drinkwater: 35.3% probability
Cronulla Sharks
- Samuel Stonestreet: 45.7% probability
- Mawene Hiroti: 41.6% probability
- KL Iro: 37.2% probability
- Braydon Trindall: 31.9% probability
- William Kennedy: 30.0% probability
Our model updates frequently, so refresh this article for the latest betting tips before the Cowboys vs Sharks game.
As always, see Stats Insider's Best Bets to get the best tips on every NRL match, plus predictions for a wide range of other sports.
Cowboys vs Sharks: Essential Details
The NRL Round 8 clash between the Cowboys and Sharks at Queensland Country Bank Stadium is scheduled to begin at 6:00pm AEST on Friday.
- Teams: North Queensland Cowboys vs Cronulla Sharks
- Date: Friday 24 April 2026
- Kick-off: 6:00pm AEST
- Location: Queensland Country Bank Stadium
All dates and times mentioned in this article are in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST), unless otherwise stated.
Conclusion
Our Cowboys vs Sharks predictions have been made after running 10,000 data-driven simulations of the game, all curated by our team of experienced data scientists and analysts. We use cutting-edge technology and machine learning to ensure our rugby league tips are accurate and reliable, giving you the confidence to make informed decisions.
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