NRL Round 10 Betting Preview: Game Odds, Trends, Analysis for Week Ahead

St. George Illawarra's NRL premiership credentials face their third major test in as many matches when they play host to premiers, the Cronulla Sharks, on Friday night at the Jubilee Oval.

The Dragons were top of the table after seven rounds with a 6-1 record, but they lost to fellow top four-sides the Sydney Roosters and Melbourne Storm in the two weeks before last week's representative break.

They are now $3 AUD outsiders to defeat the Sharks, who are $1.40 having won five of their past six matches, according to AustralianGambling.com.au.

The market belies the fact that the Dragons were able to knock off the Sharks just seven weeks ago in their first meeting of the season and that Cronulla haven't won at this ground since 2007.

The Dragons have lost Josh Dugan for this match after he broke his cheekbone in the Anzac Test, forcing a shuffle with Jason Nightingale fitting it at full-back. The Sharks are also injury-struck with  Tony Williams out for the rest of the season with an ACL, allowing Luke Lewis to return to the back row.

While there are plenty of questions about the Dragons, there are even more about the North Queensland Cowboys, who will be without their skipper Johnathan Thurston for another six weeks.

Thurston injured his shoulder playing for Australia and his absence is a massive blow for the battling Cowboys, who sit just outside the eight.

They come to Sydney to take on the Canterbury Bulldogs on Thursday night at ANZ Stadium and, without their star half-back, they are $2.40 outsiders, with the Bulldogs $1.58 favourites.

If the Wests Tigers or the South Sydney Rabbitohs are going to more than just make up the numbers this season, they need to start winning games. The two sides are 3-6 and face off at ANZ on Friday night both desperate for the win.

The oddsmakers are expecting a close game with the Rabbitohs $1.82 favourites ahead of the Tigers at $2. The line is just 1.5.

It's a similarly tight market for the Penrith Panthers versus New Zealand Warriors match on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers are $1.75 to beat the Warriors ($2.10) having won their last three matches against New Zealand at Pepper Stadium.

Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium hosts a double-header with premiership favourites the Melbourne Storm expected to prevail over the Gold Coast Titans in what is a home match for them. The Storm are $1.36 to win that, with the Titans at $3.20.

In the second match, the Manly Sea Eagles also play a host side, against usual Suncorp tenants the Brisbane Broncos. Manly are the outsiders at $2.37, with Brisbane at $1.60.

On Sunday, the Canberra Raiders are $1.20 when they travel to Newcastle to take on the Knights ($4.60), while the Sydney Roosters are $1.50 favourites against the Parramatta Eels, who are $2.62.