2021 NRL Round 23 Preview, Tigers Vs Sharks

Jack Harbidge previews the Round 23 clash between top eight chasers Wests Tigers and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks at Browne Park….. This is what we have to look forward to.

Embed from Getty Images

TEAM NEWS

Venue: Browne Park, Rockhampton Date: Saturday 21st August Time:

Referee: Gerard Sutton

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Tigers

Embed from Getty Images

Wests come into this must-win game off the back of a pair of victories. The first of which came against the hapless Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, while they also got the better of the Cowboys last time out.

Jacob Liddle is a notable out for the Tigers, missing the match through suspension alongside Thomas Mikaele.

With their season on the line, Wests have a spring in their step after back-to-back wins and appear to have patched some holes in their defence, having only conceded 32 points across the two fixtures.

Sharks

Embed from Getty Images

On the other hand, Cronulla-Sutherland come into the game completely out of form, having lost their last three fixtures as well as four of their last five games. Last time out the Sharks suffered a heartbreaking loss against the Knights that was sealed by a late conversion from Jake Clifford.

Unfortunately, Cronulla lose Aiden Tolman through suspension and Andrew Fifita is out after fracturing his larynx in the Sharks’ clash against the Knights. On the plus side, Matt Moylan comes in to the squad and is a chance to be a late inclusion.

PREVIEW

This is arguably the highest stakes game of the round, with both sides needing to win to extend their playoff hopes.

Expect both sides to come into this with their best foot forward despite their differing recent form. That said, Wests’ recent mental fortitude has been far superior than Cronulla when push comes to shove, especially with another disheartening late loss for the Sharks last time out.

Josh Hannay will undoubtedly be trying to rally the troops for this one but the worrying injury to the long serving Andrew Fifita, and the news surrounding it, will no doubt have taken a mental toll on the Cronulla side. By contrast, Wests appear to have found a stout mental state and have strung back-to-back victories together for the first time since early June – albeit against inferior opposition in the Cowboys and Bulldogs.

In adddition, the Tigers’ squad has had little notable disruption in recent weeks and, as a result, they looks far more gelled in both attack and defence. Their defence will need to be on point this week so as not to gift points to a faltering Cronulla attack, and if they can indeed hold the Sharks to 16 points, as they have done to their opposition the past two weeks, they should have enough points in them to get the job done.

That said, Cronulla may well benefit from the inclusion of Matty Moylan if he makes the cut. The versatile back gives a number of attacking options that can cause serious damage off the back of powerful forwards like Siosifa Talakai, who has been a standout for the Cronulla side.

KEY STAT

Wests Tigers have a positive 18-13 win/loss ratio in this fixture over the past 32 games between the two sides, however Cronulla have won six of the last seven clashes.

PREDICTION

Wests Tigers by four.

Follow Nothing But League on Twitter and Facebook.

Join our NRL Writing Team. Check out the details here.