Josh Mercer previews the round 23 clash between the Sea Eagles and the Sharks.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Venue: 4 Pines Park, Sydney
Date: Saturday, August 20, 5:30 pm
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Related: NRL Team List Tuesday
Embed from Getty ImagesSea Eagles: 1. Reuben Garrick 2. Tolutau Koula 3. Brad Parker 4. Morgan Harper 5. Christian Tuipulotu 6. Kieran Foran 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Josh Aloiai 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Martin Taupau 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Andrew Davey 13. Dylan Walker 14. Ben Trbojevic 15. Josh Schuster 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Toafofoa Sipley 18. Kurt De Luis 19. Kaeo Weekes 20. Zac Fulton 21. James Roumanos 22. Jacob Sykes
Jason Saab (knee) is out, and Tolutau Koula moves to the wing. Morgan Harper is back in the centres. Jake Trbojevic (hand) is also injured, and Dylan Walker will take his place at lock. Ethan Bullemor is the new face on the bench.
Embed from Getty ImagesSharks: 1. Kade Dykes 2. Lachlan Miller 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Connor Tracey 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Matt Moylan 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Braden Hamlin-Uele 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Royce Hunt 11. Briton Nikora 12. Wade Graham 13. Dale Finucane 14. Teig Wilton 15. Cameron McInnes 16. Aiden Tolman 17. Andrew Fifita 18. Braydon Trindall 19. Jesse Colquhoun 20. Matt Ikuvalu 21. Kayal Iro 22. Luke Metcalf
Toby Rudolf (knee) will miss a month, and Brendan Hamlin-Uele will move to the front row. Andrew Fifita is back in the side after missing last week, and Siosifa Talakai (shoulder) remains on the sidelines. Connor Tracey is back in the centres, and so is Matt Moylan.
Referee: Gerard Sutton
MATCHDAY PREVIEW
With their finals hopes on the line, the Sea Eagles didn’t rise to the occasion. They should have run riot over the Titans: it should have been an easy win, but they looked terrible. They can start organising the end-of-season trip now.
On the flip side, with a few players missing, the Sharks looked every bit like the top four side they have become this season. Along with the Cowboys, they have been the surprise packets this year. Nicho Hynes has come into his own in the number seven jersey, and the kick he put in for Lachie Miller’s try was magnificent.
The Sea Eagles will need to show up this weekend. Their fans have been put through the wringer the last few weeks and they need to repay the Brookvale faithful. Daly Cherry-Evens has tried hard; he needs the rest of the team to help him. Especially with no Jake Trbojevic.
The Sharks need not drop their guard; the last thing they need is an ambush on the Northan Beaches. Matt Moylan returning is a bonus for the Sharks. Like Hynes, he is having a great season.
Embed from Getty Images
INTERESTING FACT
Despite being lower on the ladder, the Sea Eagles have a better completion rate (78% to the Sarks 75%).
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Sharks by 16.
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