Check out the match preview and prediction for the round 4 clash between the Sharks and Raiders.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Vs Canberra Raiders
Venue: Pointsbet Stadium, Sydney
Date: Sunday March 31, 6:15pm
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Sharks: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Kayal Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Thomas Hazelton 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Siosifa Talakai 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Daniel Atkinson 15. Jack Williams 16. Billy Burns 17. Tuku Hau Tapuha 18. Jayden Berrell 19. Blake Hosking 20. Samuel Stonestreet 21. Niwhai Puru 22. Max Bradbury
Raiders: 1. Jordan Rapana 2. James Schiller 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Danny Levi 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Morgan Smithies 14. Tom Starling 15. Ata Mariota 16. Zac Hosking 17. Pasami Saulo 18. Trey Mooney 19. Corey Horsburgh 20. Kaeo Weekes 21. Zac Woolford 22. Nick Cotric
Referee:
Embed from Getty ImagesMATCHDAY PREVIEW
The Cronulla Sharks have essentially been the same team for two years now.
Through 2022 and 2023 they did really well throughout the regular season, putting on a number of high scorelines and playing a brand of footy that was really attractive to watch. But across both years they failed to win a finals game in three attempts. That meant that coming into this season, a finals win was the goal to chase.
But nobody saw their comprehensive 32-6 loss to the Tigers coming – least of all the Sharks themselves, who showed up like a team expecting the two points, rather than willing to earn them.
Coach Craig Fitzgibbon’s front row was decimated in that fixture, with Dale Finucane, Royce Hunt, and Toby Rudolf all unavailable for this Sunday’s game. Daniel Atkinson and Tuku Hau Tapuha come onto the bench as cover, but it’s a less-forced change to the 17 that’s caught everyone’s attention.
Fitzgibbon has made a change to his ever-solid back five – with Siosifa Talakai moving into the second row, and the highly-rated Kayal Iro coming in at the centre position. A change like that is out of character for Fitzy, and it’s a sign of real discontent and concern with last week’s performance.
The Raiders meanwhile come off a spirited 18-10 loss in Christchurch to the Warriors, in a game where they did perform really well and on another day would’ve brought the two points back to the capital.
Albert Hopoate and Emre Guler are both unavailable for the game, seeing James Schiller and Ata Mariota brought into the 17. Queensland Maroons’ forward Corey Horsburgh is ominously named on the reserves as he battles to prove his fitness, and may be a late inclusion into the side.
The Raiders keep on proving how tough they are to play, and for a Sharks side who often struggle with the elite physical battles of the NRL, it could be the exact opponent they need.
Head-to-head stats can be found at Round 4 Number Crunch.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Sharks by 4 points.
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