Cronulla and Melbourne – 2016 grand finalists – meet in the Good Friday evening game at Cronulla’s Southern Cross Group Stadium.
TEAM FORM GUIDE
CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Cronulla finally won their first game in 2018, beating Parramatta 14-4 last Saturday night at ANZ Stadium.ย Chad Townsend scored all Cronulla’s points (one try and five goals). Cronulla lost their opening two games against North Queensland (20-14) and St. George-Illawarra (20-16).
MELBOURNE STORM
Melbourne sit fourth with two wins and one loss. They beat North Queensland 30-14 in last Thursday’s blockbuster at AAMI Park.ย Joe Stimson, Christian Welch, Will Chambers and Nelson Asofa-Solomona scored for Melbourne as they led 18-8 at halftime and weathered a late Cowboys fightback before clearing away.ย They beat Canterbury 36-18 in their opener at Perth’s Optus Stadium and lost to the Wests Tigers 10-8, spoiling Billy Slater’s 300th game.
SQUAD NEWS
CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Cronulla have five inclusions and one omission. Brandon Uele, Edrick Lee, Kurt Dillon, Luke Lewis and Matt Moylan come in, while Jayson Bukuya is out with a groin injury.
MELBOURNE STORM
Melbourne have four additions to their squad: Kenneath Bromwich, Patrick Kaufusi, Ryley Jacks and Young Tonumaipea.
PREVIEW
Cronulla and Melbourne split last year’s meetings. Cronulla ended Melbourne’s unbeaten run in round six, winning 11-2 at AAMI Park. James Segeyaro scored the game’s only try, with three goals and one field goal to James Maloney. It was one of just four losses for the Storm. Two months later, Melbourne won 18-13 at Shark Park. Maloney kicked a field goal with eight minutes left – giving Cronulla a 13-12 lead – before Felise Kaufusi scored the winning try.
Melbourne have plenty of scoring power on the wings, withย Suliasi Vunivalu and Josh Addo-Carr. The pair scored 23 tries each in 2014. Cronulla counter withย Sosaia Feki andย Valentine Holmes. Valentine Holmes scored 12 tries for Australia in last year’s World Cup. Meanwhile, Origin foes Josh Dugan and Billy Slater clash at fullback.
WIth plenty of momentum gained from the Cowboys win – and a lot of scoring power – Melbourne should be too good for Cronulla.
Melbourne by 12.
KEY STAT
Melbourne have won 22 out of 34 games against Cronulla and eight out out fourteen at Shark Park (Southern Cross Group Stadium).
SQUADS
Cronulla:ย 1 Josh Dugan, 2 Sosaia Feki, 3 Jesse Ramien, 4 Ricky Leutele, 5 Valentine Holmes, 6 Matt Moylan, 7 Chad Townsend, 8 Andrew Fifita, 9 Jayden Brailey, 10 Matt Prior, 11 Luke Lewis, 12 Wade Graham (c), 13 Paul Gallen (c)
Interchange: 14 Kurt Capewell, 15 James Segeyaro, 16 Avagalu Seumanufagai, 17 Joseph Paulo
Reserves: 18 Kurt Dillon, 19 Trent Hodkinson, 20 Edrick Lee, 21 Braden Uele
Melbourne:ย 1 Billy Slater, 2 Suliasi Vunivalu, 3 Will Chambers, 4 Curtis Scott, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Brodie Croft, 8 Jesse Bromwich, 9 Cameron Smith (c), 10 Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11 Joe Stimson, 12 Ryan Hoffman, 13 Dale Finucane
Interchange: 14 Tim Glasby, 15 Kenny Bromwich, 16 Christian Welch, 17 Sam Kasiano
Reserves: 18 Young Tonumaipea, 19 Patrick Kaufusi, 20 Ryley Jacks, 21 Brandon Smith
THE IMPORTANT DETAILS
Date: Good Friday March 30th
Venue: Southern Cross Group Stadium
Kick-off: 8:05pm (AEDT)
Referees:ย Matt Cecchin,ย Alan Shortall.
WHO WILL WIN?
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