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FT: Tigers 26
Sharks 10
The Tigers overcome a first-half deficit to keep the Sharks scoreless in the second term. The win snaps the Tigers losing streak, and provides their fans one last positive memory from 2014.
Wests Tigers too strong in the second half. Sharks brave but a short turnaround after going to Townsville is always hard. Tigers potential still there amid the gloom at Leichhardt – I hope Potter is still there in 2015; he deserves it. He’s done a good job of cleaning out the joint and rebuilding a footy team in the face of limited funds and off field instability not of his creation. Let him finish the task of developing the side.
The curtain has been drawn over 2014 for the Tigers and the Sharks. Both teams will be keen to see the back of this campaign and rebuild in the off-season.
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In what has been a tumultuous year for both the Wests Tigers and the Cronulla Sharks, today’s game is the chance to play for pride and put a miserable 2014 behind them. Join The Roar from 3:00pm (AEST) for live coverage of this final round fixture.
Drug testing, bubbling, contract backflips, feuds, player mutinies, amazing wins and baffling losses: the 2014 campaign has been a strange old year for both the Cronulla Sharks and the Wests Tigers.
Both sides have been crippled by injuries throughout the year – the Tigers have lost virtually their entire backline while the Sharks have lost just about everyone.
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And even in the darkest hour both sides have unearthed some raw talent that have the potential to be game-breakers in coming seasons.
Valentine Holmes, Mitchell Moses, Sosaia Feki and Matthew Lodge among others have burst onto the NRL scene.
The Tigers are coming off a 13-point loss to the Raiders, and will be keen to put that performance behind them in what “allegedly” could be Mick Potter’s last game in charge.
Whether he remains at the helm beyond this season is still very much in the air.
For their part the Sharks too are coming off a loss. They impressed everyone with their will and tenacity against the Cowboys and it was only Jonathon Thurston field goal in golden point that prevented the boys from the shire securing one of their most famous wins.
The Tigers have made just the lone change to the side that lost last start. Corey Paterson comes onto the bench in place of Brenden Santi.
James Shepherd who has done an outstanding job in his role as interim coach for the Sharks has made several changes to his team.
Michael Lichaa and Tinirau Arona have been recalled. Pat Politoni and Junior Roqica drop back to the bench with Penani Manumalealii and Patrice Siolo dropping out of the 17.
Prediction:
With Mad Monday in sight for both of these teams, and in the Sharks case their place as “wooden spooners” for 2014 already signed, sealed and delivered you can be forgiven for thinking that the game won’t be much of a contest.
Yet it’s precisely for that reason of why this game could be a heck of a show. With rumours of a Tiger clean-out, and the Sharks tendency to use the joint-venture club as a feeder club for their NRL team some of the Tigers could be auditioning for their future employers.
In any case the Tigers record over the Sharks is pretty good – they have more recognised first graders in the team and that should be enough to get them home.
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