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Southern Cross Stadium is set for another sell-out when the Cronulla Sharks and Melbourne Storm face off for the second time this season. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog from 7:50pm (AEST).
It doesn’t get much better than this: a grand final rematch played between first and second on the ladder, with a sledging battle set to reignite.
The Sharks enjoyed a well-deserved rest last week while their State of Origin quartet played starring roles in Game 1. Prior to that, Cronulla beat the Bulldogs in a packed-out home stadium. It wasn’t their most clinical performance, but the fact that they won without their key players is a testament to their premiership credentials.
Meanwhile, in their last outing, the Storm stormed home in the second stanza to thrash the Knights 40-12. Billy Slater was on song, while the forwards also had a field day, with the starting back row featuring for the full 80 and clocking up close to 500 metres.
The Sharks welcome back their Origin heroes in the form of Maloney, Fifita, Graham and Bird with Lee, Capewell, Latimore and Fa’amanu Brown expected to drop out. James Segeyaro is also a chance of playing after being named on an extended bench.
Cameron Smith was given a rest last week following Origin. He slots back into the nine jersey while his earmarked successor Brandon Smith drops out of the squad.
Funnily enough, Southern Cross Stadium hasn’t been the fortress that Sharks’ fans would have liked it to be. So far in 2017, they’ve won three from six on home soil against North Queensland, Newcastle and the Bulldogs. No doubt they’ll be looking to improve this with a big performance over Melbourne.
With their big guns back on board there’s no reason why they can’t and plenty of reasons they can, especially with big Andrew Fifita back in the frame. X-factor personified, Fifita is someone who not only stands up in big games but towers over everyone else when his presence is needed.
Last year’s grand final and last week’s Origin was a prime example of this when he put on one of the best performances by a prop forward in recent memory running for over 180 metres, setting up a try for Maloney and scoring one himself. Melbourne will need to have plenty of numbers in the tackle if they are to halt his progress.
It’s been over a decade since Cronulla had the luxury of picking Paul Gallen during Origin time and his presence has definitely been felt. Against the Bulldogs, he not only clocked up 22 runs, 240 metres and 27 tackles but managed to break the line in the process. After signing on for one more season, Gal will once again be looking to repay the faith shown in him by the club, and carry his side to victory.
Billy Slater might just be as modest as they come. While he refused to be bitter and openly accepted Kevin Walters’ decision to leave him out of Origin 1, he certainly let his footy do all the talking. With Game 2 selection just around the corner, he’ll be looking to bust down the doors of the selectors with a starring role against the premiers.
Be aware of Billy but keep an eye on the wingers for the Storm as well. So far this season Suliasi Vunivalu and Josh Addo-Carr have crossed the line 20 times between them to sit second and fourth as the game’s top try scorers. If the Sharks’ outside men aren’t switched on, they’ll be punished.
One of those players that has already been punished this season is James Maloney.
He tops the game’s missed tackles count with 68 and concedes on average two penalties per game. Cooper Cronk and co. will be hoping to send these numbers through the roof by launching the likes of Asofa-Solomona and Bromwich down his edge as much as possible.
Melbourne hold a healthy overall winning percentage over the Sharks, but it’s Cronulla who will be brimming with confidence having won three out of the past four matches.
The Sharks also hold last start bragging rights after defeating Melbourne 11-2 in their own backyard back in Round 6. While it wasn’t the exciting rematch that fans were expecting, it did involve a memorable verbal stoush between Paul Gallen and Will Chambers.
Prediction
With such an abundance of genuine talent and big game players, you’d have to be mad to miss such a clash. In recent years, Cronulla have certainly take the mantle as the Storm’s number one rival, whether Manly fans like it or not.
With showers forecast for Thursday, we might be set for a good old-fashioned grind with two sides that do it best. In a battle of attrition where defence rules supreme, I’m tipping the Sharks to come away with the win.
Cronulla by two.
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