Sixth plays eighth when the Cronulla Sharks host the Newcastle Knights at Remondis Stadium, in a game with big implications for the shape of the top eight. Join us for live scores and commentary from 7.30pm AEST.
After an early season with more disruptions than Paul Gallen passing through customs, the Sharks have recovered well and find themselves in a position reflective of their pre-season expectations.
The ASADA controversy is far from behind them (as Gallen’s mid-week hiccup shows), but the Shire boys seem to have found a way past those ongoing concerns and now sit comfortably four points inside the eight.
They could push their claims for a top four place with a win here tonight.
The Knights, meanwhile, are teetering right on the brink.
After an exhausting golden point draw with the Broncos last start, they find themselves on 23 points, the Warriors and Titans snapping at their heels on 22.
Both of their chasers face difficult away challenges this week, but that won’t matter to the Knights – they’ll be desperate to take the two points here or risk dropping out of the eight.
They have a clear advantage in the backline – the Novocastrians’ back five are powerful, quick and skilled, and when they’re on their games they can break the line seemingly at will.
Cronulla, on the other hand, do much of their damage up the middle – the likes of Andrew Fifita, Paul Gallen and Michael Gordon all average around 150 metres per match and lay a great platform for Todd Carney late in the sets.
Speaking of Gordon, his goalkicking could be a major factor in this one. One of the game’s premier sharpshooters, he averages over 90%, while Tyrone Roberts hovers around 75% for the Knights.
Conversions cost Newcastle dearly against the Broncos last week, and while they no doubt have plenty of tries in them, it’s always disheartening to cross the stripe more times than your opponent and still find yourselves on equal terms.
The Knights will be buoyed by the returns of Kade Snowden and James McManus. They missed Snowden’s go-forward last week, while McManus has been a pointscoring machine on the left wing this season.
That said, the Sharks are also expecting a return in the shape of NSW rep Luke Lewis, bringing their forward pack – arguably the most potent in the NRL – back to full strength.
Either way, this should be a cracker of a contest between two sides battling to prove themselves as contenders in 2013.
If the Knights can open things up with some good early ball to their outside men, they could easily gain the upper hand – but I’m tipping the Sharks to get home on the strength of their pack and Carney’s cool hand.
Can the Sharks prevail and push their claims for a top four place, or will the Knights come out on top and give themselves some much-needed breathing room as we head towards September?
Join us for live scores and commentary from 7.30pm AEST, and be sure to let us know your thoughts if you’re following along.
greatwhite54
Guest
cronulla need their wingers to get more involved...the 2 had a shocker, cost them 8 points, the 5 very quite...wouldnt need a shower,
Adam
Roar Guru
That concludes tonight's coverage of Sharks vs. Knights on The Roar. Thanks for following along.
Adam
Roar Guru
FULL-TIME: Sharks 14 - Knights 18 It means the Knights move into 7th place after the Raiders lost to the Roosters earlier this evening. It definitely gives the Knights some breathing room in their run towards the finals. For the Sharks, that may have killed any hopes they had of making the top four, unlikely as that might have been, but they still sit in sixth place.
Adam
Roar Guru
FULL-TIME: Sharks 14 - Knights 18 Well, the Sharks will rue that as one that got away. They were on top in most areas, including 56% of possession and 18-5 in offloads. Knights made 349 tackles to Sharks 273. But a late piece of brilliance by Darius Boyd and some good work by Mullen and Gagai at the death have seen the Knights find a way to win anyway.
Zaccaaa
Guest
Sharks had that :|
Adam
Roar Guru
FULL-TIME: Sharks 14 - Knights 18 Short kick-off doesn't come off, the Knights come up with possession as the siren sounds in the background. Knights have snatched this at the death!
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Sharks 14 - Knights 18 80' Gidley taking all the time in the world to kick this... CONVERSION SUCCESSFUL. He adds the extras and the Sharks will try for the short kick-off...
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Sharks 14 - Knights 16 REPLAY: After Boyd's excellent work, the Knights found space on the left and McManus went close to scoring. The ball came back on the inside and Mullen fired a pinpoint cross-field kick to Gagai, who got above Feki to take the ball and score.
Zaccaaa
Guest
Stuffed up my multi :(
Zaccaaa
Guest
Damn!
Jukes
Guest
Sharks are useless
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Sharks 14 - Knights 16 78' Boyd with a chip and chase for himself and he regathers! Knights on the attack now! TRY KNIGHTS! Gagai has scored and may have just won this!
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Sharks 14 - Knights 12 77' One-out stuff from the Sharks now as they try to close this one out. Carney kicks from the halfway line and Uate cleans up the ball and is taken on his own 20m line.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Sharks 14 - Knights 12 77' Mullen with a mini-break to put Knights on the attack! But Gidley loses the ball as he tries to catch and pass in one motion! Knock-on, Sharks scrum feed.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Sharks 14 - Knights 12 76' Carney looks to go high on the last, it's off the side of the foot and taken easily by McManus.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Sharks 14 - Knights 12 75' Costigan's off-load goes to ground and Mullen is forced to kick under pressure. Feki takes it on the full and is tackled on his own 30m line -- not what the Knights needed there.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Sharks 14 - Knights 12 74' Sharks complete their set after points and Carney gets a kick away that's cleaned up by Uate 20m out from his own line. Knights will look to respond now with time ticking away...
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Sharks 14 - Knights 12 71' Fifita loses the ball but the ref penalises Smith for a strip. Replays show it was Smith's foot that forced the ball loose -- hard to know whether that was intentional or not but the Sharks have the penalty and will take the two through Carney... PENALTY SUCCESSFUL. Carney kicks the goal and the Sharks have the lead.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Sharks 12 - Knights 12 70' Sharks still forcing off-loads, but Fifita throws a wild one out the back and the Sharks lose 20m. Gallen with 7 off-loads so far, Fifita 6 -- those are big numbers. Carney chips over the top on the last and Roberts cleans it up on his 10m line but there's plenty of dew on the field and Lewis drives him back into the in-goal. Dropout again, Sharks to attack.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Sharks 12 - Knights 12 68' De Gois tries to go himself from dummy half on the last tackle but there is no way through and he loses the ball. Knights have possession now, good defence by the Novocastrians to survive three sets in a row. Bet De Gois would like to have that one over again.