The Cronulla Sharks host the North Queensland Cowboys at Remondis Stadium on Friday night. Join The Roar for live scores from 7:40pm (AEST).
The Sharks may have won two of their past three matches, but they still find themselves a game clear at the bottom of the NRL ladder.
Last week they faced off against fellow cellar-dwellers, Newcastle, but put up a disappointing showing going down 18-31.
Coming up against the Cowboys in Round 19 offers a chance to get back in check with the Knights and Raiders, and potentially claw themselves off the bottom of the ladder.
The Sharks will have to get the job without captain, Paul Gallen. He tore his bicep last round against the Knights and is facing a stint on the sidelines until Round 21.
The Cowboys will be boosted by the return of the Johnathan Thurston for this clash – he will be sporting the no. 16 jersey for this clash in honour of Alex McKinnon.
Entering this match with fresh legs after enjoying a post-Origin bye round last week should also work in favour of the visitors tonight.
Currently sitting in 12th (but just a win outside the eight), the Cowboys will be desperate for a win to keep their finals hopes alive.
A win however will mean needing to break their string of away losses that has marred their 2014 campaign so far.
The last time these two sides met was in an elimination final last season. That match saw the Sharks sneak home 20-18.
The Cowboys will surely look to draw upon the memory of this defeat to get them over the line tonight.
Can the Cowboys rise to the occasion and secure a rare away win? Or will the Sharks stand strong at home while Gallen watches from the sidelines?
Join The Roar for live scores from 7:40pm (AEST).
If you are following the action live, be sure to share your thoughts on the match in the comments below.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Yeah Steve, the GWS v Geelong game looks about 1000 but that may be generous :)
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Well, the above post with pic showed how they could account for the crowd. if you were watching on TV there was only a short shot (on Nine's coverage) of the grandstand behind the main TV cameras which showed the bulk of the crowd. If you dismiss this, then it is easy to come to the conclusion the crowd was lower. But given there were probably 4500-5000 in the stand & beside that stand, with 2,000 odd in the opp stand, & a couple of thousand around the rest of the ground, which one could see on TV, then 9,000 odd is possible. Still the atmosphere was dire and I suppose being frozen at nite beside the sea wouldn't be fun either. NRL really need to get scheduling firmly back in its hands. I wish they would have taken that $800 million offer from Ten in exchange for this.
Emcie
Guest
Sorry, I don't actually follow AFL and meant no offence. I was obviously exaggerating and I can only go by what I saw and heard on the TV, and the stadium didn't look nearly as full during the coverage as those pictures you linked to, perhaps everyone crowded to the front of the stands. Even Andrew Johns commented on the lack of crowd at halftime. I have no problem with a poor crowd at a game between a team struggling at the bottom of the table, missing half its players and a team who's supporters aren't known for travelling, on a miserable night in the freezing cold. My only concern is why is a home game for the probably wooden spooners is scheduled on a Friday night (the only live game shown in QLD this weekend on free to air). It can't have been a great hit for ratings, and given Channel 9's input into scheduling it just seems like a strange decision
Flick
Roar Rookie
How is it loony to state that clubs that count there own fans inflate crowd numbers.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
The nut job and his conspiracy theories. As I've said, your sport is full of hidden scandals so we should take an AFL fan's take on the truth with a grain of salt. Go back to your threads as the loonies must miss you.
Flick
Roar Rookie
I think the 'official' crowd was 9.5k LOL Could not put the 10k crowd number out because the crowd was really around 3 or 4k. If the crowd was really 6,7 or 8k then it would be 10k plus. If you leave a club to count its own crowd as Cronulla does, what do you really expect.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Don't know why you are so concerned. It affects you how? Better concentrate on rubbery figures in AFL. Thought the Essendon drug scandal, secret retirements of drug addicts in AFL etc would allude you to how the AFL operates. Bye
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Well Steve, this shot of the leagues club stand during the game holds about 2500 I believe. It looks 70 % full, so that's more than your 1000 there. The stand where the photo was taken (and TV cameras are) holds about 5,000 and was the most populated, about 85%. The southern end holds 1500 and was only about 30% full, and that leaves about 2,500 standing around the rest of the ground. http://www.sharks.com.au/news/2014/07/18/rd_19_match_gallery.html Also don't know about you but speed of winds was around 40kmph(and worse in coastal areas like Cronulla) and had a chill factor around 0-2 degrees last nite, and it's a reason why I'm firmly planted at home this weekend, football or not. Kudos to those that braved such cold. But what's the point of all these smarmy comments? Last week they got 17,000, day game, this week almost halved. So NRL fans are choosy, I guess that's why the AFL thought it would be easier to take on the Sydney market looking at things the way its fans do, but that is a slippery tactic at best. What were those FTA TV ratings for the Swans historic 12 in a row win last week in Sydney? 59,000? Ouch, that's more concern than Cronulla last nite. Time you guys uncircled the wagons and concentrate on your sport.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Well if you had 2 eyes you'd see people. Bit ridiculous to say it was empty. Perhaps you comment when GWS announces crowds?
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Perhaps the same bloke that counts the GWS & Suns crowds hey. But agree atmosphere was poor. So what's point of going onto a thread many hours after and putting such comments on? It wouldn't be tolerated on the AFL threads and majority of league fans don't bother trolling like AFL fans seem to do nor do you like people questioning AFL integrity which is beyond reproach for most AFL fans.
Emcie
Guest
It looked and sounded completely empty
Cadfael
Roar Guru
What were the Sharks down recently in two games and won? A lot more than 10 points.
Crashy
Guest
9300 was the reported crowd. Surely someone has a job to justify these numbers...it's more rubbery than a titans crowd. Cue crosscoder.....
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Gordon cost the Sharks 16 points. Dropped a bomb which led to a try in the first minute and 1/2. Fumbled a grubber which eventually led to another try near the sideline. Then had a one on one stale where Thurston scored. I.m surprise'd they got the crowd they did,no Cows fans, a big loiss last week and freeze your balls weather to boot.I was thinking twice about venturing down.
mary foxy
Guest
come on cowboys its yours
Steve
Guest
What do you think crowd was? 1000?
peeeko
Guest
sharks fans not really turning up for this Rise for Alex round after a big crowd last week
Rosemarie Clark
Guest
Dam it
Marldon
Guest
Thought the Cowboys were a bit off for tonight. Not really covered themselves in glory there. They will have to lift several gears next week.
Rosemarie Clark
Guest
Man this sucks