We get a massive southern Sydney derby in Thursday night football, as the Dragons make the short trip to Shark Park to take on Cronulla.
St George Illawarra fans will be full of optimism after a clinical Round 1 performance, where they swept aside the Broncos 34-12 at Jubilee Oval.
Ben Hunt had an outstanding debut in the Red V, scoring an intercept try against his old club, as well as providing several good short kicks.
I was also really impressed by the Dragons’ forward pack, James Graham in particular showing plenty of intent in his first match for the club.
As for the Sharks, they are looking to avoid back-to-back defeats, after going down narrowly 20-14 against the Cowboys in Townsville.
Cronulla will be without young winger Sione Katoa, who broke his jaw and will miss the next couple of months, with Aaron Gray moving on to the wing, while Luke Lewis remains unavailable.
It will be interesting to see what Shane Flanagan does with Valentine Holmes, who was named at fullback but is under pressure to retain the role after a poor performance in Round 1.
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Of late, the Dragons have the wood on their biggest rivals, winning seven of the past 11 encounters. In 2017 honours were shared, with the Sharks winning 18-14 in Round 11 at Jubilee, while in Round 3, the Dragons shocked the Sharks, holding on for a gripping 16-10 victory at Shark Park, in a game that was fiercely contested in the forwards.
In 2016, the sides traded two wins apiece. Overall, the Dragons hold a slender advantage, with 20 victories and 18 defeats.
Verdict
This will be an absolute cracker of a game, with plenty of feeling, physicality and niggle. The Sharks will be desperate to avoid an 0-2 start, while the Dragons want to show they could be a top-four outfit.
St George Illawarra should get on top in the forwards, and with Cronulla missing Lewis and having been patchy at home last season, I’m tipping an upset.
Dragons by 1-6 in a low scoring game
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