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The Titans and the Sharks have had a jumbled start to the 2018 season, as a result of injuries and on-going positional changes.
The two face off this weeekend equal on the ladder, with three wins, although the Titans have conceded 59 points more.
So what’s the fix? Matt Moylan finally looks set to be the Sharks’ long-term number six. At the opposite end, Bryce Cartwright will play the same position, having been used off the bench in previous weeks and beginning the year at lock. He replaces Kane Elgey, who’s a casualty of two consecutive losses.
Moylan and Cartwright played together at the Panthers before being granted releases 12 months into five-year deals, meaning the winner of this game could be decided by two players who were not that long ago long-term signings and teammates at Penrith.
When Moylan was last at this venue, he kicked the winning field goal (15-14) for Penrith, in Round 25 of 2016.
Which leads to another important point: the Sharks won well last week against a Panthers side that trounced the Titans the week before.
But the Titans have been something of a bogey side for Cronulla, having put an end to their run of consecutive wins in 2016 – the year the Sharks won the comp.
Similarly, Gold Coast beat the Sharks twice last year, and on three of the last four occasions Cronulla have travelled to Cbus Super Stadium. What’s more, Gold Coast have won five of their past seven games against the Sharks, although seven of the past eight matches between these two have been decided by six points or fewer.
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This is just the second time Gold Coast have played at Cbus Super Stadium this year – they beat the Raiders here in Round 1 – having taken two home games to Toowoomba and Gladstone to accommodate the Commonwealth Games.
Of course, home advantage and recent good form over the Sharks is cancelled out by the rise of the young guns who have filled the void left by injured co-captains Paul Gallen and Wade Graham, as well as experienced campaigner Luke Lewis.
When the Sharks game against the Dragons ended, the reserve bench was full of crutches, ice packs and knee braces. The Shire club had to look outside of the main playing group and while there was damaged cartilage, they found they have a reserve grade squad that has buckets of heartilage, as they showed tremendous grit to beat the Panthers.
A rampaging, offloading Andrew Ffifta is playing some of his best football, as is Jai Arrow, and while Jesse Ramien is off to the Knights, he has earned the centre position.
In further positive news, this week Graham returns from injury, as does Jayson Bukuya.
One more battle that could prove crucial will be between the custodians.
Josh Dugan has the credentials at fullback but you can bet Michael Gordon will step up. Gordon is an ultra-consistent footballer who provided good service for the Sharks before leaving as the club signed Ben Barba.
It’s a cruelty that Gordon was solid with the Sharks through the tough times, but moved on one season shy of premiership success.
As for my prediction, the head says Sharks by 1-12, while the heart says Sharks 13-plus and Fifita to score a double.
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