Today, The Roar’s NRL preview series moves onto those teams who will play finals footy, but just make up the numbers come September.

8. Cronulla Sharks

The Sharks have always been thereabouts. Seemingly, come finals time, no matter the on or off-field circumstances, they are sniffing around.

That is exactly where they are going to fit into the 2020 puzzle.

It’s hard to see them being world beaters, with plenty of changes going on and a couple of veterans on the way out, but they certainly aren’t going to be at the bottom of the table.

In 2019 Cronulla found new and inventive ways to lose games, and won some other tight ones, before romping home against the Tigers on the final day of the season to make the top eight.

They then went to Brookvale as huge favourites, only to be beaten comprehensively by a battered Manly side, falling out of the finals in Week 1.

John Morris will want better this time around, but with a backline seemingly an injury or two away from falling apart, and uncertainty around the halves combination, it’ll take a mighty effort to move much higher up the ladder.

Squad

Wade Graham (c), Blayke Brailey, Jayson Bukuya, Josh Dugan, Andrew Fifita, Braden Hamlin-Uele, Mawene Hiroti, Shaun Johnson, Sione Katoa, William Kennedy, Cameron King, Billy Magoulias, Kayleb Milne, Josh Morris, Matt Moylan, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Briton Nikora, Jesse Ramien, Toby Rudolf, Scott Sorensen, Cruz Topai-Aveai, Chad Townsend, Connor Tracey, Braydon Trindall, Jack Williams, Teig Wilton, Aaron Woods, Bronson Xerri

Development players: Josh Carr, Jackson Ferris, Kyle Patterson, Daniel Vasquez, Jack A Williams

Coach: John Morris
Captain: Wade Graham

Ins: Mawene Hiroti (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Cameron King (Featherstone Rovers), Ronaldo Mulitalo (promoted from development mid 2019), Jesse Ramien (Newcastle Knights), Toby Rudolf (Newtown Jets), Connor Tracey (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Braydon Trindall (development) Teig Wilton (development)

Outs: Jayden Brailey (Newcastle Knights), Kurt Capewell (Penrith Panthers), Sosaia Feki (Castleford Tigers), Kyle Flanagan (Sydney Roosters), Paul Gallen (retired), Aaron Gray (released), Isaac Lumelume (Melbourne Storm), Matt Prior (Leeds Rhinos), James Segeyaro (released mid 2019), Ava Seumanfagai (Leeds Rhinos)

The best 17
1. Matt Moylan
2. Josh Morris
3. Jesse Ramien
4. Bronson Xerri
5. Ronaldo Mulitalo
6. Shaun Johnson
7. Chad Townsend
8. Andrew Fifita
9. Blayke Brailey
10. Braden Hamlin-Uele
11. Briton Nikora
12. Wade Graham
13. Jack Williams
Interchange:
14. Braydon Trindall
15. Jayson Bukuya
16. Billy Magoulias
17. Aaron Woods

Team overview
The Sharkies may have lost Paul Gallen, Matt Prior, Kurt Capewell, Sosaia Feki and Jayden Brailey during the off-season, but on paper, their top 17 is still relatively strong.

There are issues, but if Matt Moylan and Shaun Johnson are fit, then the spine they create with Chad Townsend and Blayke Brailey is good.

Bronson Xerri and Ronaldo Mulitalo bring speed on the edges, Jesse Ramien will be looking to get back to his best form, and Josh Morris could be shuffled out to the wing. There is a chance he plays fullback if Moylan isn’t fit though, opening the way for Sione Katoa.

Will Kennedy and Mawene Hiroti wait in the back-up brigade, while Braydon Trindall jumps onto the bench utility spot over Connor Treacey.

The forward pack has always been the best part about Cronulla, and even without Gallen and Prior, it still is, with Andrew Fifita, Braden Hamlin-Uele and Aaron Woods forming a lethal combination up front. Briton Nikora burst onto the scene last year and joins Wade Graham in the second row, while Jack Williams would have been starting at any other club last season.

Jayson Bukuya on the bench goes to show their strength, while Billy Magoulias was immense in NSW Cup – and that’s without even mentioning the injury to Cameron King, or the talents of Toby Rudolf, Scott Sorensen and Cruz Topai-Aveai.

Strengths
As just mentioned, it’s the forwards in the middle third who need to lead the way. A lot of that hinges on Fifita getting back to his best though.

His 2019 was off the boil, and without Gallen and Prior, he has nowhere to hide this year. Woods too, will have to be excellent, but both are Origin players at their best, while Hamlin-Uele should only get better after an outstanding 2019.

Williams is the x-factor. He has long been touted as the man to take over from Gallen, and will finally get the chance to do so this year, coming off a season where he averaged almost 100 metres per game and was a tackling machine.

The bench is also a major strength. Good options in the utility spot, and the combination and experience of Woods and Bukuya, should leave them in good stead.

Weaknesses
The big one is injury concerns. None of Johnson, Moylan or Dugan seem able to put together a full season, and when two of them play in spine positions, it has a big impact on the team.

Dugan is all but finished for the year, but Johnson and Moylan, to go with their injuries, struggled for form in a big way in 2019.

With the pair off the park and a lack of continuity as a result, it comes as no surprise that the attack can be a mess.

Outside of the duo, their outside backs also seem to be a little unsettled, with Josh Morris likely to play out of position in an effort to cover a shortage on the wings and accommodate an overfill in the centres.

Again, point-scoring could be an issue, and with Brailey stepping up as the club’s starting hooker for the first time – with brother Jayden heading to Newcastle – those issues may only compound.

Fixture breakdown

Teams to play twice: Newcastle Knights, Penrith Panthers, Manly Sea Eagles, Melbourne Storm, Wests Tigers, Canterbury Bulldogs, Sydney Roosters, North Queensland Cowboys, St George Illawarra Dragons
Five-day turnarounds: 3
Seven plus day turnarounds: 17
Best home run: Round 20 – 25 (4 out of 6)
Worst away run: Round 6 – 15 (6 out of 9)

The season kicks off in about the toughest possible way, with games against the Rabbitohs and Storm in the first two weeks, before the Roosters three weeks later.

Having to play all their home games in Dragons territory at Kogarah won’t help their cause, while playing six out of nine on the road between Rounds 6 and 15 won’t be straightforward either – a stretch that takes them to Brisbane twice, as well as Newcastle and Bathurst.

Four of their final six are at home though, and with only the Roosters to play out of last year’s top eight during that period. It means their list of teams to play twice also looks straightforward, with only Manly and Melbourne included from last year’s finals.

They do, however, have three dreaded five-day turnarounds in six weeks between Rounds 16 and 21, which will be about as tough as it gets.

7. Manly Sea Eagles

The men from the northern beaches were one of the big surprise packets in 2019, but how will they go without the battler tag accompanying them this year?

With Des Hasler returning to the club, Manly had one of the great seasons of the modern era.

Widely written off, they had to deal with a speight of injuries which threatened to ruin their season time and time again, but they kept showing up, getting the job done and in the end made the finals.

While they couldn’t go all the way, they outperformed all reasonable expectations, with youngsters constantly stepping up and a never-say-die attitude instilled in the club.

They unearthed some stars in both backs and forwards, most of whom will play in maroon and white again this year, and while an off-field incident has threatened their season, the club still looks in outstanding shape.

Squad

Daly Cherry-Evans (c), Morgan Boyle, Lachlan Croker, Cade Cust, Brendan Elliot, Manase Fainu, Addin Fonua-Blake, Tevita Funa, Reuben Garrick, Jack Gosiewski, Albert Hopoate, Sean Keppie, Danny Levi, Luke Metcalf, Haumole Olokau’atu, Brad Parker, Taniela Paseka, Josh Schuster, Toafofoa Sipley, Curtis Sironen, Sam Smith, Moses Suli, Jorge Taufua, Martin Taupau, Joel Thompson, Jake Trbojevic, Tom Trbojevic, Corey Waddell, Dylan Walker, Tony Williams

Development players: Jade Anderson, Semisi Kioa, Abbas Miski, Brayden Musgrove, Zac Saddler, Keith Titmuss, Ben Trbojevic

Coach: Des Hasler
Captain: Daly Cherry-Evans

Ins: Sean Keppie (development), Danny Levi (Newcastle Knights), Luke Metcalf (development), Brayden Musgrove (Newcastle Knights), Josh Schuster (development), Tony Williams (Blacktown mid 2019)

Outs: Kane Elgey (retired), Trent Hodkinson (retired), Api Koroisau (Penrith Panthers), Lloyd Perrett (Wynnum Manly Seagulls), Kelepi Tanginoa (Wakefield Trinity), Frank Winterstein (Toulouse Olympique)

The best 17
1. Tom Trbojevic
2. Jorge Taufua
3. Moses Suli
4. Brad Parker
5. Reuben Garrick
6. Dylan Walker
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Danny Levi
10. Martin Taupau
11. Joel Thompson
12. Curtis Sironen
13. Jake Trbojevic
Interchange:
14. Cade Cust
15. Jack Gosiewski
16. Toafofoa Sipley
17. Haumole Olokau’atu

Team overview
Manly’s biggest problem coming into the new season was the lack of a viable hooking option, but the signing of Danny Levi has held that at bay, and gives them control and steadiness.

In one of the competition’s most settled backlines, Tom Trbojevic will line up at fullback, Daly Cherry-Evans and Dylan Walker in the halves, Jorge Taufua and Reuben Garrick on the wings, and Moses Suli and Brad Parker in the centres.

This time last year, Manly having a settled backline was a pipe dream, with virtually none of those players suggesting form or class would get them permanent spots in the side, outside Trbojevic and the Maroons Origin skipper.

Addin Fonua-Blake will miss the start of the season through injury, but still gets a place in the best 17, while the rest of the pack also fires on all cylinders, with Martin Taupau and Jake Trbojevic among the best in the game in their respective positions.

From the bench, Toafofoa Sipley and Jack Gosiewski seem assured of positions, while Cade Cust will battle Lachlan Croker for the utility role. Haumole Olokau’atu’s spot seems less secure, with youngsters Sean Keppie, Luke Metcalf and Josh Schuster all in the hunt, while Corey Waddell is unlucky to miss out after a barnstorming 2019.

Strengths
In the front row they look unbeatable. Fonua-Blake and Taupau would both be rated in the top five props in the competition, while Jake Trbojevic at lock only adds to their ball playing, hard running and insanely good tackling up the middle.

All three are representative players, and with a host of good youngsters in the wings, they have good depth there as well.

Then there is the influence of Tom Trbojevic. The fullback may have only played half a season last campaign due to injury, but he virtually won in every game he played.

The difference between Manly with Tom Trbojevic and Manly without Tom Trbojevic was immense, almost to the point where it felt like (and was) season done when he got injured at the back end of the finals.

Weaknesses
As mentioned, the number nine jersey is an issue for Manly. Letting Apisai Koroisau go, then having Manase Fainu stood down, they had to sign Levi from the Knights.

Levi is talented, but never got the full chance to show it in Newcastle, hampered by injury and mismanagement. While his talent is obvious, his ability to help control a side at the top of the table for big minutes each week is still under the microscope.

Cust or Croker will back him up off the bench, but neither are out and out hookers, and so all the pressure will fall on the Kiwi.

The jury is also still out on Walker in the halves. His running game is outstanding, and as it did last year, on paper, the combination with Cherry-Evans should fit like a glove, but still, there were uncertain moments.

Fixture breakdown

Teams to play twice: Canterbury Bulldogs, Parramatta Eels, Cronulla Sharks, Sydney Roosters, Canberra Raiders, Newcastle Knights, New Zealand Warriors, Penrith Panthers, Gold Coast Titans
Five-day turnarounds: 13
Seven plus day turnarounds: 13
Best home run: Round 5 – 9 (4 out of 5)
Worst away run: Round 12-19 (5 out of 7)

As much as Cronulla have a tough start to the season, the Sea Eagles start off against Melbourne, the Roosters and unpredictable Warriors, before playing the Raiders.

It doesn’t get much tougher than that, and we will instantly have an idea about what their form looks like – they could be behind the eight ball from the word go.

Manly give up two of their home games (one to Brisbane, the other to the Central Coast), and have the Eels, Sharks, Roosters and Raiders on their double-up list, which, for a team who finished at the right end of affairs in 2019, isn’t a bad result.

Playing three of their final four on the road could be a problem, but those games being against Newcastle, New Zealand and the Gold Coast should allay some of their fears.

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The ladder so far

7. Manly Sea Eagles
8. Cronulla Sharks
9. Penrith Panthers
10. St George Illawarra Dragons
11. Newcastle Knights
12. Brisbane Broncos
13. Canterbury Bulldogs
14. Gold Coast Titans
15. New Zealand Warriors
16. Wests Tigers

Part 1: The bottom two
Part 2: Rounding out the bottom four
Part 3: Not terrible, not good, just average
Part 4: Middle of the road