Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
12
Match Complete
Sydney Roosters
13
| 72 |  | S. Walker | ||
| 69 |  | B. Smith | ||
| 67 |  | S. Wong | ||
| N. Hynes |  | 61 | ||
| R. Mulitalo | | 52 | ||
| 43 | | S. Walker | ||
| 42 | | J. Manu | ||
| N. Hynes | | 20 | ||
| S. Katoa | | 14 |
| 2 | Tries | 2 | ||
| 0 | Conversions | 2 | ||
| 2 | Penalty Goals | 0 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 1 |
Sudden-death finals football starts tonight when the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks take on the Sydney Roosters at PointsBet Stadium in Cronulla. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:50pm (AEST).
Finals football is good enough. Elimination finals are next level. The Sharks and Roosters have both enjoyed good runs of late and cemented their spot at the expense of other teams that fell away. This could well be the closest semi final of this first week.
The Sharks have had their fair share of detractors, questioning their ability to win against quality opposition. Still, wins over the Rabbitohs, Cowboys and Raiders in recent weeks under pressure probably quietens those critics a little.
The win over the Raiders was semi final style football, with Cronulla happy to get in the grind before turning up the heat in the second half. The Sebastian Kris send off was unfortunate for the Raiders, but the Sharks had wrestled the momentum by that stage.
Craig Fitzgibbon has named an unchanged line up but Connor Tracey is in slight doubt with a knee injury. Will Kennedy has been named in the reserves and could return to the side.
The Roosters were written off at various times during the season, but a five win streak at the end, and a poor finish by the Rabbitohs and Cowboys, secured them a spot. Having done that, they start afresh.
The 26-12 win over the Rabbitohs last start probably didn’t live up to the pre match hype but the Roosters were clinical. Two tries in the last 10 minutes sealed the result.
In the only change to the Roosters line up, Joseph Manu has been named to return. Daniel Tupou is still on the sidelines, with Junior Pauga retaining a wing spot.
Prediction
This is a toss of the coin job. The Sharks will remember their disappointment from last year’s final series and will be keen to atone in front of a full house.
The Roosters are a better side on paper but finals aren’t won there. Sydney have been battling for weeks just to make the semis and, now that they have, the foot may come slightly off the pedal. It will be tight, but the Sharks will get home in a thriller.
Game information
Venue: PointsBet Stadium
Kick-off: 7:50pm (AEST)
TV: Nine, Fox Sports
Streaming: Kayo Sports, Foxtel
Odds: Sharks $1.95 Roosters $1.85 – odds via PlayUp
Sharks: 1. Connor Tracey 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Braden Hamlin-Uele 11. Briton Nikora 12. Wade Graham 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Jack Williams 15. Royce Hunt 16. Thomas Hazelton 17. Oregon Kaufusi 18. Kayal Iro 19. Daniel Atkinson 20. Jesse Colquhoun 21. William Kennedy 22. Matt Moylan
Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Fetalaiga Pauga 3. Billy Smith 4. Joseph Manu 5. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Fletcher Baker 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Siua Wong 12. Nat Butcher 13. Victor Radley 14. Sandon Smith 15. Egan Butcher 16. Terrell May 17. Angus Crichton 18. Drew Hutchison 19. Naufahu Whyte 20. Corey Allan 21. Jaxson Paulo 22. Dylan Napa
steveng
Roar Rookie
Where is Renegade??? Got to put this in and stick it in, told you so the Sharks are just NOT good enough, that's two years in a row, getting beat in the first week.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
It's good to know we are on the same page as always, jimmmy. :silly: :thumbup:
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Braden Hamlin-Uele was a massive out for the Sharks, though. Not to mention Will Kennedy. But given the Roosters walking wounded, it was a massive effort by the chooks. It's good to see that the Rabbitohs spirit, shown by more than half your squad of former Rabbitohs, got the chooks over the line. :laughing:
Muzz Manyana
Roar Rookie
Hynes is the Sharks number 1 playmaker and is also the organising half who calls the shots. He's a good player. To become a great player he needs to step up and drag his team over the line. The Chooks had 2 backrowers playing in the centres and 2 rookies on the flanks with a combined total of less than 20 games between them. They were also down to 12 men at one stage! Great players ice games and put them well and truly out of reach. Hynes couldn't get it done! He needs to work on this aspect of his game if he want's to play rep footy.
Poss
Roar Rookie
Yep NQR Sammy won that game last night...He's a little dynamo.. :happy: He is going to be a great player he's only just begun,his bravery (nouse) & knowledge of the game at such a young age is incredible....I hope we have him for many,many more years.
andrew
Roar Rookie
I think everyone expects Talakai to repeat his smashing of Morgan Harper every time he plays. He's been average at best in my opinion, and he's definitely no speedster.
Poss
Roar Rookie
Yeah as much as I hate saying it GB without JWH :angry: ,Toupie,the two Joey's,Connor etc we may be delaying the inevitable especially with Melbourne....But got to have faith...Go Chookies!!!!!!
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
That's what I mean by a proper setup.
Stormy
Roar Rookie
Let's hope they come out, to play, with a new attitude, mindset & a real will to win.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
There was NO game management or control at the back end of that game by the Sharks halves. Period. As the reigning Dally M Player of the Year Nicho needed to step up and guide his team towards a setting up for a FG. He needed to stand deeper. He needed to do more. Q.E.D. he choked. Just like Ilias and Cody Walker.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
At least you have next week to look forward to. Souths fans can only look forward to next year. :unhappy:
Renegade
Roar Guru
We watched different games, Hynes put his stamp on the game… lacked support - really missed Will Kennedy at the back. Tracey is a pinball, lacked ball playing - Trindall as well was overwhelmed by the occasion i suspect
Ben Lewis
Roar Pro
Grow up mate.
Poss
Roar Rookie
Don't worry GB I'm still in shock too,I thought we were gone before Sammy kicked that field goal...Bless his little cotton socks!! :happy: Next week's going to be a worry... :unhappy:
Brendon Waldron
Roar Pro
Honestly it's why I was happy to lose to them in the last round, I knew trying to beat them two weeks in a row would be a tough ask because they've always been good at bouncing back...
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Commiserations mate. The Sharks still had a better season than my Bunnies.
Stormy
Roar Rookie
Hold on to the ball & they are well on the way R. That & a bit of patience will help.
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
:laughing:
Stormy
Roar Rookie
Hope you are right, Brendon.
Stormy
Roar Rookie
I think it suits, perfectly. Frantic pace = big errors; taking the 2 points. They wasted most of the 10 minutes, which came back to bite them.......hard.