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Wests Tigers
8
Match Complete
Sharks
25
| 79 |  | P. Gallen | ||
| L. Garner |  | 60 | ||
| 51 |  | S. Johnson | ||
| 50 | | S. Feki | ||
| 49 | | S. Johnson | ||
| 47 | | S. Feki | ||
| 45 | | S. Johnson | ||
| 44 | | J. Morris | ||
| 39 |  | S. Johnson | ||
| P. Momirovski | | 34 | ||
| 19 | | B. Nikora | ||
| P. Momirovski | | 5 |
| 1 | Tries | 4 | ||
| 0 | Conversions | 3 | ||
| 2 | Penalty Goals | 1 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 1 |
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The Cronulla Sharks are through to the 2019 NRL Finals after a comfortable 17-point win over the Wests Tigers.
Final score
Wests Tigers 8
Cronulla Sharks 25
The final spot in the top eight all comes down to one game when a packed Leichhardt Oval hosts the biggest game of the season between the Wests Tigers and Cronulla Sharks on Sunday afternoon. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 2pm (AEST).
Of course, there is still the prospect that both teams could make the finals should they come away with a draw following the Broncos failure to put the Bulldogs away at Homebush on Saturday night, but chances are, that won’t happen and there will only be room for one of these sides in September.
The Sharks and Tigers are two sides who can both make cases for their deserving to be there, however, things could have been so much better for the men from the Shire.
They have found every trick in the book to lose games this year – poor goal kicking, sloppy discipline in crucial situations, and a mounting injury toll which has cost them at various points.
When they lost five straight not all that long ago, even their most optimistic fans were starting to give up on playing finals footy, however, a startling late-season turnaround has given them plenty of life.
While they did lose at home to the Canberra Raiders last week, this is a side who have plenty of grunt up the middle and enough strike to get the job done in most cases.
The Tigers too, have lost games at important times this year, which is why they find themselves in the battle to, yet again, avoid finishing ninth.
All eyes are on whether Robbie Farah will play today. While the quality of their last two opponents has been dreadful, resulting in big wins where the Tigers scored more than 40 points in each game, they should have a lot of confidence out of them.
That could all come undone in a heartbeat though if they mix with the winning formula, although, the Sharks to bring with them a much tougher challenge than what the Tigers have faced in the last two weeks.
The main part of that is through the middle third, where Paul Gallen, Aaron Woods, Matt Prior and later, Andrew Fifita and Braden Hamlin-Uele, should dominate.
If the Tigers can’t match it there, it won’t matter what Benji Marshall and Luke Brooks can conjure up in attack.
While the Tigers do hold a better overall record in this match-up, they haven’t had much fun in recent years, losing all of their last five to the black, white and blue.
Prediction
Well, this is it. Do or die. It makes it a tough one to predict when the finals come a week early. As much as I’d love to see a scoreless draw, the Sharks should get the job done. They just have too much in the middle.
Sharks by 8.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this absolutely pivotal match from 2pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Kick-off: 2pm (AEST)
Venue: Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
TV: Live, Fox League 502
Overall record: Played 20, Tigers 17, Sharks 12, drawn 1
Last meeting: Round 14, 2018 – Sharks 24 defeat Tigers 16 at Cronulla
Last five: Sharks 5, Tigers 0
Record at venue: Played 8, Tigers 5, Sharks 3
Referees: Ben Cummins, Peter Gough
Wests Tigers
1. Corey Thompson 2. Robert Jennings 3. Paul Momirovski 4. Esan Marsters 5. David Nofoaluma 6. Benji Marshall 7. Luke Brooks 8. Thomas Mikaele 9. Josh Reynolds 10. Oliver Clark 11. Luke Garner 12. Chris Lawrence 13. Ryan Matterson
Interchange: 14. Matt Eisenhuth 15. Elijah Taylor 16. Alex Twal 17. Michael Chee-Kam 18. Tommy Talau 21. Robbie Farah
Cronulla Sharks
1. Josh Dugan 2. Sosaia Feki 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Josh Morris 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Shaun Johnson 7. Chad Townsend 8. Aaron Woods 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Matt Prior 11. Briton Nikora 12. Wade Graham 13. Paul Gallen
Interchange: 14. Kurt Capewell 15. Jack Williams 16. Andrew Fifita 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele 18. Billy Magoulias 20. Kyle Flanagan
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