On the injury front the good news for Sharks coach Shane Flanagan is that young gun Valentine Holmes has overcome a hamstring issue and will be fit to take his place in the Cronulla side to tackle the Penrith Panthers on Sunday.
After coming from the field during the second half of the Sharks win over the Warriors, Holmes missed the Eels game, more as a pre-caution rather than due to a serious injury problem, watching on from the sidelines as his team beat the Eels after conceding an early 18-0 lead.
Holmes has been named in his familiar jersey number 5, with his return a timely one.
While Holmes takes his place in a Sharks team looking to extend their club-record winning streak to 13, five of his teammates will miss the match after being called-upon by NSW Origin selectors.
Skipper Paul Gallen, Jack Bird, James Maloney, Wade Graham and Andrew Fifita have all gone into camp with the NSW team and will be unavailable for the Sharks on Sunday.
With their depth stretched, the positive is that other than Ricky Leutele who was forced from the field late in the Eels win, the Sharks selected for the Penrith game have been given a clean bill of health.
Medical staff are hopeful of having Leutele ready to go come 4pm on Sunday.
Included amongst those fit and raring to go is Sosaia Feki, the big busting winger coming through the game last Saturday night injury free after being out of action for three weeks, scoring two tries, including the match-sealer, in an impressive performance.
In relation to NRL squad members currently playing for the Newtown Jets, three players are currently still unavailable, although the trio have been slated to return the following weekend.
Backrower Anthony Moraitis missed the Jets loss to the Illawarra Cutters through illness and takes his place in the team on Saturday, however Josh Cleeland (ankle), Jacob Gagan (hamstring) and Junior Roqica (foot) haven’t been named in the Jets side.
And in some bad news for John Morris’s NYC squad, hardworking backrower Jayden McDonough suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury in his teams’ previous match.
One of the shining lights of the Sharks Holden Cup team in 2016, McDonough will leave big shoes to fill for the remainder of the season.
The Sharks play the Panthers at Pepper Stadium in the NRL and NYC on Sunday, with the Newtown Jets to take on the Wyong Roos at Henson Park on Saturday afternoon.
