It was an uncharacteristic Manly performance as the Wests Tigers well and truly put the cleaners through the Sea Eagles last weekend.
The Manly side were never seriously in the contest, at one stage trailing 30-0 before being beaten 34-18, with a couple of late tries bringing the teams closer together but failing to hide the fact they were well beaten on the day.
The Sharks therefore travel to Brookvale this weekend wary of the wounded Sea Eagle despite the fact they regained some confidence with a big victory of their own at their last start.
In a performance which put smiles back on plenty of faces after a difficult first month of the 2014 season, the Sharks were outstanding in running in seven tries on the day to totally dominate the visiting Warriors.
The backs were sharp, with Nathan Stapleton crossing for four tires, while the forwards won the battle up front with the physical Warrior pack, however more of the same will be needed to turn around what is an abysmal record in matches played at Brookvale Oval.
Having won just five times in 36 games at the ground, including a 24-18 loss in their last encounter 12 months prior, the Sharks have their work in front of them.
But as coach Peter Sharp quite rightly points out, its not about what has gone before but rather what the Sharks can produce on Sunday.
“History will have little effect on Sunday,” Sharp said. It’s how your team performs on the day that matters. Obviously they have performed better than us over there.
“But we won’t have it on our minds when we run out there. We are fully aware how hard the game will be.”
While not underestimating the task at hand, one thing working in the Sharks favour will be the stability of the team line up, with for the first time this year Sharp able to name the same 17 players from the week previous.
Jeff Robson made a return for the Sharks, with his combination with five eighth Todd Carney a feature of their teams’ win, with the pair potentially to be even better with the one run together under the belt.
In the forwards, while the likes of Paul Gallen, Luke Lewis and Anthony Tupou are still a couple of week away from a return, the fact that Andrew Fifita came back to something approaching his best form last week, the prop running for 218 metres on 24 carries, will have Sharp and his coaching staff feeling better about the Sharks chances.
Despite going into the game with a number of positives to back up their claims, the Sharks will go into the match as heavy underdogs, with bookies offering as much as $3.75 for a Cronulla win.
The match is scheduled for a 3.00pm kickoff at Brookvale Oval
Record @ Brookvale Oval (1967-2014)
Total Record at Brookvale Oval: Played 36 Won 5 Drawn 1 Lost 30
Points For- 505 Against-895
Sharks First Game at Brookvale: Rd 08 May 14, 1967 (Lost 5-39) Sharks Scorers: Dennis Hewett try, Terry Hughes goal Att: 6,726
Sharks First Win at Brookvale: Rd 10 June 02, 1974 (Won 27-18) Sharks Scorers: Ray Corcoran 2, Eric Archer, Dave Chamberlin, Fred Dennehy, John Maguire, Bob Wear tries; Eric Archer 3 goals. Att: 8,860
Sharks Biggest Win: 27-18 Rd 10 June 02, 1974 (9pts margin)
Sharks Heaviest Defeat: 14-50 Rd 06 April 15, 1984 (36pts margin)
Best Brookvale Attendance against Manly: 18,045 Rd 18 July 28, 1995
Sharks Attendance Average at Brookvale: 11,103
Sharks Points Average Per Game at Brookvale: 14pts
Most Points Scored by the Sharks: 30-44 Loss Rd 10 May 07, 1998 (30pts) and a 30-28 Victory in Rd 11 May 23, 2004 (30pts)
Most Points Conceded: 14-50 Rd 06 April 15, 1984 (50pts)
Most Total Points Scored by a Sharks Player at Brookvale: (34pts) by Luke Covell (2 tries 13 goals)
Most Sharks Points Scored in a Game: (12pts) by Andrew Ettingshausen (3 tries), Rd 10 May 07, 1988; (12pts) by Luke Covell (1 try 4 goals), Rd 25 August 30, 2009
Most Tries Scored in a Game: (3 tries) by Andrew Ettingshausen Rd 10 May 07, 1988
Most Goals Scored in a Game: (5 goals) by Greg Carberry, Rd 14 June 30, 1991; Goals Collectively in a Game: (5 goals) Sean Watson (3 goals) & Alan Wilson (2 goals) Rd 10 May 07, 1988
Most Sharks Team Tries Scored in a Game: (7 tries) Rd 10 June 02, 1974 (Won 27-18)
Total Try Scorers for the Sharks vs Manly at Brookvale: (87 Tries, 56 Try Scorers) Andrew Ettingshausen 4; Ray Corcoran 3; Fred Dennehy 3; Greg Mullane 3; Rick Bourke 3; Kurt Sorensen 3; Jonathan Docking 3; Richie Barnett 3; Bob Wear 2; John Maguire 2; Mick Mullane 2; Dean Carney 2; Alan Wilson 2; Les Davidson 2; Mitch Healey 2; Paul Gallen 2; Phil Bailey 2; David Simmons 2; Nigel Vagana 2; Luke Covell 2; Grant Millington 2; Nathan Stapleton 2; Dennis Hewett 1; Ray Westwood 1; John Taper 1; Eric Archer 1; Dave Chamberlin 1; Barry Andrews 1; Steve Edmonds 1; Martin Raftery 1; Gary Cameron 1; John Berne 1; Ian Forrest 1; Steve Rogers 1; Jim See 1; Mark McGaw 1; Craig Dimond 1; Phil Dotti 1; Michael Porter 1; Dane Sorensen 1; Glenn Coleman 1; Darren Higgins 1; Gary Lester 1; Mat Rogers 1; Tim Maddison 1; Greg Bird 1; Andrew Emelio 1; Michael Sullivan 1; David Peachey 1; Russell Aitken 1; Darren Albert 1; Adam Dykes 1; Bryson Goodwin 1; Brett Kearney 1; Tim Smith 1; Stewart Mills 1.
Total Goal Scorers for the Sharks vs Manly at Brookvale: (92 Goals, 23 Goal Scorers) Luke Covell 13; Steve Rogers 11; Barry Andrews 7; Terry Hughes 6; Dane Sorensen 6; Dean Carney 5; Greg Carberry 5; George Taylforth 4; Sean Watson 4; Dave Cotter 3; Eric Archer 3; Tony Armstrong 3; Mitch Healey 3; Jarrad Anderson 3; Brett Kimmorley 3; Alan Wilson 2; Matthew Corkery 2; Mat Rogers 2; Nathan Stapleton 2; Michael Gordon 2; Kurt Wrigley 1; Eion Crossan 1; Chad Townsend 1.
Total Field Goal Scorers for the Sharks vs Manly at Brookvale: (2 Field Goals, 2 Field Goal Scorers) Terry Hughes 1 (1969); Mitch Healey 1 (1995).
Information provided by Sharks Historian Jeffery Petersen
