With confidence high and near to full strength after the second Bye Round the Sharks take on the Knights this Sunday at Newcastle’s Hunter Stadium.
Our boy’s decisive home victory over the Roosters in Round 13 brought added punch to a side wanting more than just competition points. Cronulla showed discipline and an astute game plan, shutting out the Roosters in all departments.
With the spectre of 2014 behind us the Sharks hope to take their “A” game north to seek out a much-needed win in front of an always partisan crowd.
Since the Sharks 22-6 win in the wet back in Round 6 neither team has made any real advances due to a bottle-necked NRL Ladder. With the for and against differential sure to prove crucial for all teams vying for a top eight this season, it’s a priority to post tries as well as the two points.
Sunday’s game will be our 46th game against the Knights. Newcastle has a stranglehold over us in games played at Hunter Stadium, with Cronulla coming away with only five wins and a draw from 20 starts.
The Sharks first-ever game at Newcastle was in 1988, in round 12. In front of a crowd of 12,550 the Sharks recorded their only ever draw against the Knights, when Glenn Coleman and Andrew Ettingshausen scored tries in a bruising game that ended 10-all. The Sharks last win at Newcastle was in round 8, 2013, thanks to a Jeff Robson field goal in a 21-20 victory.
Brett Kimmorley’s three tries and five goals is a Club record for most points scored in a Sharks/Knights away fixture. The Sharks great, incidentally from Belmont near Newcastle, also shares the Club record of most goals in a match; 10 goals and 2 tries in our 64-14 defeat of Newcastle back in 2002.
Last time they met at Hunter: Sunday, March 30, 2014 Round 4. 3:00pm.
Newcastle 30 (Joseph Leilua 3, Darius Boyd, Tyrone Roberts, Robbie Rochow tries; Tyrone Roberts 3 goals from 6 attempts) Cronulla-Sutherland 0
Knights: 19.Fullback Darius Boyd; 2.Wing James McManus, 3.Centre Dane Gagai, 4.Centre Joseph Leilua, 5.Wing Akuila Uate; 6.Five-Eighth Michael Dobson, 7.Halfback Tyrone Roberts; 13.Lock Jeremy Smith, 12.Second Row Robbie Rochow, 11.Second Row Beau Scott, 10.Front Row Willie Mason, 9.Hooker Kurt Gidley (Captain), 8.Front Row Kade Snowden. Interchange: 14.Adam Clydesdale, 15.Korbin Sims, 17.Adam Cuthbertson, 18.David Fa’alogo.
Sharks: 1.Fullback Michael Gordon; 2.Wing Nathan Stapleton, 3.Centre Blake Ayshford, 4.Centre Ricky Leutele, 5.Wing Jonathan Wright; 6.Five-Eighth Todd Carney, 7.Halfback Daniel Holdsworth; 13.Lock Chris Heighington, 12.Second Row Wade Graham (Captain), 11.Second Row Matt Prior, 10.Front Row Sam Tagataese, 9.Hooker John Morris, 8.Front Row Andrew Fifita. Interchange: 14.Isaac De Gois, 15.Tinirau Arona, 16.Bryce Gibbs, 17.Siosaia Vave.
Half-time: Knights 26-0. Scrums: Knights 11-5. Penalties: Knights 7-6. Crowd: 18,196.
Knights Coach: Wayne Bennett. Sharks Coach: Peter Sharp.
Referees: Gavin Badger & Alan Shortall.
Our previous meeting at Remondis: Friday, April 10, 2015 Round 6. 7:35pm.
Cronulla-Sutherland 22 (Ben Barba, Jack Bird, Chris Heighington, Luke Lewis tries; Michael Gordon 2 goals from 4 attempts, Valentine Holmes 1 goal from 2 attempts) Newcastle 6 (Akuila Uate try; Tyrone Roberts 1 goal from 2 attempts)
Sharks: 1.Fullback Valentine Holmes; 2.Wing Sosaia Feki, 3.Centre Gerard Beale, 4.Centre Ricky Leutele, 5.Wing Michael Gordon; 6.Five-Eighth Jack Bird, 7.Halfback Jeff Robson; 13.Lock Paul Gallen (Captain), 12.Second Row Wade Graham, 11.Second Row Luke Lewis, 10.Front Row Chris Heighington, 9.Hooker Michael Ennis, 8.Front Row Andrew Fifita. Interchange: 14.Ben Barba, 15.Anthony Tupou, 16.Matt Prior, 17.David Fifita.
Knights: 1.Fullback Kurt Gidley (Captain); 2.Wing James McManus, 3.Centre Dane Gagai, 4.Centre Joseph Leilua, 5.Wing Akuila Uate; 6.Five-Eighth Jarrod Mullen, 7.Halfback Tyrone Roberts; 13.Lock Jeremy Smith, 12.Second Row Tariq Sims, 11.Second Row Chris Houston, 10.Second Row Korbin Sims, 9.Hooker Adam Clydesdale, 8.Front Row Kade Snowden. Interchange: 15.David Fa’alogo, 16.Joseph Tapine, 17.Jack Stockwell, 18.Sione Mata’utia.
Half-time: Sharks 12-2. Scrums: Sharks 10-6. Penalties: Knights 6-4. Crowd: 10, 054.
Referees: Ashley Klein & Alan Shortall.
Sharks Coach: Shane Flanagan. Knights Coach: Rick Stone.
SHARKS FACT: Valentine Holmes’ 74th minute conversion in round 6 was the Sharks 800th point against the Knights.
Go Sharks!
SHARKS / Knights – BY THE NUMBERS
OUR AWAY RECORD (1988-2015)
Sharks All-Time Record v Knights: Played 45 Won 17 Drawn 1 Lost 27 Points For 800 Points Against 867
Sharks Away Record v Knights in Newcastle: Played 20 Won 5 Drawn 1 Lost 14 Points For 287 Points Against 488
Sharks Away Record v Knights at Sydney Football Stadium: Played 2 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 2 Points For 28 Points Against 37
Sharks Form in Last 5 Away Games v Knights: Loss 0-30 (Rd 04 2014) Won 21-20 (Rd 08 2013) Loss 4-26 (Rd 23 2012) Loss 20-24 (Rd 06 2011) Loss 10-21 (Rd 18 2010)
Sharks Form in Last 5 Games v Knights: Won 22-6 (Rd 06 2015 at Remondis Stadium) Loss 18-31 (Rd 18 2014 at Remondis Stadium) Loss 0-30 (Rd 04 2014 at Hunter Stadium) Loss 14-18 (Rd 22 2013 at Remondis Stadium) Won 21-20 (Rd 08 2013 at Hunter Stadium)
Sharks First-Ever Game v Knights: Rd 12 at NISC, June 05, 1988 (Drawn10-all) Sharks Scorers: Glenn Coleman, Andrew Ettingshausen tries; Alan Wilson goal Att: 12,550
Sharks First Away Win v Knights: Rd 22 at Marathon Stadium, August 25, 1995 (Won 24-14) Sharks Scorers: Mat Rogers 4, Geoff Bell tries; Mat Rogers 2 goals Att: 21,280
Sharks Biggest Away Win v Knights: Won 24-14, Rd 22 August 25, 1995 (10pts margin) & Won 26-16 Rd 16 June 24, 2006 (10pts margin)
Sharks Heaviest Away Defeat v Knights: Loss 8-52, Rd 06, April 19, 2002 (44pts margin)
Sharks Best Away Attendance v Knights: 31,438 at SFS, Preliminary Final September 22, 2001; at Newcastle – 26,721, Rd 06 April 19, 2002
Sharks Away Attendance Average v Knights: 28,749 at All Venues; 18,632 at Newcastle
Sharks Points Average Per Away Game v Knights: 14.3pts
Most Away Points Scored by the Sharks v Knights: (34pts) Won 34-26, Rd 17, July 04, 2004
Most Aggregate Points Scored in an Away Game v Knights: (60pts) Loss 8-52 Rd 06, April 19, 2002 & (60pts) Won 34-26 Rd 17 July 04, 2004
Most Points Conceded Away v Knights: (52pts) Loss 8-52, Rd 06, April 19, 2002
Most Total Away Points Scored by a Sharks Player v Knights: 34 pts by Mat Rogers, (5 tries 7 goals)
Most Points Scored by a Sharks Player in an Away Game v Knights: (22pts) by Brett Kimmorley, (3 tries 5 goals) Rd 11, May 24, 2003
Most Tries Scored in an Away Game v Knights: (4 tries) by Mat Rogers, Rd 22, August 25, 1995
Most Goals Scored in an Away Game v Knights: (5 goals) by Brett Kimmorley, Rd 11, May 24, 2003; (5 goals) by Mat Hilder, Rd 17, July 04, 2004 & (5 goals) by Luke Covell, Rd 16 June 24, 2006
Most Sharks Team Tries Scored in an Away Game v Knights: (6 tries) Rd 17, July 04, 2004 (Won 34-26) Sharks Scorers: Matthew Rieck 2, Greg Bird, Danny Nutley, David Simmons, Nigel Vagana tries; Matt Hilder 5 goals Att: 18,524
Total Try Scorers for the Sharks at Newcastle: (51 Tries, 28 Try Scorers) Mat Rogers 5; David Simmons 5; Andrew Ettingshausen 3; Brett Kimmorley 3; Matthew Rieck 3; Ben Pomeroy 3; Adam Dykes 2; Paul Mellor 2; Luke Covell 2; Nigel Vagana 2; Nathan Gardner 2; John Williams 2; Jonathan Wright 2; Glenn Coleman 1; Geoff Bell 1; Russell Richardson 1; Sean Ryan 1; Andrew Pierce 1; Luke MacDougall 1; Ryan McGoldrick 1; Matt Bickerstaff 1; Greg Bird 1; Danny Nutley 1; Nigel Vagana 1; Brett Kearney 1; Beau Scott 1; Todd Carney 1; Beau Ryan 1.
Total Goal Scorers for the Sharks at Newcastle: (41 Goals, 11 Goal Scorers) Luke Covell 9; Mat Rogers 7; Brett Kimmorley 5; Matt Hilder 5; Mitch Healey 4; Alan Wilson 2; Lindsay Bowne 2; Preston Campbell 2; John Williams 2; Michael Gordon 2; Eion Crossan 1.
Total Field Goal Scorers for the Sharks at Newcastle: (1 Field Goal Scorer) Jeff Robson (1 in 2013).
Total Try Scorers for the Sharks v Knights at SFS: (5 Tries, 4 Try Scorers) Mat Rogers 2; Geoff Bell 1; Paul Green 1; David Peachey 1.
Total Goal Scorers for the Sharks v Knights at SFS: (4 Goals, 2 Goal Scorers) Mat Rogers 3; Mitch Healey 1.
Total Field Goal Scorers for the Sharks v Knights at SFS: None.
All-Time Total Try Scorers for the Sharks v Knights: (138 Tries, 74 Try Scorers) Mat Rogers 10; David Peachey 10; Matthew Rieck 6; David Simmons 6; Andrew Ettingshausen 5; Paul Mellor 5; Brett Kimmorley 5; Ben Pomeroy 4; Chris McKenna 3; Nigel Vagana 3; Jonathan Docking 2; Paul Bell 2; Mitch Healey 2; Geoff Bell 2; Paul Green 2; Richie Barnett 2; Adam Dykes 2; Brett Howland 2; Dean Treister 2; Colin Best 2; Vince Mellars 2; Nathan Merritt 2; Luke Covell 2; Isaac Gordon 2; Nathan Gardner 2; John Williams 2; Jonathan Wright 2; Glenn Coleman 1; David Burnes 1; Michael Porter 1; Barry Russell 1; Alan Wilson 1; Craig Dimond 1; Chris Quinn 1; Paul Evans 1; Les Davidson 1; Paul Doolan 1; Adam Ritson 1; Russell Richardson 1; Sean Ryan 1; Andrew Pierce 1; Preston Campbell 1; Luke Stuart 1; Luke MacDougall 1; Ryan McGoldrick 1; Phil Bailey 1; Paul Franze 1; Patrick Gibson 1; Matt Bickerstaff 1; Greg Bird 1; Danny Nutley 1; Michael Sullivan 1; Brett Kearney 1; Beau Scott 1; Paul Gallen 1; Lance Thompson 1; Reece Williams 1; Fraser Anderson 1; Trent Barrett 1; Blake Green 1; Dean Collis 1; Tim Smith 1; Kade Snowden 1; Todd Carney 1; Beau Ryan 1; Andrew Fifita 1; Wade Graham 1; Sosaia Feki 1; Michael Gordon 1; Jeff Robson 1; Ben Barba 1; Jack Bird 1; Chris Heighington 1; Luke Lewis 1.
All-Time Goal Scorers for the Sharks v Knights: (123 Goals, 17 Goal Scorers) Mat Rogers 31; Brett Kimmorley 19; Luke Covell 18; Mitch Healey 10; Michael Gordon 7; Greg Carberry 5; Matt Hilder 5; Alan Wilson 4; Eion Crossan 4; Todd Carney 4; Sean Watson 3; Nathan Merritt 3; Nathan Stapleton 3; Lindsay Bowne 2; Preston Campbell 2; John Williams 2; Valentine Holmes 1.
All-Time Field Goal Scorers for the Sharks v Knights: (2 Field Goals, 2 Field Goal Scorers) Adam Dykes (1 in 2001); Jeff Robson (1 in 2013).
