By Jeff Petersen
The Sharks will have the opportunity to consolidate a Finals berth when they take on the Warriors in Auckland this Saturday afternoon.
It’s showdown number 35 for the Sharks against the Warriors, with the win/loss record slightly in our favour with 18 wins.
The excitement stemming from last week’s deserved victory over the Bulldogs at Belmore continues as hopes are again high for another Sharks win.
This will also be the Sharks 16th visit to Mt Smart Stadium. Formerly known as Ericsson Stadium from 1995 to mid-2006, the Sharks/Warriors games there have been electric. Despite Cronulla going down by four last season, the Sharks have won the two previous away clashes, one of those wins our biggest ever in Auckland with the Sharks coming out on top to the tune of 45-4. That match was in Round 22, 2012 with Todd Carney scoring 25 points in the 41-point thrashing.
Former favourite David Peachey holds the Club record for most tries against the Warriors, six away from home and 10 in total.
The Sharks first-ever meeting with the Warriors (then known as Auckland) was at Caltex Field in Rd 10 1995, the Sharks losing a close one 18-23. Andrew Ettingshausen, Mitch Healey and fullback Ben Sammut all scoring. Cronulla counterpunched the following season with a 28-24 first-up win in Auckland in front of a crowd of 22,810. A record attendance for a regular season clash between the two sides.
Last time they met at Mt Smart Stadium: Sunday, August 10, 2014 Round 22. 4:00pm.
Warriors 16 (Ngani Laumape 2, Manu Vatuvei tries; Chad Townsend 2 goals from 4 attempts) Cronulla-Sutherland 12 (Tinirau Arona, Sosaia Feki tries; Michael Gordon 2 goals from 2 attempts)
Warriors: 1.Fullback Sam Tomkins; 2.Wing Tuimoala Lolohea, 3.Centre Ngani Laumape, 4.Centre Dane Nielsen, 5.Wing Manu Vatuvei; 6.Five-Eighth Chad Townsend, 7.Halfback Thomas Leuluai; 13.Lock Sebastine Ikahihifo, 12.Second Row Simon Mannering (Captain), 11.Second Row Sione Lousi, 10.Front Row Suaia Matagi, 9.Hooker Nathan Friend, 8.Front Row Jacob Lillyman. Interchange: 14.Feleti Mateo, 15.Ben Matulino, 16.Sam Rapira, 18.Ben Henry.
Sharks: 1.Fullback Michael Gordon; 2.Wing Sosaia Feki, 3.Centre Jonathan Wright, 4.Centre Ricky Leutele, 5.Wing Valentine Holmes; 6.Five-Eighth Fa’amanu Brown, 7.Halfback Jeff Robson (Captain); 16.Lock Tinirau Arona, 12.Second Row Tupou Sopoaga, 11.Second Row Chris Heighington, 10.Front Row Sam Tagataese, 14.Hooker Pat Politoni, 8.Front Row Andrew Fifita. Interchange: 9.Michael Lichaa, 15.Vitale Junior Roqica, 17.Matt Prior, 18.Tim Robinson.
Half-time: Warriors 16-6. Scrums: 5 all. Penalties: Warriors 8-4. Crowd: 13,939.
Warriors Coach: Andrew McFadden. Sharks Coach: James Shepherd.
Referees: Adam Devcich & Grant Atkins.
Our previous meeting at Remondis: Saturday, May 09, 2015 Round 09. 5:30pm.
Cronulla-Sutherland 16 (Andrew Fifita, Luke Lewis tries; Valentine Holmes 4 goals from 4 attempts) Warriors 20 (Shaun Johnson, Solomone Kata, Manu Vatuvei, Jonathan Wright tries; Shaun Johnson 2 goals from 5 attempts)
Sharks: 1.Fullback Ben Barba; 2.Wing Valentine Holmes, 3.Centre Gerard Beale, 4.Centre Ricky Leutele, 5.Wing Mitch Brown; 6.Five-Eighth Jack Bird, 7.Halfback Jeff Robson; 13.Lock Luke Lewis, 12.Second Row Wade Graham (Captain), 11.Second Row Jayson Bukuya, 10.Front Row Matt Prior, 9.Hooker Michael Ennis, 8.Front Row Andrew Fifita. Interchange: 14.Tinirau Arona, 15.Anthony Tupou, 16.Sami Sauiluma, 17.Sam Tagataese.
Warriors: 1.Fullback Tuimoala Lolohea; 2.Wing Jonathan Wright, 3.Centre Konrad Hurrell, 4.Centre Solomone Kata, 5.Wing Manu Vatuvei; 6.Five-Eighth Chad Townsend, 7.Halfback Shaun Johnson; 13.Lock Simon Mannering (Captain), 12.Second Row Ryan Hoffman, 11.Second Row Bodene Thompson, 10.Second Row Ben Matulino, 9.Hooker Thomas Leuluai, 8.Front Row Jacob Lillyman. Interchange: 14.Nathan Friend, 15.Dominique Peyroux, 16.Sam Lisone, 18.Albert Vete.
Half-time: 8-all. Scrums: Warriors 6-4. Penalties: Sharks 11-10. Crowd: 13,988.
Referees: Gavin Morris & David Munro.
Sharks Coach: Shane Flanagan. Warriors Coach: Andrew McFadden.
SHARKS FACT: Former Sharks winger/centre Nathan Stapleton’s 4 try-haul against the Warriors at Remondis in 2014 made him only one of seven Cronulla players ever to perform the feat of scoring four or more tries in a single match for the Sharks.
Go Sharks!
SHARKS / Warriors – BY THE NUMBERS
OUR AWAY RECORD (1995-2015)
Sharks All-Time Record v Warriors: Played 34 Won 18 Drawn 0 Lost 16 Points For 678 Points Against 626
Sharks Away Record v Warriors at All Venues: Played 18 Won 7 Drawn 0 Lost 11 Points For 307 Points Against 362
Sharks Record v Warriors at Mount Smart Stadium: Played 15 Won 6 Drawn 0 Lost 9 Points For 251 Points Against 296
Sharks Record v Warriors at Telstra Stadium (ANZ): Played 1 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 1 Points For 10 Points Against 16
Sharks Record v Warriors at Members Equity Stadium, Perth: Played 1 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 0 Points For 28 Points Against 24
Sharks Record v Warriors at Owen Delany Park, NZ: Played 1 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 1 Points For 18 Points Against 26
Sharks Form in Last 5 Away Games v Warriors: Loss 12-16 (Rd 22 2014) Won 18-14 (Rd 21 2013) Won 45-4 (Rd 22 2012) Loss 18-26 (Rd 04 2011) Loss 16-30 (Rd 02 2010)
Sharks Form in Last 5 Games v Warriors: Loss 16-20 (Rd 09 2015 at Remondis Stadium) Loss 12-16 (Rd 22 2014 at Mt Smart Stadium) Won 37-6 (Rd 05 2014 at Remondis Stadium) Won 18-14 (Rd 21 2013 at Mt Smart Stadium) Won 28-4 (Rd 03 2013 at Sharks Stadium).
Sharks First-Ever Game v Warriors: Rd 10 at Caltex Field (Remondis), May 14, 1995 (Loss 18-23) Sharks Scorers: Andrew Ettingshausen, Mitch Healey, Ben Sammut tries; Mat Rogers 3 goals Att: 10,142.
Sharks First-Ever Away Game & Win v Warriors: Rd 10 at Ericsson Stadium, June 08, 1996 (Won 28-24) Sharks Scorers: Andrew Ettingshausen 2, Geoff Bell, Paul Green, David Peachey tries; Mat Rogers 4 goals Att: 22,810.
Sharks Biggest Away Win v Warriors: Won 45-4, Rd 22 August 05, 2012 (41pts margin).
Sharks Heaviest Away Defeat v Warriors: Loss 0-30, Rd 23, August 11, 2001 (30pts margin).
Sharks Best Away Attendance v Warriors: 45,702 at Telstra Stadium, Preliminary Final September 29, 2002; (Regular season) 22,810, Rd 10, June 08, 1996.
Sharks Away Attendance Average v Warriors: 14,819 at All Away Venues; 12,910 at Mt Smart Stadium.
Sharks Points Average Per Away Game v Warriors at Mt Smart: 16.7pts
Most Away Points Scored by the Sharks v Warriors: (45pts) Won 45-4, Rd 22, August 05, 2012.
Most Aggregate Points Scored in an Away Game v Warriors: (62pts) Loss 20-42, Rd 12, June 02, 2002.
Most Points Conceded Away v Warriors: (42pts) Loss 20-42, Rd 12, June 02, 2002.
Most Total Away Points Scored by a Sharks Player v Warriors: (31 pts) by Todd Carney, (2 tries, 11 goals, 1 field goal)
Most Points Scored by a Sharks Player in an Away Game v Warriors: (25pts) by Todd Carney, (2 tries, 8 goals, 1 field goal) Rd 22, August 05, 2012.
Most Tries Scored in an Away Game v Warriors: (2 tries) by Andrew Ettingshausen, Rd 10, June 08, 1996; (2 tries) by David Peachey, Rd 12, April 24, 2000; (2 tries) by Greg Bird, Rd 08, May 05, 2007; (2 tries) by Todd Carney, (2 tries) by Andrew Fifita, (2 tries) by John Williams, Rd 22, August 05, 2012.
Most Goals Scored in an Away Game v Warriors: (8 goals) by Todd Carney, Rd 22, August 05, 2012.
Most Sharks Team Tries Scored in an Away Game v Warriors: (7 tries) Rd 22, August 05, 2012 (Won 45-4) Sharks Scorers: Todd Carney 2, Andrew Fifita 2, John Williams 2, Jeff Robson tries; Todd Carney 8 goals; Todd Carney field goal Att: 13,812.
Total Away Try Scorers for the Sharks v Warriors: (53 Tries, 31 Try Scorers) David Peachey 6; Andrew Ettingshausen 3; Adam Dykes 3; Greg Bird 3; Brett Kimmorley 3; Luke Covell 3; John Williams 3; Brett Howland 2; Colin Best 2; Ben Pomeroy 2; Todd Carney 2; Andrew Fifita 2; Geoff Bell 1; Paul Green 1; Russell Richardson 1; Mat Rogers 1; Paul Franze 1; Ryan McGoldrick 1; Matthew Rieck 1; Jarrad Anderson 1; David Simmons 1; Nigel Vagana 1; Misi Taulapapa 1; Blake Ferguson 1; Wade Graham 1; Jeremy Smith 1; Jeff Robson 1; Nathan Stapleton 1; Jonathan Wright 1; Tinirau Arona 1; Sosaia Feki 1.
Total Away Goal Scorers for the Sharks v Warriors: (47 Goals, 9 Goal Scorers) Todd Carney 11; Mat Rogers 8; Luke Covell 8; Mitch Healey 6; Brett Kimmorley 4; Scott Porter 4; John Williams 3; Michael Gordon 2; Ben Sammut 1.
Total Away Field Goal Scorers for the Sharks v Warriors: (1 Field Goal Scorer) Todd Carney (1 in 2012).
All-Time Total Try Scorers for the Sharks v Warriors: (111 Tries, 56 Try Scorers) David Peachey 10; Nathan Stapleton 6; Colin Best 5; Andrew Ettingshausen 4; Adam Dykes 4; Luke Covell 4; Ben Pomeroy 4; Jeff Robson 4; Geoff Bell 3; Greg Bird 3; Brett Kimmorley 3; David Simmons 3; John Williams 3; Andrew Fifita 3; Brett Howland 2; Russell Richardson 2; Mat Rogers 2; Paul Franze 2; Matthew Rieck 2; Jarrad Anderson 2; Nigel Vagana 2; Todd Carney 2; Sam Tagataese 2; Tinirau Arona 2; Mitch Healey 1; Ben Sammut 1; Paul Green 1; Danny Lee 1; Dean Treister 1; Paul Mellor 1; Preston Campbell 1; Ronald Prince 1; Ryan McGoldrick 1; Dean Bosnich 1; Patrick Gibson 1; Nick Graham 1; Sam Isemonger 1; Phil Bailey 1; Matt Bickerstaff 1; Nathan Merritt 1; Brett Kimmorley 1; Misi Taulapapa 1; Anthony Tupou 1; Matthew Wright 1; Blake Ferguson 1; Paul Aiton 1; Trent Barrett 1; Wade Graham 1; Jeremy Smith 1; Michael Gordon 1; John Morris 1; Beau Ryan 1; Jonathan Wright 1; Blake Ayshford 1; Sosaia Feki 1; Luke Lewis 1.
All-Time Goal Scorers for the Sharks v Warriors: (104 Goals, 13 Goal Scorers) Luke Covell 22; Mat Rogers 21; Todd Carney 15; Michael Gordon 10; Brett Kimmorley 8; Mitch Healey 6; Jarrad Anderson 4; Scott Porter 4; Valentine Holmes 4; Jason Ferris 3; Matt Hilder 3; John Williams 3; Ben Sammut 1.
All-Time Field Goal Scorers for the Sharks v Warriors: (2 Field Goals) 2 by Todd Carney (in 2012 & 2014).
