Jayson Bukuya returns to the Sharks line-up after missing the win over the Titans with a hand injury, in the only major piece of injury news ahead of the round seven clash with the Canberra Raiders.
Bukuya, who has been in outstanding form for the Sharks through the early rounds of the 2016 season, comes straight back into the starting side in place of the suspended Luke Lewis.
Lewis will miss one match after being suspended for a shoulder charge.
In other Sharks injury news while there was concern over James Maloney, Andrew Fifita and to a lesser extent Ben Barba following the Titans match, all three have pulled up fine, trained strongly today and will take their place in the team for Sunday’s match.
Maloney was concussed in a Greg Bird tackle last weekend but has so far passed the necessary protocols and tests, while Fifita had a scare when he took a knock to the same arm he broke at the end of 2014. No serious damage to Fifita’s arm was reported.
Like Maloney, Fifita was his usual energetic self at the Sharks Academy Training fields at Cronulla High School this morning and is in no doubt this weekend.
Finally, Barba had the wind knocked out of him when attempting to field a bomb late in the Titans match but apart from pulling up a little sore has been given a clean bill of health.
Both Fifita and Barba have gained the attention of State of Origin selectors and will be keen to further press their claims against the Raiders in the round seven match.
From the players selected to play for Newtown, Jordan Drew returns after missing last Friday night’s match with a thigh/hip problem and while David Fifita hasn’t been named in either the Jets or Sharks teams, he has no injury concerns and will await direction from coach Shane Flanagan about whether he turns out in the Intrust Super Premiership or makes the trip to Canberra with the NRL squad.
The Sharks have two more training sessions scheduled before travelling to Canberra on Saturday morning.
Join us this Sunday in the Summertime Bar and enjoy all the action from the clash against the Canberra Raiders on the biggest screen in the Shire
