It's a bye week, with the players enjoying the chance to rest up and regroup before heading into the back end of the year and the crucial games ahead of finals, and on the injury front, things are looking good for the Sharks with a couple of their big guns set to return.
Sharks TV has caught up with both Josh Dugan after training on Thursday and Wade Graham late last week, with the pair hopeful of making a return ahead of the round 18 clash with the Panthers next Friday.
Dugan ran freely as his recovery from a stress fracture in his leg continues, telling Sharks TV he was inching closer to a comeback.
"Finally, back with the boys at training and it was good to get a ball back in my hands," Dugan said. "Back into full training next week and I'll be right to go for Penrith."
Sidelined since the Sharks round 12 win over the Knights, Dugan's return will provide a boost, with his experience and physical presence set to be a vital addition to the backline over the coming weeks.
Also set to return is NSW and Australia backrower Wade Graham after a fracture in his cheekbone saw him miss the Warriors game in Auckland last week.
Graham had a surgical procedure to insert a plate and correct the problem, but he too is on track to be available for the Panthers clash.
As for the latest on Luke Lewis, the Sharks senior statesman might be racing the clock to be ready for the Panthers however his return isn't far away either.
Lewis has endured a wretched run with injury in 2018 with this a second calf strain restricting him to just eight games this season.
A fit and firing Lewis at the back end of the year however will be a huge bonus to the Sharks in the run home.
And while Jack Williams was all smiles recently when signing an extension to his contract, one which sees him remain at the Sharks for a further two seasons, the news isn't so good for the strong-running back rower on the injury front.
Williams will miss the rest of the 2018 season after tearing a pectoral muscle in the Sharks round 15 match against the Broncos.
He will soon return to restricted duties at training in getting in early on preparations for a return to the field in 2019.
The Sharks next assignment against the Panthers is on Friday, July 13 at Panthers Stadium. Kick-off is at 6.00pm.
