Sharks ready for red-hot Rabbitohs

Author: Sharks Media
Timestamp: Fri 29 Jul 2022, 05:28 PM

A Sharks team which hit a bump in the road with a loss to the Panthers last week, against a Souths side riding a wave of confidence, meet at PointsBet Stadium with a spot in the top four up for grabs.

The Sharks were brave in defeat against the ladder-leading Panthers, however just hours later, led by a rampaging Latrell Mitchell, the Rabbitohs were registering a fourth win in a row with a victory over the Melbourne Storm.

The stakes are high for tomorrow’s round 20 clash, however Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon was more looking for improvement and consistency in his team’s performance, rather than getting too wrapped up in where the teams sat on the competition table.

“It’s impossible to ignore the positions on the ladder, but we do feel like there is a little bit of time, it’s not like this is the week before the semi-finals,” Fitzgibbon began.

“We’re trying to improve on consistency and improve parts of our game and to make sure we piece it all together at the right time, but it’s an important contest. You want to be involved in big games, against quality opponents. We’re playing at home, we want these challenges, that’s part of it if you want to be successful.

If you’re in an important fixture, it means you’re doing well, Souths are doing well, we’re looking forward to it,” the coach added.

While the Sharks have been in or around the top four for the majority of the season, the resurgence from Souths has arrived more recently, on the back of their current win streak, coupled with the return of Latrell Mitchell following a long-term

Although Fitzgibbon reasoned much of the Sharks preparations have been around what they need to do themselves to be successful on Saturday, he conceded Mitchell is a player they will be required to keep in check.

“Latrell has come back and given them a huge lift, he’s obviously playing strongly, so he’s one we’ll have to be ready for,” Fitzgibbon said.

In team news, the Sharks will be without Dale Finucane following his unsuccessful bid to have a dangerous contact charge dismissed at a midweek judiciary hearing, his place in the starting side to be taken by Cam McInnes. Aiden Tolman has been promoted from the extended reserves list onto the interchange bench.

In matches played between the two teams dating back to 1967, the Sharks hold the slight edge, having win 46 games to 41 by Souths, with three of the 90 matches drawn.

Of late, the Rabbitohs have held the upper hand with consecutive victories, although at home the Sharks have won 31 of 44 at PointsBet, including the past three and six of the last seven.

Last weekend saw the Sharks five match winning streak come to and end when beaten 20-10 by the Panthers, while Souths won a fourth straight with a 24-12 victory over the Storm,

While the coach alluded to the danger Latrell Mitchell poses to his team, so too winger Alex Johnston who has now scored 157 career tries, needing just one more to move into the top 10 try scorers of all time

His 21 tries this season is the most, five clear of second-placed Corey Oates going into Round 20.

Opposite Johnston, Ronaldo Mulitalo poses a similar threat, the Sharks winger having scored 12 tries this season, second only to the injured Sione Katoa.

In trimming the squad down to 19 in the 24 hours prior to the kick-off, the Sharks have retained Kade Dykes and Jesse Colquhoun.

The Sharks v Souths match is scheduled for a 5.30pm kick-off at PointsBet Stadium, with the Jersey Flegg fixture between the same two teams the curtain-raiser at 3.15pm.

See below the two 19-man team lists.

Round 20 - Round 20 - Saturday 30 Jul

Full Time

Sharks

Rabbitohs

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Sharks is number 1 William Kennedy

Fullback for Rabbitohs is number 1 Latrell Mitchell
Winger for Sharks is number 2 Connor Tracey

Winger for Rabbitohs is number 2 Alex Johnston
Centre for Sharks is number 3 Jesse Ramien

Centre for Rabbitohs is number 3 Jed Cartwright
Centre for Sharks is number 4 Siosifa Talakai

Centre for Rabbitohs is number 4 Isaiah Tass
Winger for Sharks is number 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo

Winger for Rabbitohs is number 5 Jaxson Paulo
Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Matt Moylan

Five-Eighth for Rabbitohs is number 6 Cody Walker
Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Nicholas Hynes

Halfback for Rabbitohs is number 7 Lachlan Ilias

Forwards

Prop for Sharks is number 8 Toby Rudolf

Prop for Rabbitohs is number 8 Tevita Tatola
Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke Brailey

Hooker for Rabbitohs is number 9 Damien Cook
Prop for Sharks is number 10 Royce Hunt

Prop for Rabbitohs is number 10 Daniel Suluka-Fifita
2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Briton Nikora

2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 11 Keaon Koloamatangi
2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Wade Graham

2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 12 Jai Arrow
Lock for Sharks is number 15 Cameron McInnes

Lock for Rabbitohs is number 13 Cameron Murray

Interchange

Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Teig Wilton

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 14 Kodi Nikorima
Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Braden Hamlin-Uele

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 15 Davvy Moale
Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Andrew Fifita

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 16 Siliva Havili
Interchange for Sharks is number 19 Aiden Tolman

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 17 Thomas Burgess