Sharks focused on crucial Cowboys clash

Author: Sharks Media
Timestamp: Wed 26 Apr 2023, 07:48 PM

At their weekly media session on Tuesday, Sharks players insisted they were looking ahead, specifically towards Thursday night’s game, rather than dwelling on their 2022 Finals defeat by the Cowboys, with Coach Craig Fitzgibbon backing up those words at his pre-game press conference earlier today.

The Sharks face the Cowboys at PointsBet Stadium tomorrow night for the first time since their heartbreaking Finals loss last year, however while the result still burns, Fitzgibbon is now focused on the job at hand, and that is to build on two consecutive wins and to deliver another strong performance.

“It was a long time ago. You’ve got to deal with those setbacks and to wash them, park them and move on,” Fitzgibbon said. “We’re more focused on this year rather than what’s happened in the past and you can’t do anything about it now anyway.

“It’s a new season and we’re starting to find some consistency so it’s more about this year than last year,” he added.

While a victory and some sort of revenge would certainly be sweet, also adding more incentive to the Sharks v Cowboys match up the two teams will play for the inaugural Paul Green Medal.

In memory of the former Sharks and Cowboys player and premiership-winning coach, the player adjudged best on the night will be the recipient of the Paul Green Medal, with Fitzgibbon, a former teammate then coaching colleague of Green’s at the Roosters pleased the clubs had come together to recognise a man to have a significant impact at both Cronulla and in Townsville.

“Paul was a really important person for both clubs and hopefully it’s a fitting contest for someone who was a servant to both and delivered on both fronts. The guys are really looking forward to it,” Fitzgibbon said.

Sharks #290, Green played 95 matches for the Sharks from 1994-1998, winning the Rothman’s Medal in 1995, along with 35 matches for the Cowboys during the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

Green also coached the Cowboys for 167 games from 2014-2020 and was in charge when North Queensland won their first and only Premiership in 2015.

In breaking down the head-to-head matchup, in the 54 games played between the teams the Sharks have recorded 35 victories, the Cowboys 19, with Cronulla’s 65 percent win record against North Queensland its best against any current opponent

The Sharks had won eight straight matches until they met in Week 1 of the 2022 Finals series, with former Cronulla player Valentine Holmes winning the game with a 93rd minute golden point field goal.

At PointsBet Stadium against the Cowboys, the Sharks have won five of the past six, and 15 of 21 matches in all against the Cowboys

The Sharks come into the contest on the back of a win, so too do the Cowboys who ended a three-game losing streak with an 18-16 victory over the Knights in a match played in Townsville last weekend.

Away from North Queensland, the Cowboys have won just one of their past six matches, with that win the Week 1 Finals victory over the Sharks.

In player milestones, Coen Hess becomes the 18th player to play 150th NRL matches for the Cowboys, after debuting for North Queensland in 2015.

Hess’s teammate and fellow Cowboys forward Jordan McLean will play his 100th match for North Queensland after joining the club in 2018.

In team news, there were no surprises with the Sharks retaining the 17-man squad which beat the Bulldogs at their last start.

Despite the 22-man squad only being released and announced earlier today, the squads have now been trimmed back to 19, with the 17-player teams and concussion substitutes to be revealed one-hour before the game tomorrow.

The Sharks v Cowboys match is scheduled for a 7.50pm kick-off.

Round 9 - Round 9 - Thursday 27 Apr

Full Time

Sharks

Cowboys

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Sharks is number 1 William Kennedy

Fullback for Cowboys is number 1 Scott Drinkwater
Winger for Sharks is number 2 Sione Katoa

Winger for Cowboys is number 2 Kyle Feldt
Centre for Sharks is number 3 Jesse Ramien

Centre for Cowboys is number 3 Valentine Holmes
Centre for Sharks is number 4 Siosifa Talakai

Centre for Cowboys is number 4 Peta Hiku
Winger for Sharks is number 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo

Winger for Cowboys is number 5 Murray Taulagi
Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Matt Moylan

Five-Eighth for Cowboys is number 6 Tom Dearden
Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Nicholas Hynes

Halfback for Cowboys is number 7 Chad Townsend

Forwards

Prop for Sharks is number 8 Oregon Kaufusi

Prop for Cowboys is number 8 Jordan McLean
Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke Brailey

Hooker for Cowboys is number 9 Reece Robson
Prop for Sharks is number 10 Braden Hamlin-Uele

Prop for Cowboys is number 10 Coen Hess
2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Briton Nikora

2nd Row for Cowboys is number 11 Jack Gosiewski
2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Teig Wilton

2nd Row for Cowboys is number 12 Jeremiah Nanai
Lock for Sharks is number 13 Cameron McInnes

Lock for Cowboys is number 15 Jake Granville

Interchange

Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Wade Graham

Interchange for Cowboys is number 13 Reuben Cotter
Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Jack Williams

Interchange for Cowboys is number 14 Tom Chester
Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Royce Hunt

Interchange for Cowboys is number 16 Jamayne Taunoa-Brown
Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Thomas Hazelton

Interchange for Cowboys is number 17 Mitchell Dunn