Sharks aim to bounce back in Rogers Trophy match

Author: Sharks Media
Timestamp: Sat 13 May 2023, 04:00 PM

The Sharks will aim to put a disappointing result at Magic Round behind them when they travel across town to take on traditional rivals the Manly Sea Eagles tomorrow afternoon.

In a match played for the Steve Rogers Memorial Trophy, in honour of the late Sharks immortal, the teams come into the contest on the back of last start losses, making the game at 4 Pines Park crucial as both look to regain some momentum as the season approaches the half way point.

Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon, while not excusing the performance against the Dolphins, was confident his team was ready to make amends.

“Last week was probably the first week we haven’t actually been in the game. Every other game this year, and in the early games when we were beaten, we were in the contest and we were competing hard,” Fitzgibbon said. “Our effort has been pretty good for the most part. Where and how you place your effort is important and last week was the first time we misguided that.”

While every game in the NRL provides a considerable challenge, never more so for the Sharks than against the Manly side, with their Sharks 28 per cent win record their worst against any side they’ve faced more than once.

That being said, the Sharks won both encounters in 2022, the last game at Brookvale delivering a 40-6 win at Brookvale, representing their biggest margin of victory and most points scored against the Sea Eagles since their record-breaking 68-6 victory in 2005.

Despite taking positives from that performance, Fitzgibbon had no doubt tomorrow would be a tough assignment in a game to be played in a hostile environment.

“It feels like a long time ago now and in an entirely different set of circumstances,” he said of the most recent victory.

“They’ve got a new coach and a new operating rhythm there, so we need to be ready for a new team. The environment will be the same of course and we need to be ready for the challenge. It wont be the same as last year.

In team news for the Sharks, Oregon Kaufusi has been ruled out due to illness, while Sifa Talakai will miss the match with a neck issue. In their place, Cameron McInnes comes into Sharks starting side, with Connor Tracey replacing Talakai in the centres.

The versatile Braydon Trindall has been added interchange bench.

In the head-to-head record in 96 matches played, the Sea Eagles hold the distinct advantage, having won 67 games, the Sharks just 27, with two draws.

After winning two straight, the Sharks has the chance to win three in a row against the Sea Eagles, as well as consecutive victories at Brookvale for the first time.

While the Sharks come into the game following a disappointing performance against the Dolphins at Magic Round, the Sea Eagles also coming into the contest on the back of a 32-6 to loss to the Broncos.

Despite last week’s loss, the Sharks are still scoring the most points, making the most line breaks, conceding the fewest run metres and missing the second fewest tackles this season. They are also conceding the fewest penalties and set restarts.

They have won 11 of their past 15 games away from PointsBet Stadium and haven’t lost consecutive games since rounds 6-10 last season when they lost three in a row.

Will Kennedy and Ronaldo Mulitalo lead the Sharks try scoring list with 10 each this season, with Kennedy having scored three tries in his two games against Manly.

Manly’s Tom Trbojevic also has an impsoiong record in game against the Sharks, having scored seven tries in seven games, including a hat-trick in his most recent which was in round 20, 2021 in a match played at Suncorp Stadium. Trbojevic seven tries in his past six games at 4Pines Park, including four in three matches this season.

The Sharks v Sea Eagles game will the third of three matches at 4 Pines on Sunday, kicking off at 4.05pm. The Jets v Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles play a NSW Cup match at 1.35pm and a Sharks v Manly Jersey Flegg game at 11.50am will be the earlier matches at the venue on Sunday.

See below the two 19-man squad lists.

Steve Rogers Memorial Trophy
The Sharks have won two straight and three of the last four matches between the two clubs, however prior to that the Steve Rogers Trophy games had been dominated by the Sea Eagles.

Steve Rogers played 202 First Grade games for the Cronulla club from 1973 to 1982, and also in 1985, included amongst those games Grand Finals in 1973 and 1978, both against the Manly Sea Eagles.

Rogers passed away in January 2006, with the Steve Rogers Trophy struck due to his battles with the Sea Eagles on the field and the many friendships he enjoyed with Manly players while in NSW and Australian representative teams.

Below is the complete record from the 27 Steve Rogers Trophy matches played.

Premiership matches record: Played 27: Manly 20, Cronulla 7
Results:

2022: Rd 23: Cronulla 40 d Manly 6

2022: Rd 7: Cronulla 34 d Manly 22

2021: Rd 20: Manly 40 d Cronulla 22

2020: Rd 7: Cronulla 40 d Manly 22

2019: Rd 10 Manly 24 d Cronulla 14; SF: Manly 28 d Cronulla 16

2018: Rd 21: Manly 33 d Cronulla 32

2017: Rd 16: Manly 35 d Cronulla 18

2016: Rd 3: Manly 22 d Cronulla 12, Rd 11: Cronulla 20 d Manly 12

2015: Rd 26: Manly 14 d Cronulla 12; Rd 17, Manly 28 d Cronulla 16.

2014: Rd 6: Manly 24 d Cronulla 4, Rd 15: Manly 26 d Cronulla 0

2013: Rd 6: Manly 25 d Cronulla 18; SF: Manly 24 d Cronulla 18

2012: Rd 3: Cronulla 17 d Manly 14

2011: Rd 5: Manly 19 d Cronulla 13

2010: Rd 5: Manly 40 d Cronulla 12; Rd 19: Manly 48 d Cronulla 18

2009: Rd 19: Manly 32 d Cronulla 26: Rd 25: Manly 18 d Cronulla 16

2008: Rd 1: Cronulla 16 d Manly 10, Rd 18: Manly 34 d Cronulla 6

2007: Rd 19: Manly 29 d Cronulla 22

2006: Rd 3: Manly 20 d Cronulla 18, Rd 16 Cronulla 15 d Manly 12

Round 11 - Round 11 - Sunday 14 May

Full Time

Sea Eagles

Sharks

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Tom Trbojevic

Fullback for Sharks is number 1 William Kennedy
Winger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Jason Saab

Winger for Sharks is number 2 Sione Katoa
Centre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Brad Parker

Centre for Sharks is number 3 Jesse Ramien
Centre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Tolutau Koula

Centre for Sharks is number 19 Connor Tracey
Winger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Reuben Garrick

Winger for Sharks is number 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo
Five-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Cooper Johns

Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Matt Moylan
Halfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Daly Cherry-Evans

Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Nicholas Hynes

Forwards

Prop for Sea Eagles is number 8 Taniela Paseka

Prop for Sharks is number 10 Royce Hunt
Hooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Lachlan Croker

Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke Brailey
Prop for Sea Eagles is number 10 Sean Keppie

Prop for Sharks is number 14 Cameron McInnes
2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Haumole Olakau'atu

2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Briton Nikora
2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Kelma Tuilagi

2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Teig Wilton
Lock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Josh Aloiai

Lock for Sharks is number 13 Dale Finucane

Interchange

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 14 Karl Lawton

Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Jack Williams
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 15 Ben Trbojevic

Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Wade Graham
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Ethan Bullemor

Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Thomas Hazelton
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 17 Aaron Woods

Interchange for Sharks is number 18 Braydon Trindall