Sharks and Souths in crucial WA clash

Author: Sharks Media
Timestamp: Fri 4 Aug 2023, 07:30 PM

They may have travelled a distance for a crucial round 23 match up with Souths, however the equation remains the same, with the Sharks needing a win in Perth on Saturday to keep the chasing pack at bay and to remain in hunt for a Finals berth.

Following three losses and with the NRL ladder becoming congested as up to 12 teams are still in the fight for places in the top eight as the season moves to the business end, the Sharks will be hoping the change in scenery brings a change of fortune after a gutsy effort against the premiers Penrith last weekend.

“We’re excited to get over here and into a different environment,” Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said. “We’re focusing on improving our performance. We’re not getting ahead of anything other than South Sydney, obviously a strong opponent, we need to put all our energy into playing strongly without looking too far ahead.

“Every win is important at this time of year. We want to draw on our performance last week and take the best parts of that. But we want to bring the best version of ourselves and to make sure we improve on last week,” Fitzgibbon added.

While a 28-0 scoreline against doesn’t read well, the Sharks showed plenty of fight against the Panthers a week ago, especially considering the reshuffle in the backline which was required when Will Kennedy limped off in the sixth minute of the match with a hamstring injury.

In resisting the urge to make mass positional changes for the Rabbitohs game, the Sharks have retained Connor Tracey at fullback after he did a solid job deputising for Kennedy against the Panthers, with Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall to again partner up in the halves.

“Connor has been training and playing as a fullback for the majority of the season, so he’s the best prepared to be our fullback this week. And leaving Nicho and Tricky in the halves gives us a bit more stability,” Fitzgibbon explained.

In other team news, Ronaldo Mulitalo will miss a second successive game after copping a head knock at training a week ago, his place to be taken by Mawene Hiroti.

The match will also feature a number of Sharks milestones, with Wade Graham to play his 250th match for Cronulla, making him just the third player in club history to achieve this mark, where he trails just Paul Gallen (348) and Andrew Ettingshausen (328) for most games played.

Graham debuted for the Sharks as a halfback in 2011, after already playing 42 matches for Penrith.

“I always admired Wado from afar ad now having the opportunity and honour to work with him the last 18 months,” Fitzgibbon said. “He’s a remarkable guy and not too many players are held in the regard he is in rugby league circles. (We’re) definitely proud to have him as a Shark.”

Jesse Ramien will play his 100th game for the Sharks, the centre debuting for the club in 2017, spending one year at the Knights in 2019 before returning to Cronulla, while for Royce Hunt the Souths clash will be his 50th Sharks game after playing his 50th NRL match last week against the Panthers. Hunt played one NRL game for Canberra.

Named on an extended Sharks bench, should Matt Moylan take part in the game on Saturday night, it will be his 100th NRL game for the Sharks. Moylan joined the Sharks in 2018 after playing 89 games for Penrith.

In the 93 games played between the two clubs, the Sharks hold a narrow advantage, having won on 47 occasions, as compared to 43 wins for the Rabbitohs, with three draws.

In recent times, Souths have won five of the past seven against Cronulla, including a 27-18 victory back in round one.

This will be just the second match between these teams to be played outside of NSW, with Souths successful in the only previous game, winning 32-22 at Suncorp Stadium during Magic Round in 2021.

While the seventh match for the Sharks in Perth, and their first since 2005, Souths have played in the Western Australia capital 11 times, winning five. The Sharks have a three-win, three-loss, record in games contested in Perth.

The Sharks, who come into the match in seventh position on the ladder on the back of the three successive losses, having also lost three of the last three games away from PointsBet Stadium.

Also on 26 competition points but one place ahead of the Sharks on for-and-against, after winning six straight from rounds 6-11, the Rabbitohs have won just three of the past nine matches. Last week they defeated the Wests Tigers 32-18 in Tamworth.

The Sharks v Souths match is scheduled for a 5.30pm kick-off, WA time (7.30pm Sydney time), with the two 19-man squads listed below.

Round 23 - Saturday 5th August

Full Time

Rabbitohs

Sharks

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Rabbitohs is number 1 Latrell Mitchell

Fullback for Sharks is number 1 Connor Tracey
Winger for Rabbitohs is number 2 Alex Johnston

Winger for Sharks is number 2 Sione Katoa
Centre for Rabbitohs is number 3 Isaiah Tass

Centre for Sharks is number 3 Jesse Ramien
Centre for Rabbitohs is number 4 Campbell Graham

Centre for Sharks is number 4 Siosifa Talakai
Winger for Rabbitohs is number 18 Tyrone Munro

Winger for Sharks is number 20 Mawene Hiroti
Five-Eighth for Rabbitohs is number 6 Cody Walker

Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Braydon Trindall
Halfback for Rabbitohs is number 7 Lachlan Ilias

Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Nicholas Hynes

Forwards

Prop for Rabbitohs is number 8 Jai Arrow

Prop for Sharks is number 8 Braden Hamlin-Uele
Hooker for Rabbitohs is number 9 Damien Cook

Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke Brailey
Prop for Rabbitohs is number 10 Thomas Burgess

Prop for Sharks is number 10 Toby Rudolf
2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 11 Keaon Koloamatangi

2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Briton Nikora
2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 12 Michael Chee Kam

2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Wade Graham
Lock for Rabbitohs is number 13 Cameron Murray

Lock for Sharks is number 13 Cameron McInnes

Interchange

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 14 Davvy Moale

Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Jack Williams
Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 15 Siliva Havili

Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Thomas Hazelton
Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 16 Jed Cartwright

Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Royce Hunt
Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 17 Tallis Duncan

Interchange for Sharks is number 18 Matt Moylan