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Regardless of position on the ladder or recent form the local derby can be relied upon to produce a torrid encounter although it's the Sharks who have held all the aces in recent years.

The Sharks have strung together 10 wins on the trot against the Dragons dating back to 2020, including two drubbings in 2023 and a thumping 38-10 victory last season.

Craig Fitzgibbon's men have been as high as fifth on the ladder this season and with a bye still up their sleeve they look to be on track for a 10th finals appearance in the past 11 years.

Their run home includes three matches against sides below them on the table but they will be wary of the 11th-placed Dragons who are coming in hot after upsetting ladder leaders Canberra.

Finals footy may have slipped away for a seventh consecutive season but the Dragons are more than capable of cutting down a couple more tall poppies in the run home.

Team News

Dragons: Emerging centre Hayden Buchanan is set to make his NRL debut after being elevated into the starting line-up in place of Mathew Feagai when the squads were trimmed to 19 players on Friday. Veteran Ben Murdoch-Masilla and rookie Jacob Halangahu remain in the squad as reserves.

Sharks: Samoan international Braden Hamlin-Uele is set to start at prop in place of Oregon Kaufusi, with Billy Burns coming onto the interchange after a late change on Friday afternoon. Toby Rudolf is on track to return from a concussion and is set to replace suspended forward Jesse Colquhoun on the bench. The Sharks are otherwise a settled squad as they chase five in a row. Cronulla have won their past 10 games against the Dragons. Teig Wilton is set for his 100th NRL match on Saturday afternoon. 

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Dragons is number 1 Clinton Gutherson
    Fullback for Sharks is number 1 William Kennedy
  • Winger for Dragons is number 2 Tyrell Sloan
    Winger for Sharks is number 2 Sione Katoa
  • Centre for Dragons is number 3 Moses Suli
    Centre for Sharks is number 3 Jesse Ramien
  • Centre for Dragons is number 18 Hayden Buchanan
    Centre for Sharks is number 4 Siosifa Talakai
  • Winger for Dragons is number 5 Corey Allan
    Winger for Sharks is number 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo
  • Five-Eighth for Dragons is number 6 Lyhkan King-Togia
    Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Braydon Trindall
  • Halfback for Dragons is number 7 Kyle Flanagan
    Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Nicholas Hynes

Forwards

  • Prop for Dragons is number 8 Emre Guler
    Prop for Sharks is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
  • Hooker for Dragons is number 9 Damien Cook
    Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke Brailey
  • Prop for Dragons is number 10 David Klemmer
    Prop for Sharks is number 17 Braden Hamlin-Uele
  • 2nd Row for Dragons is number 11 Luciano Leilua
    2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Briton Nikora
  • 2nd Row for Dragons is number 15 Hamish Stewart
    2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Teig Wilton
  • Lock for Dragons is number 13 Jack De Belin
    Lock for Sharks is number 13 Cameron McInnes

Interchange

  • Interchange for Dragons is number 14 Jacob Liddle
    Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Toby Rudolf
  • Interchange for Dragons is number 16 Hame Sele
    Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Thomas Hazelton
  • Interchange for Dragons is number 17 Blake Lawrie
    Interchange for Sharks is number 18 Billy Burns
  • Interchange for Dragons is number 21 Jacob Halangahu
    Interchange for Sharks is number 20 Hohepa Puru

Reserves

  • Replacement for Dragons is number 19 Ben Murdoch-Masila
    Replacement for Sharks is number 14 Daniel Atkinson

Match Officials

  • Referee: Ashley Klein
  • Touch Judge: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
  • Senior Review Official: Chris Butler

Last updated:

Stat Attack

  • The Dragons have not defeated the Sharks at Jubilee Stadium since 2016.
  • The Sharks have won their last 10 games against the Dragons.
  • Dragons winger Tyrell Sloan has scored six tries in his last five games.
  • Sharks second-rower Teig Wilton will make his 100th NRL appearance.
  • The Dragons have defeated three top-eight teams this season.

Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.

Acknowledgement of Country

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.

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