NRL.com Live Blog: Sharks v Warriors

Press conferences 

Knights

Raiders

Full-time: A big win for the Knights at home, with the side continuing to defy their 2025 season form to be one of the best-performing teams this season. They have defeated last year's minor premiers Canberra 32-12 in their resurgence under coach Justin Holbrook. 

77th min: The Knights put the result beyond doubt with a Dom Young double. The English speedster streaks away after some good play from fullback Fletcher Hunt in the lead up, collecting a kick, running hard back upfield, flinging a well-directed pass out to his right to his winger who shows a clean set of heels to run in. Smith converts again and the home fans are cheering the 32-12 lead. 

Injury alert - Xavier Savage had to be helped from the field after injuring his lower leg in a collision with his team-mate trying to stop a Knights try. 

71st min: Blink and you'll miss it - but the Raiders score from the kick-off with Strange sliding over after getting the ball back from midway from a short kick-off. Sasagi makes the break and flicks it out to his half. Sanders converts and the score narrows to 26-12. 

69th min: Marzhew is over for his second try after chasing through on a well-weighted Fletcher Sharpe kick that bounces high into the in-goal. Smith converts and it's 26-6.

64th min: Tide slowly turning Canberra's way on the field and Zac Hosking goes over the line for the visitors - but they send it up to check interference from Josh Papalii and he's penalised for obstruction. Try overturned and the score remains 20-6.

62nd min: A unsuccessful captain's challenge from the Knights with Jermaine McEwan pinged for a knock on. 

52nd min: Gagai is in a mood and makes another break on the right and it looks like the Knights will go over again, only for Smith the lose the ball over the line. However, on review, they find a penalty against the Raiders in the lead-up with a shoulder charge from Kaeo Weekes, so the Knights go on the attack again. 

48th min: Knights are on a roll! Phoenix Crossland - who broke his nose last week - scores an impressive try for the home side, rewarded for following up on break from his own half from Dane Gagai. Smith converts for 20-6. 

46th min: Penalty against Raiders for a hair pull by Hudson Young on Dominic Young. 

Injury alert - Knights star Bradman Best is out of the game with a groin strain and didn't return after half-time. Wilson De Courcey is on for his NRL debut. 

44th min: With the one player advantage, the Knights go to work and Young leaps over in the right corner for the third straight Newcastle try of the game. Smith's conversion smacks into the posts and the score remains 14-6. 

43rd min: A successful captain's challenge from the Knights which also results in Tamale being sent to the sin bin for impeding Dom Young in his attempt to bring down a ball.

Half-time: After an end-to-end half with both sides asking plenty of questions, it's the home side Newcastle who go into the sheds with a 10-6 lead. The Raiders started the match with attacking intent and claimed the first try before the game maintained a kinetic rhythm. But with their strike, the Knights were able to capitalise on some Canberra errors to finish on top in the half. Fairly even on the stats - Newcastle have had 53 percent of the ball with a 92 percent (23/25) completion rate, while the Raiders have completed at 85 percent (18/21). 

33rd min: Knights go bang-bang! Fletcher Sharpe scores a lucky try with a perfect bounce from a Smith kick. Raiders let it bounce, Sharpe is chasing through and the ball plops into his arms and despite a slight juggle, he tucks it safely in his hands and runs over to score. Smith converts and it's 10-6 to Newcastle. 

29th min: Finally some more points on the board with damaging winger Marzhew able to run over in the left after an error was compounded by a ruck infringement for the Raiders. A second attempt to kick the conversion doesn't come off for Sandon Smith and the Raiders lead 6-4. 

26th min: An unsuccessful captain's challenge from the Raiders with Noah Martin ruled to have lost a ball, with no Knights strip.  

24th min: Only the one try so far - but it's been an entertaining match none-the-less. Both sides have made breaks, but have been forced into errors that have prevented them from capitalising with more points. 

11th min: First try of the day goes to Raiders right centre Simi Sasagi who does his job in support of an Ethan Strange break. The Canberra five-eighth just shrugs off an attempted tackle from Dylan Lucas in the middle of the field to streak away, before finding his centre who runs around past the posts to score. Ethan Sanders converts for a 6-0 lead. 

4th min: Plenty of action to start the half, with a break from Greg Marzhew putting the home side in good position. However an error from Bradman Best when on the attack lets the Raiders off the hook. 

Kick off: Josh Papalii takes the first hit up for the Raiders as play get under way. 

Late Mail

Knights: Phoenix Crossland is set to take his place at hooker despite suffering a gruesome nose injury in last week's win over Canterbury. Trey Mooney is straight back into the starting side in his return from suspension, with Pasami Saulo shifting to the interchange. Cody Hopwood drops out in the only change on game day.

Raiders: Forward leader Josh Papalii is back from suspension so Morgan Smithies reverts to the bench. Kiwi centre Matt Timoko and speedster Chevy Stewart have been added to the six-man interchange with Daine Laurie and Jed Stuart dropping out 24-hours before kick-off. Reserve Owen Pattie drops out on game day in the only change. 

Stat Attack

• The Knights have lost their last seven games at McDonald Jones Stadium.
• The Raiders have won three of their last four games against the Knights.
• Knights winger Greg Marzhew has scored six tries in his last six games against the Raiders.
• Raiders fullback Kaeo Weekes has scored a try in his last three games against the Knights.
• With a win, the Knights will equal their best start after five rounds, since 2015.

Sharks v Warriors at Ocean Protect Stadium

Press conferences

Warriors 

Sharks

Full-time: The Sharks are winners at home, proving too good for an at-times disjointed Warriors side, posting a 36-24 win, with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scoring a hat-trick in a losing line-up. Sharks half Nicho Hynes had a strong game with three try assists, while you could not keep centre KL Iro out of the action, with a try, a line break and nine tackle breaks. Fullback Will Kennedy was again amongst Cronulla's best. 

77th min: Warriors forward Erin Clark claims a try after a fumble from Trindall in the in-goal, but it goes up as a no try to the Bunker who disagree with the call as Iro pushes Clark in the back and causes a knock-on, awarding the Warriors a penalty try. Boyd converts and it's 36-24. 

Injury update -  Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Cat 2 HIA) and Luke Metcalf (hamstring) are off for the game while Sharks forward Briton Nikora (Cat 2 HIA) is also off for the rest of the game). 

71st min: Missed opportunity for the Warriors to cut down the deficit with Wayde Egan doing all the hard work with a dummy and run - but a poorly executed pass out to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck - when he possibly could have gone in himself goes to ground with the winger knocking it on.  

64th min: Sharks extend their lead with Sifa Talakai - who has come into the centres for Ramien - proving too hard to handle out on the right. The Warriors put down a high bomb from Hynes to put them in attacking zone and the Cronulla halves combine to get the ball out to their big wrecking ball. Hynes converts for 36-16. 

Injury update - Sharks centre Jesse Ramien is off the field and won't return with a reported MCL injury that will require scans. 

57th min: Tough defence on their goal line from the Sharks, denying Sam Healey who tried to scoot over. However, he appears to be taken high by accident and is later taken off the field for a HIA. 

51st min: More end-to-end and back and forth play, with good defence from the Sharks cutting down mid-field breaks from the Warriors. Their effort is rewarded at the other end of the field with Teig Wilton scoring off a clever grubber into the in goal by hooker Blayke Brailey. Hynes converts and it's 30-16. 

43rd min: Perfect start for the visitors, with DWZ going over for his hat-trick. Off the back of a penalty and a ruck infringement, the Warriors are good enough to get upfield and fling the ball out to their right where the winger does the rest of work. Boyd converts his most difficult attempt of the afternoon and the score narrows to 24-16.

Half-time: The Sharks head to the sheds with a healthy 24-10 lead after going behind early. The Warriors started well, but every error has been punished, with Cronulla finding joy attacking out to their left. End-to-end and entertaining, Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon will be happy to be in front despite having the lessor of the possession with more errors and more penalties conceeded, while Warriors coach Andrew Webster will be imploring for his charges to respect the ball.

34th min: They didn't have to wait long to get on the board again officially, with Billy Burns the latest Shark to crash over. Again - coming off an error - a ball turned over down the other end of the field, with Cronulla then getting to work back up the field. Hynes converts again for a 24-10 lead. 

33rd min: Trindall thought he had another try for the home side - but bobbles it trying to get in over the line. Score remains 18-10. 

28th min: The points keep coming - but this time the Warriors hit back with a 90m intercept from DWZ. Braydon Trindall tried to get a ball over the top and out to his left, only for the veteran opposition winger to pluck it from the air and set sail with his mullet flowing. Boyd can't convert and it's 18-10 to the Sharks. 

24th min: Sharks turn defence into attack and they are over again - once again with Iro in amongst the thick of it, scoring an impressive try. The Warriors were attacking down their line, but a ball on the deck is scooped up by the Sharks to then run up field, with the star centre finishing it off, despite some attention from Tuaupiki trying to hold him up. Sharks extend their lead to 18-6 after Hynes kicks the conversion. 

23rd min: DWZ goes over again for the Warriors - but it's sent up no try for a pass off the ground. However, the Bunker review sees that the Sharks tackled a Warrior in the air and the visitors get a penalty. 

18th min: A double to Kennedy in quick time. DWZ attempts an intercept but knocks it on and the Sharks go on the attack again, finding success to their left with Kennedy dummying out to Stonestreet before straightening up to run through himself. Hynes converts and the Sharks have the lead 12-6. 

14th min: However, an error coming out of their own half gifts the Sharks possession and they bite back, with Will Kennedy slipping out the left from some good work in the middle from Addin Fonua-Blake to dive over and score. Nicho Hynes converts from in front and it's 6-6. 

12th min: Big defensive effort from DWZ and fullback Taine Tuaupiki, chasing down a Iro break and getting Sam Stonestreet out over the sideline in what looked to be a certain try. Score remains 6-0 to the Warriors.  

9th min: Warriors go further in front with a penalty goal from Boyd after KL Iro was penalised fro an early tackle. Wah leads 6-0.

6th min: A few errors from the Sharks and the Warriors pounce with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak going over out wide for the first try of the afternoon. Tanah Boyd's conversion from out on the right touchline goes across the face of the goal posts and the score remains 4-0.

Kick-off: Warriors have first use of the ball with Jackson Ford taking the first hit up. 

Late Mail

Sharks: Briton Nikora is on track to come into the side after recovering from a broken nose. The edge forward was named in the reserves but has been elevated into the 19 after getting through the captain's run. Mawene Hiroti is also in the mix to return to the side after making a successful comeback from a knee injury in reserve grade last week. Hiroti remained on the bench after the squad was trimmed to 20 on Saturday. No late changes on game day.

Warriors: English secondrower Morgan Gannon and winger Alofi’ana Khan-Pereira have been omitted for Sunday’s clash against Cronulla at Ocean Protect Stadium. The only change to the 19 from last week is the inclusion of Demitric Vaimauga after Mitch Barnett was struck down with a broken thumb. Centre Ali Leiataua was listed in jersey #23 among the reserves and was cut on game day with no other late changes.