NRL Match Preview: Round 22 v Rabbitohs

Author: Sharks Media
Timestamp: Sat 1 Aug 2026, 02:00 PM

A big win over the Sea Eagles, following on from victories against the Knights and Dolphins, has the Sharks in a confident frame of mind heading into their round 22 clash with the Rabbitohs.

The recent success has seen the Sharks move into the top four, and a win over a Souths side also pushing for a finals berth would leave them in a prime position with the big end-of-season matches approaching.

However, while enjoying a rich vein of form of late, ahead of the game scheduled to kick off at 2pm at Ocean Protect Stadium on Sunday, the Sharks refused to look too far ahead and were putting all their energies into getting the better of a dangerous opponent this weekend.

“There is a long way to go, that is (the Finals) too far ahead in the future for us to focus on now, all our attention is on the Rabbitohs,” said Tom Hazelton, who was rested from the Manly game with back soreness.

“Last time we played them at Accor, they put it on us, pretty convincingly they got the win too, so we know the threats they possess and were going to have to be at our best to beat them.”

Although while Sunday’s game is the immediate focus, the big picture for Hazelton and the Sharks team is achieving success in September and October.

“We all know what we want, we all know what we are chasing after,” Hazelton added.

“I feel like we’ve got more to give. We’ve just got to keep nailing our prep. But we’re trying to not get too ahead of ourselves, there is still five or six weeks until the finals and we’re just trying to knuckle down.”

The Sharks come into the game in fourth place, following 12 wins and six losses, while their opponents are currently sixth, four points behind the Cronulla club on the NRL ladder.

Sunday will be the 100th game between the Sharks and Rabbitohs, Cronulla having won on 52 occasions, Souths 44, with three matches drawn.

The Sharks have won five of the past six against Souths, however as recognised by Hazelton, the Rabbitohs came out on top in the most recent encounter, winning 36-12 at Accor Stadium in round 10.

In games played at Ocean Protect Stadium the Sharks also hold the win-loss advantage, with 34 wins, as opposed to 13 from the Rabbitohs, with the home team winning nine of the 11 games at the venue since 2011. The Sharks last home loss against the Rabbitohs was in 2023.

In 2026 the Sharks have won six of seven games at Ocean Protect Stadium, including five straight, while away from their home base at Homebush this year Souths have won four of 12 games, losing the past six.

However, while the Sharks hold most of the statistical advantages, Souths coach Wayne Bennett has enjoyed success in games against Cronulla, winning 33 of 45 matches since the year 2000.

In personal milestones, Siosifa Talakai will play his 150th NRL game, after having made his debut for Souths in 2016 in a match against the Titans in Perth.

Talakai played 11 games for Souths over two seasons, before joining the Sharks in 2020, with the game on Sunday to be his 139th for the Cronulla club.

“I’m trying to keep my emotions in check and to not get too far ahead of myself,” Talakai said of his milestone match.

Talakai’s talented teammate Ronaldo Mulitalo will also be aiming to share a piece of Sharks history, the winger needing one try to equal David Peachey on 110 four pointers and to move to equal second on the club’s try scoring list.

Mulitalo has six tries in eight games against Souths, while his wing partner Sione Katoa has scored seven tries in seven games against the Rabbitohs.

As for Nicho Hynes, the Sharks halfback has kicked 26 goals in a row, two behind Luke Covell who at 28 holds the current Sharks record, a streak achieved back in 2006. The NRL record is owned by Bulldog Hazem El Masri who kicked 35 in a row during the 2003 season.

Hynes has an 83.7% goal kicking success rate in 2026, ranking him behind just Jamayne Isaako (86.5%) of the Dolphins.

The Sharks were reporting no injury concerns from the team as announced on Tuesday, with Jayden Berrell, Sam Stonestreet and Niwhai Puru retained in the 20-man squad and the 24-hour team list.

Kick off is at 2.00pm, with the two teams listed below.

Round 22 - Round 22 - Sunday 2 Aug

4:00 am

Sharks

Rabbitohs

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Sharks is number 1 William Kennedy

Fullback for Rabbitohs is number 1 Matthew Dufty
Winger for Sharks is number 2 Sione Katoa

Winger for Rabbitohs is number 2 Alex Johnston
Centre for Sharks is number 3 Jesse Ramien

Centre for Rabbitohs is number 3 Latrell Siegwalt
Centre for Sharks is number 4 KL Iro

Centre for Rabbitohs is number 4 Jack Wighton
Winger for Sharks is number 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo

Winger for Rabbitohs is number 5 Campbell Graham
Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Braydon Trindall

Five-Eighth for Rabbitohs is number 6 Cody Walker
Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Nicho Hynes

Halfback for Rabbitohs is number 7 Ashton Ward

Forwards

Prop for Sharks is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake

Prop for Rabbitohs is number 8 Tevita Tatola
Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke Brailey

Hooker for Rabbitohs is number 9 Brandon Smith
Prop for Sharks is number 10 Thomas Hazelton

Prop for Rabbitohs is number 10 John Radel
2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Briton Nikora

2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 11 Keaon Koloamatangi
2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Teig Wilton

2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 12 Euan Aitken
Lock for Sharks is number 13 Cameron McInnes

Lock for Rabbitohs is number 13 Lachlan Hubner

Interchange

Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Siosifa Talakai

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 14 Jye Gray
Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Billy Burns

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 15 Jamie Humphreys
Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Oregon Kaufusi

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 16 Liam Le Blanc
Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Jesse Colquhoun

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 17 Sean Keppie
Interchange for Sharks is number 19 Jayden Berrell

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 18 Jayden Sullivan
Interchange for Sharks is number 21 Samuel Stonestreet

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 20 Thomas Fletcher