This match shapes up as one of the better clashes of the round.
Cronulla, who sit sixth on the ladder after two very good wins in the past fortnight over Penrith and Warriors, will host a desperate Newcastle outfit that, after a draw with Brisbane last week, sit in eighth spot and only one point ahead of Gold Coast and Warriors.
Cronulla boast one of the best home ground records of the competition (7 – 2) and with five-eighth Todd Carney in good form behind a forward pack that has stepped up to the mark in recent weeks, the Sharks have a chance to entrench themselves in the eight.
As their season record of 8 – 8 suggests, it’s been an up and down year for the Knights. After building good momentum with three straight wins, the Novocastrian succumbed to Sydney in round 20 and last week, salvaged a draw in the final moments against Brisbane.
The one competition point sees them placed precariously in eighth spot and means that every game from here on in, is a must win match.
Only one point separated the two sides when they met back in round 8 with victory going to Cronulla.
It continued a recent tradition of close encounters that are generally low scoring affairs.
With so much on the line for both sides, would expect that this match-up will be no different.
Odds comparison by NRL Odds:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Cronulla Sharks | 1.47 | 1.52 | 1.51 | 1.52 | 1.47 | 1.47 |
|
Newcastle Knights
|
2.70 | 2.55 | 2.60 | 2.55 | 2.70 | 2.70 |
Teams:
Cronulla Sharks:
Michael Gordon, Sosaia Feki, Ben Pomeroy, Jonathan Wright, Nathan Stapleton, Todd Carney, Jeff Robson, Andrew Fifita, John Morris, Bryce Gibbs, Jayson Bukuya, Wade Graham, Paul Gallen. Interchange: Isaac De Gois, Chris Heighington, Sam Tagataese, Ben Ross
Newcastle Knights:
Darius Boyd, James McManus, Dane Gagai, Joey Leilua, Akuila Uate, Jarrod Mullen, Tyrone Roberts, Kade Snowden, Danny Buderus, Zane Tetevano, Robbie Rochow, Chris Houston, Jeremy Smith. Interchange: Craig Gower, David Fa’alogo, Neville Costigan, Adam Cuthbertson
