Sunday’s NRL 2018 Round 24 match is between Cronulla Sharks and Newcastle Knights. The opening kick is set to commence at 14:00 local time with the game to be played at Southern Cross Group Stadium, Sydney. The home team Cronulla Sharks are the favourites for the match.
View our preview and teams for the game between Cronulla Sharks and Newcastle Knights.
When: 14:00 | Sunday 26/08/2018
Where: Southern Cross Group Stadium, Sydney
Preview:
Top 4 honours to play for will be enough for the home side to get away with this one.
Both teams grabbed the two points last week but I don’t think the Knights have what it takes to back that performance up again against a hardened battled side like the Sharks.
Will Andrew Fifita deliver again?
He’s a quality player and loves the centre stage.
Pulled his team from the fire last week with a solo try.
KEY BATTLE: Matt Moylan v Kalyn Ponga
Ponga v Moylan in the halves will be sensational.
I thought Ponga’s move there last week worked really well.
The Verdict
The challenge for the Sharks this week will be to stay focused and committed.
Stick to their game plan and they will be ok.
The Knights will fight to the end like we know they will but last week’s efforts will hit them late in the contest.
The Sharks, who lead the Knights 9-8 since 2010, have a 24-12-1 (69.4 percent) record after winning as a favourite since 2015.
Unibet Odds:
Cronulla at $1.35
Newcastle at $3.30
Odds:
Tip: Cronulla Sharks at $1.26
Value Tip: First Try Scorer: Edrick Lee at $10.00
More Info:
Teams:
Cronulla Sharks:
1. Valentine Holmes 2. Sosaia Feki 3. Josh Dugan 4. Kurt Capewell 5. Edrick Lee 6. Matt Moylan 7. Chad Townsend 8. Andrew Fifita 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Matt Prior 11. Luke Lewis 12. Wade Graham 13. Paul Gallen
Interchange: 14.Scott Sorensen 15. James Segeyaro 16. Aaron Woods 17. Jayson Bukuya
Reserves: 18. Joseph Paulo 19. Ava Seumanufagai 20. Sione Katoa 21. Kyle Flanagan.
Newcastle Knights: 
1. Nick Meaney 2. Ken Sio 3. Sione Mata’utia 4. Cory Denniss 5. Shaun Kenny-dowall 6. Kalyn Ponga 7. Mitchell Pearce 8. Herman Ese’ese 9. Danny Levi 10. Daniel Saifiti 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 12. Mitchell Barnett 13. Aidan Guerra
Interchange: 14. Jamie Buhrer 15. Chris Heighington 16. Pasami Saulo 17. Josh King
Reserves: 18. Jacob Lillyman 19. JJ Felise 20. Connor Watson 21. Luke Yates.
NRL News:
Luke Lewis has changed his tune and says he’ll take Andrew Fifita warts and all if the firebrand prop’s uncontrolled aggression leads Cronulla to a second NRL title in three seasons.
“A hundred per cent, if it gets us to a premiership,” Lewis said on Tuesday night.
Fifita’s expletive-laden spray towards Cronulla’s coaching box after he scored the match-winning try over North Queensland on Saturday has been the talking point of the league.
Even his teammate Lewis, who controversially won the Clive Churchill Medal ahead of Fifita after Cronulla’s drought-breaking grand final win in 2016, weighed in.
Lewis said Fifita’s behaviour was a “not a good look” for the Sharks and a bad look for the game.
Three days on, and after the dust has settled, Lewis believed Fifita’s passion could work in the Sharks’ favour, so long as coach Shane Flanagan uses the Tongan Test star in Cronulla’s favour.
“I’d probably lean towards quality, not quantity,” Lewis said on Fox Sports’ NRL 360 program when asked if Fifita should be used for 80 minutes or as an impact player.
“Don’t worry about giving Andrew the ball and letting Andrew run his 250 metres (a game).
“Let’s say, ‘Andrew, give me your 10 strongest, direct, hardest carries and get us on the front foot’.”
Fifita’s former NSW State of Origin teammate Josh Reynolds agrees, saying “there’s nothing worse” than confronting the Sharks tearaway with a full head of steam.
Reynolds believes Sharks coach Shane Flanagan should give his ex-Wests Tigers teammate and mid-season signing Aaron Woods more game time and leave Fifita fresh for when the game’s on the line.
“I’ve obviously come up against Andrew a few times,” Reynolds said.
“Near the line, he drifts across field and you know he’s coming for the halves and every time he’s got the ball there, he’s just going to throw you off.
“Andrew wouldn’t like it but I think it would work perfect if you gave ‘Woodsy’ that bit more time and use him (Fifita) as the impact.
“The back end of halves, when the hookers are getting a bit tired, a bit sloppy, falling off tackles, he’s going to score those (match-winning) tries every day of the week.”
Fifita apologised for his vitriolic spray on Saturday night and Lewis said the Sharks had moved on.
