Friday nights NRL Preliminary Finals 2018 match is between the Melbourne Storm and Cronulla Sharks. The opening kick is set to commence at 19:50 AEST time with the game to be played at AAMI Park in Melbourne. The home team Melbourne Storm are the favourites for the match.
When: 19:50 | Friday 21/9/2018
Where: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Preview:
2016 GF replay and what a game it shapes to be!
While the Melbourne Storm welcome back both Will Chambers and big Nelson Asofa-Solomona, the Sharks have a race against time to get Luke Lewis and Paul Gallen fit to play.
If records are anything, the Sharks have a good record when Gallen isn’t playing anyway, however September success requires some luck but more importantly a healthy squad which the Sharks don’t have.
I think if Gal is to play he needs to be 100 percent fit to go otherwise he will get found out and exposed or even let his team down if he had to leave early.
Big call for Shane Flanagan.
The key to success for the Sharks to beat the Storm is quite simple.
Be as physically dominant as they can which is something they are so good at doing.
This has really frustrated the Storm in recent years.
KEY BATTLE: Valentine Holmes v Billy Slater
How mouth-watering is the match-up between the two most exciting and inspiring players in our game?
The young bull Val Holmes has a plan to finish Billy Slater’s career while Billy has much bigger ways to leave this game.
The Verdict
I’m torn in this pick but with the week off and knowing the significance of the occasion, I think Melbourne will rise and get the job done.
Having a healthy and fit squad will prove to be the difference.
Melbourne leads Cronulla 10-6 since 2010.
Josh Addo-Carr has been the first tryscorer in three of Melbourne’s last four finals.
Each of the Sharks’ last four interstate matches were decided by a margin of 1 to 6 points.
Unibet Odds:
Melbourne at $1.37
Cronulla at $3.15
Odds:
Tip: Melbourne Storm at $1.35
Value Tip: First Try Scorer: Josh Addo-Carr at $7.00
Teams:
Storm: 
1 Billy Slater, 2 Suliasi Vunivalu, 3 Will Chambers, 4 Curtis Scott, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Brodie Croft, 8 Jesse Bromwich, 9 Cameron Smith, 10 Tim Glasby, 11 Felise Kaufusi, 12 Joe Stimson, 13 Dale Finucane
Interchange: 14 Kenny Bromwich, 15 Christian Welch, 16 Ryan Hoffman, 17 Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Reserves: 18 Brandon Smith, 19 Jahrome Hughes, 20 Sam Kasiano, 21 Cheyse Blair.
Sharks: 
1 Val Holmes, 2 Sosaia Feki, 3 Jesse Ramien, 4 Ricky Leutele, 5 Edrick Lee, 6 Matt Moylan, 7 Chad Townsend, 8 Andrew Fifita, 9 Jayden Brailey, 10 Matt Prior, 11 Luke Lewis, 12 Kurt Capewell, 13 Paul Gallen
Interchange: 14 Scott Sorensen, 15 James Segeyaro 16 Aaron Woods 17 Jayson Bukuya
Reserves: 18 Josh Dugan, 19 Ava Seumanufagai, 20 Joseph Paulo, 21 Kyle Flanagan.
*Odds correct at time of posting. Subject to change
