Saturday’s NRL 2018 Finals Week 1 match is between Sydney Roosters and Cronulla Sharks. The opening kick is set to commence at 19:40 local time with the game to be played at Allianz Stadium. The home team Sydney Roosters are the favourites for the match.
View our preview and teams for the game between Sydney Roosters and Cronulla Sharks.
When: 19:40 | Saturday 08/09/2018
Where: Allianz Stadium
Preview:
This game will be a thriller.
Both teams are filled with big game players and both teams know what it takes to win these games.
Plenty on the line also with the winner getting the week off.
When I go through both teams, I feel the teams both have pros and cons and while I like the Sharks’ forwards, I like the Roosters’ backs.
The difference in this I feel, will be between the halves.
Can the Matt Moylan and Chad Townsend pairing get over the top of Cooper Cronk and Luke Keary?
The one place I feel in which the Roosters can be dominated is up front and with the all-Origin forward pack the Sharks possess, this might just be enough.
KEY BATTLE: Andrew Fifita v Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
Watch the battle between Fifita and JWH.
Both are inspiring players that have a positive affect on their teammates.
The Verdict
This one could go either way but I think I’m swaying in favour of the experience and toughness of the Sharks.
The Sharks lead the Roosters 10-5-1 since 2010 and have a 7-4 (63.6 percent) O/U record as an underdog against the Roosters since 2011.
Unibet Odds:
Sydney Roosters at $1.55
Cronulla Sharks at $2.48
Odds:
Tip: Sydney Roosters at $1.56
Value Tip: First Try Scorer: Blake Ferguson at $11.00
More Info:
Teams:
Sydney Roosters:
1 James Tedesco, 2 Daniel Tupou, 3 Latrell Mitchell, 4 Joseph Manu, 5 Blake Ferguson, 6 Luke Keary, 7 Cooper Cronk, 8 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 9 Jake Friend (c), 10 Siosiua Taukeiaho, 11 Boyd Cordner, 12 Isaac Liu, 13 Victor Radley
Interchange: 14 Lindsay Collins, 15 Zane Tetevano, 16 Mitchell Aubusson, 17 Ryan Matterson
Reserves: 18 Nat Butcher, 19 Sean O’Sullivan, 20 Matt Ikuvalu, 21 Kurt Baptiste.
Cronulla Sharks: 
1 Valentine Holmes, 2 Sosaia Feki, 3 Josh Dugan, 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 Wade Graham (c), 13 Paul Gallen (c)
Interchange: 14 Kurt Capewell, 15 James Segeyaro, 16 Aaron Woods, 17 Jayson Bukuya
Reserves: 18 Scott Sorensen, 19 Ava Seumanufagai , 20 Joseph Paulo, 21 Jesse Ramien.
NRL News:
They are the big-money signings brought over to win the Sydney Roosters a premiership.
Fed up with just one major trophy from their four minor premierships, Roosters captain Boyd Cordner believes Cooper Cronk and James Tedesco can deliver them an elusive NRL title.
The Roosters this year finished atop the ladder for the fourth time in six years under coach Trent Robinson, but Cordner has his sights set higher for the premiership heavyweights.
“It doesn’t really mean much,” Cordner said of claiming another minor premiership.
“In past years we’ve become minor premiers and fallen short. It is a long season to go all that way and fall short, so we’ll be doing everything we can to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
The major inclusions in this year’s line-up are undoubtedly the representative pair of Cronk and Tedesco, both of whom are understood be on $1 million a season.
Ahead of their qualifying final showdown with Cronulla on Saturday, Cordner wasn’t hesitant to label the twosome as difference-makers for the side this season.
“We have the same core group of players that have been here for a while now,” he said.
“Obviously (we have) the additions of Cooper Cronk and James Tedesco in some key positions there so that’s going to help us out a lot.”
He said Cronk – who is now a part of three successive minor premiership sides, including the previous two with the Storm – has proven to be the key to their late-season surge.
The Roosters were eighth in April but won 12 of their final 16 games of the regular season to pip Melbourne as first past the post.
“He never really has a bad game, Cooper. You can’t really say much about his form or anything because he’s always on top of his game,” Cordner said.
“He’s been massive for us this season, especially mid-to-late season where we’ve gone on a bit of a run. He’s been one of our best players.
“His experience … I think he’s played more finals games than any of us here at the Roosters, and, probably apart from Cameron Smith and Billy Slater, anyone in the top eight.
“He’s going to help us out a lot in that sense.”
