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Round 26 Sharks v Eagles

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EAGLES - SUN 6 SEPTEMBER, 4.00PM, REMONDIS STADIUM | BUY TICKETS

Sharks
1 Michael Gordon
2 Sosaia Feki
3 Gerard Beale
4 Ricky Leutele
5 Valentine Holmes
6 Jack Bird
7 Jeff Robson
8 Chris Heighington
9 Michael Ennis
10 Sam Tagataese
11 Luke Lewis
12 Wade Graham
13 Paul Gallen (c)

Interchange
14 Matt Prior
15 Anthony Tupou
16 Tinirau Arona
17 Jayson Bukuya
19 Ben Barba

Coach: Shane Flanagan

Sea Eagles
1 Brett Stewart
2 Jorge Taufua
3 Jamie Lyon (c)
4 Steve Matai
5 Peta Hiku
6 Kieran Foran
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Jake Trbojevic
9 Jayden Hodges
10 Ligi Sao
11 Feleti Mateo
12 Justin Horo
13 Blake Leary

Interchange
14 Jesse Sene-Lefao
15 Dunamis Lui
16 Tom Symonds
17 Josh Starling
18 James Hasson

Coach: Geoff Toovey
 
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Sharks v Sea Eagles preview

Jack Brady Thu 03 Sep, 2015, 9:00am
By Jack Brady*, National Correspondent, NRL.com

Sharks v Sea Eagles preview
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v Manly Sea Eagles preview
Remondis Stadium
Sunday 4pm

The Sea Eagles will know what their fate holds after the Dragons player the Wests Tigers on Saturday night – around 20 hours before Manly are due to play against the Sharks.

Theoretically the eighth-placed Dragons have a two competition point buffer and a 61 point differential buffer on the ninth-placed Sea Eagles, meaning if the Red V beat the Wests Tigers then Manly's season is over.

However if the Tigers win then the Sea Eagles are still in the hunt, especially if the Dragons' opponents somehow pull off a victory similar to their 34 point win over the Warriors last weekend, then it's up to Manly to make up the difference.

Regardless, a win for the Sharks over their bogey team in the Sea Eagles means they'll shore up a top four berth and secure a likely finals clash with the Roosters – who they have beaten twice this season.

The Sharks welcome back Anthony Tupou and Ben Barba on an extended bench at the expense of Blake Ayshford. Willie Mason's Sea Eagles career is over due to suspension with Ligi Sao starting at prop and Jesse Sene-Lefao coming onto the bench.


Watch out Sharks: In his final game as a Sea Eagle – bar a miracle – five-eighth Kieran Foran will be looking to leave the club with a bang. After an injury interrupted opening to the year, the Eels-bound half is now averaging 101.2 metres and two tackle breaks per game and has produced a further 12 try assists.

Watch out Sea Eagles: Cronulla are one of the most prolific offloading clubs in the NRL. Producing 247 offloads – the sixth most competition wide – the Sea Eagles should remain wary of the Sharks especially captain Paul Gallen (33 offloads – 10th in NRL) and five-eighth Jack Bird (26 – 20th in NRL) with Manly being one of the worst offloading teams themselves.

Key Match-Up: Michael Ennis v Daly Cherry-Evans – A hooker taking on a halfback isn't your typical match up, but considering they are the linchpins for their respective side's attacking fortunes it's a valid one. Ennis has been a star in the Shire in 2015. His 15 try assists and 13 line break assists have helped Cronulla to their lofty position in the ladder. Daly Cherry-Evans' Sea Eagles have been a mixed bag this season but it hasn't stopped him coming up with 18 try assists (2nd in the league).

The History: Played 84; Sharks 23, Sea Eagles 59, Draw 2. The Sea Eagles have won 11 of their past 12 games dating back to 2008, including their most recent 28-16 win back in Round 17. In fact the Sharks have struggled against Manly since their inception in 1967. They've only managed to win consecutive games just three times – in 1985, the two games either side of the failed Northern Eagles experiment in 1999 and 2003, and in 2004.

What are the Odds: Cronulla are all the rage with Sportsbet punters. The money is running two to one in head to head markets and 70 per cent of bets have been placed on the Sharks to cover the line. Valentine Holmes is extremely popular in the first try scoring market. Latest odds at Sportsbet.com.au

Match Officials: Referee: Ben Cummins. Assistant Referee: Alan Shortall. Sideline Officials: Michael Wise and Rick MacFarlane. Video Referees: Steve Chiddy and Luke Patten.

Televised: Channel Nine (Live) – 3:30pm

The Way We See It: The Sharks desire for a top four berth, if they are to be taken as serious contenders for this year's premiership, should outdo the Sea Eagles mathematical chances of making the finals. It's hard to predict how Manly will react and push themselves in this one considering their fate is completely dependent on how the Dragons perform against the Tigers. With their future completely in their hands, Sharks should buck eight years of history to win by four points.
 
Flanagan wants winning form for NRL finals

Fri 04 Sep, 2015, 2:15pm
Matt Encarnacion, AAP

Cronulla's NRL finals equation is simple: Win, and a qualifying final with the Sydney Roosters awaits. Lose, and an elimination final is upon them.

If the Sharks defeat visiting Manly on Sunday afternoon, they will sew up the all-important second chance as well as a date with the 2015 minor premiers next week.

Coach Shane Flanagan says he simply wants to maintain his side's current winning form and says the Sharks have the motivation to do so.

"Father's Day, capacity crowd, top four on the line... I don't know what else we need to play for," Flanagan said.

A top four spot would be a remarkable achievement for a side that finished last season with the wooden spoon.

But Flanagan revealed that, based on the roster at his disposal, it was a goal well within their reach from the pre-season.

"Ninety per cent of the population would've thought I was crazy, but the playing group and my staff believed that if we worked really hard, we could get to where we are," he said.

Winners in 10 of their past 12 matches, the Sharks will need to turn around a porous record against the Sea Eagles, who have won 11 of their past 12 encounters, including the past five.

Flanagan blames their recent struggles against Manly on a scheduling quirk, with just one of the past five played in the Shire.

"Even this year we played them without Michael Ennis and Paul Gallen, and they were pretty much at full strength," he said.

Flanagan won't write the Sea Eagles off, noting they are trying to send coach Geoff Toovey out on a winning note and that for Cronulla it's about fundamentals.

"We've just got to make sure that we play well," Flanagan said.
 
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